Bolthole Index

Davidson County, Tennessee

Zoning, building permits and septic rules in Oak Hill, Tennessee

Oak Hill, Tennessee, in Davidson County, requires a building permit issued by the city manager or designee for any building or structure erected, moved, added to or structurally altered1. Oak Hill adopts its own zoning ordinance and zoning map2. Septic permits are separate: Davidson County's Metro Public Health Department handles septic work in the county3.

At a glance

Building permit
Required from the City of Oak Hill for new, moved, added-to or structurally altered buildings1
Zoning
Oak Hill's own zoning ordinance and official zoning map2
Zoning districts
Residential A through F, from 10,000 square feet to 4 acres4
Septic
Septic permit required; Metro Public Health Department septic division serves Davidson County53
Occupancy
Use and occupancy permit required before a new building is occupied6
Owner-builder
Oak Hill's codes office describes a self-build permit for homeowners7

Who to call

Building permits

City of Oak Hill Codes Department

Oak Hill building permits, plan review, structural inspections and use and occupancy permits; appointments are booked online or by email

cityadmin@oakhilltn.us

5548 Franklin Pike, Suite 101 Nashville , TN 37220

Septic permits

Metro Public Health Department, Septic and Sewage Disposal Systems

Septic (subsurface sewage disposal) soils interpretation, design review and inspection for Davidson County

615-340-5616

2500 Charlotte Avenue Nashville, TN 37209

Contact details are copied from each office’s official page and were checked against it on October 24, 2026.

Off-grid gear

Going off-grid in Oak Hill means bringing your own water and power. The kit we’d start with:

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Does Oak Hill, TN have zoning, and what does it mean for lot size?

Oak Hill, Tennessee has its own zoning ordinance, "The Zoning Ordinance of Oak Hill, Tennessee," with an official zoning map held at city hall2. Davidson County's Metro zoning code does not replace it inside the city limits.

Oak Hill's residential districts run from Residential A at 10,000 square feet through Residential B at 20,000 square feet, Residential C at 1 acre, Residential D at 2 acres, Residential E at 3 acres and Residential F at 4 acres4. Which district a parcel sits in decides everything else, so confirm it on the map before you buy.

In Residential A, impervious coverage is capped at 40 percent of the lot for lots under the table's rules, with square-foot alternatives by lot size8. We could not confirm Oak Hill rules on RV living, tiny homes, accessory dwelling units or a minimum house size; ask the Oak Hill codes office7.

Do you need a building permit in Oak Hill, and who issues it?

Yes. Inside Oak Hill city limits, no building or other structure may be erected, moved, added to or structurally altered without a building permit issued by the city manager or designee1. The City of Oak Hill Codes Department runs the process, not Metro Nashville's Codes office7.

A permit expires 18 months after issuance unless construction has started and is diligently pursued, though a written extension can be granted1. The city may also require off-site improvements and a bond1.

The codes office says a homeowner can pull their own permit as a "self-build or owner" permit, which makes the owner responsible for the project7. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are obtained through Metro7. We could not confirm which building-code edition Oak Hill enforces or its fee schedule; ask the codes office.

How do you apply for a building permit in Oak Hill?

Applications must include one paper copy and one electronic PDF copy of plans, specifications and building elevations9. Plans show the lot shape and dimensions, easements, setback lines, building envelope, structure locations and intended uses9.

The Oak Hill codes office says a permit is issued when plans meet city zoning ordinances and building codes and all fees and bonds are in place7. Before a new building is occupied, the city inspects it and a use and occupancy permit must be issued106.

How do septic permits work in Oak Hill?

Tennessee requires a septic system permit for the construction, modification or repair of a septic system, including inside city limits5. Oak Hill's city codes office does not issue septic permits; Davidson County is a contract county, so permit packages go directly to the county11.

Metro Public Health Department's septic division provides soils interpretation, design review and technical consulting for Davidson County12. A site evaluation may require a soils map from a private licensed soil consultant5. Davidson County has a modest share of soils rated not limited for conventional drain fields, about 16 percent, so a site evaluation matters on undeveloped lots13. Ask whether sewer is available at your address; we could not confirm whether Oak Hill requires connection.

Building a home in Oak Hill: the steps, in order

  1. Find the zoning district on Oak Hill's official zoning map and read the lot rules for it4.
  2. Book a pre-application or plan review with the Oak Hill Codes Department7.
  3. Get a septic site evaluation through Metro Public Health if no sewer serves the lot12.
  4. Submit plans in paper and PDF form for a city building permit9.
  5. Pull electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits through Metro7.
  6. Pass inspections, then obtain the use and occupancy permit before moving in6.

What stays with Davidson County, and what to check before you buy

Septic permitting and Metro trade permits stay outside the city's codes office117. For land outside Oak Hill, see the Davidson County page.

Flood risk matters in Davidson County: Metro requires local permits for all development in Special Flood Hazard Areas, and floodway development is prohibited with few exceptions1415. We could not confirm how Oak Hill applies its own floodplain rules, so ask the codes office for a flood determination. Davidson County's effective property tax rate is 0.6 percent, with a median bill of $2,390 per year1617.

Watch-outs

  • Oak Hill is a separate city inside Davidson County, so Metro Nashville's permit and zoning counter is the wrong office for building permits and zoning inside Oak Hill limits12.
  • We could not confirm Oak Hill rules on RV occupancy, tiny homes, accessory dwelling units, short-term rentals or driveway permits; ask the Oak Hill Codes Department before you commit7.
  • The zoning map is held at city hall and the city manager's office has final authority on current zoning status, so get zoning confirmed in writing4.

Sources

  1. Part 1. - Zoning Ordinance, Building and Use and Occupancy Permits (Oak Hill), quoted and re-checked
  2. Part 1. - Zoning Ordinance, Oak Hill Municipal Code (Oak Hill), quoted and re-checked
  3. Septic and Sewage Disposal Systems, quoted and re-checked
  4. Part 1. - Zoning Ordinance, Oak Hill Municipal Code (Oak Hill), quoted and re-checked
  5. Subsurface Sewage Disposal System (SSDS) Frequently Asked Questions (Oak Hill), quoted and re-checked
  6. Part 1. - Zoning Ordinance, Building and Use and Occupancy Permits (Oak Hill), quoted and re-checked
  7. City of Oak Hill Codes Department (oakhilltn.us)
  8. Part 1. - Zoning Ordinance, Oak Hill Municipal Code (Oak Hill), quoted and re-checked
  9. Part 1. - Zoning Ordinance, Building and Use and Occupancy Permits (Oak Hill), quoted and re-checked
  10. Part 1. - Zoning Ordinance, Building and Use and Occupancy Permits (Oak Hill), quoted and re-checked
  11. Third-Party Permits & Final Inspections, quoted and re-checked
  12. Metro Public Health Department, Septic and Sewage Disposal Systems (nashville.gov)
  13. Share of soils USDA rates "not limited" for a conventional septic drain field (SSURGO). A strict rating: the median county is about 6% and a tenth of counties are 0%, so a low figure means most lots need a site evaluation or an engineered system, not that septic is impossible. Cite it only with that caveat: Bolthole Index county data
  14. Build Responsibly to Prevent Flood Damage, quoted and re-checked
  15. Build Responsibly to Prevent Flood Damage, quoted and re-checked
  16. Effective property tax rate: Bolthole Index county data
  17. Median property tax bill: Bolthole Index county data

Written October 24, 2026 from the rules quoted below, each taken from an official source and re-checked by an independent reviewer. This is research, not legal advice: rules change, so confirm with the office before you buy or build.

Answers from the rulebook for Oak Hill

Oak Hill’s own rules

  • Building permitRequired

    Buildings and structures erected, moved, added to, or structurally altered inside Oak Hill city limits.

    • A permit expires 18 months after issuance unless construction has commenced and is diligently pursued; a written extension may be requested and granted by the city manager or designee.
    • Applicant may be required to construct off-site improvements and post a bond.

    permit expiration: 18 months (Unless construction has commenced and is diligently pursued; written extension may be requested and granted.)

    “No building or other structure shall be erected, moved, added to or structurally altered without a building permit issued by the city manager, or designee.”
  • InspectionsRequired

    A building, structure, or addition constructed after the zoning ordinance’s effective date inside Oak Hill city limits.

    • Inspection and certification by the city manager or designee must occur before a use and occupancy permit is issued.
    • Applies to construction after the ordinance’s effective date.
    “No use and occupancy permit for a building, structure or an addition thereto constructed after the effective date of this ordinance shall be issued until construction has been completed and the premises inspected and certified by the city manager, or designee, to be in conformity with the plans and specifications upon which the building permit was based.”
  • Certificate of occupancyRequired

    New buildings, additions, and changes in use of land inside Oak Hill city limits.

    • The municipal code calls this a use and occupancy permit.
    • A building-permit application is deemed an application for the use and occupancy permit.
    • A new use of land without a building permit must apply directly to the city manager or designee.
    “No building or addition thereto constructed after the effective date of this ordinance, and no addition to a previously existing building shall be occupied, and no land shall be used for any purpose until a use and occupancy permit has been issued by the city manager, or designee.”
  • Local zoningPresent (with conditions)

    Land inside Oak Hill city limits.

    • The official zoning map is located in city hall and may be amended only after the map change is made and signed by the mayor and attested by the city recorder.
    “This chapter shall be known and may be cited as "The Zoning Ordinance of Oak Hill, Tennessee," and the map herein referred to, which is identified by the title, "Official Zoning Map, Oak Hill, Tennessee," and all explanatory matters thereon are hereby adopted and made a part of this chapter.”
  • Zoning districtsPublished (with conditions)

    Zoning districts and map for land inside Oak Hill city limits.

    • District boundaries are shown on the official zoning map, which is incorporated into the zoning ordinance.
    • The city manager’s office holds the final authority for current zoning status under the ordinance.
    “In order to implement all purposes and provisions of this ordinance, the following districts are hereby established: Residential A (10,000 Square Feet) District Residential B (20,000 Square Feet) District Residential C (1 Acre) District Residential D (2 Acres) District Residential E (3 Acres) District Residential F (4 Acres) District”
  • Lot coverageDistrict specific (with conditions)

    Residential A District inside Oak Hill city limits.

    • The maximum applies to all buildings and impervious surfaces.
    • For lots less than the minimum lot area, Table II uses 4,000 square feet or 40 percent, whichever is greater; for lots greater than the minimum, it uses 40 percent or 6,000 square feet, whichever is lesser.

    maximum impervious coverage: <= 40 percent (Residential A; Table II also supplies square-foot alternatives based on lot size.)

    “For lots greater than the minimum lot area | 40% or 6,000 sf whichever is lesser | 36% or 9,000 sf whichever is lesser | 30% or 18,000 sf whichever is lesser | 25% or 25,000 sf whichever is lesser | 20% or 35,000 sf whichever is lesser | 20% or 37,000 sf whichever is lesser”
  • Permit processPublished (with conditions)

    Building-permit applications inside Oak Hill city limits.

    • Application requires one paper copy and one electronic PDF copy of plans, specifications, and building elevations.
    • Plans must include lot shape, location and dimensions; easements; setback lines; building envelope; structure locations; intended uses; applicable subdivision covenants; unstable-soil treatment; and other information needed for compliance.

    paper plan copies: 1 copy (Required with building-permit application.) · electronic plan copies: 1 PDF copy (Required with building-permit application.)

    “The city manager, or designee, shall require that all applications for building permits be accompanied by one (1) paper copy and one (1) electronic copy (pdf format) of the plans, specifications and building elevations.”

Rules another office applies inside Oak Hill

Oak Hill does not set these itself; the county, a health district or the state does, and they apply to every address inside its limits.

  • Who permits septicState (with conditions)

    Septic-system construction, modification, or repair inside Oak Hill city limits when a subsurface sewage disposal system is proposed.

    • TDEC environmental scientists conduct the site evaluation and final inspection.
    • The statewide program applies to residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
    “A TDEC Environmental Scientist will conduct a site evaluation to determine the type of septic system required for your property.”
  • Septic permitRequired

    Construction, modification, or repair of a septic system serving property inside Oak Hill city limits.

    • The state page says this includes residential, commercial, and industrial properties.
    • A site evaluation may require a detailed site plan or soils map from a private licensed soil consultant.
    “A septic system permit is required for the construction, modification or repair of a septic system.”
  • Septic inspectionRequired

    New septic-system installations serving property inside Oak Hill city limits.

    • The installer contacts the local environmental scientist to schedule the final inspection before the system is covered.
    • A Certificate of Completion follows an approved installation.
    “When installation is complete, the installer will contact the local Environmental Scientist to schedule a final inspection before the system is covered. If the septic system installation is approved, the Environmental Scientist will issue a Certificate of Completion.”

Still unanswered

We looked and could not find an official answer yet. Silence is not permission; ask Oak Hill or Davidson County directly.

  • Owner-builder exemption — Owner-built residential construction inside Oak Hill city limits.
  • Building code adopted — Building-code adoption for construction inside Oak Hill city limits.
  • Minimum dwelling size — Single-family dwellings in Oak Hill residential districts.
  • Living in an RV — RV occupancy on private land inside Oak Hill city limits.
  • Camping on your land — Temporary camping on private land inside Oak Hill city limits.
10 more unanswered
  • Tiny homes
  • Manufactured homes
  • Accessory dwellings
  • Well permit
  • Mandatory utility hookup
  • Agricultural exemption
  • Driveway access
  • Building in a floodplain
  • Short-term rentals
  • Permit fees

Each answer was extracted from an official source and independently re-checked against that source by a second reviewer. That is an evidence check, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm with the authority before you buy or build.

Unanswered questions are usually a sign that Oak Hill publishes no rule on the point, not that none exists. Davidson County’s page lists the county offices to call.

← All of Davidson County: county rules, score and offices