Permit Requirements

Demolition permit in Nashville, TN

We couldn't confirm this from Nashville's code.

Rather than guess, here is the exact section to read and who to call. A rule appears on this site only when the ordinance states it plainly.

Read 16.04.190, with permit approvals in 17.40.545 and 17.40.550

Contact the Nashville building department

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
Nashville Yes Tearing down a building or part of one needs a demolition…
Brentwood 12 mi Yes 90-day waiting period before a permit issues if the struc…
Hendersonville 14 mi Yes No size threshold in the code
Franklin 18 mi Yes No size threshold in the code
Smyrna 20 mi Yes Demolishing a structure or part of one needs a permit. De…
Farragut 147 mi Yes No size threshold in the code

See every Tennessee city on demolition work

Other work in Nashville

Questions people ask

I already built it without a permit. What now?

Nashville 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.