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Rutherford County

Rutherford County Building Codes Department

In short

Rutherford County Building Codes Department issues 2 permits we publish for Rutherford County, last verified 2026-10-08. Each carries the fee as the agency publishes it, with a link to the schedule it was read from.

What this agency issues

Permits required, with issuing agency, fee, renewal term and the date each record was last verified against its source
Commercial Building PermitRutherford County Building Codes DepartmentPermit fee by total valuation: $1–$500 = $24; $501–$2,000 = $24 + $3 per additional $100; $2,001–$40,000 = $69 + $11 per additional $1,000; $40,001–$100,000 = $487 + $9 per additional $1,000; $100,001–$500,000 = $1,027 + $7 per additional $1,000; $500,001–$1,000,000 = $3,827 + $5 per additional $1,000; $1,000,001–$5,000,000 = $6,327 + $3 per additional $1,000; over $5,000,000 = $18,327 + $1 per additional $1,000. Commercial plans review: $125 (minor: additions under 10% of existing floor area, or shell-only); all others 20% of the permit fee.void if work is not started within 180 days of issue2026-10-08
School Facilities Tax — New Commercial Floor Areaonly if it applies to youRutherford County Building Codes Department$1.50 per square foot of new commercial floor area, on up to 150,000 square feet per structureone-time, per new building or addition2026-10-08

Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.

About each permit

Commercial Building Permit

As presented on the Rutherford County Building Codes Forms page, which links it under 'Fee Schedules' as the 'Commercial Permit Fee Schedule', the county's Schedule of Commercial Building Permit Fees sets the permit fee from the project's total valuation in eight brackets, from $24 for up to $500 of valuation to $18,327 plus $1 per additional $1,000 above $5,000,000, and a commercial plans review fee of $125 for minor work (additions under 10% of existing floor area, or shell-only) or 20% of the permit fee for all other projects. The sheet itself prints no adoption date. The county Building Code FAQ states that failure to obtain a permit before work starts results in 'a Double Permit Fee being assessed as adopted by the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners', and that a permit becomes invalid if work is not started within 180 days of issue. The codes resolution adopted by the Board of Commissioners on 14 May 2026 applies the 2024 International Building, Fire, Mechanical, Plumbing and related codes in unincorporated Rutherford County and, in its words, 'within those incorporated municipalities that have not otherwise adopted applicable building codes'. The Commercial Permits page says any business that plans to build or renovate needs building permits before construction and occupancy, and that new or altered exterior signs need prior approval and permits. A certificate of occupancy is required before the space is used. Contact Building Codes at 615-898-7734.

School Facilities Tax — New Commercial Floor Area

The county's School Facilities Tax page states that the Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution on 12 September 2024 under the County Powers Relief Act (T.C.A. § 67-4-2901 et seq.) and that, effective 1 October 2024, a School Facilities Tax is levied 'on all new commercial development at a rate of one dollar and fifty cents ($1.50) per square foot of floor area up to 150,000 square feet per structure'. The tax applies throughout the county, including inside Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne and Eagleville, whichever government issues the building permit. The county's Collection Policy (adopted by the Commission on 13 March 2025, per the same page) defines floor area as heated or air-conditioned gross floor area, requires the application and drawings to be filed with County Building Codes before a building permit is obtained, and lists exceptions including public buildings, places of worship, agricultural barns, replacement of buildings destroyed by fire or disaster, and buildings owned by 501(c)(3) non-profits. The page states that the liability is paid on completion of the building but before any certificate of occupancy is issued, at the rate in force when the permit was issued. Contact County Building Codes at 615-898-7734.

Contact

Jurisdiction
Rutherford County
Phone
615-898-7734

Contact details are taken from the agency’s own site or its published fee schedule. Where we have not verified a phone number we leave it blank rather than guess.

Sources

Every fee and term above was read from one of these government pages on the date shown.

  1. Building Codes — Commercial PermitsRutherford County Building Codes Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  2. Building Codes — Forms (links the 'Commercial Permit Fee Schedule')Rutherford County Building Codes Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  3. Building Codes — Frequently Asked Questions (double permit fee; permit expiration)Rutherford County Building Codes Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  4. Resolution adopting the 2024 International Codes (adopted 14 May 2026)Rutherford County Board of Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  5. Rutherford County Schools Facilities Tax Collection PolicyRutherford County Board of Commissioners · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  6. Schedule of Commercial Building Permit FeesRutherford County Building Codes Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08
  7. School Facilities Tax — changes effective October 1, 2024Rutherford County Building Codes Department · primary source · retrieved 2026-10-08

Other offices serving Rutherford County

The full permit list for this jurisdiction

Industry permit lists that include this agency

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Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.