Applicants conducting interior renovations to a property must complete the permitting process with the Metro Nashville Department of Codes and Building Safety. The permit will trigger required inspections and allow trade permits to be pulled by registered contractors. If planning to do an addition and renovate the interior of the existing home, you can include all of this work within an addition permit.
Work requiring a rehab permit
Legend:
E ‐ Electrical Permit Only
P ‐ Plumbing Permit Only
G/M ‐ Gas / Mechanical Permit Only
LV ‐ Low Voltage Permit Only
Yes ‐ Building Permit / Rehab Permit
| Required for 1 and 2 Dwellings | Building Project |
|---|---|
| Yes ‐ E | Attic Fan |
| No | Cabinet, Kitchen, New, Replacement, Additional |
| No | Cabinet Installation With No Electrical or Plumbing |
| Yes | Carpentry Replacing Any Structural Element, Joist, Rafter, Stud, Etc. Roof Decking More Than 64 Sq. Ft. |
| Yes | Ceiling‐New or Relocating (Drop) |
| Yes | Chimney‐New, Enlarging, New Flue or Liner, Repairing Over 25% |
| Yes | Chair Lift, Elevator, Dumb Waiter |
| Yes ‐ G/M | Cooktop, Countertop, Ducted |
| Yes | Door New and Relocation |
| No | Door Replacement‐When Door Opening Does Not Change |
| Yes | Dry Wall‐Repair, Replacement of Greater Than 100 Square Feet |
| Yes | Electrical Relocation of Fixture, Switch, Outlet, Etc. |
| Yes ‐ G/M | Exhaust Fan |
| Yes ‐ E | Fire Alarm‐Smoke Detectors |
| Yes | Fire Escape‐New, Repair and Demolition |
| Yes | Fireplaces New and Enlargement Brick |
| Yes ‐ G/M | Fireplace Insert |
| No | Floor Laying, Refinishing and Carpet Laying |
| No | Glass/Window Replacement |
| Yes | Glass Changing Window Area (Smaller Or Larger) |
| No | Guards on Door |
| Yes | Guards on Windows |
| No | Gutters, Downspouts |
| No | Insulation‐New |
| No | Interior Decorating, Painting, Wallpaper, Etc. |
| Yes | Paneling New or Repairing Larger Than 100 Sq. Ft. |
| Yes ‐ P | Plumbing‐Relocation of Fixture‐New |
| No | Replace Dishwashers, Garbage Disposal or Refrigerators With Ice Makers |
| Yes | Roofing, New Layer or Replacing More Than 1/3 of The Roof |
| No | Screens‐Doors, Windows‐New |
| Yes | Showers Bath Enclosure‐New |
| Yes | Sink and Counter Tops‐See Kitchen Cabinets |
| Yes | Stairs‐New or Remodeling, Changing Tread or Riser |
| Yes | Swimming Pools Above or Below Grade |
| No | Tile Ceramic and Nonceramic Walls |
| No | Vanities Without Electrical or Plumbing |
| Yes | Wall Covering Carpet‐Like Material |
| No | Wallpapering |
| Yes | Wall Removal Even If Non-Load Bearing |
| Yes | Windows Changing Style or Size |
| Yes ‐ G/M | Wood Stove |
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.
- 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.
- If the property is located within a flood plain overlay it is recommended that you contact Metro Stormwater to inquire about any further restrictions they may have.
- If the residence is on a septic system, the Health Department will be tracked on the permit.
- 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.
- A property owner who presently occupies or intends to occupy a single-family residence may obtain a building permit to renovate. If the home ownership is in an LLC or Trust, then a self-permit can only be pulled for work under $25,000. A homeowner can pull a permit for a rental or investment property provided that the work is under $25,000. See the self-permit affidavits included in the Residential application.
- For questions about resources or the permitting process contact the Zoning Help Desk for assistance.
- Contact the Permit Issuance with questions regarding plumbing, electrical, and gas/mechanical permits.
How to Apply for a Permit
To apply for a renovation permit, submit the following documents to the Zoning Help Desk.
- Residential Permit Application
The Scope of Work section should list any of the above activities that are applicable to your project. Please note this is not the process to add an addition to your home or to create an apartment or mother-in-law suite. Please reach out to the Zoning Help Desk to inquire about addition permits or to see if a property is zoned to allow for an additional dwelling unit. - Floor Plan
If the floor plan is being altered submit plans showing the proposed layout of the interior and include any proposed fixtures and appliances.
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 E-permits. You will need to contact Permit Issuance to obtain your username and password for the e-permits 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 on E-permits 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.