Building permits, zoning and land rules in Wilson County, Tennessee

Unincorporated Wilson County requires building permits for residential new construction, additions, remodels that change structural loads, use or dwelling type, pools and accessory structures¹. Wilson County enforces the adopted residential, building, energy, plumbing, mechanical, fuel-gas and existing-building codes¹. A residential accessory structure no larger than 200 square feet skips the building permit but still needs a zoning permit; that exception does not make the structure an occupiable tiny home¹. Permitted construction requires inspections, and repeated failures bring escalating reinspection fees and a stop-work order after the third failure⁴. The project must pass final inspection and receive the Building Official's review before a Certificate of Occupancy is issued⁴.

The Wilson County Building Codes Department is at 233 E Gay Street, Courthouse Annex, Lebanon, TN 37087; call 615-444-3025 or email buildingcodes@wilsoncountytn.gov⁶. The owner of record or a state-licensed contractor may apply, with owner-signed, notarized documents required for a contractor application¹. Applications are not processed after 3:30 p.m².. Start with the Wilson County Zoning Division at 615-444-3025 option 2 because an approved Zoning Compliance Certificate comes before the building-permit application⁷. The Zoning Compliance Certificate costs $150 effective September 21, 2026, and the county directs applicants to ask for the current Adequate Facilities Tax schedule². An eligible owner-builder is limited to a home for personal use and one permit every two years, not a residence intended for sale, lease or rent⁵.

Wilson County applies zoning districts in unincorporated territory, and a Zoning Compliance Certificate must be approved before the building-permit application². In the R-1 Rural Residential district, an interior lot requires at least a 15-foot side yard for a principal structure and a 10-foot side yard for an accessory structure⁸. In the A-1 Agricultural district, a dwelling and its accessory buildings need at least 80,000 square feet whether or not public sewer is available, principal and accessory structures must sit at least 60 feet from the right-of-way of an arterial street, and a principal structure needs a rear yard of at least 40 feet^9,10,11. In R-1, a lot with public water but no public sewer needs at least 40,000 square feet, and TDEC can require more¹⁰. Ask the Zoning Division to identify the parcel's district and confirm its dwelling size, height, lot coverage and any other setbacks because standards differ by district². A residential accessory structure no larger than 200 square feet still needs a zoning permit even though it is exempt from a building permit¹. Outside city urban-growth boundaries, a division under five acres needs Planning Commission approval to become a buildable tract of record¹².

TDEC administers septic permitting in Wilson County³. A Septic System Construction Permit is required for a new, modified or repaired system³. After installation, the installer must notify TDEC so the system can receive final inspection before it is covered¹³. An existing septic system shown on a subdivision plat also needs an inspection letter addressing its current status; a malfunctioning system must be repaired while adequate duplicate soil area is maintained¹⁴. Only about 4.3% of Wilson County soils are rated without severe limits for a conventional drain field, so establish septic feasibility before committing to a house site¹⁵. Where a subdivision is not required to connect to public water or sewer, an alternate system needs approval and must meet public-health requirements¹⁴.

Wilson County requires a zoning permit when an RV is set up as a primary residence, with a published $0.70-per-square-foot charge and a $5,000 Adequate Facilities Tax if applicable². Ask the Zoning Division about the parcel's district, placement, hookups and duration because the published RV rule does not answer those details². We could not confirm a general rule for temporary camping or a specific tiny-home occupancy standard; ask Zoning how the proposed tiny home is classified and what dwelling-size rule applies. The 200-square-foot accessory-structure exception is not a tiny-home occupancy exception, and the structure still requires a zoning permit¹. Off-grid wastewater is not an unrestricted alternative: where public systems are unavailable or connection is not required, an alternate private system must meet public-health rules and receive written approval¹⁴.

1. Confirm the parcel's zoning district and obtain the Zoning Compliance Certificate before applying for a building permit².
2. If the parcel was divided outside a city urban-growth boundary, confirm that it is a buildable tract of record; divisions under five acres need Planning Commission approval¹⁴.
3. Ask the county floodplain administrator whether the site needs local review before development begins¹⁶.
4. Obtain the TDEC septic permit, then arrange the final installation inspection before the system is covered^3,13.
5. Apply as the owner of record or through a state-licensed contractor before the 3:30 p.m. cutoff^1,2.
6. Complete each required county inspection⁴.
7. Do not move in until final inspection and the Certificate of Occupancy⁴.

Confirm zoning, tract status, wastewater, flood review and access before treating land as build-ready. Outside city urban-growth boundaries, a division under five acres needs Planning Commission approval to become a buildable tract of record¹². Flood-prone land cannot be platted for residential occupancy or another use that increases the hazard, endangers people or property, or worsens erosion¹⁴. Only about 4.3% of county soils are rated without severe conventional drain-field limits¹⁵. A driveway on state-highway right-of-way needs a TDOT entrance permit; subdivision driveways for developer-built houses must also be cut, drained and equipped with necessary drainage works^14,17. We could not confirm the general rule for a new driveway on a county road, so ask the county before work begins. The effective property-tax rate is about 0.4%, with a median annual bill near $1,743¹⁵.