Inside Springfield city limits, the City’s Building & Codes Department at City Hall, 405 North Main Street (615-382-2200), issues building and mechanical permits, and applications are emailed to the Codes Administrator. New homes go through a 3-day review before the permit is issued, plan review carries no fee, and the building fee is set by Ordinance 21-03 (minimum $50).
What requires a permit in Springfield?
The City’s rule of thumb is that structural changes need a permit and cosmetic work does not. Its published examples:
Permit needed
- Additions to an existing building
- Interior renovations that change walls, room sizes or exits
- Replacing roof shingles or other roof covering
- Replacing windows, an HVAC system or gas-fired appliances
- Garages and accessory buildings over 200 sq ft, built, added or moved in
- Decks more than 30 inches above the ground
- Pools
- Adding or moving plumbing or gas piping
No permit
- Painting, papering, tiling, carpet, cabinets and countertops
- One-story sheds and playhouses of 200 sq ft or less
- Fences up to 7 ft high
- Retaining walls up to 4 ft
- Sidewalks and driveways no more than 30 inches above grade
- Prefabricated above-ground pools under 24 inches deep
Electrical, plumbing and heating, ventilating or air-conditioning work each need their own permit in addition to the building permit.
Who issues building permits in Springfield?
The Building & Codes Department issues building permits, reviews plans and inspects construction inside the city limits. Rob Jones is the Codes Administrator (615-667-0692). The department also handles mechanical and fuel gas work on the Springfield Gas System anywhere in Robertson County. The State Fire Marshal’s table lists Springfield as exempt from the state residential program, because the City enforces its own code.
Short on time to read all of this?
Get a free quote →| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Building & Codes | City Hall, 405 North Main Street, Springfield, TN 37172 |
| Phone | 615-382-2200 |
| Hours | 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed for lunch 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. |
| Codes Administrator | Rob Jones, 615-667-0692 |
| Engineering (land disturbance, site plans) | 1315 R.W. Gordon Drive, 615-382-5250 |
Unincorporated Robertson County runs its own building permit program through the Robertson County Planning Department; the state table lists the county as exempt too.
Springfield permit applications and who may apply
Download the City’s building or mechanical permit application and email it to the Codes Administrator. The building application asks for the project address and parcel, owner and contractor details with the licence number, the work type (new, alteration, repair, move or demolition), the valuation, building size, construction type, number of stories, occupancy group and occupant load. A permit is void if work does not start within 180 days or stops for 180 days.
- Homeowners may pull permits for the home that is their current primary residence.
- Home improvement contractors may pull permits for projects valued at $3,000 to $24,999 with a Tennessee Home Improvement licence.
- Licensed contractors pull everything larger, with a Tennessee contractor’s licence.
Contractors must have their licence and a certificate of insurance showing general liability and workers’ compensation on file with the department before pulling a permit; call 615-382-2200 to check.
Building permit fees in Springfield
Building permit fees are set by Ordinance 21-03, the City’s 2021 Building Permit Fee Schedule. New construction is priced by multiplying the gross square footage by the average construction cost per square foot from the ICC Building Valuation Table (August 2020), then by a permit fee multiplier of 0.0047.
Not sure this scope needs a permit?
Get a free quote →| Project | Fee |
|---|---|
| New construction | Gross sq ft × ICC average cost per sq ft × 0.0047 |
| Alteration of an existing building | $0.60 per gross sq ft of the altered area |
| Re-roof, other than one- and two-family homes | $0.03 per gross sq ft |
| Minimum fee (covers ready-built accessory buildings under 240 sq ft, demolition, a single repair, a home re-roof and pools) | $50 |
| Prefabricated buildings or structures | $200 |
| Maximum building permit fee | $100,000 |
| Work started before the permit is issued | Double the permit fee |
| Plan review (residential, multi-family and commercial) | No fee |
For example, altering 500 sq ft of an existing building costs $300 (500 × $0.60). The City Manager may waive fees for government agencies and hardship cases.
Electrical, plumbing, mechanical and gas permits
| Work | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residential: minimum, unit change-out, or gas piping with two appliances | $75 each |
| Residential: new mechanical and HVAC system | $0.10 per heated sq ft, up to $200 (2,000 sq ft) |
| Commercial: change-out | $75 plus $10 for each additional unit |
| Commercial: kitchen hood system | $75 |
| Commercial: new mechanical and HVAC system | $0.10 per heated sq ft |
| Preliminary inspection for temporary operation of a system | $50 |
Rather talk it over?
Call 1-855-478-4290 →- Electrical — Springfield is in the state electrical program. Contractors and homeowners buy electrical permits and book inspections online through the state’s CORE system; Springfield Electric (615-384-6770) answers questions.
- Plumbing — the City’s permit page sends plumbing to the Water & Wastewater Department, 924 Central Avenue West (615-382-1600), which also sets tap fees. New water and sewer service is started at the new services window at City Hall.
- Gas — a new gas line is air-tested at 30 PSI or more for at least 24 hours and inspected by the City while under test; once it passes, the meter is ordered and service set.
Plans and review in Springfield
New homes: construction documents go to the Codes Administrator for review, and new residential construction permits wait 3 days for review by City departments before they are issued.
Multi-family and commercial: submit 2 hard copies and a PDF of the full construction plans to Community Development before the permit is issued. They are passed to every City department for review and approval.
Neither review carries a fee. The City enforces the 2021 International Building, Residential, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Fire and Energy Conservation Codes, and the 2024 International Property Maintenance Code.
How to get a Springfield building permit
Unincorporated land goes to Robertson County instead.
Contractors file their licence and insurance certificate with Building & Codes; homeowners must be building or working on their primary residence.
Send the building application, with plans, to the Codes Administrator; commercial and multi-family projects also deliver 2 paper sets.
Mechanical from the City, electrical through CORE, plumbing through Water & Wastewater, and a land disturbance permit from Engineering where needed.
New homes wait 3 days for departmental review before the permit is issued.
Phone 615-382-2200 for each stage and get the certificate of occupancy before anyone moves in.
Rather not deal with the building department?
Get a free quote →Springfield inspections
Call Community Development & Planning at 615-382-2200 to request an inspection; a City inspector comes within 3 business days and leaves a tag showing whether the work passed or failed.
| Permit | Inspections |
|---|---|
| New construction | Footing, framing and final; the City’s permitting page also lists foundation and sheathing |
| Mechanical / HVAC | Rough-in and final |
| Gas piping | Pressure test inspection before the meter is set |
The plumbing and electrical rough-ins must pass before the framing inspection, and their finals must pass before the building final. No building may be used or occupied until the building official issues a certificate of occupancy.
Local Springfield details
Land disturbance: most land disturbance work in the city needs a permit from the Engineering Department, which asks to be contacted before any grading starts. Engineering also reviews site and subdivision plans and inspects active development sites.
Driveways: the Street Department issues free driveway permits for work in the right-of-way or an easement (615-384-2746). Driveways may be no wider than 25 ft and must sit at least 5 ft from the property line, with culvert pipe at least 16 ft long.
City utilities: Springfield provides water, wastewater, electric and gas service itself, billed together on one monthly statement.
Want this handled start to finish?
Get a free quote →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 Springfield permit resources
- Tennessee residential jurisdiction classification
- Springfield plan review requirements
- Springfield permitting: who can pull a permit
- Springfield: Do I need a permit?
- Springfield building, mechanical and gas fee schedules (Ordinances 21-03 and 21-04)
- Springfield building permit application
- Springfield inspection requests
- Springfield adopted codes
- Springfield Electric: electrical permits
- Springfield Engineering: land disturbance permits
Springfield building permit FAQs
Inspections are where schedules slip.
Get a free quote →Who issues building permits in Springfield?
The City’s Building & Codes Department at City Hall, 405 North Main Street (615-382-2200), for property inside the city limits.
How much is a building permit in Springfield?
New construction is gross square footage times the ICC average cost per square foot times 0.0047; alterations are $0.60 per square foot. The minimum is $50 and plan review is free.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof?
Yes. The City lists roof shingle or roof covering replacement as work that needs a permit; a home re-roof falls under the $50 minimum fee.
Do I need a permit for a fence or shed?
Not for a fence up to 7 ft high or a one-story shed of 200 sq ft or less. Larger accessory buildings need a permit.
Can a homeowner pull a permit in Springfield?
Yes, for the home that is their current primary residence. Other projects need a licensed contractor, or a home improvement licence for work valued at $3,000 to $24,999.
Where do I get an electrical permit?
Online from the State of Tennessee through CORE. Springfield Electric (615-384-6770) answers questions.
How fast are inspections?
The City says an inspector will come within 3 business days of the request.
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More Tennessee permitting guides
This guide is provided by Alliance Permitting for general information about Springfield permitting. Requirements, fees, and procedures change; confirm details with the permitting authority before relying on them.