Giles County, Tennessee Building Permit Guide

Giles County takes part in the State Residential Building Program, so a new home or an addition that adds living space outside the cities needs a state residential building permit, bought online or at the Giles County Clerk’s office, 222 W Madison Street, Pulaski (931-363-1509). The state fee is based on construction cost, starting at $350 for a job between $5,001 and $100,000, and state-contracted inspectors do the inspections. Inside Pulaski, the city issues building permits.

Who issues permits in Giles County?

The County Clerk’s office sells the state residential building permit for the unincorporated county. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The permit is needed for new homes, additions and renovations that add square footage; detached garages, sheds, barns and other buildings not used for living need no permit. Placing a manufactured or modular home needs no state permit either, but custom site work at the home’s exits, such as a deck, patio or stoop, does. General questions about the state permit go to the State Fire Marshal’s Office at 615-741-7170.

Unincorporated Giles County has no zoning. The county’s Regional Planning Commission reviews subdivisions, and property inside the five cities is regulated by the city, not the county. On the State Fire Marshal’s table (August 21, 2026) the cities fall into three groups:

• Pulaski: exempt from the state program; building permits are issued by the City Administrator at City Hall, 203 South 1st Street (931-363-2516).
• Elkton and Lynnville: in the state program, so homes there need the same state residential permit as the county.
• Ardmore and Minor Hill: both have opted out of the state residential program, so no state residential permit is required there. Ardmore requires a city zoning permit, issued by the City Recorder (931-427-2124); for Minor Hill the published sources do not say whether the town issues any permit, so ask town hall. The county’s 2025 contact sheet still says state permits apply everywhere outside Pulaski, but the state table is the newer source for these two towns.

Electrical, septic, floodplain and address approvals

• Electrical and HVAC: the county’s contact sheet says all electrical and HVAC installations must be inspected by the state deputy electrical inspector for Giles County. No Giles jurisdiction is on the state’s list of places with their own electrical program, so the permit is bought from the state online, Pulaski included.
• Septic: septic system permits are issued by TDEC’s Division of Water Resources (Giles County contact 931-982-0851); the Columbia Environmental Field Office serves the county.
• Floodplain: before building, the county Floodplain Administrator must certify that the site is not in the FEMA 100-year floodplain. The Floodplain Administrator is part of Giles County EMA at 3750 Columbia Hwy, Pulaski (931-363-1342), which also helps with the floodplain document.
• Address: every property must be given an address by the Giles County E-911 Director, 131 S Cedar Lane, Pulaski (931-363-6810).
• Digging: call Tennessee 811 three days before excavating.

Giles County building permit costs

The Clerk notes that the price depends on the expected construction cost and the type of foundation. The state residential fees are:

For a house costing $240,000 to build, with a monolithic slab, the permit is $500 plus the $100 plumbing and HVAC inspection fee, or $600. Electrical permits are priced separately by the state. Pulaski sets its own city fees.

State inspections in Giles County

A state-contracted inspector checks each home three times: the foundation before concrete is poured, the framing and rough-in (including plumbing and mechanical), and the finished house. If one of those inspections fails, the first re-inspection is free and any further one costs extra. Inspections are requested in the state’s CORE system.

An owner can pull the state permit to build a home for their own use, not to sell or lease, provided they have not had a homeowner permit in the previous 24 months.

Subdividing land in Giles County

Although there is no zoning, splitting land in the unincorporated county is governed by the Giles County Subdivision Standards. The Register of Deeds may not record a plat without Regional Planning Commission approval, and it is unlawful to sell or transfer a lot in a subdivision before the plat is approved. Roads, drainage and utilities must be built to county standards and inspected before the county accepts them, and developers post a surety bond or irrevocable letter of credit to guarantee the work. Questions go to the RPC Chair at 931-638-9478.

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 Giles County permitting resources

• Tennessee state residential-permit instructions
• Tennessee residential jurisdictions and inspectors
• Giles County Regional Planning Commission guidance
• Giles County Clerk building permits
• Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office
• Giles County permits and inspections contact sheet (PDF)
• Giles County notice to developers (PDF)
• State residential building permit fees
• Tennessee electrical permits (CORE)
• City of Pulaski
• TDEC Columbia Environmental Field Office

Giles County permit FAQs

Where do I get a building permit in Giles County, TN?

Outside the cities, buy the state residential building permit at the County Clerk’s office, 222 W Madison Street, Pulaski, or online from the state. Inside Pulaski, apply to the City Administrator at City Hall.

How much is a residential building permit?

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, plus $100 for the plumbing and HVAC inspection.

Do I need a permit for a shed or detached garage?

No state residential permit is needed for detached garages, sheds or barns that are not used for living.

Does Giles County have zoning?

No. The unincorporated county has no zoning, but floodplain rules apply in the FEMA 100-year floodplain and land divisions must follow the Subdivision Standards.

Can a homeowner pull the permit?

Yes, for a home the owner will live in rather than sell or lease, if the owner has had no homeowner permit in the past 24 months.

Who issues septic permits?

TDEC’s Division of Water Resources.

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