Permit Requirements

Above-Ground Pool permit in Brentwood, TN

It depends — some above-ground pool work in Brentwood needs a permit, some doesn't.

Prefabricated pool less than 24 inches deep is exempt; pool 24 inches or more in depth requires a permit

The numbers
Permit needed? Depends on size
Where the line falls From 24 in deep
Fee Not in the ordinance — the department quotes it
Review time Not in the ordinance
Code section IRC R105.2
Based onIRC 2018 as adopted by City of Brentwood (Sec. 14-66, Ord. No. 2018-14, as amended)

How to pull the permit

  1. Put together a site plan showing where the work goes, with dimensions.
  2. Apply through the Brentwood building department.
  3. Pay the permit fee when the permit is issued. Work done before that isn't covered.
  4. Book each inspection listed on the permit as the job reaches that stage.

If you skip it

Brentwood's code doesn't set a specific fine for this work. In practice the department can issue a stop-work order, and unpermitted work tends to surface during a sale, when the buyer's inspector or the title company asks for it.

Already built it? How retroactive permits work

Nearby cities, same job

Rules stop at the city line. If your lot is near a boundary, or you work across several towns, this is where they differ.

CityDistance Permit?Where the line falls
Brentwood Depends From 24 in deep
Nolensville 6 mi Depends From 24 in deep
Franklin 7 mi Depends From 24 in deep
La Vergne 12 mi Depends From 24 in deep
Nashville 12 mi Depends From 24 in deep
Smyrna 14 mi Depends From 24 in deep

See every Tennessee city on above-ground pool work

Other work in Brentwood

Questions people ask

My above-ground pool is right at the limit. Does that count?

The exemption has to fit exactly — if the code says a size or height, being at or under it keeps you exempt, and going a single inch over doesn't. When you're close to the line, measure before you buy materials, and call the department if the number is borderline.

I already built it without a permit. What now?

Brentwood can issue a stop-work order and require you to apply after the fact, sometimes with an extra fee. Work that was covered up may have to be opened for inspection. Full walkthrough here.

Does unpermitted work cause problems when selling the house?

Often, yes. A buyer's inspector or the title company may flag it, and lenders can balk at financing a home with open or missing permits. What to do about it.