In unincorporated Smith County, the county Planning Office at 303 High Street North, Carthage (615-735-3418) handles building and electrical permits, and the State Fire Marshal’s residential program applies, so new homes also take a state building permit priced by construction cost. Carthage, Gordonsville and South Carthage issue their own building permits.
Who issues building permits in Smith County?
The Planning Office is the county’s point of contact for development: subdivisions, site reviews, GIS mapping, and building and electrical permits for land outside the three town limits. It also enforces the county zoning resolution, subdivision regulations, mobile home park rules and FEMA floodplain regulations. The office is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) residential jurisdiction table lists unincorporated Smith County in the state residential building program, and its apply page names Smith County among the counties where a state residential building permit is required outside the towns. All three towns are listed as exempt because they run their own permits.
| Place | Who issues building permits |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated county | Smith County Planning Office for the county permit and zoning; state residential building permit for new homes (bought through CORE), inspected by the SFMO’s contract inspector (contact 931-644-3935) |
| Carthage (county seat) | Town of Carthage: email the application to the city recorder at cityrecorder@townofcarthagetn.gov; City Hall, 314 Spring Street, 615-735-1881, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; building inspector 931-644-3935 |
| Gordonsville | Town of Gordonsville, 63 E. Main Street, 615-683-8282 ext. 2; the Town publishes its own building permit application |
| South Carthage | Town of South Carthage, Town Hall, 106 South Main, 615-735-2727, weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; the state’s municipal directory lists a building inspector at 931-644-3935 |
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →The same inspector phone number, 931-644-3935, appears for the SFMO’s Smith County contact and for the Carthage and South Carthage building inspector.
Electrical, plumbing, septic and driveway permits
- Electrical — No Smith County jurisdiction is on the SFMO list of places that run their own electrical inspections, so electrical work everywhere in the county is under the state electrical program. For land outside the towns, the county Planning Office handles electrical permits.
- Plumbing and mechanical — The state residential permit adds a $100 plumbing and HVAC inspection to every new home. Gordonsville’s application charges a separate plumbing/mechanical fee and counts plumbing fixtures, and Carthage asks for a floor plan showing all fixtures.
- Septic — Rural permits need a TDEC septic permit, or a Certificate of Verification for an existing system, before the county will accept the application. The county lists a TDEC septic contact at 615-202-5681; Smith County is served by TDEC’s Cookeville Environmental Field Office, whose septic line is 931-206-6329.
- Driveways — A driveway onto a state highway is approved by the TDOT garage in Smith County (615-735-5760); for a driveway off a county road, the Planning Office publishes a tile installation form.
- Water — Service comes from one of six providers depending on the area: Cordell Hull Utility, Highway 25 Utility, Carthage Utility, Smith Utility District, Alexandria Utility or Southside Utility.
Permit fees in Smith County
The county application asks for the estimated cost of construction and the square footage, but the county does not publish a fee schedule. For new homes in the unincorporated county, the state residential permit fee is set by the SFMO’s cost-of-construction table, and the SFMO will not accept a cost below $60.57 per heated square foot:
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Cost of construction | Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 to $5,000 | $100 |
| $5,001 to $100,000 | $350 |
| $100,001 to $150,000 | $400 |
| $200,001 to $250,000 | $500 |
| Each further $50,000 band | $50 more |
| Plumbing and HVAC inspection (new homes) | $100 |
| Separate slab inspection (slab and footing poured separately) | $100 |
| Second and later re-inspections | $100 each |
A $240,000 home with a monolithic slab therefore costs $500 plus the $100 plumbing and HVAC inspection. The fee covers all required inspections and one free re-inspection. Gordonsville’s application lists a permit fee, a plumbing/mechanical fee and a plan review fee, but the Town does not post the amounts; Carthage and South Carthage publish no fee schedule.
What the county needs before it issues a permit
The county application, revised in August 2024, asks for the owner and occupant, the contractor, lot size and road frontage, a description of the location, any existing structures, the estimated cost, dimensions and square footage, heating and cooling, and the water and sewer source. Staff then record the tax map and parcel, zone and floodplain map, and check off the septic permit, the 911 address and a zoning compliance inspection.
- Septic permit (or a Certificate of Verification for an existing system), attached to the application.
- 911 address, assigned before the permit is issued and printed on it.
- Licensed contractor: the form puts the duty on the owner to make sure the contractor is properly licensed.
- One principal building per lot: if the land already has a house, it must be subdivided before a second one is permitted.
- Road frontage: a lot must touch a publicly maintained road for at least 50 ft (30 ft on a residential cul-de-sac).
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →The county Development Guide sets setbacks by zone; in the A-1 and R-1 zones, for example, the front setback is 40 ft measured from the edge of the right-of-way, not the road surface. A use that is only permitted on appeal goes to the Board of Zoning Appeals after a public hearing with at least 15 days’ notice.
How to get a building permit in rural Smith County
Carthage, Gordonsville and South Carthage each issue their own permits.
Make sure the use is permitted in the zone; otherwise apply to the Board of Zoning Appeals or for a rezoning first.
Obtain the TDEC septic permit, or a Certificate of Verification for an existing system.
Submit the county building permit application at 303 High Street North; the office assigns the 911 address and checks the floodplain map.
For a new home, or a deck on a mobile home, purchase the state permit in CORE.
Request each inspection in CORE or by email with the permit number and ready date.
Inspections in Smith County
State-permitted homes: the permit holder requests inspections at core.tn.gov or by email to SFMO.permits-licensing@tn.gov, giving the full permit number and the date the work will be ready. The inspector must come within three working days, or one working day for a footing. A new home gets foundation, rough-in/framing (with plumbing and mechanical) and final inspections, plus a slab inspection when a living-space slab is poured separately. Work must start within 180 days of the permit.
Rather not deal with the Smith County building department?
Get a free quote →Erosion control: the county requires erosion and sediment controls on all residential, commercial and industrial development, and disturbed ground left unfinished for more than 30 days must be stabilised within 7 days.
Towns: Carthage publishes a residential inspection sheet with its permit forms, and Gordonsville permits lapse if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days.
Local Smith County details
Floodplain: the county enforces a Flood Damage Prevention Resolution; its Development Permit form covers grading, fill, paving, excavation and structures and records the flood map zone, the base flood elevation and the actual first floor elevation, with an elevation certificate attached. The Planning Office also publishes FEMA elevation certificate instructions.
Subdividing: tracts over 5 acres with enough road frontage can be split by deed, smaller lots need a plat, and a split into no more than 2 lots can be approved by staff without the full Planning Commission.
Mobile homes: a mobile home park follows the county’s mobile home park resolution, and a deck built onto a mobile home needs the state building permit.
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 Smith County permitting resources
- Tennessee state residential-permit instructions
- Tennessee residential jurisdictions and inspectors
- Smith County building permit application (rev. August 2024)
- Smith County Planning Office
- Smith County Development Guide
- Smith County FEMA Development Permit
- SFMO residential building permit fees
- SFMO residential permit FAQs
- Town of Carthage building permits
- Town of Gordonsville permits and applications
- South Carthage contacts (UT MTAS directory)
Smith County permit FAQs
Who issues building permits in Smith County?
Outside the towns, the Smith County Planning Office in Carthage (615-735-3418). Carthage, Gordonsville and South Carthage issue their own permits.
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Do I need a state permit to build a house in rural Smith County?
Yes. Unincorporated Smith County is in the State Fire Marshal’s residential program, so a new home needs a state residential building permit as well as the county application.
How much is a state residential permit?
It depends on the cost of construction: $350 for $5,001 to $100,000, $500 for $200,001 to $250,000, plus $100 for the plumbing and HVAC inspection on a new home.
What do I need before applying?
A septic permit or Certificate of Verification, and the county assigns a 911 address before issuing the permit. The lot must front a public road for at least 50 ft.
Who handles electrical permits?
Electrical work is under the state electrical program; the county Planning Office handles electrical permits for land outside the towns.
Where do I get a building permit in Carthage?
From the Town of Carthage. Email the completed application to cityrecorder@townofcarthagetn.gov with a floor plan showing square footage and fixtures, or call City Hall at 615-735-1881.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Smith County permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.