In unincorporated Dyer County, building permits come from Dyer County Building & Zoning, 1910 Pioneer Rd., Dyersburg (731-287-0775). The county requires a permit for all new construction, mobile and modular homes included, plus additions, alterations, demolitions and accessory buildings; the sewage permit and 911 address must be in hand before you apply, and the fee is based on the cost of construction. Electrical work needs a separate state permit.
What needs a Dyer County building permit?
County building permit
- All new construction, including mobile and modular homes
- Additions and alterations
- Moving a building
- Demolition
- Accessory buildings
Before you apply
- Sewage (septic) permit
- 911 address
- Setback information for the parcel from the Building & Zoning office
Permits are issued under the county’s Building and Zoning Ordinance, and the application records the parcel’s zone: Residential, FAR, Commercial, I-1, I-2 or SI.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Dyer County?
Dyer County Building & Zoning, 1910 Pioneer Rd., Dyersburg, issues county permits, and its Building Official signs each one. The office is open Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (731-287-0775). The State Fire Marshal lists Dyer County as exempt from the state residential program, so the county enforces its own building code. Inside the towns:
| Place | Building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated Dyer County | Dyer County Building & Zoning, 731-287-0775 |
| Dyersburg (city) | City of Dyersburg Codes Enforcement, 435 W Market Street, 731-288-7612 |
| Newbern (town) | Newbern’s Codes Department at City Hall, 103 Jefferson St., 731-627-3221, lists building and electric permits; the State Fire Marshal also lists Newbern in the state residential program for one- and two-family homes |
| Trimble (town, Dyer County part) | Listed in the state residential program, so homes need a state residential permit from CORE; the published sources do not name a local office for other work |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Electrical, gas and septic
- Electrical: no Dyer County jurisdiction appears on the State Fire Marshal’s list of places with their own electrical program, so electrical permits are state permits, bought online in CORE (no local issuing agent is listed for the county). Newbern’s City Hall also lists an electric permit among the permits it issues.
- Natural gas: the county’s New Builders Guide says every natural gas installation must be done by a contractor registered with the City of Dyersburg, and each new gas installation must pass a 40 psi pressure test on a gauge. Gas logs may go only in approved factory-built boxes or approved solid-fuel fireplaces.
- Septic: the sewage permit comes before the building permit. TDEC’s Jackson Environmental Field Office, 1625 Hollywood Drive, Jackson (731-512-1300), serves Dyer County.
Dyer County permit fees
Fees are based on the cost of construction. The application asks for the estimated structure cost, and after reviewing it the office contacts the applicant with the permit cost and payment instructions. A fee is also due when a Planning Commission or Board of Zoning Appeals form is turned in.
Applying to Dyer County Building & Zoning
Download the Application for Construction Permit, fill it in and either mail it to Dyer County Building & Zoning, 1910 Pioneer Rd., Dyersburg, TN 38024, or scan and email it to the office. The form asks for:
- Map, group and parcel number, zone, acreage and lot dimensions
- Owner and contractor names, addresses, phone numbers and licence number
- Type of permit (new structure, addition, alteration, moving or demolition) and use
- Front, side and rear setbacks, stories and basement
- Square footage of living area, garage, carport, storage, porch or deck and unfinished basement
- Make, size and year for a modular unit
- Footing, foundation, wall, roof and floor materials, heating and cooling type, rooms and fireplaces
- Estimated structure cost and completion date
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →Homes of 5,000 sq ft or more need designed drawings. Planning Commission items (second Thursday of the month) and Board of Zoning Appeals cases (second Tuesday) must be submitted 14 days before the meeting.
Inspections and the New Builders Guide
Every county inspection needs 24 hours’ notice. Homes are inspected at footing; flooring or slab plumbing; framing with rough plumbing and gas rough-in; and final. The county’s New Builders Guide (July 1, 2024) sets out minimum standards under the 2021 IRC with Tennessee’s 2015 seismic modifications and the 2018 energy code, including:
- Sill plates anchored with ½-inch bolts at 4 feet on center, within 12 inches of each plate end, embedded at least 7 inches, with 3 x 3 inch plate washers
- Hurricane clips at no more than 48 inches on center between rafters or trusses and the top plate
- 7/16-inch OSB wall sheathing, with blocked joints where installed horizontally
- Carbon monoxide alarms where there is a fuel-fired appliance or attached garage
- Metal dryer ducts, and bathroom fans vented outdoors, not into the attic or crawl space
Rather not deal with the Dyer County building department?
Get a free quote →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
Dyer County official permitting resources
- State Fire Marshal’s Office
- Tennessee Residential Jurisdictions & Inspectors
- Dyer County building permit application and new builders guide
- Dyer County application for construction permit (PDF)
- Dyer County New Builders Guide (PDF)
- Dyer County zoning map (PDF)
- City of Newbern permits
- City of Dyersburg Codes Enforcement
- TDEC Jackson Environmental Field Office
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Dyer County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Dyer County, TN?
Dyer County Building & Zoning, 1910 Pioneer Rd., Dyersburg (731-287-0775), for unincorporated land. The City of Dyersburg issues its own through Codes Enforcement.
Do I need a permit for a shed or garage?
Yes. The county permits accessory buildings as well as new construction, additions, alterations and demolitions.
What do I need before applying?
A sewage permit and a 911 address.
How much is a Dyer County building permit?
It is based on the cost of construction; the office calculates it from the estimate on your application and sends payment instructions.
How much notice does the county need for an inspection?
24 hours for every inspection.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who can install gas lines in the county?
Only a contractor registered with the City of Dyersburg, and each new installation needs a 40 psi pressure test.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Dyer County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.