Deck Construction Permits in Knoxville

Local Rule

City of Knoxville Plans Review and Inspections

Knoxville's own exempt work list keeps detached decks exempt from a building permit only when not over 200 square feet, not more than 30 inches above grade, not attached to a dwelling, and not serving the required exit door. The city's own fee schedule sets plan review for a deck at 0.025 percent of project valuation with a distinctly lower $35 minimum, compared to the general $50 minimum that applies to other IRC plan reviews. The building permit fee itself runs 0.55 percent of valuation with a $50 minimum, and starting work without a permit is billed at the value of the permit fee, capped at $1,000 for a one or two family project.

Source · Verified September 2026

Knoxville Building Department

Hours and procedures can change — call ahead to confirm.

How This Compares to Knox County

Knoxville's own rule is shown above (Depends on project scope). Here is the separate rule that applies at the county level, for context:

Knox County Codes Administration and Enforcement

Unincorporated Knox County's own Miscellaneous Construction Permit application lists "Deck" as an explicit structure category with its own per-square-foot fee ($0.10/sq ft), distinct from the City of Knoxville's published 200 sq ft/30-inch exemption for detached decks. This suggests unincorporated Knox County requires at least this lighter-tier Misc. Construction Permit for decks rather than a size-based exemption; confirm the exact threshold with Codes Administration.

See the full county page

Nearby Cities with Verified Rules

Other cities near Knoxville with a confirmed deck construction rule:

FAQs

Building It Yourself? Here's What You'll Need

Popular tools and materials homeowners use for a deck construction project:

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.