Tennessee Owner-Builder Permit Guide
By a retired general contractor with 15+ years building custom homes — about the author. Last updated: September 2026.
Tennessee is a genuinely owner-builder-friendly state. The law lets you build your own home without a contractor's license, a homeowner may legally wire and plumb their own house, and permit costs run well below the coastal states. But Tennessee also has the most confusing enforcement map in the Southeast: one statewide residential code, three different answers to who enforces it, and — the part almost every guide misses — an opt-out that expires on its own schedule. Before you plan anything else, find out which of the three answers applies to the exact parcel you are building on.
Yes. Tenn. Code Ann. § 62-6-103 exempts any person who owns property and constructs a single residence on it "for individual use, and not for resale, lease, rent or other similar purpose" from the contractor licensing requirements. There is no dollar cap on the exemption — the $25,000 threshold is what makes someone a contractor in the first place, and your own home is exempt at any value. You may act as your own general contractor, not just swing your own hammer.
Three things that surprise people:
- The two-year rule is two different rules. In the statute it is a rebuttable presumption that you are building for resale; at the state permit counter it is a hard bar of one owner's permit per 24 months.
- Acting as your own GC turns every trade you hire into a prime contractor, which pulls the $25,000 license threshold onto trades that would need no license under a professional builder.
- A county opting out of the building code does not end the electrical permit. All 37 opt-out counties are still inside the state electrical program.
Tennessee does let a homeowner do their own electrical and plumbing on a home they own and occupy — no electrician's or plumber's license needed — though permits and inspections still apply, and the electrical permit runs on its own 12-month clock.
| Requirement | Owner-builder (you) |
|---|---|
| Contractor's license needed to build your own home? | No — exempt if you own the land and build for your own use, at any project value |
| When IS a contractor's license required? | Any project of $25,000 or more, and the license is required to bid, not just to perform (T.C.A. 62-6-102, 62-6-103) |
| Must own the land and build for your own use | Yes — not for resale, lease, or rent. The state permit rule also defines the owner's permit as one for a dwelling in which the owner intends to live upon completion |
| How often can you use the owner exemption? | Statute: a rebuttable presumption of building-for-resale if more than one permit application or more than one residence in two years. State permit counter: a hard bar of one owner's permit per 24 months |
| Anyone you hire for a $25,000+ share of the work | Must be a licensed contractor — and because you are the owner, every trade you hire is a prime contractor |
| Do your own electrical? | Yes — no electrician's license needed on your own occupied home, on a residential property owner's electrical permit. One per 12 months |
| Do your own plumbing? | Yes — no plumber's license needed on your own occupied home |
| Do your own HVAC / mechanical? | Unclear — no homeowner exemption for mechanical work appears in the rules. Ask your codes office before you plan on it |
| Who enforces the building code where you build | One of three published answers: EXEMPT (local department), SRBP (the state enforces), or OPT OUT (no residential building code enforced). Look up your city first, then the county |
| Does an opt-out last forever? | No. It expires 180 days after that legislative body's next election unless the new body passes it again |
| Building code | 2018 IRC + Appendix Q, 2017 NEC, and 2018 energy provisions amended back to the 2009 tables — under the state program. EXEMPT jurisdictions run their own adopted code |
| Septic permits | TDEC, Division of Water Resources — not the county health department (except in nine contract counties) |
Tennessee Building Code Overview
Tennessee adopts statewide construction safety standards through the State Fire Marshal's Office — but with a big caveat for homebuilders. Counties and municipalities are allowed to opt out of the statewide code for one- and two-family dwellings. So while a single set of editions is adopted at the state level, whether and how strictly it's enforced where you build depends on the jurisdiction.
Current Code Adoption (as of 2026)
For one- and two-family dwellings under the state program, the editions in force are:
| Code | Edition adopted | Effective / notes |
|---|---|---|
| International Residential Code (IRC) | 2018, with Appendix Q | Rule 0780-02-23-.02(1)(a), with ten Tennessee amendments. Chapters 34-43 (electrical) are deleted; the electrical rule chapter applies instead |
| Energy | 2018 IECC or Chapter 11 of the 2018 IRC — but amended back to 2009 | Rule 0780-02-23-.02(1)(b). The insulation and fenestration tables AND the air-leakage testing provisions are replaced with the 2009 editions. See the energy section below |
| National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) | 2017 | Rule 0780-02-01-.02(1), effective October 1, 2018 — and that chapter was revised in July 2025 and still names the 2017 edition. Not a stale document; the state simply has not moved |
| Plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas | The 2018 IRC's own chapters | NOT the 2021 IPC or IMC. Those are adopted in the separate commercial chapter (0780-02-02) and do not govern a house |
Sources: TN State Fire Marshal currently-adopted codes; rule chapters 0780-02-23 and 0780-02-01, published by the Tennessee Secretary of State.
The state is two NEC cycles behind, and the Tennessee amendments make arc-fault protection optional for bathrooms, laundry areas, garages, unfinished basements, and branch circuits dedicated to refrigeration equipment. If you bought a plan, a panel schedule, or an electrician's bid written to the 2020 or 2023 NEC, it is not wrong — it is just more than Tennessee requires, and the reverse mistake (assuming a newer requirement has been dropped) can fail an inspection.
Home-rule cities like Nashville and Memphis can and do adopt newer editions, and EXEMPT jurisdictions run their own code entirely — they need only stay within seven years of the current published edition, so a large city may be on something considerably newer. Always confirm the edition with the office that will inspect your parcel.
Three enforcement regimes — and how to look yours up
Tennessee has one residential code and three published answers to who enforces it. The State Fire Marshal's Office maintains a per-jurisdiction table covering all 95 counties and 378 municipalities, tagging each one with a status:
- EXEMPT — the jurisdiction received an exemption and runs its own building department under its own adopted code.
- SRBP — the jurisdiction participates in the State Residential Building Program. The state enforces, and you buy the permit from the state.
- OPT OUT — the jurisdiction passed a resolution opting out. No residential building code is enforced at all.
At the county level, as of the table's own currency date of August 21, 2026: 50 EXEMPT, 37 OPT OUT, 8 SRBP. Look yours up here: SFMO jurisdictions and inspectors table. The page names the assigned inspector for your jurisdiction and carries its own "accurate as of" date — check that date, because this list changes by design.
The unit on that table is the jurisdiction, not the county — and a county's opt-out reaches only its unincorporated area. The statute limits county action "to the jurisdictional boundaries outside any municipality located within the county" (T.C.A. § 68-120-101(b)(1)(B)(i)).
So a county-level answer is simply wrong for anyone building inside city limits. Grundy County is OPT OUT while Monteagle, inside it, is EXEMPT. Franklin County is OPT OUT and all seven of its listed municipalities are EXEMPT. If your parcel has a city address, find the city row before you look at the county row.
This is the single most-missed fact about building in Tennessee, and it is written into the statute. An opt-out resolution "shall expire one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of the election for the local legislative body next occurring following the adoption of the resolution" (T.C.A. § 68-120-101(b)(1)(B)(ii)(b)). The SFMO says the same thing in its own Residential Permit FAQs: if the incoming legislative body does not vote to opt out again before the resolution expires, "the SFMO will begin to enforce the residential building code requirements."
There is rule-level proof of the sunset too. Rule 0780-02-23-.14 requires a jurisdiction opting out to file three things with the state — a certified copy of the resolution, the recordkeeper's name, and "the date of the next election for the legislative body." That third item exists precisely because the clock runs.
What this means for you: a county that was "no code" when you bought the land can be a code-enforcing county by the time you break ground, with no notice to you. Re-check the dated jurisdictions table before you file, not just before you buy.
What each status means for an owner-builder:
- EXEMPT (most metros and many suburbs): the local building department runs the show under its own adopted code, which may be newer than the state's. You pull a local building permit, build to the local edition, and pass local inspections.
- SRBP: you buy the state residential building permit through core.tn.gov or a contracted issuing agent, and a state contract inspector inspects. The published fee schedule applies (see Permit Costs below).
- OPT OUT: there may be no building permit or inspection requirement for your house at all. You can voluntarily request an inspection from the State Fire Marshal's Office under § 68-120-101(b)(1)(D); if it passes, the state issues documentation, and the SFMO's own stated reason is that owners "may now be able to access lenders and loan programs previously unavailable to them because those lenders or loan programs required a CO."
Opting out of the building code is not opting out of everything else. In all 37 opt-out counties you still need:
- A state electrical permit and state electrical inspections — this is not optional and not occasional. See the electrical section below.
- A TDEC septic permit, if you are not on public sewer.
- Local zoning, floodplain, and driveway/access approvals — none of which live in the building code.
- Contractor licensing, which is statewide and completely independent of whether your county enforces a code.
The SFMO states the separation itself: the state residential building permit "is a building permit only. It is not: Grading or fill approval / Determination of flood plain compliance / A septic or sewer permit; or An electrical permit / Zoning approval."
One more thing worth knowing before you rely on any single page: the SFMO publishes its SRBP county list in two places and they disagree. The dated jurisdictions table lists eight SRBP counties (Campbell, Chester, Giles, Hardeman, Hawkins, Lauderdale, Meigs, Smith); the undated "apply for a residential permit" page lists seven, omitting Campbell. Treat the dated table as authoritative — it carries a currency date and names the assigned inspector — then confirm with the office before you rely on it.
Key Tennessee Amendments
These are the amendments the state actually wrote into rule 0780-02-23-.02(1)(a), quoted from the rule chapter:
| Topic | What Tennessee did |
|---|---|
| Residential fire sprinklers (R313) | NOT mandatory — expressly, per T.C.A. 68-120-101(a)(8). A local ordinance in an EXEMPT jurisdiction can still require them |
| Electrical chapters (34-43) | Deleted from the IRC. Rule chapter 0780-02-01 and the 2017 NEC apply instead |
| Seismic design categories | IRC Figure R301.2(2) replaced with the 2015 IRC Site Class D figure — this is the New Madrid adjustment |
| Air-leakage testing | The 2018 mandatory test is replaced with the 2009 IRC Testing Option / Visual Inspection pair — a choice, not a mandatory blower door |
| Duct testing and duct leakage | Optional. Both provisions |
| Insulation and fenestration tables | Replaced with the 2009 IRC tables |
| Rooms containing fuel-burning appliances (R402.4.4) | Deleted in its entirety |
| Smoke alarms | Must be no more than ten years old from date of manufacture; battery-only devices need a 10-year sealed battery (rule .15(3)) |
| Appendix Q (tiny houses) | Adopted |
| Termite protection | Tennessee is heavy termite-pressure territory statewide; treatment is standard practice and typically inspected |
You will see "12 inches statewide" repeated across the internet, and deeper figures for East Tennessee. We could not verify either against a primary Tennessee source in this pass. Frost depth in the IRC is a jurisdiction-supplied value, so get it from the office that will inspect your footings — and get it in writing before you dig, because it is not a number you can fix after the pour.
Owner-Builder Laws (T.C.A. § 62-6-103)
Tennessee licenses contractors through the Board for Licensing Contractors under the Department of Commerce and Insurance. The whole system turns on one number: the $25,000 threshold.
The $25,000 threshold and the owner exemption
Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 62-6-102, a "contractor" is anyone who "undertakes to, attempts to or submits a price or bid or offers to" construct where the total cost is $25,000 or more. Note what that reaches: the license is required to bid, not merely to perform. Cost is measured all-in — Board rule 0680-01-.13(8) counts "all material and labor furnished by or through another source other than the owner."
Tenn. Code Ann. § 62-6-103 then carves out the owner exemption:
"[N]otwithstanding subdivision (a)(1), any person, firm or church that owns property and constructs on the property single residences, farm buildings or other buildings for individual use, and not for resale, lease, rent or other similar purpose, is exempt from the requirements of this part."
Board rule 0680-01-.22 defines "individual use" as "use by persons other than the general public." There is no dollar cap on the exemption. Under it, you may:
- Build a single-family (or two-family) residence on property you own
- Pull permits in your own name as the owner-builder
- Act as your own general contractor
- Do the work yourself or hire labor and subcontractors
Critical restrictions — read these carefully
This is the most consequential practical fact for a Tennessee owner-builder, and almost nobody mentions it.
Tenn. Code Ann. § 62-6-102 defines a prime contractor as "one who contracts directly with the owner." Under a professional builder, your framer or excavator bids to the contractor, not to you, and needs no state license no matter the size of their scope. When you are the general contractor, every one of them bids directly to you — so every one of them is a prime, and the $25,000 threshold lands on all of them.
The state says so itself. From the Department of Commerce and Insurance's own contractor licensing booklet: "Subcontractors: A contractor's license is NOT required for all subcontractors, those bidding directly to a contractor and not the owner… Note: Bidding to a homeowner acting as their own GC makes you a 'Prime'."
Practical effect: any single trade contract on your job at $25,000 or more needs a licensed Tennessee contractor — including trades that would have needed none if a builder had hired them. Board rule 0680-01-.27(3) also makes it misconduct for a licensed contractor to pull a permit "for a job in which an unlicensed contractor is acting as the general contractor," which closes the obvious workaround.
The exemption is for a home you intend to use, not a spec house or rental. Board rule 0680-01-.26 says the exemption "does not apply to construction pertaining to resale, lease, rent or other similar purpose," and the state permit rule defines an owner's permit as one for a dwelling "in which the owner intends to live upon completion."
Changing your mind mid-build does not save you either: Tennessee treats a contractor as unlicensed unless they held the license throughout the entire time contracting services are performed, and the Court of Appeals has applied that to an owner-builder who decided to sell part-way through.
The two-year rule is two different rules
The "one residence every two years" line you see everywhere is actually two separate mechanisms, and the difference decides what happens if you build two.
In the statute, it is a rebuttable presumption. There is a "rebuttable presumption that the person or firm intends to construct for the purpose of resale, lease, rent or any other similar purpose if more than one (1) application is made for a permit to construct a single residence or if more than one (1) single residence is constructed within a period of two (2) years." Two things about that: it can be triggered by applications, not only by finished houses — so a permit you applied for and abandoned still counts against you — and it shifts the burden of proof to you rather than barring you outright. Owners have rebutted it. They also litigated for years to do it.
At the state permit counter, it is a hard bar. Rule 0780-02-23-.05(3) says "an individual may obtain only one (1) property owner's permit within a twenty-four (24) month period." No rebutting that one; the system simply will not issue.
The building permit clock is 24 months. The homeowner electrical permit runs on a 12-month clock (rule 0780-02-01-.05(2)(a)). They are different programs with different rules, and people assume the numbers match. They do not.
Per the TN.gov residential permit FAQ, "anyone hired by the homeowner whose portion is $25,000 or more would not be exempt from the contractors' licensing requirements." So a framing or concrete sub doing a $30,000 scope must hold a Tennessee contractor's license — verify it before you sign.
Board rule 0680-01-.24(1) tells you exactly what to collect: an active license with the correct name, classification, monetary limit, and expiration date. Those four fields are the check. The monetary limit is worth reading closely — it is set at the lesser of ten times net worth or ten times working capital, so a small limit tells you something real about the firm's finances.
Contracting without a license is a Class A misdemeanor under § 62-6-120 — but the penalty "shall not apply to a person who engages a contractor without a license for the purpose of constructing a residence for the use of that person." If you unknowingly hire an unlicensed prime, the offender is the contractor, not you. Section 62-6-103(b) separately caps what an unlicensed contractor can recover from you to "actual documented expenses… by clear and convincing proof."
Homeowner affidavit. Most jurisdictions require you to sign an owner/homeowner affidavit when you pull the permit, attesting that you own the property, are building for your own use, and understand the licensing rules.
Verify licenses (and your own eligibility): the public license search is verify.tn.gov. Use it on every sub before work starts. Do not confuse it with core.tn.gov, which is the separate transactional system where you buy a state permit — two different systems that get mixed up constantly.
Can You Do Your Own Electrical, Plumbing & HVAC?
This is where Tennessee is more generous than most states, and it's worth getting right because it changes your budget significantly. Tennessee regulates electrical and plumbing contractors through Limited Licensed Electrician (LLE) and Limited Licensed Plumber (LLP) licenses, and a license is required to take electrical or plumbing contracts at or above the monetary threshold. But a homeowner doing the work on their own residence is not "contracting" — and is exempt.
| Trade | Owner can DIY? | Rule / condition |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical | Yes | Rule 0780-02-01-.05(2)(a): any person may perform electrical work on their own residence after obtaining a residential property owner's electrical permit. One per 12-month period; you and immediate family only, no unlicensed helpers |
| Plumbing | Yes | TDCI lists 'homeowner may perform plumbing on their own residence' among the exemptions to the plumber licensing requirement. Permitted and inspected as normal |
| HVAC / mechanical | Ask your codes office | No homeowner exemption for mechanical work appears anywhere in the rules, and Tennessee has no below-$25,000 HVAC credential. Do not assume this one — get the answer from the office that will inspect you |
| Drilling your own well | No | TDEC licenses well drillers, and there is no owner exemption. This is the one job an owner-builder may not do |
Electrical — you can do your own. Per the Tennessee Electrical Permits FAQ, a residential property owner pulling an electrical permit for their own home "is not required to submit any information regarding an Electrical Contracting license or Limited Licensed Electrician license." The rule itself is broader and worth quoting: "Any person may perform electrical work (for which an inspection is required) upon his/her own residence provided he/she first applies for and obtains a residential property owner's electrical permit." The permit extends to you and immediate family and "shall not authorize assistance by any other person not duly licensed" — so you cannot have a friend help. One such permit per 12 months.
Plumbing — you can do your own. A homeowner may obtain their own building, mechanical, and plumbing permits and do that work on their own residence. As with electrical, no plumber's license is required for work on a home you own and occupy.
Plenty of guides (including an earlier version of this one) tell Tennessee owner-builders they may do their own HVAC. We went looking for the rule that says so and could not find one. There is no homeowner exemption for mechanical work in the Board's rules, and Tennessee appears to issue no below-$25,000 HVAC credential at all — the Board licenses contractors, Limited Licensed Electricians and Limited Licensed Plumbers, and nothing else.
What is verified: HVAC work at $25,000 or more requires a licensed mechanical contractor; the electrical portion of the install falls under the electrical rules; and gas piping falls under the plumbing rules. Refrigerant handling separately requires EPA Section 608 certification, which is federal and applies to you regardless.
Ask your codes office directly before you budget on DIY mechanical. This is a gap in the published rules, not a permission.
The homeowner exemption applies only to your own residence, and only if you're not building it for resale/lease/rent. And if you instead hire an electrician, plumber, or HVAC contractor, remember that they are bidding directly to you — which makes them a prime contractor, and pulls in the $25,000 license threshold.
Electrical and plumbing inspectors hold homeowner work to the same code as a pro's. If you're not confident, the money you "save" can evaporate in failed inspections and rework. Do the parts you know; hire the parts you don't.
State vs. local electrical inspection
Tennessee runs a statewide electrical inspection program through the State Fire Marshal's Office, using contracted Deputy Electrical Inspectors (DEIs) spread across the state — except in jurisdictions that operate their own electrical program (exempt jurisdictions list).
You will read that electrical inspection "often" still applies in non-code counties. It is not "often." It is all of them, and this is the most expensive misunderstanding in Tennessee.
The two programs rest on different chapters of the law: the building program on Title 68, Chapter 120, the electrical program on Title 68, Chapter 102. The opt-out provision is written only against "the standards established pursuant to subsection (a)" — the building standards. Rule chapter 0780-02-01 contains no opt-out mechanism at all, and rule .17 forbids any local government from adopting or enforcing "less stringent electrical standards" than the state's.
Cross-check the SFMO's own electrical exempt list against the 37 residential opt-out counties and you get zero overlap. The only whole counties outside the state electrical program are Hamilton and Shelby, and both of those are residentially EXEMPT rather than opt-out. So in every single opt-out county, you still buy a state electrical permit and still receive state electrical inspections — normally a rough-in and a final.
Practical mechanics:
- In most of the state, you buy your electrical permit through the state program and a DEI inspects — this is separate from your building permit. You can buy it from the power distributor, the local building official, or a contracted issuing agent, who may add no more than $5.
- In the cities and counties that run their own program (Nashville/Davidson, all of Hamilton County, all of Shelby County, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Clarksville, Murfreesboro, Franklin and a few dozen others, generally inside city limits), you get the permit and inspection locally instead.
- A rejected electrical inspection means buying a new permit (rule .05(6)) — unlike the building permit, which gets one free re-inspection. Be ready before you call.
- Power must be on for the final. Rule .04(11): "electrical power shall be supplied to the building in order for the inspector to perform the final inspection." And rule .04(10) bars the final electrical certificate if a required building permit was never obtained.
- Doing solar or anything else that delivers power to the grid pulls in extra requirements under Public Chapter 177 (2021): a state certified inspector, a lockable exterior load-breaking disconnect, utility notification before interconnection, and functional rapid shutdown before final.
Typical cost under the state schedule (rule 0780-02-01-.21): $35 rough-in plus $35 final for a 200-amp house, plus $35 if the HVAC system is inspected, plus up to $5 per permit for the issuing agent.
Permit Costs
The state schedule — published, exact, and cheaper than people expect
If your jurisdiction is SRBP (the state enforces), the fee is not an estimate. Rule 0780-02-23-.08(1) publishes it:
| Total construction cost | Permit fee |
|---|---|
| $0 to $5,000 | $100 |
| $5,001 to $100,000 | $350 |
| $100,001 to $150,000 | $400 |
| $150,001 to $200,000 | $450 |
| $200,001 to $250,000 | $500 |
| $250,001 to $300,000 | $550 |
| $300,001 and up | $550 for the first $300,000, plus $50 for each additional $50,000 or fraction thereof |
Plus, from the same rule: $100 for the required plumbing and mechanical inspection; $100 for a slab inspection when the slab and footing are cast separately (a monolithic pour needs none); $100 for a prefabricated wall inspection; $100 for a re-inspection after more than one rejection; $10 for a duplicate permit if you lose yours. Start work before the permit issues and the penalty is an additional 100% of the permit fee, per violation.
The SFMO fee page carries a footnote that decides most owner-builders' fee: "The cost of construction cannot be less than $60.57 per heated square foot of construction."
Work it through for a 2,000 sq ft heated house: 2,000 × $60.57 = $121,140 minimum valuation, which lands in the $100,001-$150,000 band. So $400 base + $100 plumbing and mechanical = $500 total, plus another $100 if your slab is a separate pour.
That figure was last modified on the SFMO fee page in March 2026 and is a web-page number rather than a rule number — the rule itself sets valuation against ICC Building Valuation Data at a 0.60 cost modifier. Check the current number before you file.
Local fees in EXEMPT jurisdictions
If your jurisdiction is EXEMPT, it sets its own fees, and Tennessee does not publish them centrally. We could not verify a reliable published schedule for most Tennessee counties and cities in this pass, so this guide no longer prints per-county estimates — a wrong fee is worse than no fee. Metro building departments (Davidson, Shelby, Knox, Williamson, Rutherford, Hamilton) generally run well above the state figure once plan review, impact fees, and utility fees are added; call the department and ask for the residential fee schedule in writing.
Additional Fees
| Fee | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Septic permit | $500 | Published: $400 permit evaluation for a system up to 1,000 gallons per day, plus the required $100 construction inspection (TDEC form CN-0971) |
| Well: Notice of Intent | $75 | Per property site, filed BEFORE drilling. There is no separate 'well permit' at a higher price. Waived if the same owner filed for the same property within the past five years |
| State electrical permit | $70 typical | $35 rough-in plus $35 final at 200 amps, plus $35 if HVAC is inspected (rule 0780-02-01-.21) |
| Impact fees | Varies widely by jurisdiction | Unverified estimate: commonly a few thousand dollars in fast-growing Middle Tennessee counties, and nonexistent in much of the rural state. Ask your jurisdiction |
| Water/sewer tap | Varies widely by utility | Unverified estimate. Set by the individual utility, not the state |
| Grading permit | Varies by jurisdiction | Unverified estimate. Separately, disturbing one acre or more triggers the state construction stormwater permit |
Processing Timelines
The one Tennessee timeline that is actually written into a rule is inspection turnaround under the state program: inspections are performed "within three working days of when the request is made… except for footer inspections which are to be performed within one working day" (rule 0780-02-23-.07). That is a commitment you can hold them to.
Plan-review and permit-issuance times in EXEMPT jurisdictions are set locally and are not published statewide. The figures below are field estimates, not sourced numbers — ask your department for its current turnaround when you call.
| County type | Typical timeline |
|---|---|
| Urban Counties (Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville) | 4-8 weeks |
| Suburban Counties | 3-6 weeks |
| Rural Counties | 2-5 weeks |
| SRBP (state-enforced) jurisdictions | No plan review requirement comparable to a metro department; the constraint is inspection scheduling, which the rule caps at three working days |
Energy Code — Tennessee reverted the 2018 code to 2009
This is the section most often gotten wrong about Tennessee, including in the earlier version of this guide. The state adopts the 2018 energy code on paper and then amends the parts with teeth back to 2009. If you have built in a 2018 or 2021 IECC state, this will not be what you expect.
| Provision | Tennessee's treatment |
|---|---|
| Whole-house air leakage test | NOT mandatory. The 2018 testing section is replaced with the 2009 IRC Testing Option and Visual Inspection sections — a choice between a blower door test and a checklist inspection |
| Duct testing and duct leakage | Optional. Both the mandatory and the prescriptive provisions |
| Insulation and fenestration tables | The 2018 tables are replaced with the 2009 IRC tables (Table N1102.1 and the equivalent U-factor table) |
| Rooms containing fuel-burning appliances | Section N1102.4.4 deleted in its entirety |
| A separate energy inspection | There is none. Rule .07(2)(c): energy efficiency inspections occur during the required inspections |
| Compliance path | Either Chapter 11 of the 2018 IRC or the 2018 IECC, per the SFMO's own FAQ |
The "5 ACH or less, blower door required" figure that circulates for Tennessee comes from the 2018 IECC — and that is precisely the provision Tennessee replaced. Under the state program you may satisfy air leakage through a visual inspection against a checklist instead of a test.
Two ways to get this wrong in opposite directions:
- Building to 2018 IECC R-values and assuming they are required. They are not; the binding tables are the 2009 ones, which are meaningfully less demanding. Build tighter if you want a better house — just do not let a contractor bill you for meeting a standard the state does not impose.
- Assuming no test anywhere in Tennessee. This analysis governs the state program. An EXEMPT jurisdiction runs its own adopted code, which may be newer and may absolutely require a blower door. Ask.
Because the numbers are the 2009 IRC tables rather than the ones printed in most current references, pull the actual R-values for your climate zone from the office that will inspect you, or from the 2009 IRC table by name. Most of Tennessee is Climate Zone 4A; the southwest corner around Memphis is 3A.
The paperwork that is required either way: blown or sprayed insulation needs "a manufacturer's product data sheet and installation certificate stating the product meets or exceeds the energy code."
Special Tennessee Considerations
Seismic Requirements (West Tennessee)
In the New Madrid Seismic Zone, expect enhanced foundation anchorage, shear wall requirements, and hold-downs at critical points. This primarily affects Shelby, Tipton, Lauderdale, and Lake counties.
The state adopted this deliberately: rule 0780-02-23-.02(1)(a) replaces IRC Figure R301.2(2) — the seismic design category map — with the 2015 IRC Site Class D figure. That is the amendment that drives the extra structural work in West Tennessee.
Cost impact: budget for it, but treat any published dollar figure with suspicion. We could not verify a Tennessee-specific cost for seismic compliance from a primary source; it depends entirely on your design, your soil, and your seismic design category. Get it priced against your actual plan.
Termite Protection
Tennessee has high termite pressure.
Pre-Treatment:
- Chemical soil treatment before slab
- Cost: $500-$1,000
- Or use pressure-treated lumber
Post-Treatment: Annual inspections recommended ($75-$125)
Tornado Considerations
Tennessee is in "Tornado Alley" - safe rooms becoming popular.
Safe Room (optional but recommended):
- In-home: $5,000-$10,000
- Underground: $4,000-$8,000
- FEMA rebates sometimes available
Mountain Building (East Tennessee)
Smokies/Appalachians:
- Steeper slopes require engineering
- Frost depth is set by your jurisdiction and runs deeper at elevation — get the number in writing from your inspector rather than working from a rule of thumb
- Access challenges, and a driveway culvert that may need an ARAP (see below)
- Spectacular views
Cost impact: mountain lots cost meaningfully more to build on than flat ground once you price excavation, retaining, engineering, and access. Price your own site; the percentage rules of thumb you see quoted are not Tennessee-specific.
Septic Systems — TDEC, not the health department
If a guide, a realtor, or a neighbor tells you to call the county health department about septic, they are working from pre-2013 sources. Subsurface sewage disposal is regulated by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Division of Water Resources, under rule chapter 0400-48-01.
The proof is in the rule chapter's own administrative history, printed on every rule: "Original rule filed June 20, 2013; effective September 18, 2013. Rule renumbered from 1200-01-06." Chapter 1200 is the Department of Health's rule series; 0400 is TDEC's. Same regulation, different agency.
You apply on form CN-0971, "Application for Water Resources Services," and mail it — with the fee — to the environmental field office shown on page 2 of the form you are actually using. Do not work from a county-to-office list you found elsewhere; the form's own instruction points at its own map, and that map gets revised.
Nine Tennessee counties are contract counties, served by their own county environmental health office rather than a TDEC field office: Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Williamson, Hamilton, Knox, Blount, Sevier, and Jefferson.
The version of this list that circulates names only Knox, Shelby, Hamilton, Davidson, and Madison. That is correct but incomplete — it would misroute an application in four counties. If you are in one of the nine, your county environmental health office is your counter, not the state field office.
The sequence, from rule chapter 0400-48-01:
| Step | What it is |
|---|---|
| 1. Soil and site evaluation | Suitability is determined by a high or extra-high intensity soil map completed by an approved soil consultant. On a lot that is not part of a subdivision, TDEC's own staff may evaluate the site instead |
| 2. Percolation test, sometimes | Conditional, not universal — it needs at least 24 inches of undisturbed soil and a slope of 30% or less. TDEC must be notified at least three days before the test. Tests must be run by a Tennessee-licensed engineer or surveyor, an approved soil consultant, or a registered professional environmentalist |
| 3. Construction permit | The operative permit: no one may construct, alter, extend, or repair a system without one. It expires in three years |
| 4. Construction inspection | No system shall be covered without the inspection and authorization of the Commissioner. If the system has electrical components, an electrical inspector must approve them first |
Published cost: $400 for the permit evaluation on a system up to 1,000 gallons per day, plus the required $100 construction inspection — $500 for a normal house. (From the CN-0971 fee schedule.) System construction itself is a separate cost from the installer, and runs much higher for advanced or pump systems than for a conventional gravity field.
Anyone intending to build a house "shall furnish evidence to the official electrical inspector that… an application for a subsurface sewage disposal system construction permit has been made… or… the house is served by a public sewerage system" (rule 0400-48-01-.06(5)(a)). Note that it is an application, not an issued permit.
Here is the sting: this requirement does not apply "[w]here there is an established countywide building permit program" — so it bites hardest in exactly the rural, opt-out counties where nobody expects paperwork. Get the septic application in before you expect power.
Before the soil evaluation, sketch the lot to scale in the free Site Plan Studio — it measures the well-to-septic separation for you and names the office that sets that number in Tennessee.
Wells
This is the one job on your build that an owner-builder cannot legally do themselves. TDEC licenses water well drillers, and the rules contain no owner exemption for drilling. TDEC states it flatly: "Tennessee licensed general contractors, licensed electricians, and licensed plumbers ARE NOT permitted to install or perform maintenance on water wells, water well pumps, or water well treatment systems unless they are also licensed by the TDEC, Division of Water Resources."
If a licensed GC may not do it, neither may you. The only owner self-help the rules recognize is abandoning a hand-dug well less than 60 feet deep.
The filing sequence, from rule chapter 0400-45-09:
- Notice of Intent, before drilling — filed by you or the driller, $75 per property site. The rule is unambiguous: "No well or borehole shall be drilled unless the driller has documentation that a Notice of Intent has been filed." It expires in 180 days. The fee is waived if the same owner filed for the same property within the past five years.
- Report of Well Driller, within 60 days of completion — the driller files it, including the log, casing detail, static water level, latitude and longitude to the nearest second, and confirmation that septic is at least 50 feet away.
- Disinfection is mandatory — a chlorine residual of at least 100 ppm, standing not less than 12 hours, then pumped until the odor is gone.
- Casing must be watertight from at least 19 feet below land surface to 6 inches above it, with grout mandatory from 3 to 10 feet.
| Region | Typical depth |
|---|---|
| West Tennessee | 100-300 feet |
| Middle Tennessee | 150-400 feet |
| East Tennessee | 200-600 feet |
Drilling cost: quoted per foot and highly local. Get bids from licensed drillers in your county rather than budgeting from a statewide average — depth to water is the whole variable, and it moves a long way across Tennessee.
Karst and sinkholes — the rule nobody expects
Middle and East Tennessee sit on karst, and Tennessee's karst shows up in more programs than most owner-builders realize. Beyond the septic rules — which treat sinkholes as both a setback and a suitability problem, and expressly exclude caves from usable area — there is TDEC's Underground Injection Control chapter, 0400-45-06.
That chapter defines an "improved sinkhole" as a naturally occurring karst depression modified by man such that the properties of water moving into the subsurface through it have been or will be altered. It then defines an "injection well" to include an improved sinkhole, lists improved sinkholes and modified recharge points among Class V wells, and states that "all injection wells and activities must be authorized by permit or by rule."
In plain language: route your driveway runoff, roof drains, or a graded swale into a sinkhole and you have arguably created a Class V injection well. Filling or grading around a sinkhole is not neutral earthwork in Tennessee. Authorization by rule is available for many Class V wells, so this is usually a conversation rather than a catastrophe — but it is a conversation to have before the excavator arrives, not after.
Stormwater and stream crossings
- Construction stormwater (permit TNR100000) is triggered by disturbing one acre or more of total land area. Most single-house lots stay under it — but the driveway, the septic field plus its required reserve area, the well pad, staging, and spoil are what push a rural build over the line. Add them all up before you assume you are exempt. The 2026 construction general permit took effect October 1, 2026 with new forms.
- ARAP — TDEC's Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit. TDEC's own list of activities requiring one includes "road and utility crossings," which is the driveway culvert line item stated by the agency itself. General permits cover routine crossings. A federal Corps Section 404 permit, and near a TVA reservoir a TVA Section 26a approval, may sit on top of it — TDEC names all three.
Inspection Requirements
Under the state residential building permit program, the minimum is three building inspections — foundation prior to pour, rough-in/framing, and final construction — plus plumbing and mechanical inspections (TN.gov residential permit FAQs).
Code-enforcing counties and cities typically run a fuller schedule that looks like this:
| Step | Inspection |
|---|---|
| 1 | Footing/Foundation |
| 2 | Underslab plumbing |
| 3 | Foundation/slab |
| 4 | Rough framing |
| 5 | Rough electrical (often via the state Deputy Electrical Inspector — see above) |
| 6 | Rough plumbing |
| 7 | Rough mechanical |
| 8 | Insulation |
| 9 | Final building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical |
Remember that electrical inspections are frequently a separate state-program track from your building inspections. Scheduling: online in most counties, with 24-48 hours notice.
This is the highest-value scheduling detail in the whole Tennessee program, and it catches people who have built before. From the SFMO's own FAQ, verbatim:
"If batt or roll wall insulation is used, it must be in place prior to requesting an inspection. If a plastic vapor barrier is used, it should be installed after the inspection. If loose-fill or spray applied insulation is used, the request should be made before it is installed."
Same inspection, opposite instructions. Batts: install, then call. Blown or sprayed: call, then install. Get it backwards and you either delay the job or bury work the inspector never saw. Blown and sprayed products also need a manufacturer's product data sheet and installation certificate.
A few more mechanics of the state program worth knowing:
- Order is mandatory. Rule .07(4): inspections "shall be conducted in the order set out in paragraph (2)… Work shall not be done beyond the point indicated in each successive inspection without first obtaining approval."
- Turnaround is written into the rule: within three working days of the request, "except for footer inspections which are to be performed within one working day."
- You book it, not your subs. The SFMO is explicit: "Subcontractors should not schedule an inspection." The permit holder does.
- One free re-inspection per permit; $100 for each one after.
- Any inspection can be waived on a letter from an architect or engineer currently registered in Tennessee (rule .07(5)).
- The certificate of occupancy needs the electrical final too. Rule .09: a new dwelling "shall not be occupied until the Division has issued a certificate of occupancy," which issues only after all required inspections and passage of the final electrical inspection — the separate program, again.
- Permit validity: void if work has not commenced within 180 days, or if it is suspended or abandoned for 180 days; expires two years from issue or on issuance of the CO. Permits are not transferable, and changing contractor mid-build requires a new permit.
Top Counties for Owner-Builders
These are livability-and-cost picks, not code-status picks. Do not infer a county's enforcement status from this list — look it up on the SFMO jurisdictions table for your specific city and county, because the answer changes and it is the one fact everything else depends on.
1. Rutherford County (Murfreesboro)
- Population: 350K
- Fast-growing, south of Nashville
- Good infrastructure
- Reasonable permitting
- Lower costs than Davidson County
2. Sumner County (Hendersonville)
- Population: 200K
- North of Nashville
- Growing suburban/rural
- Good schools
- Active owner-builder community
3. Sevier County (Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg)
- Population: 105K
- Mountain beauty
- Tourism economy
- Owner-building common
- A contract county for septic — the county environmental health office is your counter, not a TDEC field office
- Do not build under the owner exemption intending to rent it. The exemption is for a residence built for your own use, expressly "not for resale, lease, rent or other similar purpose." A short-term rental plan is exactly the fact pattern that voids it
4. Blount County (Maryville)
- Population: 137K
- Near Knoxville and Smokies
- Good quality of life
- Reasonable costs
- Mountain and valley options
- Also a contract county for septic
5. Wilson County (Lebanon)
- Population: 150K
- East of Nashville
- Rural feel, close to city
- Lower costs
- Growing
Expensive/Challenging Areas
- Williamson County (Franklin): Expensive, strict codes
- Davidson County (Nashville proper): Higher fees, longer timelines
- Shelby County (Memphis proper): Complex bureaucracy
Key Resources
State Fire Marshal's Office — jurisdictions and inspectors table
- tn.gov/commerce/fire/residential-permits/jurisdictions-inspectors.html
- The single most useful Tennessee resource: every county and municipality tagged EXEMPT, SRBP, or OPT OUT, with the assigned inspector named and the page's own currency date printed on it
- Look up your city row first, then the county
State Fire Marshal's Office — residential permits
- Residential permit FAQs, the fee schedule, and the electrical program pages
- tn.gov/commerce/fire
Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors (Department of Commerce and Insurance)
- License verification: verify.tn.gov — check name, classification, monetary limit, and expiration date on every sub
- Not to be confused with core.tn.gov, which is the transactional system for buying a state permit
TDEC, Division of Water Resources — septic and wells
- Septic: rule chapter 0400-48-01, application form CN-0971, mailed to the environmental field office on page 2 of the form
- Wells: rule chapter 0400-45-09 — Notice of Intent before drilling, licensed driller required
- In the nine contract counties (Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Williamson, Hamilton, Knox, Blount, Sevier, Jefferson), your county environmental health office is the counter instead
Tennessee Secretary of State — official rule chapters
- publications.tnsosfiles.com — 0780-02-23 (residential building), 0780-02-01 (electrical), 0400-48-01 (septic), 0400-45-09 (wells), 0400-45-06 (underground injection)
Frequently Asked Questions
Tennessee Owner-Builder FAQs
Can you build your own house in Tennessee without a license?
Yes. Tenn. Code Ann. 62-6-103 exempts any person who owns property and constructs a single residence on it for individual use, and not for resale, lease, rent or other similar purpose. There is no dollar cap on the exemption — the $25,000 threshold is what makes someone a contractor in the first place, and your own home is exempt at any value. Two conditions matter: the state permit rule defines a property owner's permit as one for a dwelling in which the owner intends to live upon completion, and there is a two-year frequency limit that works differently in the statute than at the permit counter.
What is the Tennessee one-house-every-two-years rule?
It is two rules wearing the same number. In the statute it is a rebuttable presumption: there is a rebuttable presumption that the person intends to construct for resale, lease, rent or similar purpose if more than one application is made for a permit to construct a single residence, or if more than one single residence is constructed, within a period of two years. Note that it can be triggered by applications, not only by finished houses, and it shifts the burden of proof to you rather than barring you outright. At the state permit counter it is a hard bar: rule 0780-02-23-.05(3) says an individual may obtain only one property owner's permit within a twenty-four month period. That permit rule belongs to the state program; an EXEMPT jurisdiction applies its own.
Does a Tennessee county's opt-out from the building code last forever?
No, and this is the most-missed fact about building in Tennessee. An opt-out resolution shall expire one hundred eighty days following the date of the election for the local legislative body next occurring following the adoption of the resolution, per T.C.A. 68-120-101(b)(1)(B)(ii)(b). If the incoming legislative body does not pass it again before it expires, the State Fire Marshal's Office resumes enforcing the residential building code. The rule requiring a jurisdiction to file the date of its next election when it opts out (rule 0780-02-23-.14) exists precisely because of that sunset. Re-check the State Fire Marshal's dated jurisdictions table before you file, not just before you buy the land.
Can a homeowner do their own electrical work in Tennessee?
Yes. Rule 0780-02-01-.05(2)(a) says any person may perform electrical work on their own residence after applying for and obtaining a residential property owner's electrical permit. Two limits catch people: only one such permit is issued per twelve-month period, which is a different clock from the building permit's twenty-four months, and the permit covers you and immediate family only — it does not authorize assistance from anyone else who is not licensed. You still pass electrical inspections, normally a rough-in and a final, and a rejected electrical inspection means buying a new permit rather than a free re-inspection.
Can a homeowner do their own plumbing or HVAC in Tennessee?
Plumbing, yes: TDCI lists a homeowner performing plumbing on their own residence among the exemptions to the plumber licensing requirement. HVAC is a different answer than most guides give. No homeowner exemption for mechanical work appears anywhere in the Tennessee rules, and the state issues no below-$25,000 HVAC credential — the Board licenses contractors, Limited Licensed Electricians and Limited Licensed Plumbers, and nothing else. What is verified is that HVAC work at $25,000 or more needs a licensed mechanical contractor, that the electrical portion falls under the electrical rules, and that gas piping falls under the plumbing rules. Ask your codes office before you plan on doing your own mechanical work.
Do I still need an electrical permit in a Tennessee no-code county?
Yes, and this is the most expensive misunderstanding in Tennessee. The building code and the electrical code rest on different chapters of the law — Title 68 Chapter 120 for building, Title 68 Chapter 102 for electrical — and the opt-out provision is written only against the building standards. Rule chapter 0780-02-01 contains no opt-out mechanism at all and forbids any local government from adopting less stringent electrical standards. Cross-checking the state's list of electrically exempt jurisdictions against the 37 residential opt-out counties returns zero overlap. So in every one of those counties you still buy a state electrical permit and still receive state electrical inspections.
What building code does Tennessee use for new homes in 2026?
The state program adopts the 2018 International Residential Code with Appendix Q and ten Tennessee amendments, and the 2017 National Electrical Code — not the 2020 or 2023 edition. The electrical rule chapter was revised in July 2025 and still names the 2017 NEC, so it is current rather than stale, and it makes arc-fault protection optional for bathrooms, laundry areas, garages and unfinished basements. Energy is the part most people get wrong: Tennessee adopts the 2018 IECC or Chapter 11 of the 2018 IRC and then replaces the envelope tables and the testing provisions with the 2009 editions, so there is no mandatory blower door test and duct testing is expressly optional. Plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas come from the IRC's own chapters, not from the 2021 IPC or IMC. An EXEMPT jurisdiction runs its own adopted code and may be on something newer.
Do all Tennessee counties require a building permit for a new home?
No, and the State Fire Marshal publishes the answer for every jurisdiction in the state. Each of the 95 counties and 378 municipalities is tagged EXEMPT (the local government runs its own building department), SRBP (the state enforces and you buy the permit from the state), or OPT OUT (no residential building code is enforced at all). As of the table's own currency date of August 21, 2026, that broke down as 50 counties EXEMPT, 8 SRBP and 37 opted out. Two things catch people: the unit is the jurisdiction rather than the county, so a city inside an opted-out county frequently has its own building department — Grundy County is opted out while Monteagle inside it is exempt — and an opt-out resolution expires 180 days after that legislative body's next election unless the new body passes it again.
Who issues septic permits in Tennessee?
TDEC — the Department of Environment and Conservation, Division of Water Resources — not the county health department. The rule chapter's own administrative history records that it was renumbered from 1200-01-06, the Health Department's series, when it moved in 2013, so any guide still sending you to the health department is working from pre-2013 sources. You apply on form CN-0971 and mail it to the environmental field office shown on page 2 of the form. The baseline cost for a conventional single-family system is $400 for the permit evaluation plus a required $100 construction inspection. Nine counties are contract counties served by their own environmental health office instead: Shelby, Madison, Davidson, Williamson, Hamilton, Knox, Blount, Sevier and Jefferson.
How much can you save building your own house in Tennessee?
Acting as your own general contractor typically saves the 15 to 25 percent a GC would charge in markup and overhead. Because Tennessee also lets you legally do your own electrical and plumbing work, a hands-on owner-builder can save more than in most states. Tennessee's construction costs are lower than the coasts, so the percentage savings are significant even if the dollar figure is moderate. Set against that: acting as your own GC makes every trade you hire a prime contractor, so any single trade contract at $25,000 or more needs a licensed contractor — including trades that would need no license under a professional builder.
Is owner-builder financing available in Tennessee?
Yes, but it is limited. Local banks and credit unions are usually the most flexible with owner-builder and construction-to-permanent loans, and you should expect a larger down payment, often 20 to 25 percent. In opt-out counties, many lenders will want a Certificate of Occupancy, which you may need to obtain through a voluntary state inspection.
Timeline
For a typical 2,000 sq ft home, plan on 12-13 months as a part-time owner-builder. Tennessee's moderate climate allows year-round building with minimal weather delays.
Before locking in this timeline, read up on material lead times (late windows or cabinets can stall a build for weeks) and the interior trim installation guide — trim is detail work most owner-builders can DIY.
Final Thoughts
Tennessee offers excellent owner-building conditions:
- Strong legal protections
- Reasonable permit costs
- Moderate climate (year-round building)
- No state income tax (more money for building)
- Growing economy in major metros
Success factors:
- Settle your jurisdiction's status first, city before county — pull up the State Fire Marshal's dated jurisdictions table and find your exact parcel's jurisdiction. Everything else branches off that answer, and a county-level answer is simply wrong if you are inside city limits.
- Re-check that status before you file — an opt-out expires 180 days after that body's next election. The map you looked at when you bought the land may not be the map that governs when you break ground.
- Budget the electrical permit even in a no-code county — all 37 opt-out counties are still in the state electrical program. This is the single most common Tennessee mistake.
- Mind the $25,000 rule, and remember why it reaches further for you — acting as your own GC makes every trade a prime contractor, so trades that would need no license under a builder need one when they bid to you.
- Do not build to the wrong energy standard in either direction — the state program's tables and testing are the 2009 ones, but an EXEMPT jurisdiction may be on something much newer.
- Call TDEC about septic, not the health department — unless you are in one of the nine contract counties, in which case call the county environmental health office.
Whether building in the mountains, the Middle Tennessee growth corridor, or rural West Tennessee, the state welcomes owner-builders — as long as you find out which of the three regimes you are actually building under.
Related State Guides
Building in a nearby Southeast state? Check the requirements for:
- Kentucky Owner-Builder Permit Guide
- North Carolina Owner-Builder Permit Guide
- Georgia Owner-Builder Permit Guide
- Alabama Owner-Builder Permit Guide
- Mississippi Owner-Builder Permit Guide
Compare owner-builder exemption & permit rules for all 50 states →
Last updated: September 2026. Every claim here was re-verified against its primary source in September 2026: the Tennessee Secretary of State's official rule chapters at publications.tnsosfiles.com (0780-02-23 residential building, 0780-02-01 electrical, 0400-48-01 septic, 0400-45-09 wells, 0400-45-06 underground injection), the State Fire Marshal's own jurisdictions table, fee page and residential permit FAQs, the Board for Licensing Contractors' rules, TDEC's application form CN-0971 and well driller licensing page, and the Department of Commerce and Insurance's contractor licensing booklet. Section 62-6-xxx quotations come from published Tennessee appellate opinions that quote the statute verbatim, because Tennessee does not publish its own code in an openly accessible form; the substance is solid, but subdivision numbering varies between sources, so this guide cites at section level.
What changed in this revision: septic was corrected from the county health department to TDEC; the energy section was corrected to the 2009 tables and the mandatory blower door claim removed; the opt-out sunset was added; the guidance was changed to look up your city before your county; the published state fee schedule replaced unverifiable per-county cost figures; the well permit figure was corrected to the $75 Notice of Intent; and the claim that a homeowner may do their own HVAC was downgraded to "ask your codes office," because no rule supporting it could be found.
Statutes, rules and code editions change, and one Tennessee answer changes by design: an opt-out resolution expires 180 days after that legislative body's next election, so the jurisdiction map churns. Re-check your status on the State Fire Marshal's dated table before you file, and confirm each rule with the office that will handle your parcel.