Bolthole Index

Montgomery County, Tennessee

Building permits, zoning and land rules in Clarksville, Tennessee

Clarksville, Tennessee requires building permits for construction and other building work inside city limits, with applications handled by City Building & Codes.12 Clarksville has its own zoning; Montgomery County’s zoning applies outside the city’s corporate boundaries.34 Septic construction requires a separate Tennessee permit through TDEC’s state program.56

At a glance

Building permits
Required for construction, alterations, repairs and permanent placement of buildings or structures1
Zoning
City zoning; permitted uses and dimensional controls depend on the district37
Septic permits
Separate TDEC permit before septic construction, modification or repair56
RV living
Camping-trailer occupancy while parked or stored requires ordinance authorization8
Building permit fees
Depend on valuation, square footage or permit type9
Owner-builder
State exemption is conditional: personal residence, not for sale, lease or rent10

Who to call

Building permits

City of Clarksville Building & Codes

City building permit applications, inspection requests and construction through certificate of occupancy

931-645-7426

[email protected]

100 South Spring Street Clarksville , TN 37040

Online permits →

Planning & zoning

Clarksville-Montgomery County Regional Planning Commission

Rezoning recommendations for Clarksville, with final consideration by the City Council

931.645.7448

329 Main Street Clarksville, TN 37040

Septic permits

TDEC Nashville Environmental Field Office

Montgomery County contact for TDEC water resources and septic-related services

(615) 687-7000

711 R.S. Gass Blvd, Nashville, TN 37216

Online permits →

Floodplain permits

City of Clarksville Floodplain Administrator

City floodplain questions and development review inquiries

[email protected]

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 11, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Clarksville means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

These are affiliate links — we may earn a commission, at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, Bolthole Index earns from qualifying purchases.

Do you need a building permit in Clarksville, TN?

Clarksville requires a building permit when a person constructs, alters, repairs, enlarges, moves, renovates, demolishes or permanently places a building or structure inside city limits.1 City Building & Codes administers the city’s adopted construction codes and is the building-permit contact for city addresses.112 Clarksville building permit fees vary by project valuation, square footage or a flat fee for the permit type, so ask City Building & Codes for the fee applicable to your proposed work.9

Who is the Clarksville building department, and where do you apply?

City of Clarksville Building & Codes is at 100 South Spring Street Clarksville , TN 37040; call 931-645-7426 for building permit and inspection questions.12 The Administrative Division oversees incoming permit applications and inspection requests, while the Construction Division follows permitted projects through completion and issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.12 Clarksville’s application requirements include contractor licensing and insurance, a property survey for permanent structures, site-plan materials and project valuation as applicable.2 Ask the city office which documents apply to your project before submitting a building-permit application.2

Does Clarksville have zoning, lot-size and setback rules?

Clarksville has zoning inside city limits, and permitted uses must be checked for the parcel’s zoning district.3 Clarksville’s dimensional controls vary by district and the exceptions in the zoning tables; a district name alone does not establish every lot-size or setback answer.7 In Clarksville’s AG agricultural district and R-1 single-family residential district, maximum lot coverage for all combined uses is 30%.1314 For a rezoning request, the Regional Planning Commission makes recommendations and the Clarksville City Council gives final consideration.15 Tennessee’s county agricultural zoning exemption does not apply to municipalities, so do not assume agricultural land inside Clarksville is exempt from city zoning.16

How do septic permits work inside Clarksville?

For a Clarksville property using septic, Tennessee requires a septic permit before construction, modification or repair, and directs applicants to obtain the permit before dirt work or building-pad construction.5 TDEC administers septic permitting in non-contract counties, and the Nashville Environmental Field Office lists Montgomery County among its service counties.617 A new conventional system permit costs $400 for design flow up to 1,000 gallons per day; the construction inspection is a separate $100 charge.518 The installer must arrange final inspection before covering the system.19 Qualifying Tennessee utilities may require sewer connection for existing buildings on parcels abutting a public way containing a sanitary sewer; ask about the parcel’s sewer service before planning septic.20

Can you live in an RV or tiny home in Clarksville?

Clarksville’s camping-trailer rule does not allow occupancy while the trailer is parked or stored on a dwelling lot or in a residential district unless this or another ordinance authorizes occupancy.8 Camping-trailer storage exceeding 72 hours must be behind the front building line; that storage condition does not itself authorize living in the trailer.8 We could not confirm Clarksville’s district-specific tiny-home occupancy rules or a minimum dwelling floor area; ask City Building & Codes about the proposed dwelling and parcel before buying.312 For a tiny home permanently placed as a building or structure, Clarksville’s building-permit requirement still applies.1

Building a home in Clarksville: what should you check first?

Start with City Building & Codes or the Regional Planning Commission to identify the Clarksville parcel’s zoning and permitted use.3 Next, establish the sewage-disposal path: Tennessee’s septic permit must precede dirt work when septic is proposed, and qualifying utilities may require sewer connection under the stated conditions.520 Prepare the applicable survey, site-plan, contractor and valuation documents for the city building-permit application.2 Ask the City Floodplain Administrator about development in mapped flood hazard areas; Tennessee guidance directs properties inside city limits to the city administrator.2122 For land outside Clarksville’s corporate boundaries, consult the Montgomery County guide, because county zoning applies outside those boundaries.4

Watch-outs

  • Clarksville camping-trailer parking and storage rules do not give blanket permission to occupy an RV while building a home.8
  • We could not confirm private-well, off-grid sanitation or general temporary-camping rules inside Clarksville; ask City Building & Codes and TDEC’s Nashville Environmental Field Office before committing to that plan.1217
  • Tennessee’s owner-builder exemption is for a residence for the owner’s individual use, not sale, lease or rent, and does not remove Clarksville’s building-permit requirement.101

Sources

  1. Frequently Asked Questions | Clarksville, TN (Clarksville), quoted and re-checked
  2. Frequently Asked Questions | Clarksville, TN (Clarksville), quoted and re-checked
  3. Frequently Asked Questions | Clarksville, TN (Clarksville), quoted and re-checked
  4. Zoning Resolution of Montgomery County, Tennessee, quoted and re-checked
  5. Septic System Construction Permit (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  6. Septic System Construction Permit (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  7. Clarksville Zoning Ordinance, Table 4.1 - Agriculture (Clarksville), quoted and re-checked
  8. Clarksville Zoning Ordinance, Section 6.2 - Storage and Parking of Trailers and Commercial Vehicles (Clarksville), quoted and re-checked
  9. Frequently Asked Questions | Clarksville, TN (Clarksville), quoted and re-checked
  10. Can I build my own home without a license? (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  11. Current Adopted Codes | Clarksville, TN (Clarksville), quoted and re-checked
  12. City of Clarksville Building & Codes (clarksvilletn.gov)
  13. Clarksville Zoning Ordinance, Table 4.1 - Agriculture (Clarksville), quoted and re-checked
  14. Clarksville Zoning Ordinance, Table 4.2 - Single Family Residential (Clarksville), quoted and re-checked
  15. Clarksville-Montgomery County Regional Planning Commission (cmcrpc.com)
  16. Exemption from County Zoning Regulation for Buildings on Land Used for Agriculture, Opinion No. 22-07 (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  17. TDEC Nashville Environmental Field Office (tn.gov)
  18. Subsurface Sewage Disposal System (SSDS) Frequently Asked Questions (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  19. Subsurface Sewage Disposal System Frequently Asked Questions, quoted and re-checked
  20. Utility Customers Frequently Asked Questions (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  21. Statewide Floodplain Administrator Directory (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
  22. City of Clarksville Floodplain Administrator (clarksvilletn.gov)

Written October 11, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Clarksville

Clarksville’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Construction, alteration, repair, enlargement, movement, renovation, demolition, or permanent placement of a building or structure inside Clarksville city limits.

    • Permit applicants must satisfy applicable City and state requirements.
    “Whenever a person wishes to construct, alter, repair, enlarge, move, renovate, demolish, or permanently place any building, or structure.”
  • Building code adoptedAdopted (with conditions)

    Construction inside Clarksville city limits.

    • The City page directs contractors and design professionals to check for code changes.
    • The listed codes include the 2018 IBC, 2018 IRC, 2018 IECC, 2018 IFC, 2018 IFGC, 2018 IMC, 2018 IPC, 2018 Existing Building Code, 2017 NEC, and other listed codes.
    “The following codes were adopted and shall be enforced by the City of Clarksville Building & Codes Department:”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    Existing buildings inside Clarksville city limits when occupancy changes.

    • A life-safety inspection from the Fire Marshal is required before issuance for a change of occupancy.
    • For a life-safety certificate request, the City requires a passing Life Safety Report, current City business license, and a $10-per-location fee.

    life safety certificate fee: 10 USD per location (Life Safety Certificate of Occupancy request)

    “Certificates of Occupancy will be issued, once all inspections have been completed and approved. Change of Occupancy: (Commercial Projects) A Certificate of Occupancy is required for all existing buildings in which the occupancy changes. A life safety inspection is required from the Fire Marshall prior to issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Clarksville city limits.

    • Zoning classifications and permitted-use determinations are parcel- and district-specific.
    “For properties in the city of Clarksville, you can contact the City of Clarksville Building and Codes office at (931) 645-7426. As, well as the Regional Planning Commission at (931) 645-7448.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Clarksville city limits.

    • District controls vary by district and stated table exceptions.
    “ZONING AG AGC Minimum/Maximum Area For New Zone District N/A N/A Minimum Lot Area (See Section 4.1.3 For Exceptions)”
  • Living in an RVLimited

    Camping-trailer occupancy while parked or stored on a dwelling lot or in a residential district inside Clarksville city limits.

    • A camping trailer may not be occupied while parked or stored except as authorized by this or another ordinance.
    • Storage exceeding 72 hours must be behind the front building line.

    trailer parking or storage duration before front-building-line restriction: > 72 hours (Restriction does not apply if located behind the front building line)

    “nor shall camping trailer be occupied while it is parked or stored in any area except as authorized by this or other ordinances.”
  • Short-term rentalsAllowed (with conditions)

    Short-term rental units inside Clarksville city limits.

    • An operating permit is available in residential and non-residential districts only upon meeting Chapter 3 criteria.
    • The permit is issued only to the owner.
    • Application requires the listed documentation and a $150 nonrefundable administrative processing and inspection permit fee.

    short-term rental operating-permit fee: 150 USD (Administrative processing and inspection permit fee; non-refundable)

    “A short-term rental unit operating permit is available in any residential or non-residential districts upon meeting the criteria in this chapter.”
  • Permit feesVariable (with conditions)

    Building permits inside Clarksville city limits.

    • Fees are based on project valuation, square footage, or flat fees depending on permit type.
    “Permit fees are established by the City Code of Ordinances and are based on project valuation, square footage, or flat fees depending on permit type.”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Clarksville city limits.

    • Contractors must provide a Tennessee State Contractor's License, general-liability insurance, workers' compensation insurance, a property survey for permanent structures, site-plan materials, and project valuation as applicable.
    • For properties inside city limits, the City directs applicants to its Building and Codes Department.
    “For properties inside the city limits, you can contact the City of Clarksville building and codes department at (931) 645-7426.”

Rules another office applies inside Clarksville

Clarksville does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Clarksville or Montgomery County directly.

  • Minimum dwelling size — Dwellings inside Clarksville city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Clarksville city limits.
  • Tiny homes — Tiny-home occupancy inside Clarksville city limits.
  • Manufactured homes — Manufactured-home occupancy inside Clarksville city limits.
  • Who permits septic — On-site septic systems inside Clarksville city limits.
8 more unanswered
  • Septic permit
  • Septic inspection
  • Off-grid sanitation
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Subdividing land
  • Driveway access

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.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Clarksville publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Montgomery County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Montgomery County: county rules, score and offices