The City of Goodlettsville’s Codes & Building Safety/Fire Marshal’s Office issues building permits across the city, which straddles Davidson and Sumner counties, and applications are filed online in GovBuilt or at 318 N. Main Street. New homes and additions cost $0.85 per square foot under roof. Which office issues the plumbing, gas, mechanical and electrical permits depends on which county the lot is in.
What needs a permit in Goodlettsville?
The City’s residential and accessory building permit application covers new homes (single-family and multi-family), additions, remodels, detached garages, accessory structures, pole barns, sheds, carports, decks and covered patios or porches. Pools that hold more than 24 inches of water have their own permit and safety checklist, and signs need a City sign permit.
Accessory buildings have local limits set out on the application: a maximum height of 18 feet measured to the midpoint of a pitched roof, placement beside or behind the house and outside all easements, and lot coverage of 10% to 40% depending on the zoning district. A building over 375 sq ft must match the house’s wall and roof materials, although on R-40 or agricultural land over 5 acres a building set fully behind and apart from the house, at regular zoning setbacks, may be exempt.
Who issues building permits in Goodlettsville?
The Codes & Building Safety/Fire Marshal’s Office, part of Community Development Services, issues building and sign permits, carries out the required inspections, inspects buildings open to the public under the fire code, enforces the Zoning Ordinance and assigns street numbers. Goodlettsville enforces its own codes, so the state lists it as exempt from the state residential program in both counties.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Office | 318 N. Main Street, Goodlettsville, TN 37072 |
| Phone | 615-851-3741 (fax 615-851-9163) |
| permitsgroup@goodlettsville.gov | |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. |
| Apply | GovBuilt portal, or in person at the Community Development Offices |
Outside the city limits, Metro Nashville Codes (615-862-6500) handles the Davidson County side and Sumner County Building & Codes in Gallatin (615-452-1467) the Sumner County side.
Applying through GovBuilt
The City says all permits are submitted through its GovBuilt site, with in-person filing at the Community Development Offices as the alternative. Contractors working inside city limits file the City’s permit bond. The residential application asks for the zoning district, map and parcel number, construction valuation, foundation type (slab, crawlspace or basement), whether the lot has public water or a well and public sewer or septic, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, whether I-joists or a water heater or furnace are in the crawlspace, and the square footage of each floor, garage, porch and deck. It also lists the footing, plumbing, mechanical and other contractors with their state licence numbers. An incomplete application delays processing.
Lots on the Sumner County side must include verification of the address with the application. The City warns that it never asks for permit fees by wire transfer; emails such as planning.goodlettsville.gov@usa.com are a scam.
Goodlettsville permit fees
| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New home or addition | $0.85 per sq ft under roof, counting conditioned and unconditioned space and the garage |
| Remodel | $0.20 per sq ft |
| Accessory building or shed | $0.20 per sq ft |
| Deck | $0.20 per sq ft |
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →A 2,400 sq ft house with a 500 sq ft attached garage and a 100 sq ft covered porch has 3,000 sq ft under roof, so the City building permit is $2,550. Trade permits are extra and are bought from the offices described below.
On the Sumner County side, new residential, commercial and industrial projects also pay the Sumner County Adequate Facilities Tax, $0.70 per square foot for new residential development (additions to an existing single-family home are exempt). Since May 1, 2024 it has been collected by Sumner County Building & Codes, 355 N. Belvedere Drive, Room 208, Gallatin, and the City requires proof of payment during its permit review.
Plumbing, mechanical, gas and electrical: it depends on the county
Davidson County side
- Get the building permit from the City first; the City does the building and fire inspections
- Then buy plumbing, gas/mechanical and electrical permits from Metro Nashville Codes (615-862-6500)
- Metro inspects each trade at rough-in and final
- No City certificate of occupancy until every Metro final has passed
Sumner County side
- Get the building permit from the City first
- The City does building, plumbing, gas/mechanical and fire and life safety inspections
- Buy the electrical permit from the state; the State Electrical Inspector in Hendersonville inspects (615-822-4440)
- No City certificate of occupancy until the state electrical final has passed
The application notes that plumbing and mechanical contractors must pull their own permits before construction starts.
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →What to include with a Goodlettsville application
- The completed residential and accessory building permit application, with owner and contractor details
- Square footage by floor, basement, attached or detached garage, covered porches and decks
- Construction valuation and the scope of work
- For a lot in a designated floodplain, a surveyed plot plan showing the floodplain and floodway boundary and the 100-year flood elevation
- On the Sumner County side, verification of the address and proof the Adequate Facilities Tax is paid
- For pools, the signed pool safety acknowledgement from the Pool Packet
How to get a building permit in Goodlettsville
Check whether the lot is on the Davidson or Sumner side; it decides the trade permits and any county tax.
Look up the zoning district and lot coverage on the City zoning map; the Board of Zoning & Sign Appeals hears zoning and sign appeals.
Pay the Adequate Facilities Tax in Gallatin for new development on the Sumner side.
Upload the application and plot plan, or file at 318 N. Main Street; contractors file the City permit bond.
Metro Nashville for all trades on the Davidson side; the City for plumbing and mechanical plus the state for electrical on the Sumner side.
Pass the City’s building and fire inspections and the outside trade finals before the City issues the certificate.
Goodlettsville inspections
City inspectors handle building and fire inspections everywhere in Goodlettsville, and on the Sumner County side also plumbing and gas/mechanical. Trade inspections on the Davidson side are scheduled with Metro Nashville Codes, and electrical inspections on the Sumner side with the State Electrical Inspector. The City withholds the certificate of occupancy until those outside finals are complete.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →For pools, check the Pool Packet items before booking the final to avoid a re-inspection fee: an in-ground pool needs a powered safety cover or a barrier at least 48 inches high all the way round, gates that open outward and close themselves, UL 2017 door alarms mounted 54 inches up on house doors that open onto the pool area, a pool alarm, and an electrical final for the pump and lighting. A temporary barrier must surround the pool while it is being built.
Local details in Goodlettsville
Codes in force: Ordinance 26-1133 moved the City to the 2024 International Building, Residential, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing, Existing Building, Property Maintenance and Pool and Spa Codes, approved March 19, 2026, while keeping the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code; the 2024 Fire Code was approved May 14, 2026. Planning: Community Development also runs the Planning Commission, the Zoning Ordinance, Design Review Standards and construction stormwater rules. Political signs are limited to 32 sq ft, must stay out of the right-of-way and at least 10 feet from the road edge, may go up no more than 90 days before an election and must come down within 3 days after it. Storm shelters can be registered with the City so responders can find them.
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
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Official Goodlettsville permit resources
- Tennessee residential jurisdiction list
- Municipal applications and instructions
- Goodlettsville Codes & Building Safety/Fire Marshal’s Office
- Goodlettsville GovBuilt permit portal
- Residential and accessory building permit application (PDF)
- Davidson County side permit requirements
- Sumner County side permit requirements
- Goodlettsville pool packet (PDF)
- Ordinance 26-1133, 2024 building codes (PDF)
- Sumner County Adequate Facilities Tax information (PDF)
Goodlettsville building permit FAQs
How much is a building permit in Goodlettsville?
$0.85 per square foot under roof for a new home or addition, including the garage and unconditioned space, and $0.20 per square foot for remodels, accessory buildings and decks. Trade permits are separate.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues electrical permits in Goodlettsville?
Metro Nashville Codes on the Davidson County side; the state electrical inspector in Hendersonville on the Sumner County side.
Do I pay the Sumner County Adequate Facilities Tax?
Only for new development on the Sumner County side of the city. It is paid to Sumner County Building & Codes in Gallatin, and the City asks for proof of payment.
How do I apply?
Online through the City’s GovBuilt site, or in person at Community Development, 318 N. Main Street.
Do I need a permit for a shed or deck?
Yes. Accessory buildings and decks are permitted at $0.20 per square foot, and accessory buildings must sit beside or behind the house and outside easements.
Which building codes does Goodlettsville use?
The 2024 International Codes approved March 19, 2026, with the 2018 energy code, and the 2024 Fire Code approved May 14, 2026.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Goodlettsville permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.