Administrative overview · FIPS 47005
Benton 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
State 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 State 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
Benton County Government; Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, State Fire Marshal’s Office for optional state residential inspections
For a project in or near Benton 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
731-584-6011; Tennessee State Fire Marshal residential permit information: 615-741-7170
Call before mobilizing if the project has a boundary, occupancy, fire, septic, or utility question.
Permit counter
Benton County Government, 1 Courthouse Square, Camden, TN 38320
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 Benton County
Who handles permitting for this jurisdiction?
This record is marked State 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 731-584-6011; Tennessee State Fire Marshal residential permit information: 615-741-7170.
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?
For a voluntary state inspection, purchase/service the residential permit and request inspections through Tennessee CORE at https://access.cloud.commerce.tn.gov/portal or email SFMO.permits-licensing@tn.gov with the full permit number and ready-for-inspection date. State inspections cover foundation before pouring, framing/rough-in and final construction, with plumbing/mechanical checks at rough-in and final; one free reinspection is available, and additional reinspections require fees.
Which codes and exemptions should I review?
Benton County is identified as an opt-out/non-code jurisdiction for one- and two-family residential construction; the county’s official site does not identify a county building-code department. If an owner elects a state inspection, Tennessee’s State Fire Marshal program uses the 2018 International Residential Code and 2018 International Energy Conservation Code for residential permits, while Tennessee’s currently adopted statewide commercial/fire codes include the 2021 IBC, IFGC, IMC, IPC, IPMC and IFC. Municipalities within Benton County may enforce their own codes. Because Benton County has opted out of statewide residential-code enforcement, no county residential building permit is identified for unincorporated areas. A voluntary state residential permit is available for an owner seeking State Fire Marshal inspection and a certificate of occupancy. Under the state program, detached garages, sheds, barns and other detached non-living structures generally do not require a residential permit; additions over 30 square feet do, while manufactured/modular-home installation itself does not require a state residential permit unless custom site work such as a deck, patio or stoop is included. City rules can differ.