Building permits in Memphis, Tennessee
Of the 9 common home projects we have verified in Memphis, 5 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 2 official sources
Verified against official sources- Project types verified
- 10
- in Memphis
Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, Office of Construction Code Enforcement (Construction Enforcement)
- 6465 Mullins Station Road, Memphis, TN 38134
- Phone: 901-222-8300
- Email: develop901@memphistn.gov
- Official permit page
- Permit portal
- Official fee schedule
Look up a permit in Memphis
Memphis permit records are public, and you can check a property's permit history by address or permit number online.
What needs a permit in Memphis
Of the 9 common home projects we have verified in Memphis, 5 need a permit outright and 4 depend on size or scope. Click any project for the full rule, fee, and how to apply.
| Project | Permit needed? | Threshold | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | It depends | 200 square feet of deck area, taken with a 30 inch height above grade at any point, no attachment to the dwelling and no service to the exit door required by Section R311.4 | CONSTRUCTION/REPAIR/ALTERATION TO DECKS, SPAS AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES $50.00, plus the APP |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Any size | E-0 fee issuance cost per permit $20.00, E3.1 minimum fee $15.00, E-6.2 EXISTING... |
| Fence Permit | Permit required | Any size | RESIDENTIAL FENCE PERMIT 400 LINEAR FT OR LESS $25.00 and RESIDENTIAL FENCE PERMIT 401... |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Any size | M-0 fee issuance cost per permit $20.00, M-3.1 fee for the first $1,000 valuation $15.00... |
| Patio Permit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not published |
| Plumbing Permit | It depends | whether the work only stops a leak or clears a stoppage without replacing, rearranging or removing pipe, valve or fixture components | Permit issuance $20.00, plus $4.00 for issuing each permit (data processing) and a $1.00... |
| Pool Permit | It depends | prefabricated swimming pools, measured by the depth of the pool | POOL OR RETAINING WALL $5.00/1,000 (NO MAX) with a $70.00 minimum, per the 2022 Fee... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | It depends | whether decking, structural members or equipment supports are modified | A reroof that does touch the deck is billed as ALTERATION/REPAIR at $5.00 per $1,000 of... |
| Shed Permit | Permit required | Any size | OR LESS $25.00 and DETATCHED ACCESSORY BUILDINGS OVER 400 SQ |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | Any size | ...work is billed on the electrical schedule: E-0 fee issuance cost per permit $20.00... |
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Memphis permit fees compared with nearby Tennessee localities
| Tennessee locality | Deck Permit | HVAC Permit | Electrical Permit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | ...TO DECKS, SPAS AND SIMILAR STRUCTURES $50.00, plus... | M-0 fee issuance cost per permit $20.00, M-3.1 fee for the... | E-0 fee issuance cost per permit $20.00, E3.1 minimum fee... |
| Nashville | Billed as a residential building permit at $5 per $1,000... | Flat minimum of $75 per gas/mechanical permit plus $32 per... | Flat minimum of $75 per permit with itemized add-on... |
| Williamson County | ...table: no fee for construction valued at $1,000 or... | Mechanical Permit Fee Schedule: $10.00 permit fee plus... | State-issued via the TN CORE system: a $5 issuing fee plus... |
Each cell is the opening clause of that Tennessee jurisdiction's own fee schedule; the full wording and source sit on each permit page.
Memphis penalty for work started without a permit
Memphis publishes what it charges when work begins before the permit, quoted here from the schedule or permit page we verified.
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Work commencing before permit issuance is charged double fee.
Memphis electrical permit page · last checked
The Tennessee statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit: building without a permit in Tennessee.
Memphis permit questions, answered from the data
- Do you need a permit in Memphis?
- For most projects, yes. Of the 10 permit types we have verified for Memphis, 5 always require a permit (for example an electrical permit), 4 depend on size or scope (a deck permit, for instance). Each Memphis permit type's page states the exact rule and its source.
- How much does a permit cost in Memphis?
- Memphis publishes a fee for 9 of the 10 permit types we cover, each quoted on its page from the jurisdiction's own schedule (linked on every page that carries one). Fees are set by Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, Office of Construction Code Enforcement (Construction Enforcement); we do not estimate or mark them up.
- Where do you apply for a permit in Memphis?
- Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, Office of Construction Code Enforcement (Construction Enforcement) issues permits in Memphis, with an online portal for applications, plan uploads and status checks, and takes questions at 901-222-8300. The Memphis official page and portal are linked in the office section above.
- What is the penalty for building without a permit in Memphis?
- Memphis publishes its own charge for work started before the permit: Work commencing before permit issuance is charged double fee. That is the local bill; the Tennessee statute, the after-the-fact permit path and who may pull the permit are on the Tennessee building-without-a-permit page.
How the Memphis pages were verified. 10 permit types, 4 distinct official sources, most recently checked . Every rule is read from Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, Office of Construction Code Enforcement (Construction Enforcement) or the applicable code and cited on its page; anything we could not confirm for Memphis is marked rather than estimated. How we verify.