Do I need a permit for a retaining wall in Nashville, TN?

Short answer: We could not confirm from an official source whether a retaining wall needs a permit in Nashville, TN; check with Metro Nashville & Davidson County Department of Codes & Building Safety before you start.

Last verified: 2026-10-19 · Confidence: low · Status: Unverified, confirm locally

Not legal advice. Always confirm with your local building department. Rules change, and your parcel's zoning, HOA, historic district, floodplain or utility work can change the answer. We show the official source and the date we last checked it so you can verify for yourself.

Unverified, confirm locally Confidence: low

Unverified: We did not find an official Nashville statement on retaining wall permits that we could quote.

Note: Unverified, confirm locally.

Cost

Fee not extracted; see Metro Codes fees. Unverified, confirm locally

Fee source: https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/construction-and-permits/residential-building-permits

Where to apply

Metro Nashville Department of Codes & Building Safety (residential permits)

Permitting authority: Metro Nashville & Davidson County Department of Codes & Building Safety. Covers Metro Nashville-Davidson County; satellite cities inside the county may issue their own permits, so confirm locally. Historic overlays need Historical Commission review. The Codes "may or may not require a permit" list is dated April 4, 2011. See also: how to apply for a building permit.

Official sources

Verified: 2026-10-19 · Status: unverified · Confidence: low

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Other projects in Nashville

Retaining wall permits in other cities

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