Collierville, Tennessee Building Permit Guide

Inside Collierville, building and trade permits come from the Town’s Building & Codes Division on the east side of Town Hall, 500 Poplar View Parkway (901-457-2310), in person or through the iWorQ contractor portal. Most inspections are made the day after they are requested, and commercial plan review costs 0.275% of the project cost, with a $62.50 minimum.

What requires a permit in Collierville?

A permit is needed to build, enlarge, alter, repair, move or demolish a building, to change its occupancy, or to install or replace any electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing system. Fences and signs go through their own permit processes. The Town’s answers to common questions:

Who issues building permits in Collierville?

The Town’s Building & Codes Division issues building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits and inspects the work inside the town limits.

Contractors who hold neither a Tennessee nor a Shelby County licence must contact the division to confirm they are eligible to apply.

Collierville permit applications and who can pull them

A homeowner may take out his or her own building permit, depending on the scope, but all mechanical, plumbing and electrical work must be done under a permit pulled by a state- or county-licensed contractor of that trade. For a new single-family home built by the owner as general contractor, the Town requires its 2026 Homeowner Affidavit; the state allows an owner one such home every two years.

• New single-family dwelling: Building Permit application, Homeowner Affidavit (if owner-built), Subdivision Lot Grading form, ResCheck 2018 energy compliance, and a Certificate of Insurance or COI Exemption Affidavit under Tenn. Code 13-7-211. The Town also supplies a residential engineered footing and slab letter, a smoke and carbon monoxide alarm letter and Tennessee One Call information.
• Addition: Building Permit application, a sketch of the addition, a plot plan with its dimensions and distances to every property line and structure, and the COI or exemption affidavit.
• Accessory structure: a sketch, or the brochure for a delivered prefabricated building, plus a plot plan and the COI or exemption affidavit.
• Retaining wall: a sketch with footing and wall details and a plot plan; walls over 48 inches also need plans by a licensed architect or engineer.
• Pool: Swimming Pool Permit Application with a scaled plot plan of all structures, setbacks, easements, flood zones, fencing, utilities, drainage and pool equipment.
• Windows, electrical, mechanical and plumbing: each has its own application.

Collierville permit fees

Commercial building permits follow the Town’s Fees for Commercial Building Permit sheet (updated September 7, 2023). The plans review fee is paid when the application is filed; the rest is charged when the permit is issued:

The project cost excludes land but includes the building, mechanical, gas, plumbing and electrical work. On the Town’s $2,000,000 example, plans review is $5,500 and the building permit $11,000. Engineering (901-457-2342) and Planning (901-457-2360) fees are separate.

Trade permits each carry a $40 base fee and a $9 software fee, plus:

The residential building permit application lists the charges that can apply to a house (use and occupancy, building, plans review, code software, curb cut, fire development, historic preservation and alternate transportation).

Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas in Collierville

Collierville is outside the state electrical program, so the Town, not the State Fire Marshal, permits and inspects wiring inside its limits under the 2017 National Electrical Code with local amendments. All trade permits must be pulled by a contractor licensed in that trade, and each one is inspected by a Codes Division inspector; on commercial jobs the trade permits are issued once the building permit is out. In-ground pools with a bottom drain need a plumbing main drain inspection before gunite or concrete is placed. When gas or electric service has been off for more than 90 days, a Meter Put-back permit and mechanical and electrical inspections are needed before the Town tells MLGW to restore it.

Commercial plans and review

A new commercial building starts with a pre-application meeting arranged through the Development Department (901-457-2300). Then:

• File the Building Permit Application with owner, architect and contractor details, proposed use, total square footage and the total job value including all trades.
• Use a Tennessee-licensed contractor for commercial work over $25,000.
• Submit plans as a PDF; once review is complete, bring two paper sets, one kept by the Town and one stamped for the job site.
• Include a Certificate of Insurance or COI Exemption Affidavit and pay the plans review fee.
• Assembly, educational and institutional buildings, and any building over 5,000 sq ft or three or more stories, need a Tennessee-licensed design professional.

The plans examiner then works out the building permit and fire fees, and the Building Department may hold a pre-construction meeting with every Town department involved.

How to get a Collierville building permit

Collierville inspections

Call 901-457-2310, email building_codes@colliervilletn.gov or use the iWorQ portal, giving the permit number, site address, inspection type and the date wanted. Only the holder of that permit may book its inspections, so a plumbing inspection is requested by the plumbing contractor. The Town makes next-day inspections and says 97% are performed on the day arranged; it does not give appointment times, though it tries to come the same day for an open ditch or a concrete pour. The building permit application lists the stages that may apply, from site, footing and slab through rough-ins, framing and insulation to the trade finals, building final and Certificate of Occupancy. A permit lapses if work does not start within six months, stops for six months, or goes more than a year between inspections; a six-month extension can be requested on the Town’s form.

Local Collierville rules

• Codes: the 2018 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Existing Building, Energy, Fire, Property Maintenance and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes and the 2017 National Electrical Code, all with local amendments in Ordinance 2020-06, in force since January 1, 2021.
• Construction noise: allowed Monday to Friday 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
• Historic district: siding work there needs a permit, and commercial permits carry a historical fee of $0.25 per sq ft.
• Storage containers: a temporary storage container may sit on the paved driveway for up to seven days during a move, with a Temporary Storage Container Permit.

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 Collierville permit resources

• Tennessee residential jurisdiction classification
• Collierville residential projects and permit applications
• Collierville commercial projects
• Collierville construction codes FAQs
• Collierville adopted codes and local amendments
• Fees for commercial building permits (PDF)
• Electrical permit application and fees (PDF)
• Plumbing permit application and fees (PDF)

Collierville building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Collierville, TN?

The Town of Collierville Building & Codes Division at Town Hall, 500 Poplar View Parkway (901-457-2310), for everything inside the town limits.

Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Collierville?

No. The Town does not issue permits for roofing materials, but the roof still has to meet the Town’s adopted codes.

Do I need a permit for a fence, patio or new windows?

Fences need a fence permit and replacement windows need a window permit unless only the sash is changed. Concrete patios do not need a permit.

Can a homeowner pull a permit?

Yes, for building work depending on the scope, with the Homeowner Affidavit for an owner-built new home. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits must be pulled by a licensed contractor.

How much is a commercial building permit?

0.55% of the project cost for the permit plus 0.275% for plans review, a $35 Certificate of Occupancy fee, $0.25 per sq ft historical fee, $5 per parking space and fire fees.

When will my inspection happen?

Usually the next day; the Town reports 97% of inspections are made on the day arranged, without set appointment times.

How long is a permit valid?

It stays valid unless work does not begin within six months or is suspended for six months; a six-month extension is available on request.

Simplify Collierville 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 Collierville permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.