Bledsoe County, Tennessee Building Permit Guide

Outside Pikeville, Bledsoe County issues no building permits: the county lists no codes office and has voted itself out of the state residential building program. Inside Pikeville, the only town, a new house or addition needs a state residential building permit, issued through the State Fire Marshal’s CORE system, and the town’s own code also calls for a permit from the town recorder. Electrical work anywhere in the county is permitted and inspected by the state.

What needs a permit in Bledsoe County?

The state residential permit does not cover detached garages, sheds, barns or other detached buildings not used for living. Setting a manufactured or modular home needs no state residential permit, but a deck, patio or stoop built to serve its exits does.

Who administers permits in Bledsoe County?

Pikeville is the only incorporated town in Bledsoe County. The state’s residential list, dated August 21, 2026, records the county as opt-out and Pikeville as a participant in the State Residential Building Program. The county’s own site lists the Mayor’s office at 3150 Main Street in Pikeville, the Highway Department and the 9-1-1 addressing office, but no building, planning or zoning office.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical

Electrical: Bledsoe County and Pikeville are not on the state’s list of places that run their own electrical inspections. Buy the permit in the state’s CORE system; a state deputy electrical inspector checks the work, and call 615-741-7170 or use CORE, quoting the permit number, to book it.

Plumbing and mechanical: there is no county permit for either. On a state residential permit in Pikeville, the plumbing and mechanical systems are inspected at rough-in and at the final, and new construction pays a $100 plumbing and HVAC inspection fee.

What permits cost in Bledsoe County

State residential permit (Pikeville, or by choice elsewhere): priced on the estimated cost of construction, which the state will not accept below $60.57 per heated square foot.

For example, a 1,800 heated sq ft house valued at the state minimum is $109,026, which falls in the $400 band; new construction adds the $100 plumbing and HVAC inspection.

Pikeville town permit: the town code charges nothing for work up to $100 ($1.50 if an inspection is needed), $2 per $1,000 up to $15,000, $30 plus $1 per additional $1,000 up to $100,000, $115 plus $0.50 per $1,000 up to $500,000, $315 plus $0.25 per $1,000 up to $1,000,000, and $440 plus $0.15 per $1,000 above that. Demolition is free.

Inspections in Bledsoe County

State residential permits: state-contracted inspectors check the foundation before the pour, the framing and rough-in, and the finished house. Schedule each inspection in CORE at core.tn.gov. One failed inspection may be re-inspected free; further re-inspections are charged.

Opt-out areas: an owner or contractor in unincorporated Bledsoe County can still purchase a state building permit, which brings State Fire Marshal inspections of the new home or addition. A house that meets the state standards receives a state certificate of occupancy, which can open loan programs that require one.

Pikeville town permits: the town recorder grants or denies an application within 10 days of filing, after any investigation the recorder considers necessary.

Local details for Bledsoe County

Building your own home in Pikeville: under the state program, a homeowner may build a house they will live in, not sell or lease, provided they have not had a homeowner building permit in the previous 24 months.

Pikeville applications: the town code asks for the application in triplicate, giving the lot size, distances from the front, side and rear lot lines, estimated cost, construction type and materials, use, owner, contractor and any architect. The recorder may also ask for a plat showing the building on the lot.

Floodplain: Pikeville’s zoning title requires a development permit for building in its flood hazard areas.

Addresses: new addresses in the county come from the 9-1-1 GIS Mapping & Addressing office, open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central.

Tennessee statewide rules

Tennessee licenses contractors through the Board for Licensing Contractors for jobs of $25,000 or more; a Home Improvement licence applies below that only in the nine counties that opted in. Tennessee rules

Official Bledsoe County government resources

State program pages and Pikeville’s code:

• Tennessee state residential permit instructions
• Tennessee residential jurisdictions and inspectors
• Bledsoe County official government
• State residential permits (CORE)
• State residential building permit fees
• State inspections in opt-out areas
• State electrical permits
• Pikeville charter and ordinances
• Pikeville Title 12: building permits and fees

Bledsoe County permit FAQs

Does Bledsoe County, TN require a building permit?

Not in the unincorporated county, which has opted out of the state residential codes and has no building department. Pikeville is different: homes there need a state residential permit.

Where do I get a building permit in Pikeville?

Buy the state residential building permit online through the State Fire Marshal’s CORE system, and ask Pikeville City Hall (423-447-2919) about the town recorder’s permit.

How much is a state residential permit for a new house?

It depends on construction cost: $350 for $5,001 to $100,000, $400 up to $150,000 and $50 more for each further $50,000. A new house also pays $100 for its plumbing and HVAC inspection.

Does a shed or detached garage need a permit?

No state residential permit is needed for a detached building not used for living. Inside Pikeville, the town code requires a permit for building work costing more than $100.

Who handles electrical permits in Bledsoe County?

The State Fire Marshal’s Office, everywhere in the county, through CORE or 615-741-7170.

Simplify Bledsoe County permitting with Alliance Permitting

Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and submission company in Tennessee. We prepare your paperwork, file it correctly and coordinate with the permitting authority through issuance. We are not a contractor and we do not perform licensed plan review or inspections; that work stays with your licensed team and the jurisdiction.

This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Bledsoe County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.