Shed Permit in Nashville, Tennessee
It depends
Sometimes, depending on the project
When building a shed or detached accessory structure of 100 sq ft or more
Issued byMetro Nashville Codes and Building Safety Department
By Mario Bailey, verified against official sources
Quick answer
Detached accessory structures such as sheds that are 100 square feet or larger require a building permit in Nashville. A site plan and elevation drawings are required. Structures must meet zoning setbacks and size limits for the lot. Confirm requirements with the Codes Department at 615-862-6500.
Typical threshold: accessory structures 100 sq ft or larger require a permit; structures under 100 sq ft may not require a permit.
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When a permit is usually needed
When building a shed or detached accessory structure of 100 sq ft or more
Shed size, height and setback rules in Nashville
By Mario Bailey Last checked · 5 official sources
- Size limit
- On lots under forty thousand square feet, an accessory building behind the house (other than a detached ADU) that meets the district setbacks may cover up to eight hundred fifty square feet or fifty percent of the house's footprint, whichever is greater, but never more than two-thousand five-hundred square feet. library.municode.com: code of ordinances
- Size limit
- When a lot has a detached accessory dwelling unit, no other accessory structure on it may exceed two hundred square feet. library.municode.com: code of ordinances
- Height limit
- On lots under forty thousand square feet, a shed or other accessory structure (other than a detached ADU) may not exceed one story or sixteen feet in height. library.municode.com: code of ordinances
- Height limit
- On lots of at least forty thousand square feet, an accessory structure behind the house may be two stories or twenty-four feet high if it meets the full side and rear setbacks of the district. library.municode.com: code of ordinances
- Height limit
- Inside the Urban Zoning Overlay, on lots under forty thousand square feet, an accessory structure behind the house may have walls no higher than sixteen feet from the side and rear setback lines, and its top may not be higher than the top of the house. library.municode.com: code of ordinances
- Setback
- Outside the RN1, RN2, RL1, RL2 and RL3 districts, an accessory building of eight hundred fifty square feet or less behind the house needs a side setback of half the district's side setback (but at least three feet) and a rear setback of at least three feet, or ten feet if garage doors or carport openings face an alley; a larger one needs the full district setbacks. library.municode.com: code of ordinances
- Setback
- Only one accessory structure behind the house gets the reduced setbacks; any additional accessory structures, and any accessory structure beside or in front of the house, must meet the full district setbacks. nashville.gov: accessory structure permitting instructions
What a shed permit costs in Nashville
How Nashville compares in Tennessee
Closest shed permit thresholds outside Tennessee
Jurisdictions we cover whose limit sits nearest Nashville's 100 sq ft.
- Arlington, Texas, floor area of a one-story detached tool or storage shed
- Brevard County, Florida, A permit is required for an accessory structure (shed) over 100 square feet.
- Cincinnati, Ohio, total floor area of a shed accessory to a one-, two- or three-family dwelling
- Leon County, Florida, Sheds over 100 square feet in area require a building permit; sheds of any size are still subject to Development Services and Environmental Services review for location, setbacks from boundary lines, easements, and floodplain.
How to apply in Nashville
In Nashville, a residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing.
What most shed permit applications include:
- For Nashville, a written permit application identifying the proposed work and describing the property by its address or legal description, filed with the building department before construction begins (IRC R105.3).
- For Nashville, a scaled site plan showing the shed's size and location and its dimensioned distances to all property lines so required setbacks can be verified before the permit is issued (IRC R106.2).
- Construction documents showing the shed's foundation: freestanding accessory structures at or under the code's small-structure size and eave-height limits (600 square feet and a 10 foot eave height in the model code) are exempt from continuous footings but must still be shown supported on undisturbed soil or engineered fill and anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1).
- Where the shed does sit on a continuous foundation with a wood sill plate, anchor bolt or approved strap details tying the sill plate to the foundation (IRC R403.1.6).
- Roof framing details showing the rafter-to-wall or truss-to-wall connections, since even a shed exempt from continuous footings must be anchored to resist wind-induced uplift and overturning (IRC R403.1; R802.11).
General submittal guidance from IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC. Source. Metro Nashville Codes and Building Safety Department sets the exact checklist for Nashville.
Where to apply in Nashville:
Metro Nashville Codes and Building Safety Department
- 800 President Ronald Reagan Way, 1st Floor, Nashville, TN 37210
- Phone: 615-862-6500
- Email: codes.permitting@nashville.gov
Shed Permit in Nashville compared with nearby Tennessee localities
| Locality | Permit needed? | Threshold | What each Tennessee schedule says | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | It depends | accessory structures 100 sq ft or larger require a permit; structures under 100 sq ft may not require a permit | Sheds of 100 sq ft or more are billed as a residential building permit at $5 per $1,000... | |
| Memphis | Permit required | Any size | OR LESS $25.00 and DETATCHED ACCESSORY BUILDINGS OVER 400 SQ | |
| Williamson County | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | ...needing a permit bills under the Section B101 valuation table, no fee at $1,000 or... |
Inspections and closing out your permit
In Nashville, a permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
- Foundation or anchor inspection in Nashville: called after any required footings, piers, or ground anchors are set and any forms or reinforcing steel are in place, but before concrete is placed, so the foundation or anchoring system can be verified before it is covered (IRC R109.1.1).
- Frame inspection in Nashville: after the shed is framed, sheathed, and braced, the inspector checks the framing, bracing, fasteners, and the roof connections that resist wind uplift, before those elements are covered (IRC R109.1.4 frame inspection; R403.1 anchorage).
- Final inspection in Nashville: made after the permitted work is complete and before the shed is used; work may not proceed past any inspection stage without the building official's approval (IRC R109.1.6 final inspection; R109.4 approval required).
- In Nashville: for a pre-fabricated or kit shed, the manufacturer's installation instructions must be on site at the time of inspection so the inspector can confirm the anchoring and assembly match the design (IRC R106.1.2).
Schedule each inspection in advance and pass the final before you use the work or close the permit. Request inspections through the Nashville permit portal or by phone at 615-862-6500.
Inspection sequence from IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC. Source. An open permit left un-inspected can surface later in a title search or home sale.
Your Shed Permit checklist for Nashville
- Confirm the requirement. Sometimes, depending on the project. Typical threshold: accessory structures 100 sq ft or larger require a permit; structures under 100 sq ft may not require a permit. Usually needed: When building a shed or detached accessory structure of 100 sq ft or more.
- Budget the fee. Sheds of 100 sq ft or more are billed as a residential building permit at $5 per $1,000 of valuation plus a $25 zoning fee and 10% codes tech fee, per the Metro Codes fee schedule (Dec 2025). Official fee schedule.
- Apply. In Nashville, a residential shed permit application, once the shed is large enough to require one, is a set of construction documents that show what will be built and prove it meets the adopted residential code. In practice that means a written permit application, a scaled site plan locating the shed and its distances to the property lines, and construction documents covering the shed's foundation or anchoring system and its framing. Start at the Nashville permit portal.
- Keep the office details handy. Metro Nashville Codes and Building Safety Department. Phone: 615-862-6500. Address: 800 President Ronald Reagan Way, 1st Floor, Nashville, TN 37210.
- Plan for inspections. In Nashville, a permitted shed is inspected in stages as it goes up: the foundation or the anchors that hold it down before they are covered, the framing before it is enclosed, and a final inspection once the shed is finished. Each stage checks the items that would be hidden or unsafe if skipped.
Compiled from the official sources on this page. Last checked .
Permitting activity in Nashville
In 2025, Nashville authorized permits for 5,555 new residential housing units (2,683 single-family, 2,872 in multi-family buildings), valued at $1.2B, down from 6,799 the year before. That works out to about 8.3 permits per 1,000 residents.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2025 annual data · population 671,295.
About Nashville
Nashville has about 333,074 housing units. The median home is valued at $383,100, against a median household income of $75,197. About 53% of homes are owner-occupied, and the typical home was built around 1985.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-year.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a shed permit in Nashville?
- Detached accessory structures such as sheds that are 100 square feet or larger require a building permit in Nashville. A site plan and elevation drawings are required. Structures must meet zoning setbacks and size limits for the lot. Confirm requirements with the Codes Department at 615-862-6500. Accessory structures 100 sq ft or larger require a permit; structures under 100 sq ft may not require a permit. Always confirm with the office before starting.
- How much does a shed permit cost in Nashville?
- Sheds of 100 sq ft or more are billed as a residential building permit at $5 per $1,000 of valuation plus a $25 zoning fee and 10% codes tech fee, per the Metro Codes fee schedule (Dec 2025). See the official fee schedule for current amounts.
- Where do you apply for a shed permit in Nashville?
- You can apply through the Nashville permit portal or contact the Metro Nashville Codes and Building Safety Department directly. The links are listed on this page.
- Can a homeowner pull a shed permit themselves in Nashville?
- Under Tennessee law (T.C.A. 62-6-103; Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-23-.01(1)(i), -.05(3), -.05(4)(b)2.; Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-01-.05(2)(a)): Tennessee lets a homeowner act as their own builder. Under T.C.A. 62-6-103, as the State Fire Marshal's Office explains it, an owner may construct a single residence once every two years for personal use without a contractor's license, so long as the home is not for resale, lease, or rent, and anyone the homeowner hires whose portion of the work is $25,000 or more must be a licensed contractor. In state permit areas the owner pulls a property owner's permit, limited by rule to one per 24 month period, and the work is subject to the same inspections and fees as a contractor's job; proof of licensure is waived at permit purchase only when the owner personally performs the work. For electrical work, a homeowner may wire their own residence only after obtaining a residential property owner's electrical permit, which covers only the applicant and immediate family, does not authorize help from anyone unlicensed, and is limited to one per 12 month period unless the owner lost the home to fire or windstorm. Confirm how Nashville applies this before you apply.
From the Library
What else needs a permit in Nashville
Every other permit type we have verified for this jurisdiction, with the rule that applies here.
None of the 9 project types verified for Nashville carry a size or scope threshold. See the Permit needed column for each project's own answer, since there is no threshold to compare here.
| Project | Permit needed? | Typical fee |
|---|---|---|
| Deck Permit | Permit required | Billed as a residential building permit at $5 per $1,000 of total valuation plus a $25... |
| Electrical Permit | Permit required | Flat minimum of $75 per permit with itemized add-on charges for circuits, panels... |
| Fence Permit | No permit needed | No permit fee |
| HVAC Permit | Permit required | Flat minimum of $75 per gas/mechanical permit plus $32 per 100,000 Btuh or fraction for... |
| Patio Permit | Permit required | Uses the same residential building permit rate as decks, $5 per $1,000 of valuation plus... |
| Plumbing Permit | Permit required | Flat minimum of $75 per permit plus $11 per plumbing fixture, per Metro Code 16.12.220... |
| Pool Permit | Permit required | Billed as a residential building permit at $5 per $1,000 of valuation plus a $25 zoning... |
| Roof Replacement Permit | No permit needed | ...over 33 percent of roof area) is billed as a residential building permit at $5 per... |
| Solar Permit | Permit required | $75 minimum permit fee |
Shed Permit in other Tennessee localities
Everything above, sourced
Code references
National and state model-code sections the general guidance on this page is drawn from. They are not Nashville documents; the office above sets the local rules.
- IRC R105.3 (permit application), R106.2 (site plan), R403.1 (footings and anchorage for accessory structures), and R403.1.6 (sill anchorage), 2021 IRC
- IRC R109.1.1 (foundation inspection), R109.1.4 (frame inspection), R109.1.6 (final inspection), and R106.1.2 (manufacturer's instructions on site), 2021 IRC
How this shed permit page for Nashville was verified. 2 official sources: nashville.gov, nashville.gov; fee schedule: official document. Last checked by Mario Bailey, not confirmed with Metro Nashville Codes and Building Safety Department. Rules change; confirm before you build. How we verify.
Last checked: Report an error on this page
Compare Shed Permit requirements across Tennessee localities