ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) permit in Goodlettsville, TN

Yes вЂ” you need a permit for adu (accessory dwelling unit) work in Goodlettsville.

The numbers
Permit needed?	Yes
Where the line falls	No size threshold in the code
Fee	building permit fee required per Sec. 12-202 plus use-and-occupancy permit (Sec. 12-204); amounts on record with the city recorder
Review time	Not in the ordinance
Code section	Sec. 12-201 (Building permit required); IRC R105.2
Based on	Goodlettsville Municipal Code Sec. 12-201; IRC 2018 as adopted (Sec. 12-101)

How to pull the permit

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

Either of you can pull it. When a contractor does the work, it is normally their job.

If you skip it

Goodlettsville'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.

City	Distance	Permit?	Where the line falls
Goodlettsville	—	Yes	No size threshold in the code
Hendersonville	6 mi	Yes	No size threshold in the code
Nashville	12 mi	Yes	Building a detached accessory dwelling unit (DADU) is conвЂ¦
Gallatin	14 mi	Yes	No size threshold in the code
Mount Juliet	14 mi	Yes	No size threshold in the code
Springfield	15 mi	Yes	No size threshold in the code

See every Tennessee city on adu (accessory dwelling unit) work

Other work in Goodlettsville

Questions people ask

How much does a adu (accessory dwelling unit) permit cost in Goodlettsville?

building permit fee required per Sec. 12-202 plus use-and-occupancy permit (Sec. 12-204); amounts on record with the city recorder. Valuation-based fees mean the number depends on what the job is worth, so the department quotes it when you apply.

I already built it without a permit. What now?

Goodlettsville 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.