Administrative overview · FIPS 47003
Bedford County permit authority
The first compliance decision is jurisdictional: identify the office with statutory authority over your parcel, then use its filing and inspection sequence to keep the project moving.
Jurisdictional status
Municipal Fallback
This profile identifies a handoff outside the county’s ordinary structural permitting lane.
Required jurisdiction check
Confirm the controlling local or state authority before filing.
The record is marked Municipal Fallback. That means the county profile should be treated as a routing brief: incorporated municipalities, a state building department, or a state fire marshal may control plan review, permits, and inspections. Contact the named agency below and verify the parcel’s jurisdiction before paying a fee or scheduling field work.
Responsible agency
Bedford County Building & Codes Department / Planning and Zoning Department
For a project in or near Bedford County, this office is the identified point of contact for permit intake, statutory code enforcement, plan review coordination, and inspection release conditions. Confirm the parcel’s boundary and project type before relying on the county lane.
Direct contact
931-685-1336
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Bedford County Building & Codes Department, 1 Public Square, Suite 301, Shelbyville, TN 37160
Operating hours
Operating hours not verified
Review expectation
Ask the agency for its current review estimate
Compliance workbench
Choose the next project decision.
Apply online
Open the verified digital gateway, application form, and review timeline.
Open guide →Fees & penalties
Understand fee schedules, enforcement exposure, and stop-work liabilities.
Open guide →Codes & exemptions
Read the code framework, minor-work exemptions, and inspection lane.
Open guide →Agency website
Visit the primary public source for current notices and contact changes.
Open guide →Source trail
Official sources for this profile
Use these direct agency or licensing links to confirm current instructions before you file, pay, or schedule work. External pages control if their information differs from this directory.
Project questions
Frequently asked questions for Bedford County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked Municipal Fallback. Confirm whether a city, state agency, or other local authority controls the parcel before filing.
How should I begin an application?
Begin with the online permit gateway listed in the application guide. If the portal does not recognize the address or project type, contact 931-685-1336.
How long might review take?
A typical review timeline was not verified. Ask the agency for its current completeness and review estimate.
How are inspections scheduled?
The permit application directs applicants to the Building & Codes Department at 931-685-1336 (Ext. 2 is shown on the form) for permit and inspection coordination. Building inspections must be passed before the county issues a Certificate of Occupancy; the county’s public SmartGov portal provides code-enforcement/request functions, but no separate online inspection-booking instructions were located.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
As of 2026, Bedford County’s adopted residential code is the 2021 International Residential Code with county amendments and deletions, effective February 1, 2025. The resolution makes the IRC interchangeable with the IBC, IECC, IMC, IFGC and IPC for residential work; the county also adopted the 2021 International Fire Code effective January 1, 2025, with applicable Tennessee requirements. The county’s 2021 IRC amendments exempt roof-covering replacement when roof decking or framing is not replaced; replacement of a gas appliance/equipment with the same input BTU when installed by a Tennessee-licensed installer; and replacement of an HVAC unit when capacity and fuel source do not change. The county deleted the IRC deck exemption, so decks should be treated as permit-required. The application also requires tax card/map, plans, and—when applicable—invoices for mobile homes, pools, solar panels and ready-built sheds, septic approval and contractor license/worker’s compensation proof.