Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Town of Charlotte, Tennessee

Town of Charlotte’s own rules

• Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

  Building construction inside Charlotte town limits

  • Edition adopted in the available code is the 1991 Standard Building Code with 1992 and 1992-93 revisions; this codification is from 1994/1996 and may be superseded.
  • A search result suggested a 2026 ordinance adopting 2024 ICC codes, but it could not be opened (file too large) and is unverified.
  • For the code's purposes, 'building official' means the building inspector for Dickson County.

  “the standard building code1, 1991 edition, with 1992 and 1992-93 revisions, as prepared and adopted by the southern building code congress international, inc., is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference as a part of this code”

• Off-grid sanitationLimited

  Privies, septic tanks and cesspools within Charlotte's sewer service area

  • General ban on privies, septic tanks and cesspools 'except as herein provided'; private systems are allowed where public sewer is not available under § 18-203(1)(d) and comply with § 18-204.

  “except as herein provided, it shall be unlawful to construct or maintain any privy, privy vault, septic tank, cesspool, or other facility intended or used for the disposal of sewage.”

• Mandatory utility hookupSewer (with conditions)

  Buildings used for human occupancy inside Charlotte's sewer service area

  • Applies when a public sanitary sewer is located within 500 feet of the property line over public access.
  • Connection due within 60 days after official notice.
  • Where sewer is not available under this rule, a private sewage disposal system complying with § 18-204 is required.
  • Exception for manufacturing facilities discharging under an NPDES permit.
  • Public water connection rule not located.

  distance to public sewer: <= 500 feet · time to connect after notice: 60 days

  “is hereby required at his expense to install suitable toilet facilities therein, and to connect such facilities directly with the proper public sewer in accordance with the provisions of the chapter, within sixty (60) days after date of official notice to do so, provided that said public sewer is within five hundred (500) feet of the property line over public access.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Town of Charlotte or Dickson County directly.

• Building permit — Building permits inside Charlotte town
• Owner-builder exemption — Owner-builder exemption inside Charlotte town
• Certificate of occupancy — Certificates of occupancy inside Charlotte town
• Local zoning — Zoning inside Charlotte town limits
• Zoning districts — Zoning districts inside Charlotte town

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.