The Davidson County Deck Permit Guide: Six Jurisdictions, Plus the Army Corps for Lake Properties

Davidson County is more complicated than most homeowners realize. Metro Nashville covers most of the county, but five separately incorporated satellite cities — Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville, and Oak Hill — operate independent codes departments inside the Metro boundary. Properties on Old Hickory Lake fall under federal Army Corps of Engineers jurisdiction in addition to Metro Codes. And the Metro Historical Commission administers more historic preservation overlays than any other quadrant of the state, with separate review requirements for properties inside those overlays.

Pulling a deck permit at the wrong jurisdiction is the single most common project-delay cause we see on new client projects in Davidson County. This guide is the verified reference, current as of April 2026, with every address, phone number, code edition, and process detail confirmed direct from each jurisdiction's official .gov source.

Why "Davidson County Permit" Doesn't Mean What You Think

The starting confusion in Davidson County is that most residents think of their address as "Nashville" and assume Metro Nashville issues all permits. The mailing address — Nashville TN with the relevant ZIP — usually does not tell you what jurisdiction issues your building permit.

Davidson County contains six distinct residential building permit jurisdictions:

  1. Metro Nashville/Davidson County — the metropolitan government covering most of the county.
  2. City of Belle Meade — incorporated city with its own building department.
  3. City of Berry Hill — incorporated city operating independently of Metro.
  4. City of Forest Hills — incorporated city operating independently of Metro.
  5. City of Goodlettsville — incorporated city straddling the Davidson-Sumner County line.
  6. City of Oak Hill — incorporated city operating independently of Metro.

Properties inside any of these five satellite city limits pull permits from that municipality. Properties outside the satellite cities — which is the vast majority of Davidson County by both land area and population — pull permits from Metro Nashville Codes Department.

There is a seventh consideration that affects properties along Old Hickory Lake: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District has shoreline jurisdiction over any structure that touches the lake's 451-foot maximum pool contour or extends over the water. Lake-adjacent decks require both Metro permits (or the relevant satellite city permit) and Army Corps shoreline permits.

Decision Tree: Which Jurisdiction Is Your Property In?

The fastest way to confirm jurisdiction is to look up your property on the Metro Nashville Property Assessor's GIS map. The property record shows whether the parcel falls inside the boundary of one of the five satellite cities. If yes, that city's codes department issues your permit. If no, Metro Codes issues your permit.

The general geographic pattern of the satellite cities:

  • Belle Meade — west of Hillsboro Road in the 37205 ZIP, including Belle Meade Boulevard, Tyne Boulevard, Page Road, and the surrounding pre-war estate streets.
  • Berry Hill — small commercial-heavy area south of downtown along 8th Avenue and Bransford Avenue (most projects in this area are commercial rather than residential).
  • Forest Hills — premium residential neighborhood south of Belle Meade off Hillsboro Pike, generally between Tyne Boulevard and Old Hickory Boulevard.
  • Goodlettsville — northern Davidson County extending into Sumner County along I-65 north.
  • Oak Hill — premium residential area south of downtown Nashville generally between Granny White Pike and Franklin Road, south of Harding Place.

For Old Hickory Lake-adjacent properties on the Davidson side, both Metro Codes and Army Corps shoreline jurisdiction apply.

Metro Nashville/Davidson County — 2024 IRC

Department: Department of Codes and Building Safety Address: 800 President Ronald Reagan Way, Nashville, TN 37203 Phone: 615-862-6500 Codes Hotline (violations): 615-862-6590 Hours: Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Closed weekends) Code Edition: 2024 International Residential Code (and full 2024 I-Codes suite), adopted under Ordinance BL2025-898 unanimously approved by Metro Council on July 15, 2025 Electrical Code: 2023 National Electrical Code Permit Process: Linked electronically to other Metro agencies (Water Services, Public Works, Fire Marshal) for coordinated review

Metro Nashville moved from the 2018 IRC to the 2024 IRC effective July 15, 2025. The 2024 edition tightened lateral load connection requirements, clarified ledger attachment specifications for cantilevered conditions, and added explicit guidance on guard infill at openings near grade-level changes. Decks designed to the prior 2018 IRC will receive review comments for the missing 2024 provisions.

The full adopted code suite as of 2026:

  • 2024 International Building Code
  • 2024 International Residential Code
  • 2024 International Existing Building Code
  • 2024 International Fuel/Gas Code
  • 2024 International Mechanical Code
  • 2024 International Plumbing Code
  • 2024 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code
  • 2024 International Energy Conservation Code
  • 2023 National Electrical Code
  • 2017 ICC A117.1

Construction hours within Metro jurisdiction: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. during most months. During June, July, and August construction is permitted from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. We schedule crew arrival to honor these limits.

The Department of Codes and Building Safety is the umbrella agency that coordinates the full permit process across Metro agencies. Electrical permits inside Metro Nashville are issued by Metro itself, not by the State of Tennessee — this is different from the unincorporated Williamson County arrangement where electrical goes through the state at core.tn.gov.

City of Belle Meade — Transitioning From 2018 IRC to 2024 IRC

Address: Belle Meade City Hall, 4705 Harding Pike, Nashville, TN 37205 Code Edition (current, April 2026): 2018 International Residential Code Code Edition (effective July 1, 2026): 2024 International Residential Code per Ordinance 2026-1 adopted April 15, 2026

The City of Belle Meade is in a code-transition window. The current code in force is the 2018 IRC, but Ordinance 2026-1 adopted by the Belle Meade City Commission on April 15, 2026 moves the city to the 2024 IRC effective July 1, 2026. Projects with permits filed before July 1 are reviewed under the 2018 IRC; projects filed after July 1 are reviewed under the 2024 IRC.

For homeowners planning Belle Meade projects in the May-June 2026 window, the timing of the permit submittal affects which code edition the project is reviewed under. We design projects to whichever edition will be in force at submittal time.

Belle Meade's permit elevation drawings requirement remains in effect under both code editions. The city's permit review takes architectural integration seriously and elevation drawings showing how the new deck integrates with the existing house elevations are part of the standard submittal package — a requirement that does not exist in most other Davidson jurisdictions.

For full Belle Meade-specific deck design context, see our Belle Meade deck builder service area page.

City of Berry Hill

Address: Berry Hill City Hall, 698 Thompson Lane, Nashville, TN 37204 Jurisdiction: Independent satellite city; permits administered locally rather than through Metro Codes

Berry Hill is a small satellite city primarily occupied by commercial property — recording studios, offices, restaurants, light retail along 8th Avenue South, Thompson Lane, and Bransford Avenue. Residential deck projects are uncommon inside Berry Hill's boundary because the housing stock within city limits is limited.

For the rare residential deck project inside Berry Hill, the Berry Hill City Hall handles permits independently of Metro Codes. We have not done significant residential project volume inside Berry Hill and recommend confirming current code edition and submittal requirements directly with the city's building department before drafting plans.

City of Forest Hills

Address: Forest Hills City Hall, 6300 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville, TN 37215 Jurisdiction: Independent satellite city; permits administered locally rather than through Metro Codes

Forest Hills is a premium residential satellite city covering a substantial geographic footprint south of Belle Meade between Tyne Boulevard and Old Hickory Boulevard, with Hillsboro Pike running through the middle. Most Forest Hills properties sit on larger lots in the Nashville premium tier — comparable to Belle Meade and Brentwood for residential character.

For Forest Hills deck projects, Forest Hills City Hall administers permits. The city's residential character is similar to Belle Meade — pre-war and mid-century estate stock with mature canopy and architectural-integration considerations on most projects. Confirm current code edition at submittal time.

City of Goodlettsville

Address: Goodlettsville City Hall, 105 South Main Street, Goodlettsville, TN 37072 Jurisdiction: Independent satellite city straddling Davidson-Sumner counties

Goodlettsville sits in the northern reach of Davidson County and extends across the line into Sumner County. The city operates its own building department for residential construction.

For Goodlettsville projects, the city administers permits. The mixed county jurisdiction means the property's specific county location affects some related considerations (school zoning, county property taxes) but the city handles building permits regardless of which county the parcel falls in.

City of Oak Hill

Address: Oak Hill City Hall, 5550 Franklin Pike, Nashville, TN 37220 Jurisdiction: Independent satellite city; permits administered locally

Oak Hill is a premium residential satellite city south of downtown Nashville generally between Granny White Pike and Franklin Pike, south of Harding Place. The community character is residential with mature canopy and substantial lot sizes — comparable to Forest Hills and Belle Meade for premium residential character.

For Oak Hill deck projects, Oak Hill City Hall administers permits. Confirm current code edition at submittal time.

The Old Hickory Lake / Army Corps of Engineers Wrinkle

Properties on the Davidson County side of Old Hickory Lake fall under two parallel permit jurisdictions: Metro Nashville Codes for the residential structure and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District for anything that touches the lake's normal pool elevation of 445 feet above mean sea level, the maximum pool of 451 feet, or extends over the water itself.

The Corps maintains a Shoreline Management Plan (last updated 2020) that defines what is permissible and what requires individual review. Boat docks, mooring posts, swim platforms, lakefront retaining walls, and deck cantilevers projecting beyond the property's upland portion all typically require Corps permits.

Metro Codes timeline for a complete deck permit submittal typically runs five to seven business days. Corps shoreline permit timelines run substantially longer — typically forty-five to ninety days depending on whether the project falls under nationwide permits or requires individual review. We file Corps applications first when the schedule allows so the upland deck work can proceed under the Metro permit while Corps-jurisdiction elements wait for federal approval.

For full Old Hickory Lake-specific context, see our Old Hickory Lake (Davidson side) deck builder page.

The Metro Historical Commission Overlays

Davidson County operates the most active historic preservation overlay program in Tennessee. The Metro Historical Commission administers nine major overlays in East Nashville and elsewhere across the county. Properties inside these overlays require Metro Historical Commission review of any exterior alteration visible from the public right-of-way before the building permit can be issued.

Historic Preservation Zoning Overlays (full review of materials, dimensions, and exterior alterations):

  • Edgefield Historic District (designated 1978, the city's first locally-zoned historic district)
  • Lockeland Springs Historic District
  • Eastwood Neighbors Historic District
  • Greenwood Historic District
  • Maxwell Heights Historic District
  • East End Historic District
  • Old Hickory Village Historic District (National Register Historic District covering the original 1918 DuPont planned community)

Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Overlays (lighter review focused on additions, demolitions, and street-visible alterations):

  • Cleveland Park Conservation Overlay
  • Belmont-Hillsboro Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Overlay (adopted under Ordinance BL2017-630 on March 7, 2017, with boundary expansion September 5, 2017)

The distinction between Historic Preservation Overlays and Conservation Overlays matters for what triggers MHZC review. In Historic Preservation Overlays, most exterior alterations require review. In Conservation Overlays, primarily additions, demolitions, and major street-visible alterations require review — back-of-house deck additions not visible from the street typically do not.

Review timelines for MHZC approval typically run thirty to sixty days from packet submittal to approval letter. The MHZC meets monthly. We file MHZC packets in parallel with the Metro Codes permit application when the project triggers overlay review.

For East Nashville-specific overlay context, see our East Nashville deck builder page. For Belmont-Hillsboro Conservation Overlay specifics, see our Belmont-Hillsboro page.

The Standard Submittal Package

The residential deck permit submittal package across Davidson County jurisdictions includes the following core documents:

The completed application for the specific jurisdiction. Each city has its own form. Metro Nashville uses its own form for properties in the unincorporated portion of the county.

Two stamped copies of the framing plan showing footing locations and depths, post sizes and locations, beam sizes and connections, joist sizes and spacing, ledger attachment details with lateral load connection per the current IRC R507, and railing system specifications.

The property survey or plot plan with the proposed deck footprint drawn at scale and the dimensions to property lines (setback distances) called out.

Manufacturer specifications for any composite or PVC decking, the railing system, and any specialty hardware. Manufacturer documentation supports both the warranty and the code review.

Elevation drawings for City of Belle Meade and any project requiring Metro Historical Commission review. Elevation drawings show how the new deck integrates with the existing house elevations from the most relevant viewing angles. This is not standard practice in most U.S. jurisdictions but it is the Belle Meade and MHZC standard.

The Metro Historical Commission approval letter for properties inside any of the nine overlay districts, when the project triggers MHZC review.

The Army Corps of Engineers shoreline permit for projects on Old Hickory Lake that cross the 451-foot contour or extend over the water.

A complete submittal that includes all relevant documents in a single package will move through review faster than a submittal that requires reviewers to ask for missing items.

Common Permit Mistakes That Slow Davidson County Projects

The most common reasons a Davidson County deck permit gets delayed:

Wrong jurisdiction. The homeowner files at Metro Codes when the property is inside one of the five satellite city limits, or files at a satellite city when the property is in Metro. The receiving department flags the application, the homeowner has to refile correctly, and the project loses a week or two.

Plans designed to the wrong code edition. Many contractor plan templates still reference the 2018 IRC (Metro's prior edition before July 2025). Plans submitted to Metro in 2026 designed to 2018 specifications will get review comments for the missing 2024 provisions.

Missing lateral load connection on the framing plan. R507 requires positive mechanical lateral load connection on every attached deck across the 2018, 2021, and 2024 IRC editions. Plans copying older designs without the lateral connection get sent back.

Missing MHZC approval for overlay-district properties. Building permits issued without MHZC approval can lead to stop-work orders if the Commission discovers the project mid-construction.

Missing Army Corps approval for lake-adjacent projects. The Corps does not coordinate automatically with Metro Codes. Projects that cross the 451-foot contour and proceed under the Metro permit alone face Corps enforcement separately.

Missing setback dimensions on the plot plan. All Davidson jurisdictions require deck footprint dimensions to property lines. Plans without dimensions are kicked back.

Inadequate manufacturer specifications. Generic "composite decking" descriptions miss the documentation requirement. Specific manufacturer and product line documentation is required.

Timeline From Contract to Final Inspection

The realistic timeline from signed contract to final inspection on a Davidson County deck project depends on jurisdiction, scope, and overlay involvement. A representative timeline:

  • Design and packet preparation: one to two weeks
  • MHZC overlay review (if applicable): thirty to sixty days
  • Building permit submittal and review: one to two weeks for Metro, similar for satellite cities
  • Army Corps shoreline review (if applicable for lake projects): forty-five to ninety days
  • Materials ordering and delivery: one to four weeks
  • Construction: one to four weeks (project-scope dependent)
  • Final inspection scheduling: one week
  • Total typical timeline: eight to fourteen weeks for non-overlay non-lake projects; twelve to twenty-plus weeks for overlay or lake-adjacent projects.

Quick Reference: Davidson County Jurisdictions at a Glance

Jurisdiction Code Edition Permit Office Address
Metro Nashville/Davidson County 2024 IRC (effective July 15, 2025) 800 President Ronald Reagan Way, Nashville TN 37203
City of Belle Meade 2018 IRC current / 2024 IRC effective July 1, 2026 4705 Harding Pike, Nashville TN 37205
City of Berry Hill (Verify with city) 698 Thompson Lane, Nashville TN 37204
City of Forest Hills (Verify with city) 6300 Hillsboro Pike, Nashville TN 37215
City of Goodlettsville (Verify with city) 105 South Main Street, Goodlettsville TN 37072
City of Oak Hill (Verify with city) 5550 Franklin Pike, Nashville TN 37220
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Old Hickory Lake) Federal shoreline jurisdiction at 451-foot contour Nashville District

This guide is a working reference produced by a Tennessee-licensed general contractor based on direct verification of each jurisdiction's published codes department information current as of April 2026. Code editions are updated periodically; permit fees and review timelines are subject to change. Verify current information at submittal time directly with the relevant jurisdiction.

For the companion Williamson County permit guide covering Franklin, Brentwood, Nolensville, Thompson's Station, and unincorporated Williamson County, see the Williamson County Deck Permit Guide.

Deck Craft TN GC #78722 Williamson County Chamber of Commerce member Building decks in Williamson County since 1999 615.555.0123 (please replace with current line) 231 Public Square, Franklin, TN 37064 deckcraftnashville.com