Applicants wanting to add a detached accessory structure to a property must complete the permitting process with the Metro Nashville Department of Codes and Building Safety. Zoning examiners will review the application and plans for use, setback, footprint, and height restrictions based on a parcel's zoning.
Accessory Structure Use
- Uses may include a garage, home office, home workshop, home gym, storage shed, pole barn, pool house, or carport.
- No bedrooms or dwelling spaces are allowed in an accessory structure.
- No kitchens are allowed in an accessory structure.
- Plumbing fixtures shall be limited to one of each of the following:
- Toilet
- Hand Sink
- Bar Sink
- Utility or slop sink
- If an issued permit is on file for a pool, then a shower would be permitted in a pool house.
- Accessory structures cannot be over the platted setbacks, side street setbacks, or utility easements.
Zoning Site Restrictions
17.12.050 Accessory Building Floor Area Controls
On all lots with a size of less than forty thousand square feet, the building coverage of an accessory structure* located to the rear of the principal dwelling and complying with the district setbacks shall be limited to seven hundred square feet or fifty percent of the building coverage (footprint) of the principal dwelling, whichever is greater, but in no case shall exceed two-thousand five-hundred square feet.
*The total allotted square footage for all detached accessory structures on a lot must be under the permitted floor area controls.
17.12.040 E(1) Accessory Building Setbacks
a. Accessory buildings with a footprint of seven hundred square feet or less and located to the rear of a principal structure shall provide a minimum side setback equal to one-half of that required for the zoning district, but not less than three feet, and a minimum rear setback of at least three feet, except when garage doors or carport openings face or open directly to an alley, in which case the minimum rear setback shall be ten feet. Accessory buildings with a footprint of more than seven hundred square feet shall provide the full setbacks of the zoning district.
- Only one accessory structure to the rear of the principal structure on lot will receive reduced setbacks. Any additional accessory structures will need to meet full setbacks.
- All accessory structures to the side or front of the principal structure must meet full setbacks.
17.12.060 Accessory Building Height Controls
b. On all lots with a lot size less than forty thousand square feet, accessory structures shall not exceed one story or sixteen feet in height. On all lots with a size with forty thousand square feet or more, accessory structures located to the rear of the principal dwelling may be two stories or twenty-four feet in height provided that the full side and rear setbacks required by the applicable district are provided.
If the property is in the Urban Zoning Overlay:
17.12.060 C(2). On all lots with a size less than forty thousand square feet, an accessory structure located to the rear of the principal dwelling may have vertical walls rising no higher than sixteen feet from the side and rear setback lines. The roof on the structure shall rise from the side walls at a roof pitch no steeper than the predominant roof pitch of the principal dwelling, except that the vertical walls may extend to the underside of the roof at the gable end of a gabled roof. The top elevation of an accessory structure shall not exceed the top elevation of the principal dwelling.
17.12.060 C(3). On all lots with a lot size of at least forty thousand square feet, an accessory structure located to the rear of the principal dwelling may have vertical walls rising no higher than twenty-four feet in height exclusive of a pitched roof, provided that the full side and rear setbacks required by the applicable district are provided. The top elevation of an accessory structure shall not exceed the top elevation of the principal dwelling.
Parcels located within the Historic Preservation Overlay or the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay
- Setbacks, footprint, and height requirements will be enforced by the Historical Commission. Disregard Code sections 17.12.050, 17.12.040 E(1), and 17.12.060.
- The accessory structure use restrictions will still apply.
- A Historic permit will be required in addition to the Codes building permit.
Resources
- Use Parcel Viewer to view your zoning, and to determine if there are any overlays on the parcel. The base zoning and additional overlays will be listed under the zoning tab.
- Contact the Planning Department to inquire about further requirements for properties within a Residential PUD overlay, Specific Plan (SP) or the Urban Design Overlay (UDO).
- If the property is located within the Neighborhood Conservation Overlay or the Historic Preservation Overlay contact the Historic Commission to inquire about any relevant regulations.
- The link below is where you can view the Zoning Code. The full setbacks can be found in Table 17.12.020 A and section 17.12.030 C(3). The side street setback requirement for corner lots can be found in table 17.12.030 A. Contact the Zoning Help Desk to see if the side street setback can be reduced.
- The Metropolitan Department of Codes and Building Safety does not maintain easement records. If available, a recorded plat may depict easements created at the time of a subdivision but is not conclusive. A Title Abstract conducted for your subject property often will note any recorded easements discovered, a land survey when requested may note visible or observed evidence of unrecorded easements. Direct requests to utility companies and agencies (NES, Piedmont, Metro Water Services etc.) may be conducted to determine if they retain any easements over the subject property.
- Metro Codes does not determine where property lines are located. If you are unsure of where your property lines are you will need to get a copy of your deed. The deed will provide you with a description of your property and where property lines end and begin. If you are unable to determine where the property lines are you will need to hire a surveyor to come and identify your property lines.
- The Register of Deeds can provide a copy of the plat or any recorded private easements.
- Anytime the footprint is increased on a parcel it is recommended that you contact Metro Stormwater to inquire about any further restrictions they may have.
- Contact Tennessee 811 at least three (3) working days before starting a project. Tennessee 811 processes the notification of proposed digging and notifies member utilities, or their contract locators, to mark their underground facilities prior to the digging.
- See Chapter 16 of Metro Code of Laws for the Residential Building Code. Questions about the residential building code should be directed to the building division.
- Phone: 615-862-6550
- For questions about the zoning code, resources, or the permitting process contact the Zoning Help Desk for assistance.
How to Apply for a Permit
To apply for a permit, submit the following documents to the Zoning Help Desk:
- Residential Permit Application
- Site Plan showing the proposed location of project with distances to property lines, existing structures and easements labeled.
- Renderings showing elevations (height) from each of the four corners.
- Floor plan showing the proposed layout of the interior. Include any proposed fixtures and appliances.
For a self-permit, complete the Affidavit of Exemption and the Self Permit Affidavit (3 pages). Affidavits must be notarized before submitting the application.
The permit application will be assigned to a zoning examiner. Should the Zoning Examiner have any questions or need additional information they will reach out to you by e-mail or by phone.
Or registered contractors can apply for residential building permits by visiting the ePermits website. You will need to email Permit Issuance to obtain your username and password for the ePermits website.
Once your application is processed, the Zoning Examiner will provide a checklist showing other Codes divisions and Metro agencies to contact for approvals before the permit can be issued. It is your responsibility to follow the requirements of the checklist on the building permit application and to make sure all necessary signoffs are received.
Do not seek to determine what reviews and approvals are required on your own. If you fail to complete the steps identified in your permit application your process will be delayed. Allow plenty of time. You can track the progress of the application by address or by using the permit application number on the ePermits site.
Once you have all the required signoffs you can pay for the permit and begin construction. It is also the applicant's responsibility to schedule the necessary inspections with Metro Nashville at the proper time in the building process.