Memphis building department

Memphis and Shelby County Construction Enforcement is part of the joint Division of Planning and Development, which brands itself as Develop 901. It reviews plans, issues construction permits, and inspects buildings for the City of Memphis, Arlington, Germantown, Lakeland, Millington, and unincorporated Shelby County. Bartlett and Collierville are not on that list. Applications, payments, and inspection requests for all of these jurisdictions go through one Accela-based system, the Develop 901 Citizen Portal.

Offices and phone numbers

Office	Address	Phone	Hours
Downtown (Develop 901 / Land Use and Development Services)	125 N. Main St., Suite 477, Memphis 38103	(901) 636-7384	Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Construction Enforcement (East)	6465 Mullins Station Rd., Memphis 38134	(901) 222-8300	Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Other numbers on the city’s key-contacts page:

• Plan review email: [email protected]
• Zoning: [email protected]
• Contractor licensing section: (901) 222-8390
• Historic preservation planners: (901) 636-6619 or [email protected]

Applying through the Develop 901 Citizen Portal

Contractors and homeowners can both register on the portal to submit applications and documents, pay fees, and schedule inspections. Develop 901 posts video tutorials on registering and applying. Every completed application is a public record. To look up a home’s permit history, search by address or record number in the portal’s permit activity search.

The department’s FAQ spells out these submittal rules:

• Residential vs. commercial: a project counts as residential if it is a detached one- or two-family home or a townhouse no taller than three stories.
• Commercial plans: detailed plans are required and must be submitted electronically. Some commercial projects must be drawn by a licensed design professional; call (901) 636-7384 to ask whether yours does.
• Residential plans: one- and two-family plans may still be submitted on paper, though electronic is preferred. Paper sheets must be at least 11 x 17 inches.
• Engineering: new buildings, additions, and any structural reconfiguration need an engineer’s letter or structural calculations.
• Trade drawings: mechanical, electrical, and plumbing drawings are decided case by case. Plans go to building, plumbing, electrical, and mechanical reviewers, so leaving out trade drawings delays the permit.
• Health Department: Construction Enforcement does not route plans to the Health Department, so file that review separately.
• Contractor not yet chosen: plan review can proceed without a contractor listed. The permit is issued once a registered contractor signs the application.

Residential plan review fee

The residential plan review fee applies to:

• New homes
• Additions over 400 sq ft
• Detached accessory buildings over 400 sq ft

It does not apply to renovations, decks, pools, retaining walls, fences, or additions and accessory buildings of 400 sq ft or less. Building, electrical, mechanical, and plumbing fees are listed in the county’s 2022 building fee schedule. That schedule could not be retrieved for this page.

Zoning approval and historic districts

In Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County, start with the Permitted Use Table in Section 2.5.2 of the Unified Development Code (UDC). If the use is permitted by right, you do not need a separate zoning approval letter. Millington, Germantown, Lakeland, and Arlington always require a zoning approval letter from the town before a building permit. The zoning letter can be applied for separately from the building permit.

Rezonings, planned developments, and special-use permits go to the joint Memphis and Shelby County Land Use Control Board.

The Develop 901 Zoning Atlas shows whether an address is in a historic district. Residential work in a historic district may need a Certificate of Appropriateness from the Memphis Landmarks Commission before work starts.

Contractors and homeowners

Tennessee-licensed contractors must register their license with Construction Enforcement before pulling permits. Registration requires a fee and a surety bond, except for contractors who work only in disciplines regulated by the State Alarm Board.

Homeowners may build, alter, repair, or add to their own single-family home under TCA § 62-6-103, as long as it is for their own use and not for sale, rent, or lease. The department’s homeowner rules:

• You must file a statement-of-ownership letter before the permit is issued.
• Mechanical, plumbing, and electrical work must still be done by licensed or registered contractors unless the technical codes say otherwise.
• A company cannot pull homeowner permits for multiple properties.

The homeowner affidavit is listed in the department’s helpful documents. See owner-builder permits for background on these rules.

Adopted codes

The department’s FAQ lists these codes with local amendments:

• 2021 editions: International Building, Existing Building, Residential, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Plumbing, and Energy Conservation Codes.
• Fire code: 2021 International Fire Code, with separate City of Memphis and Shelby County amendments.
• Electrical: 2020 National Electrical Code.
• By reference: ICC A117.1-2017 for accessibility and ASME A17.1-2019 for elevators.

The FAQ adds that Construction Enforcement enforces all of IRC Chapter 9, Roof Assemblies.

Inspections

Inspections are scheduled in the portal after the permit is issued, usually by the licensed contractor. Results are posted in the same record. The required inspections are:

• Foundation: after trenches are dug and forms set.
• Underground: before backfill.
• Rough-in: after roof, framing, fire blocking, and bracing, before wall or ceiling coverings.
• Rough-in piping: includes a pressure test.
• Air test: for new piping before it is concealed.
• Frame: once all concealed wiring, pipes, ducts, and vents are in place.
• Final: when the building is ready for occupancy.

If a permit has expired and you still need an inspection, call the Downtown Service Center at (901) 636-7384. Have the address or permit number ready.

Businesses in Memphis and Shelby County also need a certificate of occupancy, which Construction Enforcement issues after an application and one or more inspections. You can request it through the same portal.