Belle Meade, TENNESSEE Building Permit Guide

Permit Authority

Belle Meade administers building permits inside city limits through its own Building and Codes Office rather than through Metro Nashville.

Department

Building and Codes Office

Address

Belle Meade City Hall, 4705 Harding Road, Nashville, TN 37205

Phone

615-297-6041 ext. 218

Email

msingleton@citybellemeade.org

Website

https://citybellemeade.org/building-permits/

Online Permit Portal

Application Process

1. Register in the Belle Meade CivicGov Citizen Portal and start the permit application.
2. Submit the application and the required plan set. Belle Meade's permit page calls for two hardcopy sets for building plans and PDF plans plus two hardcopy sets for new houses or additions.
3. Include the required site plan, architectural drawings, engineered drawings, elevations, and any other listed plan materials.
4. Show evidence of Tennessee contractor licensing and workers compensation insurance, unless the homeowner is pulling the permit.
5. Pay any engineering or professional review fees in advance if required by the project.
6. Once approved, pay the permit fee upon issuance.
7. Request inspections from the Building Official after permit issuance.

Typical processing time: No fixed public turnaround posted.

Source: Building and Codes Office

General Requirements

Belle Meade states permits are required when the owner or authorized agent intends to construct, enlarge, alter, repair, move, demolish, or change occupancy of a building or structure, inside or out.

Required Documents

• Permit application
• Two hardcopy plan sets for building plans
• PDFs plus two hardcopy sets for new houses or additions
• Site plan
• Architectural drawings
• Engineered drawings
• Front, side, and rear elevations
• Tree information for all trees four inches or larger in caliper
• Proof of state contractor license and workers compensation insurance where applicable

Permit validity

Belle Meade Ordinance 2014-7 states a building permit expires two years after issuance. Construction must proceed continuously until completion, and the Building Official may extend the permit for one year for good cause upon application.

Building code

Belle Meade's permit page lists the 2018 IRC, IBC, IFGC, IMC, and IPC.

Owner-builder

The permit page states the homeowner can pull the permit.

Contractor requirements

Applicant must show evidence of state contractor's license and workers compensation insurance, unless the homeowner pulls the permit.

Fees

Minimum permit fee

$100 for projects with total valuation cost of $2,000 and less, unless inspection is required, in which case a $50 fee for each inspection is charged

Plan check fee

Included in the published building permit fee structure for normal and routine inspections, plan review, and services before and during construction

Permit fee formula

New residences, accessory structures, and alterations or additions use a valuation method based on a $450 per square foot factor to determine total valuation cost, then a graduated fee table. Additional listed permit types use flat minimum fees.

Reinspection fee

$50 each for additional inspections

Penalty (no permit)

Work started before obtaining a required permit is subject to doubled fees.

Payment note

Permit fee is due upon issuance. Fees for engineering and professional reviews must be paid in advance where required.

Fees change. Verify current amounts at the official fee schedule (effective 2025).

Work That Does NOT Require a Permit

• Ordinary repairs
• Nonstructural repairs that do not include additions to, alteration of, or replacement or relocation of water supply, sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas, soil, waste, vent or similar piping, electric wiring, or mechanical work

Important: The ordinance defines ordinary repairs as nonstructural repairs that do not include system modifications.

Inspections

How to Schedule

• Matthew Singleton: 615-297-6041 ext. 218 (phone)
• msingleton@citybellemeade.org (email)

Scheduling deadline

Leave voicemail for callback

Typical inspection sequence: Belle Meade states inspections are requested by the owner or agent after permit issuance; the city does not publish a standard sequence checklist on the permit page.

Additional Resources

• Building code: Belle Meade's permit page lists the 2018 IRC, IBC, IFGC, IMC, and IPC.
• Zoning information: View zoning info
• Building Permit Term Limit Ordinance
• Historic Zoning and Conservation Overlay
• Tree Ordinance and Removal Permit
• License lookup guide: Tennessee Contractor License Requirements
• Contract template: Tennessee Homeowner-Contractor Agreement
• Tennessee hub: Tennessee Contractor License & Permit Hub

Other cities in Davidson County