Do I need a permit for a driveway or concrete slab in the Upper Cumberland?
It depends on what the concrete is for and where you live. A slab or footings for a house, garage or shop is part of a building permit with inspections before the pour. In Putnam County, garages and storage buildings over 200 square feet need a permit. A driveway that connects to a state highway needs a TDOT entrance permit. Check with your city or county codes office before the pour.
Written by Morgan's Concrete and Excavation. Published 2026-10-20.
When does a slab need a permit?
Slabs and footings for buildings are covered by the building permit for that structure, and they are inspected before concrete goes in. Putnam County requires a footer inspection before concrete is ordered, and it requires a permit for garages and storage buildings over 200 square feet. The county enforces the 2018 International Residential Code.
Inside Cookeville city limits, the city's building inspections include a footing inspection and a slab inspection, and the plumbing inspection has to happen before a slab with plumbing is poured. A permit is also required for an accessory or storage building.
- House, garage or shop slab: covered by the building permit, inspected before the pour
- Garage or storage building over 200 square feet in Putnam County: permit required
- Footings in Putnam County: footer inspection before concrete is ordered
- Slab with plumbing in Cookeville: plumbing inspection before the pour
Does a driveway need a permit?
A driveway that connects to a state highway needs a highway entrance permit from the Tennessee Department of Transportation, including changes to an existing entrance or a change in how it is used. For a new home in Cookeville, the building permit site plan shows the driveway and drainage.
Rules for a new driveway or curb cut onto a city or county road vary by town. Replacing a driveway in the same footprint is often simpler than adding a new entrance. Call the codes office or public works department for your town before you widen a drive or cut a new curb.
What about grading and clearing?
Inside Cookeville, projects that disturb less than one acre need a city grading permit from Public Works, and larger projects need stormwater permit coverage. Outside city limits, check with your county. Before any digging anywhere in Tennessee, the law requires notice to Tennessee 811 at least three working days ahead so underground utilities can be marked.
Who handles the permit, me or the contractor?
On a new home, the builder or owner usually holds the building permit and schedules the inspections, and the concrete crew pours after each inspection passes. On a driveway, patio or flatwork job, ask on the site walk whether your town requires anything and who will pull it. Morgan's works with the inspection schedule so footings and slabs are poured only after they pass.
Related questions
Do I need a permit to pour a concrete slab in Putnam County?
A slab for a house, garage or storage building over 200 square feet falls under a county building permit with inspections. Putnam County requires a footer inspection before concrete is ordered.
Do I need a permit for a driveway onto a state highway in Tennessee?
Yes. TDOT requires a highway entrance permit for a new driveway onto a state highway and for changes to an existing entrance.
Does Cookeville inspect slabs before they are poured?
Yes. Cookeville's building inspections include footing and slab inspections, and a slab with plumbing needs its plumbing inspection before the pour.
Do I need to call 811 before excavation in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee requires notice to Tennessee 811 at least three working days before excavation.
Planning a foundations and footings project
See how Morgan’s handles foundations and footings jobs around Cookeville, or request a written estimate for your own project.