Shelby County, Tennessee requires local building permits for new construction and alterations through the Memphis & Shelby County Construction Enforcement office12. The Unified Development Code supplies the zoning and subdivision rules for unincorporated Shelby County34. Septic systems and private wells go through the Shelby County Health Department's Water Quality & Septic Tank Program56.
At a glance
- Building permit
- Required; issued locally by Memphis & Shelby County Construction Enforcement, not the state's residential permit program1
- Zoning
- Yes, under the Unified Development Code, covering Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County3
- Septic permit
- Required through the Shelby County Health Department's Water Quality & Septic Tank Program7
- Owner-builder exemption
- Yes; Tennessee lets an owner take one building permit every two years for their own home, not for sale or rent89
- Well permit
- Required through the same Health Department office that permits septic systems10
- New single-family home permit fee (minimum)
- $125 minimum, plus $0.07 per square foot and a small administrative charge and surcharge11
- Septic-suitable soils
- About 14.7% of the county's soils lack severe limits for a conventional drain field12
- Property tax
- About 1% effective rate; median bill around $2,376/year1314
Who to call
Building permits
Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, Construction Enforcement Office
Reviews plans, issues building/electrical/mechanical/plumbing permits and inspects construction for Memphis, Arlington, Germantown, Lakeland, Millington and unincorporated Shelby County
6465 Mullins Station Rd, Memphis, TN 38134
Codes & inspections
Memphis & Shelby County Construction Enforcement (coverage area)
Confirms which jurisdictions the county's local construction-permitting program covers
Building permits
Shelby County Building Permit Fee Schedule (Construction Enforcement)
Publishes Shelby County's own local residential and commercial building-permit fee schedule, distinct from Tennessee's statewide residential permit fee table
Planning & zoning
Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, Downtown Office
General contact point for the Division of Planning and Development, including Land Use and Development Services and Comprehensive Planning
125 N Main St #477, Memphis, TN 38103
Planning & zoning
Land Use and Development Services (Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning and Development)
Processes zoning-change and subdivision applications and other land development actions throughout Memphis and Shelby County
Zoning
Unified Development Code (Memphis & Shelby County zoning and subdivision code)
Serves as the zoning code and subdivision regulations for the City of Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County
Septic permits
Shelby County Health Department, Water Quality & Septic Tank Program
Permits construction, alteration, extension or repair of subsurface sewage disposal (septic) systems in Shelby County
1826 Sycamore View Road, Memphis, TN 38134
Well permits
Shelby County Health Department, Water Quality & Septic Tank Program (Water Well Permitting)
Permits installation, modification, repair or abandonment of private water wells in Shelby County
1826 Sycamore View Road, Memphis, TN 38134
Roads & driveways
Directs applications for driveway, floodplain-development and right-of-way construction permits in unincorporated Shelby County
Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on September 27, 2026.
Do you need a building permit in Shelby County, Tennessee?
Yes, for new construction and most alterations, but the permit isn't Tennessee's statewide residential permit; Shelby County runs its own local program through Construction Enforcement, covering Memphis, Arlington, Germantown, Lakeland, Millington and unincorporated Shelby County alike12. Tennessee's State Fire Marshal residential building permit only applies in jurisdictions that haven't adopted local codes, and Shelby County has adopted and enforces its own state-mandated building codes locally, so the state's separate permit process and fee table don't apply here1516. Detached garages, sheds, barns and other detached structures not used for living purposes are exempt from the state's residential permit program, but confirm with Construction Enforcement whether that exemption also applies to Shelby's own local permit before you build without one1716.
Who issues building permits in Shelby County, and how do you reach them?
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) 222-830016. Before you apply, confirm your zoning district and whether the project needs a zoning approval letter; that's handled by Land Use and Development Services, reachable at the division's Downtown Office, 125 N Main St #477, Memphis, TN 38103, (901) 636-73841819. Budget using Shelby County's own local fee schedule rather than a statewide number: a new single-family home or duplex carries a $125.00 minimum permit fee plus $0.07 per square foot, on top of a small administrative charge and surcharge11. If the property needs a septic system or a private well instead of public utilities, that's a separate office entirely: the Shelby County Health Department's Water Quality & Septic Tank Program, 1826 Sycamore View Road, Memphis, TN 38134, 901-222-95722010.
Does Shelby County have zoning?
Yes: the Unified Development Code serves as the zoning code and subdivision regulations for both the City of Memphis and unincorporated Shelby County, so the same rulebook governs district, use, setback and subdivision questions whether or not the parcel is inside city limits34. Land Use and Development Services processes the zoning-change and subdivision applications that this code requires, and county zoning authority for the unincorporated area comes from a specific state delegation, Tennessee Code Annotated §§ 13-7-101 through 13-7-119, under which the General Assembly gave county legislative bodies the power to enact zoning regulations and create a board of zoning appeals1921. If your land is unincorporated and used for agriculture, a building incidental to that agricultural enterprise can be exempt from county zoning regulation, though that exemption doesn't apply to municipalities, doesn't cover land in the hundred-year floodplain, and doesn't apply near state or federal-aid highways, public airports or public parks22.
How do septic permits work in Shelby County?
Any construction, alteration, extension or repair of a subsurface sewage disposal system in Shelby County needs a permit from the Health Department's Water Quality & Septic Tank Program520. Tennessee also requires a Septic System Construction Permit before installation or repair; statewide review generally takes about 10 days and must be completed within 45 days23. A new conventional system costs $400 up to 1,000 gallons per day of design flow, plus $100 for each additional 1,000 gallons per day23. Only about 14.7% of Shelby County's soils lack severe limits for a conventional drain field, so arrange the site and soil evaluation early rather than assuming a conventional system will fit12. A private well requires a separate application to the same Water Quality Branch and Septic Tank Program for installation, modification, repair or abandonment610.
Can you live in an RV or tiny home on your land in Shelby County?
We could not confirm a countywide rule for living in an RV or tiny home on an individually owned Shelby County lot. 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 dwelling34. 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 County1918.
What are the steps to build a home in Shelby County?
- Confirm the zoning district and any required zoning approval with Land Use and Development Services before finalizing a design19.
- If public sewer is unavailable, apply for a Septic System Construction Permit through the Health Department's Water Quality & Septic Tank Program523.
- Apply to the same Health Department program if the project needs a private well6.
- Apply for the building permit through Construction Enforcement; a new single-family home or duplex has a $125.00 minimum fee plus $0.07 per square foot1611.
- 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 licensed9.
- Complete the inspections required by Construction Enforcement2.
- For unincorporated land, driveway, floodplain-development and right-of-way construction permit applications go through the Develop901 Citizen Portal2425. A driveway on state highway right-of-way separately requires a TDOT Highway Entrance Permit26.
What should you check before buying land in Shelby County?
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 design before the Health Department will approve it1220. Confirm whether an agricultural building on unincorporated land qualifies for Tennessee's agricultural zoning exemption, which does not apply within the hundred-year floodplain or near state or federal-aid highways, public airports or public parks22. The nearest city of 100,000 or more is about 10 miles from the county center, while county population density is about 1,197 people per square mile2728. For unincorporated land, county driveway and floodplain-development permits are applied for online through the Develop901 Citizen Portal2425. A driveway on state highway right-of-way also needs a TDOT Highway Entrance Permit26. The effective property-tax rate is about 1%, with a median annual bill near $2,3761314.
Watch-outs
- Don't use Tennessee's statewide residential permit fee table for Shelby County; the county runs its own local Construction Enforcement program with its own fee schedule instead1129.
- We could not confirm countywide rules for RV, tiny-home or manufactured-home occupancy on an individually owned lot; ask Land Use and Development Services about the parcel and proposed use before moving a unit onto the land19.
- The septic-soils figure (14.7%) is a countywide average; get a site-specific evaluation from the Health Department rather than assuming every parcel needs the same system design12.
Sources
- DEVELOP 901 - Construction Enforcement (2026 county census)
- Memphis & Shelby County Construction Enforcement (coverage area) (develop901.com)
- DEVELOP 901 - Unified Development Code (2026 county census)
- Unified Development Code (Memphis & Shelby County zoning and subdivision code) (develop901.com)
- Septic Tank Permitting Process, quoted and re-checked
- Water Well Permitting Process, quoted and re-checked
- Septic Tank Permitting Process (2026 county census)
- Tennessee Code § 62-6-103 - Owner Exemption (2026 county census)
- Can I build my own home without a license? (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Shelby County Health Department, Water Quality & Septic Tank Program (Water Well Permitting) (shelbytnhealth.com)
- Shelby County Building Permit Fee Schedule (Construction Enforcement) (shelbycountytn.gov)
- Share of soils without severe limits for a conventional septic drain field (USDA SSURGO): Bolthole Index county data
- Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
- Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data
- Residential Permit FAQs (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, Construction Enforcement Office (develop901.com)
- Residential Permits (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning and Development, Downtown Office (develop901.com)
- Land Use and Development Services (Memphis & Shelby County Division of Planning and Development) (develop901.com)
- Shelby County Health Department, Water Quality & Septic Tank Program (shelbytnhealth.com)
- Tennessee Attorney General Opinion No. 10-108 (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Exemption from County Zoning Regulation for Buildings on Land Used for Agriculture, Opinion No. 22-07 (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Septic System Construction Permit (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- County Engineering, quoted and re-checked
- Shelby County Engineering (shelbycountytn.gov)
- Highway Entrance Permits (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
- Distance to the nearest metro area: Bolthole Index county data
- Population density: Bolthole Index county data
- Residential Building Permit Fees (Tennessee statewide rule), quoted and re-checked
Written September 27, 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.