Portland, Tennessee Building Permit Guide

Inside Portland city limits, the City’s Building Codes Department at 100 S. Russell Street issues building, plumbing, mechanical, pool, demolition and fire protection permits, and since January 26, 2026 applications can be filed online in GovWell. A new house is charged 0.40% of its ICC valuation plus $0.05 per sq ft for plan review, residential review can take up to 10 business days, and electrical work is inspected by the state.

What requires a permit in Portland?

The Building Codes Department lists the permits it issues inside city limits, and the City’s fee ordinance prices each one.

Who issues building permits in Portland?

The department reviews plans, issues permits and inspects work within city limits; the State Fire Marshal’s list of August 21, 2026 records Portland as exempt from the state residential program because it enforces its own codes. Almost all of Portland lies in Sumner County, with a few dozen residents in Robertson County, according to Census estimates. The Building Official’s decisions can be appealed to the City’s Property Maintenance/Construction Board of Appeals.

Filing in GovWell or on paper

GovWell replaced paper as the main route on January 26, 2026, but the City still accepts paper applications, which can be picked up at City Hall, and staff will help anyone who has trouble with the portal.

In GovWell, sign up with an email address and mobile number (each is confirmed with a one-time code), then choose Start Application and pick the permit type: building, demolition, plumbing, mechanical, accessory building, swimming pool and others. Documents upload as PDF, JPEG or PNG files of up to 1 GB each. The portal shows whether the application is under review, waiting for documents, approved or issued, and the issued permit is downloaded from the My Projects page. Contractor registrations are also handled in the portal.

Portland permit fees (Ordinance 25-46)

Ordinance 25-46, in force since October 1, 2025, sets the City’s fees. Building fees for new homes and additions use the current ICC Building Valuation Data table, and square-footage fees count all space under roof: conditioned, unconditioned, porches and garage.

Every permit carries a $15 administrative fee, and the minimum residential building, plumbing or mechanical permit is $50. Each permit includes the first inspection and one re-inspection; after that, re-inspections cost $75 for residential and $100 for commercial work. Starting work before the permit is issued doubles the fee unless the Building Official accepts it as an emergency.

For a 2,400 sq ft house counting the garage and porch, plan review is $120 and the plumbing and mechanical permits are $240 each, before the valuation-based building fee and the administrative fees.

Commercial: 1% of ICC valuation for new buildings and additions (0.25% for industrial), $0.10 per sq ft for remodels, plan review at 50% of the permit fee and a $100 minimum. Fire protection permits are 1% of the job cost plus $50.

Sumner County adequate facilities tax: new homes in the Sumner County part of Portland also owe the county’s tax of $0.70 per gross sq ft ($0.40 for industrial), and the City must see the county’s certificate that it has been paid before it issues the building permit. Additions to an existing single-family house are exempt.

Plumbing, mechanical, gas and electrical

Plumbing and mechanical: permitted and inspected by the Building Codes Department. Residential remodels and HVAC change-outs are $75, fireplaces $50 each, and a grinder pump adds $75 to the plumbing permit.

Gas: the Portland Gas Department must approve the gas installation before the City will do the framing, plumbing and mechanical inspections; leave its approval tag in the washer box. The City’s interior gas line inspection is $50 on a residential job.

Electrical: Portland is not on the state’s exempt list, so electrical permits are bought from the state in CORE and a state electrical inspector inspects the wiring. The City will not do rough-in or framing inspections until the state inspector has passed the rough-in electrical, or the finals until the state final is approved.

Fire protection: sprinkler and similar systems need a City fire protection permit, and a kitchen hood with suppression is $150 per hood.

What to include with the application

The City returns incomplete applications without review, so attach everything that applies:

• Contractor’s State of Tennessee licence and general liability insurance
• Septic letter, for lots not on sewer
• Land disturbance permit, or the land disturbance application
• Utility tap sheet or tap approval
• Manual J load report for the mechanical system (Nashville or Bowling Green, KY design data are both accepted)
• Any signed and notarised affidavits the permit requires

Review times: up to 10 business days for residential permits and up to 30 business days for commercial and industrial permits, excluding weekends and holidays; commercial reviews run longer if comments are not answered promptly. Commercial and industrial demolition also needs the state asbestos certificate.

Design values: the City publishes its design criteria, including a 15 psf snow load, a 12-inch frost line, seismic category B and 115 mph three-second wind speed.

How to get a Portland building permit

Portland inspections

Call the inspection hotline, 615-805-3080, before 3:00 p.m. for an inspection the next day; calls after 3:00 p.m. are scheduled two business days out. Post the address where it can be seen from the street and keep a portable toilet on site, or inspections will be held up.

The City’s usual order for new construction is:

• Footings or pier footings, before concrete
• Underground plumbing, with joints uncovered and a 5-foot head of water
• Slab preparation
• Sheathing and braced wall, with damp-proofing and the positive drain in place
• Gas approval from the Portland Gas Department
• Plumbing rough-in, mechanical rough-in and framing, after the state rough-in electrical passes
• Overhead plumbing and mechanical, and draft-stop and fire-block
• Final building, plumbing and mechanical, after the state final electrical, with the house ready to move in

Local details for Portland

Adopted codes: the City’s code reference page lists the 2018 International Building, Residential, Existing Building, Energy Conservation, Fire, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing and Property Maintenance Codes, and ASHRAE 90.1 (2007).

Temporary occupancy: a temporary certificate of occupancy lasts 14 calendar days and costs $350 for a home, $750 for commercial and $1,000 for industrial buildings.

Appeals: anyone who believes the Building Official has misread the code, or wants to use an equivalent form of construction, can file the Construction Board of Appeals request form.

Dig safely: the City reminds builders to call Tennessee 811 (or 800-351-1111) before digging.

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 Portland permit resources

City and county pages used for this guide:

• Tennessee residential jurisdiction list
• Municipal applications and instructions
• City of Portland Building Codes Department
• Portland building permit applications and GovWell instructions
• Portland building permit guidelines and inspection order
• Portland fee ordinance 25-46 (October 2025)
• Portland design criteria
• Sumner County adequate facilities tax information
• State electrical permits

Portland building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Portland, TN?

The City of Portland Building Codes Department at City Hall, 100 S. Russell Street (615-325-6776 ext. 230), for property inside city limits.

How much is a building permit for a new house in Portland?

0.40% of the house’s ICC valuation, plus $0.05 per sq ft for plan review, $0.10 per sq ft each for plumbing and mechanical, a $15 administrative fee per permit and $50 for the certificate of occupancy. Homes in the Sumner County part of the city also pay the county’s $0.70 per sq ft adequate facilities tax.

How long does plan review take?

Up to 10 business days for residential permits and up to 30 business days for commercial and industrial permits.

Can I still apply on paper?

Yes. GovWell is the online route, but paper applications are still available at City Hall.

How do I schedule an inspection?

Call 615-805-3080 before 3:00 p.m. for the next day; later calls are scheduled two business days out.

Do I need a permit for a deck or a pool in Portland?

Yes. Decks cost $100 to $300 depending on size, above-ground pools $150 and in-ground pools $250.

Who inspects electrical work?

A state electrical inspector, under a permit bought from the State Fire Marshal’s Office; the City waits for the state approvals before its own rough-in and final inspections.

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