Shelbyville, Tennessee Building Permit Guide

Inside Shelbyville city limits, building permits come from the City’s Building & Codes Department at 100 North Cannon Boulevard (931-488-4230), and residential, commercial, fence, sign, accessory structure and driveway permits are applied for and paid only through the City’s OpenGov portal. Fees follow a valuation table, for example $1,089 for a project valued at $250,000, and many smaller permits are issued the same day.

What work requires a permit in Shelbyville?

The City applies the permit rule in its adopted 2018 International Codes: an owner or agent must get a permit before building, enlarging, altering, repairing, moving or demolishing a structure or changing its occupancy.

The department’s advice is to call 931-488-4230 and talk the project through with an inspector when you are unsure whether it needs a permit.

Who issues building permits in Shelbyville?

The City of Shelbyville Building & Codes Department reviews applications, issues building, plumbing and mechanical permits, inspects the work and issues the Certificate of Occupancy for property inside the city limits. Bryan Stevens is the Building & Codes Director. The State Fire Marshal’s residential jurisdiction table lists Shelbyville as exempt from the state residential program, which means the City enforces its own residential code.

Electrical work is not permitted by the City: Shelbyville and Bedford County are not on the state list of places with their own electrical inspection program, so electrical permits are state permits inspected by a State of Tennessee deputy electrical inspector. Property outside the city limits is permitted by Bedford County Building & Codes.

Shelbyville applications and online filing

The City moved many permits to an OpenGov portal where you can start a request, upload documents, pay fees and track status. Anything that has moved online is accepted and paid only there. At present that covers residential and commercial building permits, fence, sign, accessory structure and firework structure permits, plus planning items such as site plans, accessory dwellings, driveways and zoning letters. Grading and street cut permits and the “all other permits” application are still handled outside the portal.

Forms and guides the department publishes:

• Checklist for New Residential Construction, the steps to finish before a permit for a new home or addition is issued.
• Homeowner-Builder Building Permit Affidavit, for owners acting as their own general contractor.
• Energy Code Compliance Certificate, completed and placed in the electrical panel before the Certificate of Occupancy.
• ICC Adjustment Table, the square-foot construction costs used to value projects.
• Emergency Repair for the Elderly information sheet.

Shelbyville building permit fees

Building permit fees come from the department’s fee schedule (amended March 1, 2017) and are based on project value, worked out from the City’s valuation table. That table uses 2018 IBC square-foot costs by occupancy and construction type; for example, $118.45 per sq ft for a type VB one- or two-family home, and $21 per sq ft for an unfinished basement.

A project valued at $250,000 pays $1,089 ($564 plus 150 × $3.50). Residential remodeling pays half the table fee, and residential permits for fire damage repairs are waived.

Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits in Shelbyville

The City treats framing and the plumbing and mechanical rough-ins as one inspection stage.

Documents for a new home in Shelbyville

Construction documents go in with the application in two or more sets, prepared by a registered design professional where state law requires one. Before a permit for a new home or an addition is issued, the City’s checklist asks the owner and contractor to:

• Book a site visit with the Public Works stormwater inspector (931-684-2644).
• Get the parcel’s tax map and tax card from the Bedford County Property Assessor.
• Complete Bedford County’s Facilities Privilege Tax paperwork.
• Show the contractor’s state licence (unless the job costs less than $25,000) and a City business tax licence where one applies.
• Provide proof of workers’ compensation insurance naming the City of Shelbyville as certificate holder, or an exemption affidavit.
• Supply a foundation survey and check the FEMA flood map; a Finished Floor Elevation certificate is due before the rough-in framing inspection when one is required.
• Check any special setbacks on the final subdivision plat and arrange water and sewer taps with Shelbyville Power, Water & Sewer.

An owner can pull the permit as general contractor for a new single-family home only if it will be the owner’s primary residence for at least two years after completion, confirmed in a notarised affidavit kept in the permit file. The Building Official reviews the application and tells you when the permit can be issued.

How to apply for a Shelbyville building permit

Shelbyville inspections and Certificate of Occupancy

The permit holder requests inspections from the Building & Codes Department one day ahead, before 3 p.m. Inspectors work Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., and allow same-day visits, such as a pre-pour, only at their discretion. Give the requester’s name and phone number, the permit number, the address and the inspection type, and have the work ready when you call.

The final is not done until the state deputy electrical inspector, Shelbyville Power, Water & Sewer and the Public Works stormwater manager have sent their approvals, along with the elevation certificate where the home is in a floodplain. The Certificate of Occupancy can take up to 3 business days after the final passes, and the home may not be occupied before it is issued.

Shelbyville local requirements

Grading: every land development in the city needs a Public Works grading permit before work starts, and all development in a designated floodplain does too. Exemptions include lots covered by an approved subdivision grading plan, finish grading for house footings, basements, pools and accessory buildings outside the 100-year floodplain, and small fills (under 5 ft deep and 100 cubic yards). Permits carry a 24-hour hold for inspection and lapse if work has not started within 6 months. The 2026 planning fee schedule sets grading base fees from $150 (residential) or $350 (non-residential) for sites under 5 acres.

Street cuts: digging or tunnelling under a street, alley or City right-of-way needs a Public Works permit, a deposit of at least $550 or a surety bond, and a certificate of insurance.

Historic districts: the Historic Zoning Commission issues Certificates of Appropriateness for changes to existing buildings and for new structures in the Historic Overlay Districts.

Site plans: under Resolution 16-26 (June 11, 2026) a site plan for under 5,000 sq ft of new building area, addition or site work costs $800, rising to $5,000 above 50,000 sq ft.

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 Shelbyville permit resources

• City of Shelbyville Building & Codes Department
• Ordinance 2021-1144 adopting the 2018 International Residential Code
• Tennessee residential jurisdiction status
• Shelbyville applications, permits and information
• Shelbyville building permit fee schedule (amended March 2017)
• Checklist for new residential construction
• Inspection requests and required inspections
• Shelbyville grading permit rules
• Planning & Community Development fee schedule (Resolution 16-26)
• Shelbyville Historic Zoning Commission
• Shelbyville OpenGov permit portal

Shelbyville building permit FAQs

Who issues building permits in Shelbyville?

The City’s Building & Codes Department, 100 North Cannon Boulevard (931-488-4230), for property inside the city limits. Electrical permits are state permits.

How much is a building permit in Shelbyville?

It is based on project value: $564 for the first $100,000 plus $3.50 for each further $1,000, so $1,089 at $250,000. Plan review adds half that fee on projects over $25,000 that need review.

Do I need a permit for a fence or deck in Shelbyville?

Yes. Fences and decks each have a $50 permit, and fence permits are applied for online.

Can a homeowner pull a building permit in Shelbyville?

Yes, for a new single-family home the owner will live in as a primary residence for at least two years, with a notarised affidavit.

How do I request an inspection?

Call or contact the Building & Codes Department before 3 p.m. the day before, with the permit number, address and inspection type. Inspections run weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

Do I need a grading permit?

Most land development does, from Public Works (931-684-2644). Small fills, maintenance grading and finish grading for a house outside the floodplain are among the exemptions.

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