Murfreesboro building department

The City of Murfreesboro Building and Codes Department reviews plans, issues building and trade permits, inspects construction, and issues certificates of occupancy for property inside Murfreesboro city limits. It also enforces property maintenance standards and administers the city’s sign ordinance. The office is on the 2nd floor of City Hall at 111 West Vine Street and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Staff stop taking payments at 4:00 p.m. If your property is outside the city, check with Rutherford County Building Codes at 1 South Public Square, (615) 898-7734.

What needs a permit

The city requires a permit to build, alter, convert, repair, enlarge, move, or demolish any building or structure. That includes fences, storage buildings, pools, decks, and finishing out expandable space. Residential permits cover single-family homes, zero-lot-line homes, and duplexes. Duplexes and zero-lot-line units need two copies of the floor plans plus details of the fire separation between units.

You do not need a permit for normal maintenance repairs that don’t violate the code. The city lists painting, papering, glazing windows or doors, floor finishing, and minor repairs to chimneys, porches, underpinning, or roofing. For fences, replacing fence sections counts as maintenance.

In the Historic Zoning District, call the Planning Department at (615) 893-6441 before any exterior renovation or change.

Fences and accessory structures

• A fence permit is required. There is no property-line setback for fences, but a fence can’t encroach on a neighbor’s lot, an easement, or the public right-of-way.
• The City Engineer may allow a fence in a drainage easement, but only under a written agreement. The city may remove fences that encroach on easements, at the owner’s cost.
• Keep 3 feet of clearance from mechanical equipment, and don’t fence in electric or gas meters.
• The city does not enforce HOA or subdivision covenants. Check them yourself before you apply.
• Detached structures use the Fence, Storage Building and Other Accessory Structures application. Include a plot plan or GIS map showing where the structure will go.

See also fence permits.

How to apply

Residential. Email residential building permit applications to the Planning Department or apply in person at City Hall. Allow up to two weeks for processing. Once your application is approved, staff will notify you of the permit fees and payment options. Put your email address on the application. New homes, additions, and accessory structures may be subject to the Rutherford County Schools Facilities Tax and city impact fees. A new single-family home needs a Rutherford County Schools Facilities Tax receipt before the permit is issued.

Commercial. Commercial plans go through the city’s Cityworks plan submission portal. Commercial projects include hotels, apartments with three or more units, retail, business, industrial, and assembly uses. The city charges no plan review fee. Reviews take about two weeks and return one comment list that includes Fire Rescue, Murfreesboro Water Resources (MWRD), and Middle Tennessee Electric. General contractors must provide a copy of their current Tennessee contractor license and a workers’ compensation insurance certificate.

Cityworks Project Portal. You can use the portal to submit applications, pay fees, schedule inspections, and search permits. You must complete an application in one sitting because it can’t be saved partway through. Required uploads can include floor plans, elevations, insurance certificates, and the school facilities tax receipt.

Trade (sub) permits. Plumbing, gas, mechanical, and electrical work each need a sub permit. A sub permit can’t be issued until the building permit is issued. You can email sub-permit requests to the department or fax them to (615) 217-3016. Backflow preventers must be installed by someone certified by the State of Tennessee as a Backflow Assembly Tester.

Fees

Resolution 26-R-10 set new permit fees that took effect June 1, 2026. They replace the 2018 schedule. Some highlights:

Permit	Fee
New one- or two-family dwelling	$500 minimum (under 1,000 sq ft); $500 + $0.50/sq ft over 1,000; $1,000 + $0.60/sq ft over 2,000; $1,600 + $0.65/sq ft over 3,000
Residential additions, alterations, accessory structures	$8 per $1,000 of valuation, $50 minimum
Residential fence	$75 flat
Residential pool	$100 above ground; $150 in-ground or partially in-ground
Residential mechanical	$150 per new dwelling unit; $75 per addition or remodel
Plumbing	$50 base plus per-item fees (for example, $8 per fixture, $20 per water heater)
Gas	$50 base plus $8 per outlet
Demolition of a one- or two-family dwelling	$100, plus a $500 refundable final inspection deposit
Temporary certificate of occupancy	$1,000 refundable deposit

For new homes, “total square feet” means the heated area plus one-third of unheated space under roof, such as garages, carports, and covered patios. Commercial building fees are based on valuation and start at $50 per $1,000. Permits issued through the city’s newer GIS-based permit system carry a 3% technology fee. See also building permit costs.

Inspections

To request an inspection, submit the city’s online Inspection Request Form with your permit number. You can also call (615) 893-3750 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Inspections are scheduled for the next business day. The contractor must request all building and sub-permit inspections except electrical, which the electrical contractor must request. Commercial final building inspections must be called in.

Inspectors are in the office from 8:00 to 8:45 a.m. to answer code questions. After that they leave for field inspections.

A permit expires if work doesn’t start within six months of issuance. It also expires if work stops for one year.

Homeowner permits and contractor licensing

Homeowners may pull their own building, mechanical, and plumbing permits for their primary residence. Staff may ask for proof of residence. If the property is a rental, a Tennessee licensed contractor must get the permit.

Electrical permits must be obtained by a licensed electrical contractor. Murfreesboro also requires a city electrical license. Annual license fees are:

• Class 1A: $200
• Class 1B: $100
• Class II residential: $75
• Class III heating and AC: $75
• Class IV sign: $75

Licenses expire January 31 each year. The city’s Board of Electrical Examiners gives the exams. Gas permits must be obtained by a licensed gas contractor. The one exception is a homeowner who lives in the home and does the gas work personally.

Adopted codes

Murfreesboro has adopted the 2024 editions of the International Residential, Building, Existing Building, Plumbing, Mechanical, Fuel Gas, Property Maintenance, Fire, and Swimming Pool and Spa Codes, adopted under Ordinance 26-O-34. Other adopted codes are:

• 2023 National Electrical Code
• 2018 International Energy Conservation Code
• ICC A117.1-2017 accessibility standard

Converting a bonus room into a bedroom requires an emergency egress window and a smoke detector. It must also meet septic requirements if the home is on septic.