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Home / Tennessee Permits / Memphis

Building Permits in Memphis, Tennessee

City in Shelby County
Verified August 2026
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Adopted Construction Codes

These are the state-level code editions for Tennessee. They apply in Memphisunless a verified local adoption or amendment is noted — in local-adoption states, confirm the city or county's own code editions with the building department.

CodeEditionAdoption
IBC — International Building Code2021 IBCTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-02 (Rules of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention — Adopted Codes and Standards), authority T.C.A. s 68-120-101 et seq. The codified rule as revised April 2025 is published at https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/0780/0780-02/0780-02-02.20250417.pdf — NOT READ: that host returns HTTP 403 to this project's fetcher (first recorded run 343, re-confirmed run 402 on two different paths). · source ↗
IEBC — International Existing Building Code2021 IEBCTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-02-.01 (Rules of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention -- Standards for Building Construction Safety; Adoption by Reference), chapter 0780-02-02 as revised by the rulemaking hearing rule filing effective April 17, 2025; statutory authority T.C.A. s 68-120-101 et seq. ADOPTION ESTABLISHED FROM THE ADMINISTERING AGENCY'S OWN PUBLISHED ADOPTION LIST, NOT FROM THE CODIFIED RULE: the State Fire Marshal's Office "State Codes Adoption & History" page (read first-hand 2026-09-26) states verbatim "International Existing Building Code (IEBC): 2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC)", effective 4/17/2025, WITH AMENDMENTS. The codified chapter PDF at https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/0780/0780-02/0780-02-02.20250417.pdf REMAINS UNREAD -- publications.tnsosfiles.com returns HTTP 403 to this project's fetcher (runs 343, 402, 426 and again 2026-09-26; the mirror path tnsos.org/rules/... also 403). verified_at THEREFORE LEFT NULL BY DESIGN: the edition and effective date are the administering agency's own statement, but the adopting instrument itself has not been read. · source ↗
IECC — International Energy Conservation CodeTWO DIFFERENT IECC EDITIONS ARE IN FORCE IN TENNESSEE AT THE SAME TIME, SPLIT BY OCCUPANCY, AND A SINGLE-EDITION ANSWER IS WRONG FOR HALF THE STATE'S BUILDINGS. COMMERCIAL: the International Energy Conservation Code, 2021 edition, quoted verbatim from the State Fire Marshal's Office as "The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), 2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC)". RESIDENTIAL (one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes): the IECC, 2018 EDITION, quoted verbatim as "For one- and two-family dwellings and townhomes, the IECC, 2018 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC), with amendments" — THREE YEARS BEHIND THE COMMERCIAL CODE, and note the "with amendments" rider attaches to the RESIDENTIAL adoption specifically. NOT the 2024 IECC in either case. *** verified_at IS DELIBERATELY LEFT NULL — the codified rule could not be read; see amendments field.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-02 (Rules of the Tennessee Dept. of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention — Adopted Codes and Standards; COMMERCIAL IECC 2021) and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-23 (Standards for One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Townhouses; RESIDENTIAL IECC 2018 with amendments), as revised effective 2025-04-17; statutory authority T.C.A. s 68-120-101 et seq.; local certification, audit and two-thirds-vote residential exemption structure at T.C.A. 68-120-101 et seq. · source ↗
IFC — 2021 IFCTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-02 (Rules of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention — Codes and Standards), as revised by the rulemaking hearing rule filing effective April 17, 2025; statutory authority T.C.A. s 68-120-101 et seq. Codified chapter PDF: https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/0780/0780-02/0780-02-02.20250417.pdf ; as-filed rule filing: https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules_filings/01-17-25.pdf — NEITHER READ: publications.tnsosfiles.com returns HTTP 403 to this project's fetcher on EVERY .pdf path (re-confirmed run 426 on four distinct PDF URLs). · source ↗
IFGC — International Fuel Gas Code2021 IFGCTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-02-.01 (Rules of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention -- Standards for Building Construction Safety; Adoption by Reference), chapter 0780-02-02 as revised by the rulemaking hearing rule filing effective April 17, 2025; statutory authority T.C.A. s 68-120-101 et seq. ADOPTION ESTABLISHED FROM THE ADMINISTERING AGENCY'S OWN PUBLISHED ADOPTION LIST, NOT FROM THE CODIFIED RULE: the State Fire Marshal's Office "State Codes Adoption & History" page (read first-hand 2026-09-26) states verbatim "International Fuel Gas Code (IFGC): 2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC)", effective 4/17/2025, AND -- UNLIKE THE IBC, IRC, IPMC, IFC, IECC AND IEBC ENTRIES ON THE SAME LIST -- CARRIES NO "with amendments" RIDER. The codified chapter PDF at https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/0780/0780-02/0780-02-02.20250417.pdf REMAINS UNREAD -- publications.tnsosfiles.com returns HTTP 403 to this project's fetcher (runs 343, 402, 426 and again 2026-09-26; the mirror path tnsos.org/rules/... also 403). verified_at THEREFORE LEFT NULL BY DESIGN: the edition and effective date are the administering agency's own statement, but the adopting instrument itself has not been read. · source ↗
IMC — International Mechanical Code2021 IMC — statewide, adopted by the State Fire Marshal's Office. NOT the 2024 IMC. Tennessee's statewide construction standards are a floor that a municipality can displace: under T.C.A. 68-120-101 et seq. a city may certify that it has adopted and adequately enforces its own current ICC Residential, Building and Fire codes (audited by the SFMO at least every three years), and the state code re-applies if the local codes fall more than seven years out of date or enforcement is found inadequate; municipalities may also exempt one- and two-family dwellings by a two-thirds vote of the governing body, the exemption lapsing 180 days after the next general municipal election unless renewed. So the 2021 IMC is what governs where no qualifying local code is in force.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-02-.01 (Rules of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention — Standards for Building Construction Safety; Adoption by Reference), authority T.C.A. 68-120-101 et seq. Codified rule PDF: https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/0780/0780-02/0780-02-02.20250417.pdf — NOT YET READ, that host returns HTTP 403 to this project's fetcher (see run 343 notes). · source ↗
IPC — International Plumbing Code2021 IPCTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-02-.01 (auth. T.C.A. § 68-120-101 et seq.) · source ↗
IPMC — 2021 IPMCTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-02-.01 (Rules of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention -- Standards for Building Construction Safety; Adoption by Reference), chapter 0780-02-02 as revised by the rulemaking hearing rule filing effective April 17, 2025; statutory authority T.C.A. s 68-120-101 et seq. ADOPTION ESTABLISHED FROM THE ADMINISTERING AGENCY'S OWN PUBLISHED ADOPTION LIST, NOT FROM THE CODIFIED RULE: the State Fire Marshal's Office "State Codes Adoption & History" page (read first-hand 2026-09-26) states verbatim "International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC): 2021 edition, published by the International Code Council (ICC)", effective 4/17/2025, with amendments. The codified chapter PDF at https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/rules/0780/0780-02/0780-02-02.20250417.pdf REMAINS UNREAD (HTTP 403 to this project's fetcher on both publications.tnsosfiles.com and tnsos.org). verified_at LEFT NULL BY DESIGN: the edition and effective date are the administering agency's own statement, but the adopting instrument itself has not been read. · source ↗
IRC — International Residential Code2018 IRCTenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-23-.02 (Adoption by Reference), chapter 0780-02-23, Standards for One- and Two-Family Dwellings and Townhouses; authority T.C.A. s. 68-120-101 (statewide building construction safety standards) · source ↗
NEC — National Electrical Code (NFPA 70)2017 NEC (NFPA 70)Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. ch. 0780-02-01 (Rules of the Tennessee Dept. of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Fire Prevention -- Electrical Installations), NFPA 70 2017 edition adopted by reference with amendments, eff. 3/19/2018; authority T.C.A. s 68-120-101 et seq. EXACT ADOPTION-BY-REFERENCE SECTION NUMBER WITHIN THE CHAPTER NOT PINNED -- the codified chapter PDF is unreachable (see amendments). · source ↗
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Published fee amounts by permit type, how Memphis calculates them, plan review and surcharges — quoted from the official fee schedule.
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Permit Requirements

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deck permit
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electrical permit
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fence permit
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reroof permit — not required
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retaining wall permit
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shed permit
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water heater permit
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Building Department

Building department website ↗

Apply online — Memphis permit portal ↗

Permit fee schedule ↗

Permit fees are set by the 2022 Fee Schedule published by the Memphis and Shelby County Division of Planning and Development. Residential building work carries a $50.00 application fee for new construction and additions or $25.00 for alterations, repairs and accessory work, plus $0.07 per square foot of new construction or addition, with a $125.00 minimum for a new single-family or duplex dwelling. Alteration and repair is $5.00 per $1,000 of valuation, $50.00 minimum and $325.00 maximum. A $4.00 data processing fee and a $1.00 residential surcharge are added to all permits.

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