Building permits, zoning and septic rules in Shelby County, Tennessee

Yes. Before regulated construction, enlargement, alteration, repair, moving, demolition, occupancy changes or installations begin in unincorporated Shelby County, the applicant must obtain the required local permit through Construction Enforcement^1,12. Shelby County has adopted technical building codes with local amendments². Construction Enforcement currently enforces the 2021 International Building Code with local amendments, adopted in December 2021 and in effect January 1, 2022, and mechanical, plumbing and electrical contractors must secure separate trade permits for their portions of the work where required¹. Permit-required work is subject to inspection and must remain accessible until approved². Tennessee's State Fire Marshal residential permit program applies only where local code enforcement does not control, so use Shelby County's local process and fee schedule for work in unincorporated Shelby County^9,13. Ask Construction Enforcement before treating any detached structure as exempt from the county process¹⁴.

Construction Enforcement, part of the Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, is the office to call: 6465 Mullins Station Rd, Memphis, TN 38134, (901) 222-8300¹⁴. Before applying, confirm the zoning district with Land Use and Development Services at 125 N Main St #477, Memphis, TN 38103, (901) 636-7384^14,15. The permit process can include valuation, fee payment, plan review, inspections and a certificate, as applicable¹⁶. Budget from Shelby County's local fee schedule: new construction has a $50 application fee and a $0.07-per-square-foot charge, with a $125 minimum for a new single-family home or duplex, plus administrative charge and surcharge⁹. Septic systems and private wells go through the Health Department's Water Quality & Septic Tank Program at 1826 Sycamore View Road, Memphis, TN 38134, 901-222-9572^4,6.

The Unified Development Code governs zoning and subdivision regulations in unincorporated Shelby County³. Memphis also uses the UDC; Germantown has its own zoning code^17,18. Septic permits in both cities stay with the Shelby County Health Department^4,19. For unincorporated land, zoning changes, planned developments and special-use applications pass through the Land Use Control Board before the Shelby County Board of Commissioners²⁰. Find the parcel’s district in the Zoning Atlas and check overlay restrictions^20,21. Setbacks depend on district: single-family R districts use UDC Chapter 3.6, multifamily RU districts Chapter 3.7, and other districts Chapter 3.10; recorded plat setbacks supersede those provisions²². Minimum lot size varies by district, and a lot created by deed after March 1, 1989 requires one-lot subdivision approval²². Height limits may also depend on an official height map²¹. Ask Land Use and Development Services to confirm the parcel’s use and dimensional standards before designing¹⁴.

The Shelby County Health Department’s Water Quality & Septic Tank Program handles septic permits throughout Shelby County⁴. Constructing, altering, extending or repairing a subsurface sewage disposal system requires a county permit before work begins⁵. A house that will use septic also needs approval of septic plans and lot suitability before house construction⁴. The application processing fee is $175 for a general system or $300 for an LPP, mound or alternative system; fees are due in advance and nonrefundable¹¹. Tennessee recognizes Shelby County as a contract county with local septic services, while installer credentials have statewide requirements; ask the Health Department to confirm installer eligibility and arrange the required inspection^4,7,23. Only about 14.7% of Shelby County’s soils lack severe limits for a conventional drain field, so arrange a site-specific soil evaluation early¹⁰.

We could not confirm a countywide rule for living in an RV or tiny home on an individually owned lot in unincorporated Shelby County¹⁵. The Unified Development Code governs land use in unincorporated Shelby County, but the answer may depend on the parcel's zoning district and the proposed type of dwelling^3,24. Before buying land or placing a unit, ask Land Use and Development Services how the specific zoning district treats an RV, tiny home or manufactured home as a residence; that office processes zoning and other land-development applications throughout Shelby County^14,15.

1. Find the unincorporated parcel's district in the Zoning Atlas, then confirm its uses and dimensional standards with Land Use and Development Services^15,20.
2. If public sewer is unavailable, secure county approval of the septic plans and lot suitability before house construction, then obtain the Health Department permit before septic work begins⁴.
3. Apply to the same Health Department program if the project needs a private well⁶.
4. Obtain a county driveway permit before installing access from a public roadway; a residential driveway permit costs $10²⁵. A driveway on state highway right-of-way instead requires a TDOT permit²⁶.
5. Apply through Construction Enforcement before regulated work begins; residential review includes checking the subdivision plat, lot and setbacks^1,27.
6. An owner-builder may receive one permit every two years for a personal residence that is not for sale, lease or rent; anyone paid more than $25,000 is treated as a prime contractor and must be licensed^8,28.
7. Schedule required building inspections through Construction Enforcement; ask the Health Department who must inspect and approve the septic installation^2,4,23.

Get a soil evaluation early: only about 14.7% of Shelby County's soils lack severe limits for a conventional septic drain field, so a parcel may need a different system design¹⁰. Check the Zoning Atlas for the parcel's district and look for overlay or special-purpose restrictions before assuming a proposed use will fit^20,21. Review the recorded subdivision plat and ask Land Use and Development Services to confirm lot, setback and height standards; the county verifies plat setbacks during residential permit review rather than applying one confirmed countywide number^14,21,27. A driveway from a county-jurisdiction public road needs a Shelby County permit, while state-highway access needs a TDOT permit^25,26. The effective property-tax rate is about 1%, with a median annual bill near $2,376¹⁰.