Nashville, TN Building Safety: Building Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required for
- Alterations, repairs, enlargements
- Exempt as maintenance
- Painting, papering, glazing, floor finishing
- Roof repair exemption
- Up to 33% of roof area
- Enforcing agency
- Dept. of Codes Administration
Summary
Metro Nashville requires a building permit for altering, repairing, or enlarging an existing structure, but exempts normal maintenance work, painting, papering, glazing, and floor finishing, with the building official's approval.
A.Normal maintenance repairs of an existing building or structure may with the approval of the building official be made without permit, provided such repairs do not violate any provisions of this chapter. Normal maintenance repairs shall be defined as repairs to an existing building or structure, including but not limited to exterior and interior painting, papering, glazing of windows and doors, floor finishing, minor repairs to chimneys, stairs, porches, underpinning and repairs to an existing roof not to exceed thirty-three percent of the roof area.
B.Replacing an existing roof on an existing one or two family dwelling is considered normal maintenance and does not require a permit. Work shall conform to provisions of the adopted International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings. (Ord. BL2015-1145 § 18, 2015; Ord. 95-1487 § 87, 1995)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Under the Metropolitan Code, anyone altering, repairing, or enlarging a building or structure must first get a permit from the director of codes administration (§ 16.28.010). Section 16.28.030 carves out normal maintenance repairs from that requirement: exterior and interior painting, papering, glazing of windows and doors, floor finishing, and minor repairs to chimneys, stairs, porches, and underpinning, plus roof repairs covering up to 33 percent of the roof area. Replacing a full roof on a one- or two-family dwelling also skips the permit if the work follows the International Residential Code. The building official must agree the work qualifies as maintenance and doesn't violate the chapter.
Violations & Fines
Work beyond normal maintenance done without a permit is unpermitted construction; codes administration can issue a stop-work order under § 16.04.110, and violating that order blocks future permits for a year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to repaint or refinish floors inside my Nashville home?
Can I replace my whole roof without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
Compare Nashville to another location·View the Tennessee building safety overview
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