Residential Building Permits

The Building Codes Department issues permits for the unincorporated Rutherford County only identified by the shaded area on this map, enter your address in top left corner and click on magnifying glass.
Permits are issued from 8:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. – Monday through Friday – with the exception of major holidays

A Residential Building Permit may only be issued to the following:

an individual who possesses a TN State issued Contractors License, (the license valuation must cover the proposed project)
a TN State issued Home Remodeling License (for projects valued up to $25,000)
the legal property owner (provided that the owner currently lives, or plans to live on the property)

A building permit may not be issued to a property owner who does not currently live on the property or plans to construct, 'flip', or remodel the property for the purposes of resale or lease. In these scenarios, a licensed contractor will be required to obtain the permit and oversee/complete the work.

Where it is approved to issue a building permit to the legal property owner, a Homeowner Affidavit shall be signed by the property owner, notarized and recorded with the permit acknowledging their responsibilities as the 'contractor' for the project.

After application package is submitted, please allow 24-48 hours for review, after which you will receive a message or call to advise that your permit is ready to issue.

In some cases a Plans Review will be required, in those cases an additional 3-5 days should be expected for the review process, this is most commonly required under the following circumstances:

for homes exceeding 5,000 SF of living area
structures of any size with a below grade basement
structures constructed using unconventional building methods, e.g. 'barndominiums', 'container homes', where excessive glazing exists, etc. If you have any questions regarding this requirement please call our office for clarification
a townhome development

This list should not be assumed to be all inclusive, for additional information on Plans Reviews, please click on tab on left side of this page entitled Plans Review.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED FOR PERMIT ISSUANCE

Prior to permit application please click on the following tab that corresponds with your project to read more information on documentation required, checklists, etc.

Single-Family Dwelling

To obtain a building permit for a single-family dwelling, the following documentation is required:

A completed Building Permit application for a Single-Family Dwelling (link below)
If the property is not in a subdivision on an approved recorded plat, a Zoning Compliance review will be required to be completed through Rutherford County Planning and Engineering and submitted with the permit application. If the property is in subdivision on an approved recorded plat then the zoning compliance review has already been completed during that approval process and this step is not necessary
Verification of an approved sewage disposal system, i.e. a SSDS permit issued by the TN Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) or a STEP permit issued by Consolidated Utility District of Rutherford County
A legible, accurately dimensioned architectural copy of the floorplan of the proposed dwelling (does not have to certified but may not be a hand drawn rendering)
A plot plan of the lot/property indicating exactly where the proposed dwelling will be located. The plot plan is used for review, approval and ultimately for inspection purposes, therefore it must be legible, accurately dimension and complete, if it is not, you will be asked to return to your property and resubmit a plot plan that is acceptable.

SFD application Single-Family Dwelling application

Accessory Dwelling Unit

To obtain a permit for an Accessory Dwelling Unit, the following documentation is required:

A completed building permit application for an Accessory Dwelling Unit found (link below)
A Zoning Compliance Certificate from Planning and Engineering, application package found here
Verification and layout of subsurface sewage disposal system (SSDS). System must have the capacity to service any existing connections as well as the proposed project
A plot plan showing proposed location of new structure in proximity to existing structures on the property, septic system and property lines. The plot plan is used for review, approval and ultimately for inspection purposes, therefore it must be legible, accurately dimension and complete, if it is not, you will be asked to return to your property and resubmit a plot plan that is acceptable.

Building Permit Application - Single Family Dwelling

Addition to a Single-Family Dwelling

To obtain a permit for an Addition to a Single-Family Dwelling, the following documentation must be submitted:

Completed permit application for an Addition to a Single-Family Dwelling (link below)
A Zoning Compliance Certificate from Planning and Engineering, application package found here
Verification showing location of subsurface sewage disposal system (SSDS). System must have the capacity to service any existing connections as well as the proposed project
A building permit application for an accessory structure of any kind will NOT be accepted without a plot plan showing proposed location of the new structure in proximity to the septic system, existing structures on the property and property lines. The plot plan is used for review, approval and ultimately for inspection purposes, therefore it must be legible, accurately dimensioned and complete, if it is not, you will be asked to return to your property and resubmit a plot plan that is accurate.

Building Permit Application - Addition

Accessory Structure

To obtain a permit for an Accessory Dwelling Unit, the following documentation is required:

A completed building permit application for an Accessory Dwelling Unit found (link below)
A Zoning Compliance Certificate from Planning and Engineering, application package found here. If the area to be remodel already exists on the property under an existing roof, a Zoning Compliance review may not be required, please verify with our office.
Verification and layout of subsurface sewage disposal system (SSDS). System must have the capacity to service any existing connections as well as the proposed project
A plot plan showing proposed location of new structure in proximity to existing structures on the property, septic system and property lines. The plot plan is used for review, approval and ultimately for inspection purposes, therefore it must be legible, accurately dimension and complete, if it is not, you will be asked to return to your property and resubmit a plot plan that is acceptable.

Accessory Structure Application