Tennessee Radon Authority
Updated October 17, 2026
Overton County · Tennessee
Research verified October 15, 2026

Overton County Radon

Overton County, TN radon The code stops at the city line. Radon does not.

Overton County’s verified dashboard average is 7.4 pCi/L, yet neither Livingston nor the unincorporated county requires radon-resistant construction. The sharpest exposure sits where lake-area growth meets no residential code at all.

Radon in Overton County, Tennessee: quick answers

EPA zone: Zone 2Region: Middle TennesseeState test data: State test figures confirmed on repeat checks

Is radon a problem in Overton County, Tennessee?

It can be. Overton County is in EPA Zone 2, where the predicted average indoor screening level is 2 to 4 pCi/L. Homes above EPA's 4 pCi/L action level are found in every zone, so a test is the only way to know your home's level.

Do new homes in Overton County, TN have to be built radon-resistant?

No. Livingston's code excludes all appendices, and unincorporated Overton County has no residential building code. Local code details

How do I test my home for radon in Overton County?

Order a free short-term kit from the Tennessee Radon Program online or by calling 1-800-232-1139. Place it on the lowest lived-in floor, about 3 feet off the floor, for 3 to 5 days, then mail it back right away. How to test your home

What radon level means I should fix my home?

EPA recommends fixing your home if radon is 4 pCi/L or higher, and considering a fix between 2 and 4 pCi/L. Confirm a high short-term result with a second test first. What your result means

Who can test or fix radon in Overton County?

Tennessee doesn't license radon professionals, so look for NRPP or NRSB certification. Search both national directories by ZIP code; certified professionals often serve Overton County from nearby cities. How to choose a radon professional

01 · Risk profile

A moderate-zone county with a high measured average.

EPA mapping places Overton County in Zone 2, where predicted average indoor screening levels are 2–4 pCi/L.67 The Tennessee dashboard’s observed values are more uneven—and more consequential.

Average
7.4 pCi/L

Above the 4.0 pCi/L action level; pulled upward by high readings.

Median
0.7 pCi/L

Half of the recorded values sit at or below this level.

Maximum
32.1 pCi/L

Proof that very elevated readings occur in the county.

Read the spread

These values were confirmed on two separate dashboard loads with the tooltip’s “County: Overton” label visible.5 The 7.4 average beside a 0.7 median signals a skewed result set: a few high tests can move the average dramatically. The dashboard covers 2022–2023, does not expose the county sample size, and does not clarify whether these summary values combine pre- and post-mitigation tests. Its pre/post bar charts are health-region aggregates, not county totals.

02 · Code split

Two jurisdictions. Zero radon mandates.

Livingston is Overton County’s only incorporated municipality.15 Inside the city, an older residential code excludes the radon appendix. Beyond it, there is no county residential code to begin with.

Inside Livingston

2012 IRC

Adopted with “all of the appendices” excluded.1

  • AuthorityMunicipal Code §12-201; Ord. #2014-7-2, July 2014
  • RadonAppendix F not adopted
  • ResultRadon-resistant new construction is optional
  • EnforcerLivingston codes officer / building inspector16
“excluding all of the appendices”
Unincorporated Overton County

No residential code

No county building permits, building codes, or zoning outside Livingston.2

  • County IRCNone adopted
  • State permitNot required here; Overton is absent from the SFM enforcement list4
  • RadonNo construction requirement
  • ExceptionState electrical permits are still required2
State code does not fill the gap.

Tennessee’s statewide residential standard uses the 2018 IRC,3 but the State Fire Marshal’s live permit list does not include Overton County or Livingston.4 The practical result is no state residential permit or inspection program in unincorporated Overton County. No county- or Livingston-specific radon rule for schools, public buildings, or real-estate transactions was found.

How do I find a certified radon professional in Overton County?

Tennessee doesn't license radon testers or mitigators, so national certification is the best way to check qualifications. The Tennessee Radon Program points residents to two directories: search them by ZIP code and widen the radius if nothing is listed nearby.

Search NRPPSearch NRSB

We don't recommend or rank companies. Before you hire, check the certification number in the directory yourself and ask for a follow-up test after any system is installed. Questions to ask a radon professional.

03 · Buyer angle

New does not mean radon-ready.

The county’s growth story is also its code story: development around Dale Hollow Lake is concentrated in unincorporated areas where no residential construction code applies.

Lake-area construction

Listings and development material document gated communities and new lake-lot construction around Allons and Hilham.1718 School expansion at Allons, Hilham, and Rickman has also been tied to enrollment growth.19

Because those communities are unincorporated, a buyer should not assume a new home includes a passive radon system.

Disclosure is not a test

The statewide Tennessee REALTORS® condition-disclosure form asks whether a seller knows of “radon gas” as an environmental hazard and advises buyers to use inspection contingencies.11

No Overton County-specific disclosure rule was found. A seller’s “unknown” response does not establish that a home was tested.

Practical buyer brief

Test regardless of age, construction date, location, or seller knowledge. For a new build, ask the builder whether a soil-gas collection layer, sealed slab penetrations, and a vent stack were installed—then test after occupancy rather than treating those features as proof of a low reading.

04 · Testing resources

Radon testing resources

Test, understand the result, and know who to call—whether the home has never been tested or a result comes back high.

If your result comes back high

1-800-644-6999

The Fix-It Hotline offers general guidance on lowering radon in your home.

Why it matters

About 21,000U.S. lung cancer deaths each year are attributed to radon. It is the second-leading cause overall and the leading cause among people who never smoked.
~9×At 4 pCi/L, EPA estimates about 62 in 1,000 smokers could get lung cancer from lifetime exposure, versus about 7 in 1,000 people who never smoked.
About 1 in 15U.S. homes has a high radon level.
Retest regularlyRetest at least every 2 years if you have a mitigation system, and after renovations or changes to how you use the lowest floor. EPA recommends action at 4 pCi/L and considering it between 2 and 4.22

Hotline information: U.S. EPA and CDC.2122 Health statistics and retesting guidance: American Lung Association.23

Sources

  1. Livingston Municipal Code, Title 12 — MTAS codification; §§12-201–203 and ordinance history.
  2. Overton County Permits & Zoning — county statement on permits, codes, zoning, and electrical permits.
  3. Tennessee State Fire Marshal: Residential Permits — statewide 2018 IRC.
  4. Apply for a Residential Permit — state-enforced jurisdiction list.
  5. State Fire Marshal: Opt-Out / Non-Code Jurisdictions.
  6. Tennessee Radon Testing dashboard — Overton tooltip verified on two loads; 2022–2023 filter.
  7. EPA Map of Radon Zones: Tennessee — Overton Zone 2.
  8. EPA Map of Radon Zones: Tennessee; see also the EPA Map of Radon Zones: Tennessee.
  9. NRPP professional directory — live search from ZIP 38570.
  10. NRSB professional directory — live 100-mile search from ZIP 38570.
  11. Tennessee REALTORS® RF 201 disclosure form, version 01/01/2025.
  12. Radon in Schools: A Brief Review of State Laws and Regulations — Tennessee school-testing context.
  13. Overton County communities reference — Livingston as sole incorporated municipality.
  14. Livingston codes officer / inspector appointment report.
  15. Dale Hollow Lake development listing.
  16. Cornerstone Parkway development listing.
  17. Overton County Schools construction report, October 4, 2026.
  18. Tennessee Radon Program free test-kit request — one kit per household, laboratory analysis included.
  19. U.S. EPA Radon Hotlines and Information Resources; qualified service-provider guidance.
  20. CDC Radon Resources; Testing Your Home for Radon.
  21. American Lung Association: Radon; radon and smoking risk.
Desktop research plus live directory and dashboard verification on October 15, 2026.Values are a dated snapshot, not live monitoring.