Gibson County, Tennessee Building Permit Guide

For property outside the cities and towns, Gibson County’s Building Inspector handles building permits from an office in Trenton City Hall, 309 S College Street, Suite A (731-855-7663). The county enforces its own codes, so it is outside the state residential program, while Humboldt, Milan, Medina, Trenton, Dyer and Bradford permit their own work. Electrical permits come from the State of Tennessee, and septic permits from TDEC.

Who issues permits in Gibson County?

The county’s Building Inspector is Richard Bailey. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in Suite A of Trenton City Hall; the City of Trenton lists the same phone number for its own Building & Codes department. The county does not publish a permit application, fee schedule or code list online, so call the office for the application and fees for an unincorporated address.

The State Fire Marshal’s table (August 21, 2026) lists Gibson County as exempt from the state residential program because codes are enforced locally. The ten incorporated places split three ways:

Electrical and septic permits

• Electrical: no Gibson County jurisdiction is on the state’s list of places that run their own electrical inspections, so electrical permits for the county and every city in it are bought from the State Fire Marshal’s Office in CORE and inspected by a state deputy electrical inspector. Without a CORE account, inspections can be requested at 615-741-7170 with the permit number.
• Plumbing: handled locally; Milan, for example, issues its own plumbing permits. In the unincorporated county, ask the Building Inspector.
• Septic: TDEC’s Jackson Environmental Field Office serves Gibson County for septic permits (main line 731-512-1300).

Permit fees in Gibson County

The county has not put its building permit fees online; get the amount from the Building Inspector when you apply. City fees differ by city: Milan, for instance, charges on job valuation, starting at $15 for the first $1,000 plus $5 for each further $1,000 up to $50,000.

In Gibson, Kenton, Rutherford and Yorkville, the state residential permit for a new home costs $350 for construction up to $100,000 and $400 up to $150,000, rising $50 for each further $50,000. The plumbing and HVAC inspection adds $100, as does a slab that is not poured monolithically.

Inspections

For a county permit, arrange inspections with the Building Inspector’s office at 731-855-7663. Inside a city, the city’s inspector does the work; Milan publishes separate lists of required residential and commercial inspections.

In the four state-program towns, a state-contracted inspector checks the foundation before the pour, the framing and rough-in (with plumbing and mechanical), and the finished home. The first failed inspection is re-inspected free; further visits are charged. Requests go through CORE. State electrical inspections apply everywhere in the county.

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

Gibson County permit search and official resources

• Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office
• Tennessee Residential Jurisdictions & Inspectors
• Gibson County Building Inspector
• Gibson County municipal offices
• City of Trenton Building & Codes
• City of Milan Building & Codes
• City of Medina Building Codes & Permits
• City of Humboldt Building Inspector
• Tennessee electrical permits (CORE)
• TDEC Jackson Environmental Field Office

Gibson County permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in unincorporated Gibson County?

The Gibson County Building Inspector, in Suite A of Trenton City Hall, 309 S College Street (731-855-7663).

Do I need a state residential permit in Gibson County?

Only in the towns of Gibson, Kenton, Rutherford and Yorkville, which are in the state program. The county and the other six cities enforce their own codes.

Who issues electrical permits?

The State Fire Marshal’s Office, through CORE, for all of Gibson County.

When does Trenton require a residential permit?

For exterior improvements over $500. Commercial work also needs a permit for interior work that may affect the structure.

Where do I apply for a septic permit?

With TDEC’s Jackson Environmental Field Office, which serves Gibson County.

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