Unincorporated Hardin County has passed a resolution opting out of Tennessee’s residential building program, and its government lists no building, codes or zoning office, so a house outside the towns needs no county building permit. Inside Savannah, building and plumbing permits come from the city’s Community Development Office at 140 Main Street (731-925-3300), and electrical work anywhere in the county needs a State of Tennessee electrical permit.
Who issues building permits in Hardin County?
The county government at the Courthouse, 465 Main Street, Savannah (County Mayor’s office 731-925-9078), lists departments from accounting and the fire department to solid waste and the senior center, but no building inspector, codes, planning or zoning office. The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) records the county as having opted out of the state residential building program.
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Get a free quote →| Area | Building permits |
|---|---|
| Savannah | City of Savannah Community Development Office (zoning and codes enforcement), City Hall, 140 Main Street, weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., 731-925-3300; exempt from the state program |
| Saltillo and the Hardin County part of Milledgeville | State residential building permit from the SFMO for one- and two-family homes, bought in CORE; the published sources do not describe a town permit, so ask town hall |
| Crump | Opted out of the state program like the county; the published sources do not say whether the city issues its own permit, so ask city hall |
| Adamsville (small Hardin County part) | Exempt from the state program; Adamsville City Hall, 231 East Main Street (731-632-1401), handles city building permits and posts a permit fee sheet on its Permits, Licenses, Taxes & Zoning page |
| Unincorporated county | No county building permit; the state residential permit only if the owner asks for state inspections |
Opting out removes the state’s residential code for one- and two-family homes. It does not remove state electrical permits, septic approval or Savannah’s rules inside the city.
Electrical, plumbing and septic in Hardin County
- Electrical: no Hardin County jurisdiction is on the state’s list of places outside the State Electrical Program, so electrical work in Savannah and the rest of the county is permitted and inspected by the state. Buy the permit in CORE or from the local issuing agent, Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative in Savannah (731-925-4916), which takes permit orders by phone.
- Plumbing in Savannah: plumbing permits are a separate City of Savannah application, filed online with the building permit.
- Septic: outside sewer service, septic systems are permitted by TDEC’s Jackson Environmental Field Office, 1625 Hollywood Drive, Jackson (septic line 731-441-5593).
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →Permit fees in Hardin County
With no county building permit there is no county fee schedule. In Savannah the fee is worked out when staff accept the application: the city emails the accepted permit showing the fee, and it can be paid online through Citisen Portal or by check or cash at City Hall.
In Saltillo and Milledgeville, and for an owner in the opt-out area who asks for state inspections, the SFMO fee depends on construction cost, which is counted at $60.57 or more per heated square foot:
| Construction cost | Permit fee |
|---|---|
| Up to $5,000 | $100 |
| $5,001 to $100,000 | $350 |
| $100,001 to $150,000 | $400 |
| $250,001 to $300,000 | $550 |
| Plumbing and HVAC inspection, new construction | $100 added |
| Separate slab under living space | $100 added |
For a 2,200 sq ft heated home the state counts at least $133,254 of cost, so the permit is $400 plus $100 for plumbing and HVAC. The fee covers every required inspection and one re-inspection; later re-inspections are $100 each.
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Call 1-855-478-4290 →Inspections in Hardin County
Savannah: inspection requests go through the same online portal as the permit application, and the city publishes separate required-inspection lists for residential and commercial work on its Community Development pages. Allow at least one business day for a permit to be approved and its payment processed. A Savannah permit becomes void if work does not start within six months or stops for six months.
State permits: the permit holder books inspections in CORE or by email to SFMO.permits-licensing@tn.gov, quoting the permit number and the date the work will be ready. A footing is inspected within one working day of the request and later stages within three. A new home is checked at the foundation, at rough-in and framing, and at final. Work has to start within 180 days of the permit.
Voluntary state inspection in the opt-out area: since 2017 the owner or contractor of a one- or two-family home in an opt-out county can buy a state permit so that the SFMO inspects the new home or addition. If it passes, the SFMO issues a Certificate of Occupancy, which some lenders and loan programs require.
Local Hardin County details
Savannah zoning and historic review: the city’s five-member planning commission handles zoning and annexation, the official zoning map is dated February 2026, and the city also has a Historic Zoning Commission and published historic district design guidelines. Sign permits are a separate city application.
Contractors in Savannah: the city’s building permit application requires a Tennessee licence and insurance from contractors on jobs of $25,000 or more.
Rather not deal with the Hardin County building department?
Get a free quote →County roads: the Highway Superintendent’s office (731-925-4993) is the county contact for county roads. The County Commission meets on the third Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
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 Hardin County permitting resources
- Tennessee state residential-permit instructions
- Tennessee residential jurisdictions and inspectors
- Hardin County government directory
- City of Savannah permit applications
- SFMO inspections in opt-out jurisdictions
- SFMO residential building permit fees
- State electrical permit issuing agents
- TDEC Jackson Environmental Field Office
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →Hardin County permit FAQs
Do I need a building permit to build a house in rural Hardin County?
Not from the county. Hardin County has opted out of the state residential program and has no building office, but you still need a state electrical permit and, without sewer, a TDEC septic permit.
Who issues building permits in Savannah?
The City of Savannah Community Development Office at City Hall, 140 Main Street (731-925-3300). Building, plumbing and sign permits and inspection requests can be filed online.
Where do I buy an electrical permit in Hardin County?
In the state’s CORE system or from Tennessee Valley Electric Cooperative in Savannah (731-925-4916), the state’s issuing agent in the county.
Do Saltillo and Milledgeville need a state building permit?
Yes. The SFMO lists both in its residential building program, so new homes and additions there need a state permit from $100.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Can I get a certificate of occupancy for a house in the county?
Yes, if you buy a state residential permit and the SFMO inspects the home; it issues a Certificate of Occupancy when the house passes.
How long does a Savannah permit take?
The city asks applicants to allow at least one business day for approval and payment processing.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Hardin County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.