Please be advised that all Commercial and Residential Building Permit Fees have increased. This increase went into effect on July 1, 2023.

Please see the new fee schedules below:

Commercial Permit Fee Schedule

Residential Permit Fee Schedule

The School Facilities Tax will remain the same. 

Please contact our office for any questions.

Welcome to the Rutherford County Building Codes Department website. The primary focus and the purpose of building codes is to protect public health, safety and welfare as they relate to the construction and occupancy of buildings and structures. The codes are sets of regulations governing the design, construction, alteration and maintenance of structures.

The Rutherford County Building Codes Department provides permitting, plans review, inspection, codes enforcement, property maintenance enforcement and zoning enforcement to the citizens of Rutherford County. We play an integral role in creating a sustainable future for our citizens through building standards and safety, working alongside our builders and the general public negotiating the adopted codes, county regulations and procedures.

This website is full of helpful information if you are considering a construction project at your home. If the information within this website does not answer all your questions, I encourage you to call our office anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to speak with an inspector or any member of our staff. Thank you for visiting and we welcome any comments or suggestions you may have to make our website navigational for you and ultimately for others.

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PERMIT APPLICATION PROCESS

To assist us in providing you with the best service possible during the permit application process, we ask that you read the following information carefully, as some of our application processes have changed.

To ensure that all requirements have been met, the applicant must submit all the necessary documentation to our office for review prior to obtaining a Building Permit.  This review process will take 1-2 business days, upon completion of the review you will receive a text or email to advise that your permit is ready to be issued.

Please reference the following lists to review the complete list of documentation necessary for the type of project you are permitting.  A permit cannot be issued until a review has been completed, please allow for this in your building schedule.

 

Single Family Dwelling (SFD)

- Primary Dwellings, Additional Dwelling Units, Manufactured/Modular Homes, Apartments within a Barn or Garage, Tiny Homes

• School Facilities Tax Application, details here or Development Tax receipt, details here.

• Building Permit Application found here.

• Zoning Compliance Form when the SFD is not located in a recorded subdivision (obtained from Rutherford County Planning Department, visit their website here). 

• Land Disturbance Permit (obtained from the Rutherford County Planning Department, visit their website here).

• Erosion Control Form found here.

• Septic Permit/Completion Letter from TDEC or STEP verification from Consolidated Utility District.

• A detailed copy of the floor plan of the proposed SFD with dimensions.

• A plot plan showing the location of the proposed SFD on the building lot, noting accurate setbacks from property lines and MSBL (minimum setback line).

• These permits must be obtained in the office.

 

** NOTE – If your project involves any of the following scenarios, a full plans review will be required. Please allow up to 5 working days for review in each of these cases:

• A Pole Barn type structure with finished living space inside – a full set of architectural and stamped structural drawings must be submitted with building permit application.

• An SFD with a basement regardless of its size – a full set of architectural drawings must be submitted with permit application.

• An SFD with greater than 5,000 sf of living space – a full set of architectural drawings must be submitted with permit application.

 

Addition to a Single-Family Dwelling (ASFD)

- Addition of Living Space, Garage, Carport, Deck, Porch – anything attached to the principle structure

• Building Permit Application found here.

• School Facilities Tax Application, if applicable, details here.

• Zoning Compliance Form (obtained from Rutherford County Planning Department, visit their website here).

• A copy of the Septic Completion Letter from TDEC showing location and dimensions. 

• A detailed copy of the floor plan of the proposed addition with dimensions.

• A concept drawing showing location of the addition and accurate dimensions from septic, property lines and other structures in the vicinity of the addition.

• These permits must be obtained in the office.

 

Remodel of an existing Single-Family Dwelling or Accessory Structure (REM)

- remodel or modification of any existing square footage – can be living space or accessory space

• Building Permit Application found here.

• School Facilities Application, if applicable, details here.

• A detailed copy of the floor plan of the proposed remodel with accurate dimensions.

• These permits must be obtained in the office. 

 

Plumbing/Gas/Mechanical Permit

• Completed application form

  • Gas Application

  • Plumbing Application

  • Mechanical Application 

*Homeowners must obtain these permits in the office*

Accessory Structure

- Barn, Detached Garage, Shop, Storage Shed, Carport, Pavilion, Pool House, etc.

• Building Permit Application found here.

• School Facilities Tax Application, if applicable, details here. 

• Zoning Compliance Form (obtained from Rutherford County Planning Department, visit their website here).

• A copy of the Septic Completion Letter from TDEC showing location and dimension.

• A concept drawing showing location of the structure and accurate dimensions from septic, property lines and other structures in the vicinity of the new building.

• These permits must be obtained in the office. 

Swimming Pool Permit

• Zoning Compliance Form (obtained from Rutherford County Planning Department, visit their website here).

• A copy of the Septic Completion Letter from TDEC, showing location and dimensions.

• A concept drawing showing location of the swimming pool and accurate dimensions from septic, property lines and other structures in the vicinity of the swimming pool.

• The Swimming Pool Barrier and Alarm Agreement must be completed by the homeowner.

  • A homeowner obtaining their own permit can complete this form in the office when the permit is issued. A contractor obtaining the permit will need to ensure Building Codes receives this completed form before a permit can be issued.