The Maury County Building and Zoning Office, on Public Square in Columbia, permits new construction in unincorporated Maury County — the fastest-growing county on this roster. It collects the Adequate Facilities Tax on all new construction, requires a county business licence of contractors and plumbers, and has required professionally-drawn plans since 2015.
Three Maury steps sit alongside the permit. The Adequate Facilities Tax is collected in the building office for all new construction; a Maury County business licence is required of both contractors and plumbers on top of the state credential; and hand-drawn plans are not accepted. Electrical is a state permit, and residential setbacks run 40 feet front, 30 feet rear and 20 feet sides.
Scope: unincorporated Maury County through Building and Zoning. Columbia, Spring Hill and Mount Pleasant permit their own work — Spring Hill spans into Williamson County.
A county business licence and professionally-drawn plans are required. Maury County requires a county business licence of both contractors and plumbers on top of the state credential, and since 2015 all plans must be professionally drawn. The Adequate Facilities Tax is collected on all new construction, so sort the business licence and plans, and price the AFT, before you file.
What requires a permit in Maury County?
The Maury County Building and Zoning Office, on Public Square in Columbia, permits new construction in unincorporated Maury County and inspects it for compliance with the adopted codes. Maury is the fastest-growing county on this roster, driven by Spring Hill and the automotive corridor south of Nashville. Columbia, Spring Hill and Mount Pleasant run their own permitting, so a parcel inside a city goes to the city rather than the county.
As in Sumner and Wilson counties, the Adequate Facilities Tax is central: it is collected in this office for all new construction within Maury County. Budget for it as a per-project charge on new development rather than an afterthought. The county enforces the 2018 International Codes, and since 1 January 2015 hand-drawn plans are no longer accepted — all plans must be professionally drawn. 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.
Maury County also runs its own business-licence requirement on top of the state credential. Contractors must show proof of a valid Tennessee State Contractor's Licence and a Maury County business licence, and plumbers must show a valid Tennessee State Plumbing Licence and a Maury County business licence. An owner acting as their own contractor must provide a copy of the deed. Electrical is a state permit through CORE. 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 county threshold
- Swimming pools and their required barriers
- Decks, and exterior structural work
- Plumbing, mechanical, and gas work
- Electrical work — a state permit through CORE
- New construction subject to the Adequate Facilities Tax
Typically exempt
- Painting, flooring, and cosmetic finishes
- Routine maintenance not altering structure or a regulated system
- Work inside Columbia, Spring Hill, or Mount Pleasant
- Minor work below the county's published thresholds
Maury County building department: who handles permitting
The Building and Zoning Office issues permits and inspects new construction in the unincorporated county, and also provides staff support to the Maury County Regional Planning Commission for the county's planning, zoning and subdivision program. That combined role means zoning setbacks and the building permit sit in the same office — residential setbacks run 40 feet front, 30 feet rear and 20 feet sides, shown on the required plot plan.
The county business-licence requirement is the step most likely to catch a contractor from out of county. It is not the state contractor licence and not the state plumbing licence — it is a separate Maury County business licence, required in addition to the state credential for both contractors and plumbers. Sort it out before you bid, because the county checks for it at application.
Prerequisites cluster at the front of a Maury County project. On a septic property the TDEC approval comes first; a water tap or water-source receipt is required; a driveway permit comes from the County Highway Department; and the Adequate Facilities Tax is collected at the building office. None of these is the building permit itself, and each has its own desk, so line them up early.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Authority | Maury County Building and Zoning Office |
| Covers | Unincorporated Maury County |
| Cities running their own | Columbia, Spring Hill, Mount Pleasant |
| Office | Public Square, Columbia, TN 38401 |
| Phone | (931) 388-6764 |
| Codes enforced | 2018 International Codes |
| Adequate Facilities Tax | Collected here for all new construction in the county |
| County business licence | Required for contractors and for plumbers |
| Plans | Professionally drawn since 1 January 2015; hand-drawn not accepted |
County business licence, AFT, and professionally-drawn plans. Maury County requires a county business licence of both contractors and plumbers, collects the Adequate Facilities Tax on all new construction, and has required professionally-drawn plans since 2015. Get the business licence and plans sorted, and price the AFT, before you file.
Confirm from the parcel whether the site is unincorporated Maury County or inside Columbia, Spring Hill or Mount Pleasant, because the permitting office changes at the city line. Note that Spring Hill spans into Williamson County, so a Spring Hill parcel is not necessarily a Maury County parcel.
Maury County permits: record types and what each covers
Maury County runs residential and commercial building records, with the Adequate Facilities Tax on new construction. 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 in the unincorporated county | Building review with the AFT, business licence and professional plans | Per-project AFT plus permit fee |
| Owner-builder dwelling | An owner building on their own property | Building review; owner provides a copy of the deed | Per-project AFT plus permit fee |
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 in the county | Full plan review, with the AFT on the project | Per-project AFT plus permit fee |
| Plumbing permit | Plumbing work by a licensed plumber | Reviewed; plumber holds a county business licence and state licence | 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 Maury County
| Record | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Residential building permit | New homes, additions, alterations, and repairs |
| Commercial building permit | Commercial construction and tenant work |
| Accessory structure | Above the county threshold |
| Swimming pool | With barrier and bonding review |
| Plumbing permit | New piping, repipes, fixtures, and gas piping |
| Mechanical / gas permit | HVAC changeouts, ductwork, and gas work |
| State electrical permit | Through core.tn.gov, not the county |
| Demolition permit | Full or partial demolition |
Solar permits in Maury County
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 in unincorporated Maury County is a county building permit for the structural attachment plus a state electrical permit for the wiring, since applicants are directed to the state for electrical. A solar contractor handling the county paperwork should hold both the state contractor licence and a Maury County business licence, and plans must be professionally drawn. The local power company sets the meter release on an approved electrical inspection, so confirm the interconnection path early.
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 Maury County
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 in unincorporated Maury County is a county building permit reviewed against the 2018 codes. A like-for-like replacement is straightforward; adding load or altering the roof structure draws closer review. A roofing contractor at or above the state contractor threshold needs the state licence and a Maury County business licence, so confirm both before the crew starts.
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.
Maury County permit cost
Two charges drive the cost of building in unincorporated Maury County: the building permit fee set by the Building and Zoning Office, and the Adequate Facilities Tax collected on all new construction. The county business licence for contractors and plumbers is a further cost, separate from the state credential.
Because electrical is a state permit through CORE, the electrical cost is a state fee rather than a county line item. Confirm the current building permit fee and AFT with the office before budgeting, and account for the professionally-drawn plans the county has required since 2015.
| Fee component | How it works |
|---|---|
| Building permit | Set by the Building and Zoning Office against the submitted scope |
| Adequate Facilities Tax | Collected on all new construction in the county |
| County business licence | Separate cost for contractors and for plumbers |
| Electrical | State fee via CORE, not a county line item |
| Driveway | Access permit from the County Highway Department |
| Septic properties | TDEC approval required before ground is broken |
| Confirm | Building permit fee and AFT with the office before budgeting |
Want a precise number for a specific Maury County project? Send us the scope and we will price the permit path before you file.
Maury County trade permits
Electrical is a state permit; contractors and plumbers need a county business licence. Four Maury specifics decide whether your application moves:
Contractors and plumbers need a county business licence
On top of the state contractor or plumbing licence, Maury County requires a Maury County business licence of both contractors and plumbers, checked at application. Sort it out before you bid.
Plans must be professionally drawn
Since 1 January 2015, Maury County no longer accepts hand-drawn plans — all plans must be professionally drawn. Budget for that on a project that might otherwise have relied on owner sketches.
The AFT attaches to all new construction
The Adequate Facilities Tax is collected in the building office for all new construction within Maury County. Price it into any new build, and confirm the current rate with the office.
Electrical is the state's
Applicants are directed to the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance for electrical permits, so the electrical record is a state permit through CORE. Budget for a separate state application alongside the county building permit.
Maury County permit application: how to apply step by step
Here is how to get a building permit in Maury County, from confirming the requirement through to close-out. Each step below corresponds to a real decision point where projects commonly stall.
Columbia, Spring Hill and Mount Pleasant permit their own work. Settle jurisdiction from the parcel before you start — and note Spring Hill spans into Williamson County.
Obtain a Maury County business licence if you are a contractor or plumber, on top of the state credential, and have plans professionally drawn, since hand-drawn plans are not accepted.
On a septic property, obtain the TDEC approval; provide a water tap or water-source receipt; and get a driveway permit from the County Highway Department. An owner-contractor provides a copy of the deed.
The AFT is collected on all new construction in the county. Confirm the current rate with the office and include it in the project cost.
File with the Building and Zoning Office with a plot plan showing setbacks of 40 feet front, 30 feet rear and 20 feet sides. Clear review, pay the fee and the AFT, and file the state electrical permit through CORE.
Book county building inspections, run the state electrical inspection on its own track, and carry the project through to the certificate of occupancy before legal use.
Inspections in Maury County
County building inspections are scheduled against the issued permit, with typical checkpoints running footing and foundation, framing, trade rough-ins, insulation and final, reviewed against the 2018 codes. The plot plan's setbacks — 40 feet front, 30 feet rear and 20 feet sides for residential — are checked against what is built, so site the structure to the approved plan.
Electrical inspections run on the state's track through CORE, arranged and regulated by the state rather than the county. Keep the county building track and the state electrical track separate so a hold on one is not mistaken for a hold on the other.
Because the Adequate Facilities Tax and the county business licence are settled at the front of the project, by inspection time they are behind it — but on an addition or change of occupancy, confirm what was previously permitted against what is standing, because unpermitted square footage surfaces there.
Residential setbacks of 40 feet front, 30 feet rear and 20 feet sides are checked against what is built, so site the structure to the approved plot plan. The state electrical final is separate from the county final — clear both before a certificate of occupancy.
Maury County permit search and official resources
Maury County publishes its Building and Zoning information and permit application online, with the state licensing and electrical resources that sit alongside them.
- Maury County Building and Zoning Office
- TN Board for Licensing Contractors
- State electrical permits (CORE)
- State Fire Marshal codes enforcement
- TDEC subsurface sewage disposal
- State residential permits (state-enforced areas)
Frequently asked questions
Who issues building permits in Maury County, TN?
The Maury County Building and Zoning Office, on Public Square in Columbia, for unincorporated Maury County. Columbia, Spring Hill and Mount Pleasant run their own permitting. The office line is (931) 388-6764.
What is the Adequate Facilities Tax in Maury County?
A tax on new development collected in the Building and Zoning Office for all new construction within Maury County, to help pay for the public facilities that growth requires. Price it into any new build, and confirm the current rate with the office.
Do contractors need a county business licence in Maury County?
Yes. Contractors must show a valid Tennessee State Contractor's Licence and a Maury County business licence, and plumbers must show a valid Tennessee State Plumbing Licence and a Maury County business licence. The county business licence is separate from the state credential and is checked at application.
Does Maury County accept hand-drawn plans?
No. Since 1 January 2015, hand-drawn plans are no longer accepted in Maury County — all plans must be professionally drawn. Budget for that on a project that might otherwise have relied on owner sketches.
Which building code does Maury County enforce?
The 2018 International Codes. As a local building authority under the statewide minimum standards, the county's adopted set governs, so confirm the current editions with the office before you design.
Does Maury County issue electrical permits?
No. Applicants are directed to the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance for electrical permits, so the electrical record is a state permit through CORE, inspected by a state-contracted Deputy Electrical Inspector.
What are the residential setbacks in Maury County?
For residential construction, setbacks run 40 feet from the front, 30 feet from the rear and 20 feet from the sides. These are shown on the required plot plan and checked against what is built, so site the structure to the approved plan.
Do I need a Home Improvement licence in Maury County?
No. Maury 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 the county business licence and trade licences still apply.
Do I need a septic approval before a building permit in Maury County?
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 county can issue the building permit. A water tap or water-source receipt is also required.
Do I need a contractor licence in Maury County?
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. A county business licence is required on top of it.
Does Maury County 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 county can still breach a covenant, and the county will not have checked.
Does an owner-builder need to provide anything extra in Maury County?
Yes. An owner acting as their own contractor must provide a copy of the deed with the application. The owner-builder exemption from the state contractor licence applies to work on one's own property for one's own use, not for resale.
Simplify Maury County permitting with Alliance Permitting
Maury County's Adequate Facilities Tax, its county business-licence requirement for contractors and plumbers, and its professionally-drawn-plans rule reward applicants who sort the business licence and plans up front, price the AFT, and line up the state electrical permit.
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Contractors and builders choose Alliance for Maury County because the work is done by people who have stood at the counter:
- Right authority — unincorporated county or one of Columbia, Spring Hill and Mount Pleasant, resolved from the parcel.
- County credentials in place — the Maury County business licence secured for contractors and plumbers alongside the state credential.
- AFT and plans ready — the Adequate Facilities Tax priced in and professionally-drawn plans prepared before filing.
- Complete oversight — every Maury building record, state permit and inspection tracked across your jobs in one place.
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 Maury County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.