Frequently Asked Questions

Applications for a building permit are made at the Building Inspector’s office located at:
Courthouse Annex
233 E Gay Street
Lebanon, TN 37087

Building permits are issued on-site. This office does not offer online permitting options.

Permits must be applied for by a licensed contractor or the property owner themselves.

A checklist for items needed to apply for a building permit can be found on the Building Inspector / Codes Department page. To avoid delays, all items must be on hand and presented in person for an application to be made.

Yes, fees for a building permit and/or an adequate facilities tax are collected in full at the time of application.  Residential permits are based on $0.70 per square foot (includes living areas, attached garage, finished or unfinished bonus rooms, sunrooms, and finished or unfinished basements) along with a $5,000 Adequate Facilities Tax for new construction. Adequate Facilities Tax must be paid with a separate check. Effective July 1, 2019, Building Permit Fees will be based on the following:

• All of the following will be permitted at a flat $100:
  • Above-ground pools
  • Utility permits
  • Signs
  • Porches
  • Decks
  • Patios
  • Accessory structures that are moved onto the property (prebuilt/prefab) and under 1,000 square feet
• All accessory structures that will be built on-site and are over 1000 square feet will be permitted at a fee of $0.10 per square foot.

Substantial progress shall be determined by the request for and approval of subsequent required inspections from and by the Building Inspector respectively. In no case shall an active building permit for a residential dwelling last longer than 24 months without having received a certificate of occupancy or other final approval as outlined with the Wilson County Zoning Ordinance. If a permit recipient for a residential dwelling perceives that their construction project may last longer than 24 months, then special relief or variance from this provision will be required and the permit recipient will need to seek such relief from the Wilson County Board of Zoning Appeals.

Those desiring to submit a complaint may do so by coming by the office and filling out a complaint form in its entirety or you can fill out the Online Complaint Form.

Note: Complaints are not taken over the phone. If a property is found to be non-compliant with the Wilson County Zoning Ordinance, this office will notify the property owner of the violation and give them a deadline to come into compliance. If correspondence fails to get results, the violation is turned over to the Wilson County Attorney.