The City of Franklin Building and Neighborhood Services Department, at City Hall on West Vine Street, is the building authority inside Franklin — the Williamson County seat. It adopted the 2024 International Codes and 2023 NEC effective 1 January 2026, takes plans through Electronic Plan Review, and issues its own electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits.
The timing detail to get right in 2026 is the code changeover: the 2024 codes and 2023 NEC took effect on 1 January 2026, and plans submitted before then are reviewed under the 2018 editions. Commercial projects need Tennessee-sealed drawings, and work in or near the Harpeth River floodplain draws additional review.
Scope: inside the city limits of Franklin through Building and Neighborhood Services. Unincorporated Williamson County and Brentwood permit their own work.
Confirm the code edition against your submission date. Franklin's 2024 codes and 2023 NEC took effect on 1 January 2026, with earlier submissions reviewed under the 2018 editions. Plans go through Electronic Plan Review as PDF, commercial work needs Tennessee-sealed drawings, and the city issues its own electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits — so a Franklin job stays within one department rather than routing electrical to the state.
What requires a permit in Franklin?
The City of Franklin Building and Neighborhood Services Department, at City Hall on West Vine Street, is the building authority inside the city limits of Franklin — the Williamson County seat and one of the wealthiest, fastest-growing cities south of Nashville. The department runs four divisions — Construction Plan Review and Inspections, Development Services, Zoning, and Neighborhood Resources — and handles plan review, permit issuance and inspection. Williamson County and neighbouring Brentwood run their own permitting, so confirm the parcel is inside Franklin before you file.
On code editions, Franklin is current: the city adopted the 2024 International Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, effective 1 January 2026. Plans submitted before that date are reviewed under the prior 2018 editions, so a project spanning the changeover should confirm which set applies. The adopted set includes the 2024 IBC, IRC, IFC and the energy code provisions, with local amendments in the municipal code. An exempt jurisdiction cannot let its code go stale indefinitely. Under T.C.A. § 68-120-101(b)(5)(A) the adopted edition must stay within seven years of the most current published edition unless the State Fire Marshal approves otherwise. That seven-year band, rather than a single statewide changeover date, is why two Tennessee cities an hour apart can be on different code years and both be compliant.
Franklin takes construction plans through its Electronic Plan Review system in PDF format, with all pages in order and labelled, and commercial projects require Tennessee-sealed drawings. The city issues its own trade permits — electrical, plumbing and mechanical — through the same system, so a Franklin job stays within one department rather than routing electrical to the state. Work in or near the Harpeth River floodplain draws additional review. Tennessee does not have one permitting model, it has three, and which one applies decides who your building official actually is. A jurisdiction that has adopted codes meeting the state minimum and enforces them is an exempt jurisdiction: it runs its own plan review, permits and inspections, and the state stays out except for state buildings, schools and a handful of licensed occupancies. A jurisdiction that has not is non-exempt, and the State Fire Marshal's Office is the building official there, working through contracted deputy building inspectors who cover several counties each. And a jurisdiction that has passed a two-thirds resolution under T.C.A. § 68-120-101(b)(1)(B) is an opt-out or non-code jurisdiction, where one- and two-family dwellings sit outside the statewide standards altogether.
No political subdivision of Tennessee may adopt or enforce standards of fire prevention, fire protection or building construction that are less stringent than the state minimum. Local amendments can add to the code; they cannot subtract from it.
Permit required
- New residential and commercial construction, and additions
- Structural alterations, repairs, and changes of occupancy
- Accessory structures above the city threshold
- Swimming pools, spa enclosures, and barriers
- Decks, retaining walls, and exterior structural work
- Electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work — city trade permits
- Work in or near the Harpeth River floodplain
- Right-of-way work — a separate ROW permit
Typically exempt
- Painting, flooring, and cosmetic finishes
- Routine maintenance not altering structure or a regulated system
- Work in unincorporated Williamson County or Brentwood
- Minor work below the city's published thresholds
Franklin building department: who handles permitting
Building and Neighborhood Services is a full-service city department: plan review, permitting and inspection sit alongside zoning, property maintenance and neighbourhood enforcement. Because the city issues its own electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits under its adopted codes, a Franklin project does not route its electrical to the state the way an unincorporated county parcel does — the trade permits are pulled through the city's Electronic Plan Review system.
The code changeover is the timing detail to get right in 2026. The city's adoption of the 2024 International Codes and 2023 NEC took effect on 1 January 2026, and plans submitted before then are reviewed under the 2018 editions. On a project designed in 2025 but permitted in 2026, confirm with the department which edition your submission falls under so the drawings match the review standard.
Franklin's rapid growth and its ground conditions make site work a common sticking point. The city sits on karst limestone with expansive clay in places, so foundation, drainage and deck-footing details get real scrutiny, and work in or near the Harpeth River floodplain draws additional review. A detailed site plan with property lines, utilities and grades speeds the review, and separate right-of-way permits apply to work in the public right-of-way.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | City of Franklin Building and Neighborhood Services |
| Covers | Inside the city limits of Franklin |
| Neighbours running their own | Williamson County, Brentwood |
| Office | City Hall, West Vine Street, Franklin, TN 37064 |
| Phone | 615-794-7012 |
| Codes enforced | 2024 International Codes and 2023 NEC, effective 1 January 2026 |
| Before 1 Jan 2026 | Plans reviewed under the 2018 editions |
| Submission | Electronic Plan Review, PDF; commercial needs TN-sealed drawings |
| Trade permits | Electrical, plumbing, mechanical issued by the city |
Confirm the code edition against your submission date. Franklin's 2024 codes and 2023 NEC took effect on 1 January 2026, with earlier submissions reviewed under the 2018 editions. Plans go through Electronic Plan Review as PDF, commercial work needs Tennessee-sealed drawings, and the city issues its own electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits.
Confirm from the parcel whether the site is inside the city limits of Franklin or in unincorporated Williamson County or Brentwood, because the permitting office changes at the city line — and Williamson County, unlike Franklin, routes electrical to the state rather than issuing it itself.
Franklin permits: record types and what each covers
Franklin runs residential and commercial building records and its own trade permits through Electronic Plan Review. These are the records you are likely to file:
Residential permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New construction | New dwellings, additions, and accessory structures above the local size threshold | Plan review against the adopted residential code, plus zoning; the state floor is the 2018 IRC with Appendix Q | Valuation-based |
| Addition | Added interior space, including additions of thirty square feet or more | Structural and energy review; the thirty square foot interior trigger is smaller than most applicants expect | Valuation-based |
| Renovation / alteration | Structural changes, layout changes, or added plumbing, mechanical, or electrical | Plan review scaled to scope; renovations of existing one- and two-family dwellings sit outside the state minimum standards | Valuation-based |
| Reroof | Roof covering replacement, recover, and structural deck repair | Deck and dry-in inspection; plan review rarely required | Valuation or squares |
| Solar photovoltaic | Rooftop or ground-mount arrays, with or without battery storage | Structural review of the attachment locally, with the electrical scope usually permitted and inspected by the state | Flat or system-size based |
| Battery energy storage | Wall or floor-mounted storage added to a dwelling | Electrical review plus fire separation and location check | Flat or per-permit minimum |
| Electrical | Service changes, panel upgrades, new circuits, EV chargers, and rewiring | In most of Tennessee a state record bought through CORE and inspected by a contracted Deputy Electrical Inspector, not a local one | Per-permit or per-device |
| Plumbing | New piping, repipes, fixtures, gas piping, and water heater replacement | Trade review; performed by a licensed plumber or a Limited Licensed Plumber below the contractor threshold | Per-permit minimum or per-fixture |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Changeouts, new ductwork, and refrigeration | Trade review; the contractor licence attaches once the trade portion reaches the statutory threshold | Per-permit minimum or per-unit |
| Deck and porch | New decks, screened porches, and structural rebuilds | Structural review of footings, ledger attachment, and guards | Valuation or flat |
| Swimming pool | In-ground and above-ground pools | Barrier, bonding, and electrical review; the bonding scope generally follows the state electrical record | Valuation or flat |
| Manufactured home set-up | Placing or re-siting a manufactured home | Zoning, floodplain, and anchoring review; manufactured homes sit outside the state minimum building standards but not outside local zoning | Flat or per-unit |
| Demolition | Full or partial demolition of a dwelling or accessory structure | Utility disconnect confirmation and site restoration check | Flat |
| New single-family dwelling | Building a new home inside the city | Building review against the 2024 codes; city trade permits | Fee by scope plus trade permits |
| Floodplain development | Work in or near the Harpeth River floodplain | Additional floodplain review beyond the building permit | Fee by scope |
Commercial permit types
| Permit type | What triggers it | Review path | Fee basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| New commercial construction | Ground-up commercial, industrial, and institutional buildings | Concurrent review against the adopted building code, fire, and zoning; the state floor is the 2021 IBC with Tennessee amendments | Valuation-based |
| Tenant improvement / upfit | Interior fit-out of an existing tenant space | Building, trade, and life-safety review; accessibility attaches on change of use | Valuation-based |
| Change of occupancy | Converting a building or space to a different use group | Occupancy classification, egress, and accessibility review | Valuation or flat |
| Commercial electrical | Service, distribution, and branch circuit work | State record in most jurisdictions unless the municipality is one of the roughly thirty-five authorised to inspect its own electrical | Per-permit or valuation |
| Commercial plumbing | Process piping, fixtures, backflow, and grease waste | Trade review; backflow and grease interceptor sign-off where applicable | Per-fixture or valuation |
| Commercial mechanical | Rooftop units, kitchen exhaust and hood systems, and refrigeration | Trade review; hood and suppression systems draw fire review alongside mechanical | Per-unit or valuation |
| Commercial reroof | Roof covering replacement on a commercial structure | Deck, dry-in, and attachment inspection | Valuation or squares |
| Signage | Wall, ground, and illuminated signs | Zoning review for size and placement, plus electrical where illuminated | Flat or per-sign |
| Land disturbance | Clearing, grading, and stormwater-triggering site work | Erosion and sediment control review, separate from the building permit | Acreage-based |
| Commercial demolition | Full or partial demolition of a commercial structure | Utility disconnect, asbestos notification, and site restoration | Flat or valuation |
| State Fire Marshal plans review | Occupancies requiring State Fire Marshal approval, including schools and certain licensed facilities | Filed with the state through the plans submittal portal, in addition to and not instead of the local record | State fee schedule |
| Commercial new construction | A new commercial building inside the city | Full plan review; Tennessee-sealed drawings required | Fee by valuation |
| City electrical permit | Electrical work inside the city | Reviewed under the city's 2023 NEC adoption | Fee by scope |
Residential
- Single-discipline review in most cases
- The electrical record is usually a separate state permit, not a line on the building permit
- Contractor licence attaches at the statutory threshold; a Home Improvement licence may apply below it in nine counties only
- Septic properties need TDEC approval before ground is broken
Commercial — multi-discipline
- Concurrent review across building, trades, fire, and zoning
- Signed and sealed plans across every affected discipline
- The licensee's monetary limit caps the job value, separately from the permit
- Accessibility and life-safety review attach to any change of occupancy
Records you will actually see in Franklin
| Record | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Residential building permit | New homes, additions, alterations, and repairs |
| Commercial building permit | Commercial construction and tenant work |
| City electrical permit | Issued by the city under the 2023 NEC |
| Plumbing permit | New piping, repipes, and fixtures |
| Mechanical / gas permit | HVAC changeouts, ductwork, and gas work |
| Swimming pool | With barrier and enclosure review |
| Floodplain development | Work in or near the Harpeth River floodplain |
| Right-of-way permit | Work in the public right-of-way |
Solar permits in Franklin
Solar is reviewed on two tracks at once in Tennessee, and in most of the state those two tracks belong to two different governments. The structural side — attachment detail, rail spacing, and whether the existing framing carries the added dead load — is a local building review. The electrical side — conductors, overcurrent protection, rapid shutdown, labelling, and the service or supply-side connection — usually runs on a state electrical record instead, against the National Electrical Code edition the state programme enforces.
A residential solar installation inside Franklin is a city building permit for the structural attachment plus a city electrical permit for the wiring, because Franklin adopts and issues its own electrical code under the 2023 NEC rather than routing electrical to the state. That keeps the solar job inside one department — different from unincorporated Williamson County, which routes electrical to the state. Confirm interconnection with the local power company, which sets the meter release on an approved electrical inspection, and confirm which code edition governs your submission.
That split is the most common cause of a stalled Tennessee solar job. An installer who files the building record locally and assumes the electrical inspection comes with it will sit waiting for an inspector who was never booked. Confirm at the outset whether your jurisdiction is one of the roughly thirty-five municipalities authorised to run its own electrical inspections, or whether the electrical permit has to be bought from the state.
Interconnection runs on a third clock. Tennessee is served by the Tennessee Valley Authority through local power companies — municipal electric systems and rural electric cooperatives — and each sets its own application, meter and witness-test sequence. Permission to operate is not something the building department controls, so plan for the tracks to finish at different times.
Roofing permits in Franklin
A roof covering replacement needs a permit in most Tennessee jurisdictions that enforce their own codes. The permit is usually quick, but it is not optional, and the inspection that matters happens before the covering goes on rather than after.
Tennessee has no statewide product-approval database, so there is no approval number to search for or cite on the application. The assembly has to comply with the adopted code and the manufacturer's listed installation instructions, and that pairing is what the inspector checks — which makes the manufacturer's instructions a document worth having on site.
A re-roof inside Franklin is a city building permit reviewed against the adopted codes — the 2024 editions from 1 January 2026, or the 2018 editions for a submission before then. A like-for-like replacement is straightforward; adding load or altering the roof structure draws closer review. Keep the approved scope on site, and confirm the governing edition against your submission date.
Sequencing is where reroofs go wrong. The deck and dry-in condition has to be visible when the inspector arrives, so covering it first means opening it back up. Where a previous layer has been torn off, expect attention to deck fastening and to any sheathing replaced along the eaves. Note also that a roofing subcontractor is licensed on the value of the roofing portion alone once that portion reaches the statutory threshold.
Franklin permit cost
Franklin building permit fees are set by Building and Neighborhood Services against the project, with separate trade-permit fees for the electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits the city issues itself. Commercial projects carry the added cost of Tennessee-sealed drawings.
Confirm the current fee basis with the department before budgeting, and account for any Harpeth River floodplain review on a low-lying parcel and a separate right-of-way permit for work in the public right-of-way.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Set by Building and Neighborhood Services against the project |
| Trade permits | City electrical, plumbing and mechanical fees |
| Commercial drawings | Tennessee-sealed drawings required |
| Floodplain | Additional review near the Harpeth River |
| Right-of-way | Separate ROW permit for work in the public right-of-way |
| Septic properties | TDEC approval where there is no public sewer |
| Confirm | Current fee basis with the department before budgeting |
Want a precise number for a specific Franklin project? Send us the scope and we will price the permit path before you file.
Franklin trade permits
Franklin issues its own trade permits under its adopted codes. Four Franklin specifics decide whether your application moves:
Confirm the code edition against your submission date
Franklin adopted the 2024 International Codes and 2023 NEC effective 1 January 2026, with plans submitted before that date reviewed under the 2018 editions. On a project spanning the changeover, confirm with the department which edition applies to your submission.
Electrical is the city's, under the 2023 NEC
Franklin issues its own electrical permits under the 2023 National Electrical Code through Electronic Plan Review, rather than routing electrical to the state as an unincorporated county would. Plumbing and mechanical permits are likewise city-issued.
Submit as PDF, seal commercial drawings
Plans are submitted through Electronic Plan Review in PDF format with all pages in order and labelled, and commercial projects require Tennessee-sealed drawings. Assemble a complete, labelled set to avoid a rejected upload.
Scope floodplain and right-of-way work
Work in or near the Harpeth River floodplain draws additional review, and work in the public right-of-way requires a separate right-of-way permit. Identify both early on a low-lying or street-fronting project.
Franklin permit application: how to apply step by step
Here is how to get a building permit in Franklin, from confirming the requirement through to close-out. Each step below corresponds to a real decision point where projects commonly stall.
Unincorporated Williamson County and Brentwood permit their own work. Settle jurisdiction from the parcel before you start, noting Franklin issues its own trade permits while the county routes electrical to the state.
Franklin's 2024 codes and 2023 NEC took effect on 1 January 2026, with earlier submissions under the 2018 editions. Confirm which set governs your submission before you design.
Prepare construction plans as PDF with all pages in order and labelled for Electronic Plan Review. For a commercial project, provide Tennessee-sealed drawings, and include a site plan with property lines, utilities and grades.
On a parcel in or near the Harpeth River floodplain, scope the additional review. On a parcel without public sewer, obtain the TDEC septic approval. Confirm zoning compliance.
Submit through Electronic Plan Review, clear plan review and any corrections, and pay the building and trade permit fees. Pull the city electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits as needed.
Book city inspections, run the trade inspections on the city's track, and carry the project through to the certificate of occupancy before legal use.
Inspections in Franklin
City inspections are scheduled against the issued permit and reviewed against the adopted codes, with typical checkpoints running footing and foundation, framing, trade rough-ins, insulation and final. Because the city issues its own electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, those trade inspections run on the city's track rather than the state's.
The code edition governing the inspection follows the submission: a project permitted under the 2024 codes is inspected to that set, while one submitted before 1 January 2026 is held to the 2018 editions. Keep the approved plans and permit on site so the inspector reviews against the right standard.
Site conditions surface at inspection here. Foundation and drainage details get scrutiny given the city's karst and expansive-clay soils, and floodplain requirements are checked on low-lying parcels. On an existing building, confirm what was previously permitted against what is standing before a change of occupancy.
Trade inspections run on the city's track, since Franklin issues its own electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. The governing code edition follows your submission date — 2024 codes from 1 January 2026, the 2018 editions before — so keep approved plans on site.
Franklin permit search and official resources
Franklin publishes its Building and Neighborhood Services information, adopted codes and Electronic Plan Review portal online, with the state licensing resources that sit alongside them.
- Franklin Building and Neighborhood Services
- Franklin adopted codes
- Franklin permitting and Electronic Plan Review
- TN Board for Licensing Contractors
- FEMA flood map service center
- TDEC subsurface sewage disposal
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in Franklin, TN?
The City of Franklin Building and Neighborhood Services Department, at City Hall on West Vine Street, for work inside the city limits. Williamson County and Brentwood run their own permitting, so confirm the parcel is inside Franklin before applying. The office line is 615-794-7012.
Which building code does Franklin enforce?
Franklin adopted the 2024 International Codes and the 2023 National Electrical Code, effective 1 January 2026, with local amendments. Plans submitted before that date are reviewed under the prior 2018 editions, so confirm which set governs a project that spans the changeover.
Does Franklin issue its own electrical permits?
Yes. Franklin issues its own electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits under its adopted codes, including the 2023 NEC, through the Electronic Plan Review system. A Franklin project does not route electrical to the state the way an unincorporated county parcel would.
How do I submit plans in Franklin?
Construction plans are submitted through the city's Electronic Plan Review system in PDF format, with all pages in order and labelled. Commercial projects require Tennessee-sealed drawings, and a complete site plan speeds the review.
Do I need a floodplain permit in Franklin?
Possibly. Work in or near the Harpeth River floodplain draws additional review beyond the standard building permit. Check the flood map for the parcel and scope the floodplain review early on a low-lying site.
Do I need a right-of-way permit in Franklin?
For work in the public right-of-way — streets, sidewalks and grass strips — yes, a separate right-of-way permit is required. Confirm whether your work touches the right-of-way before you start.
Do I need a contractor licence in Franklin?
A Tennessee contractor licence is required to bid or perform work valued at twenty-five thousand dollars or more, including labour and materials, and the same threshold reaches trade subcontractors on their own portion.
Do I need a Home Improvement licence in Franklin?
No. Franklin is in Williamson County, which is not one of the nine Tennessee counties that require the Home Improvement licence. Below the twenty-five thousand dollar contractor threshold there is no separate state home improvement credential here, though local registration and trade licences still apply.
How long does plan review take in Franklin?
Timelines vary with the project and the review cycle. Simple residential work moves faster than a new structure or a commercial project, and each correction cycle adds a review period. Confirm the current turnaround with the department, and a complete labelled set speeds the review.
Do I need a septic approval before a building permit in Franklin?
On a parcel without public sewer, yes. The state's TDEC subsurface sewage disposal program issues the septic permit, and it must be in hand before the city can issue the building permit. Most of Franklin is on public sewer.
Does Franklin check my HOA covenants?
No. Deed restrictions, covenants and subdivision regulations are private matters between the owner and the subdivision. A permit that clears the city can still breach a covenant, and the city will not have checked.
Is my project in Franklin or unincorporated Williamson County?
It depends on the parcel. Franklin, Brentwood and unincorporated Williamson County each permit their own work. Confirm the parcel is inside the Franklin city limits before filing with Building and Neighborhood Services, since the county routes electrical to the state while Franklin issues it.
Simplify Franklin permitting with Alliance Permitting
Franklin's 2026 code changeover, its Electronic Plan Review submission, its city-issued trade permits and its Harpeth River floodplain review reward applicants who confirm the governing code edition, assemble a clean PDF set, and scope the floodplain and right-of-way work early.
Trusted by leading builders, developers, and national contractors — 21 years of filing in the jurisdictions we write about.
Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Franklin because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- Right authority — inside Franklin or unincorporated Williamson County or Brentwood, resolved from the parcel.
- Correct edition — the 2024 codes or the 2018 editions confirmed against your submission date.
- Clean submission — a labelled PDF set through Electronic Plan Review, with Tennessee-sealed drawings on commercial work.
- Trades and floodplain handled — city electrical, plumbing and mechanical pulled, and any Harpeth River review sequenced early.
Alliance Permitting is a permit documentation and expediting service in Tennessee. We are not a law firm and do not provide legal advice, and we are not the permitting authority.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Franklin permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.