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When a permit is required
Permit triggers and exempt work for Arlington
Arlington's construction-inspection page lists new single-family homes, curb cuts, new driveways, sidewalk repairs, driveway culvert installation, sidewalk drains, public infrastructure installed by private developers, non-residential site development, and soil-disturbing activities as items needing town inspection or approval. Core building permits are handled through Shelby County Construction Enforcement.
Note: Thin public data: Arlington does not publish a consolidated exemption list on the reviewed public pages. Verify with Arlington and Shelby County before assuming work is exempt.
- General permit applications
- Plans and supporting documents as applicable
- Shelby County construction submittal requirements for building permits
- Building code
- Arlington's public pages do not publish a separate local building-code adoption page in the reviewed material. Construction Enforcement states it handles Arlington projects under the shared Shelby County code system.
- Permit validity
- Arlington does not publish a consolidated permit-expiration rule on the reviewed page. Shelby County permit expiration rules apply for the county building permit.
- Owner-builder
- No Arlington-specific owner-builder page found.
- Contractor requirements
- No Arlington-specific contractor-license summary found on the construction-inspection page; Shelby County registration and Tennessee licensing rules apply for county-issued permits.
Application process
Typical processing: No public general processing-time estimate found.
- 01 Confirm local development requirements with Arlington Planning and Development and Public Works, especially for drainage, right-of-way, grading, or infrastructure impacts.
- 02 If the work affects the street, sidewalk, or public right-of-way, obtain Arlington's Street Cut/Excavation/Driveway Permit from the town document center or Town Hall.
- 03 For building-code regulated construction, apply through Shelby County Construction Enforcement using the Develop901 Accela portal.
- 04 Submit local plans and county plans as required for the scope.
- 05 Pay the applicable town permit fees and separate Shelby County construction fees.
- 06 Schedule Arlington inspections for town-regulated items and Shelby County inspections for county-issued building permits.
Typical processing time: No public general processing-time estimate found.
Fee schedule
Arlington building permit fees
Street-cut and related permit applications are available online in the Document Center or through Town Hall; payment instructions were not clearly posted on the reviewed page.
Fees change periodically. Confirm at the official fee schedule ↗ before budgeting.
Required inspections
Scheduling and sequence
- Arlington Public Works: (901) 867-4980 (phone)
- Shelby County permit procedures for county building permits (other)
Typical sequence: Arlington public page emphasizes inspection of homes, right-of-way work, infrastructure, site-development consistency, and soil-disturbing work, with county inspections layered onto county-issued building permits.
Frequently asked
Common questions about Arlington permits
01 Do I need a building permit in Arlington, TN? ▸
02 How much does a building permit cost in Arlington, TN? ▸
03 How do I apply for a building permit in Arlington, TN? ▸
04 How long does it take to get a building permit in Arlington, TN? ▸
05 How do I schedule a building inspection in Arlington, TN? ▸
Educational reference. Permit rules and fees change — confirm current requirements directly with Town of Arlington Planning and Development for development review and Public Works Construction Inspection for town infrastructure, with Memphis and Shelby County Office of Construction Code Enforcement for core building permits before applying. Jaspector is not legal advice.