A Nashville building permit is issued by the Metro Department of Codes and Building Safety for nearly any construction, renovation, or demolition work in Davidson County, with residential fees starting at $5.00 per $1,000 of project valuation. The requirement sits in Metropolitan Code Section 16.28.010 and covers construction, alteration, repair, enlargement, movement, or demolition of a building or structure.1Metropolitan Nashville – Davidson County. Metropolitan Nashville – Davidson County Stormwater Management Manual Volume 1 Licensed contractors apply through the E-Permits portal; homeowners apply by email or in person at the Codes office on President Ronald Reagan Way.
Work That Needs a Permit
The requirement is broad. New construction, additions, structural repairs, and interior work that changes your home’s layout or load-bearing elements all require a permit. So do smaller residential features: swimming pools, decks, porches, carports, patio covers, and storage buildings (including portable sheds) of 100 square feet or more.2Nashville.gov. Residential Building Permit Procedures A detached accessory dwelling unit needs its own permit.
Demolition is its own permit category. Pre-1980 structures typically need an asbestos survey before a demolition permit will be issued, utilities must be disconnected, and Nashville requires a Debris Management Review, completed online, for building permit sign-off under Metro Code Section 16-28-040D.3Nashville.gov. Construction and Demolition Debris Management Plans
Separate Permits for Plumbing, Electrical, and Mechanical
A general building permit does not cover trade work. Plumbing, electrical, and mechanical systems each require their own permits, even when the work is part of a single renovation.4Nashville.gov. Codes and Building Safety E-Permits System for Contractors A new HVAC system or a kitchen rewire means filing trade permits on top of the structural permit. Licensed contractors in each trade pull these filings. Working without them can trigger stop-work orders and daily fines.
How Fees Are Calculated
Residential building permit fees are based on your project’s total valuation, including both materials and labor. The rate is $5.00 per $1,000 of total valuation for one-family homes, two-family homes, and townhouses. Every permit also carries a $25 zoning examination fee and a Codes tech fee equal to 10% of the building valuation fee.5Nashville.gov. Codes Fee Schedule 16.28.110 – Building Permits
A $50,000 kitchen addition works out to a $250 building valuation fee, a $25 tech fee, and the $25 zoning fee, for $300 before any trade permit fees. The permit fee is non-refundable once you submit, so lock in the project scope before filing.
Documents You’ll Need
Missing paperwork is the usual delay. The core package:
- The Residential Permit Application, available on the Metro Codes website.
- A site plan showing the proposed project location with distances to property lines, existing structures, and labeled easements. Required for all residential construction permits.
- Elevation renderings when adding height to the primary structure, building a new accessory structure, or constructing a detached accessory dwelling unit.
- A floor plan for additions, DADUs, enclosed accessory structures, and renovations to the primary structure, showing the proposed interior layout including fixtures and appliances.
Homes over 5,000 square feet in floor area require full construction plans. Accessory structures also need elevation drawings demonstrating height.2Nashville.gov. Residential Building Permit Procedures Contractors applying for permits must be properly licensed and bonded with the Department of Codes and Building Safety, and their license limits determine the scope of permits they can pull.
How to Submit
How you file depends on who you are. Registered contractors apply online through the E-Permits system at epermits.nashville.gov, where they can also schedule inspections and pay fees electronically.4Nashville.gov. Codes and Building Safety E-Permits System for Contractors To get login credentials, contractors email permitissuance@nashville.gov.
Homeowners cannot create online accounts. If you’re pulling a self-permit or applying without a contractor, you have two options: email your completed application and documents to zoninghelpdesk@nashville.gov, or schedule an appointment to apply in person at the Department of Codes and Building Safety on the first floor of the Metro Office Building at 800 President Ronald Reagan Way, Nashville, TN 37210.6Nashville.gov. Codes and Building Safety Plan for that from the start rather than assuming the online portal is open to you.
Pulling Your Own Permit as the Owner-Builder
If you want to act as your own general contractor, Tennessee law under Section 62-6-103 provides an exemption from standard contractor licensing, but with conditions. You must personally appear at the local permitting agency, sign a Disclosure Statement and Notice of Non-Licensed Owner’s Intent to Build, and file that form with the register of deeds at your own expense.7Tennessee General Assembly. Tennessee Code Annotated – SB0275 You also provide an affidavit confirming you maintain general liability and workers’ compensation insurance.
The building must be for your own use and occupancy. If you sell or rent a building you built yourself within two years after construction is complete, the law presumes you built it for sale or rent, which violates the exemption.7Tennessee General Assembly. Tennessee Code Annotated – SB0275 Nashville self-permits also require a notarized Affidavit of Exemption and a separate Self Permit Affidavit with the application. One limitation to know up front: you cannot pull a self-permit for a detached accessory dwelling unit.2Nashville.gov. Residential Building Permit Procedures
Inspections and the Certificate of Occupancy
Once your application is received and fees are paid, Codes reviews the plans for compliance with zoning laws and building standards. The director of codes administration has authority to examine any building for which a permit application has been received to enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change its occupancy.8Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County, TN. Tennessee Code 16.32 – Inspections
After issuance, construction follows a sequence of inspections at key milestones. For a typical residential project, expect at minimum a foundation or slab inspection before pouring concrete, a framing and rough-in inspection after the structure is up but before insulation and drywall go in, and a final inspection on completion. The director inspects all buildings and structures during and upon completion of the work for which a permit was issued.8Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County, TN. Tennessee Code 16.32 – Inspections The final inspection is what produces the certificate of occupancy. Without that certificate, the permit stays open.
If Your Property Is in a Historic Overlay
If your property sits in one of Nashville’s historic or conservation overlay districts, you may need approval from the Metropolitan Historic Zoning Commission before you can even apply for a building permit. The MHZC reviews exterior work in these areas for architectural compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood.
Projects most likely to require full commission review include infill construction, large additions, demolition of primary historic buildings, and setback determinations. Smaller projects that meet the neighborhood’s adopted design guidelines can be pre-approved by staff and generally receive a permit within four days of a complete application, without going before the full commission.9Nashville.gov. Apply for Historic Preservation Permit A pre-application review is available and encouraged for larger or unusual projects, particularly additions with a footprint greater than 1,500 square feet.
In Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Overlay districts, the scope of review is narrower. The MHZC focuses on new construction, additions that increase footprint or height, demolition, relocation of structures, and setback determinations. Routine repairs and alterations to existing structures, like replacing windows or painting, generally do not require review in NCZO districts.10Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Design Guidelines for Turn-of-the-20th Century Districts Part I Nashville’s Historic Zoning Lookup tool, or a call to 615-880-4900, will confirm whether your address is in an overlay.