Who can pull a plumbing permit in Clarksville?

Two offices write plumbing permits around here, and they do not follow the same rule for homeowners. Which one applies depends on where the house sits and, in the county, on who supplies its water and gas: county houses on Clarksville Gas & Water water or gas get the plumbing permit from City Building & Codes, not the county. The state then sets license rules for anyone you hire. This page lays the pieces side by side, with the date each was checked.

Can a homeowner pull a plumbing permit inside the city?

No. The City of Clarksville's Building & Codes permitting page, which carries a memo dated April 20, 2026, says homeowners may not obtain plumbing or mechanical/gas permits; a properly licensed contractor must pull them. Homeowners can still pull some other permits by signing a notarized Homeowner Affidavit that makes them responsible for the work.

The city says its fees are set by the City Code of Ordinances and points to a fee calculator rather than printing a plumbing or water-heater fee. No city page we checked says outright whether swapping a water heater needs a permit, so check with the office before work.

What about houses in the county?

Outside the city limits the answer changes. Montgomery County's Building & Codes FAQ says a homeowner may obtain his or her own building or plumbing permits. The same FAQ adds a twist: county residents whose water comes from Clarksville Gas & Water go elsewhere, and the county's required inspections list says that for those homes the plumbing permit is obtained at City Building and Codes. Where a county utility district serves the house, county inspectors check the plumbing.

The county's homeowner route rests on the exemption in Tennessee law for owners building on their own property for their own use, not for resale, lease or rent. The county prints it on a homeowner notice that the owner signs; signing also means accepting a two-year limit on building another personal residence.

What does a county plumbing permit cost?

Montgomery County's fee page lists a residential plumbing permit at $100 and an appliance change-out, which includes replacing a water heater, at $50; county houses on Clarksville Gas & Water water or gas get the permit from City Building & Codes instead. Every application adds a $5 archive and records fee, and a failed inspection costs $50 to reinspect. The page shows no date the fees took effect, and the linked fee resolution is a scan we could not read, so confirm the amount when you apply.

When does a Tennessee plumber need a contractor's license?

At $25,000 a project. The state Board for Licensing Contractors says a contractor's license is required before bidding or negotiating any project whose total cost is $25,000 or more, and that this includes plumbing. The plumbing classification is CMC-A, Plumbing and Gas Piping, and the Board must pre-approve applicants for that exam.

Below that line sits the Limited Licensed Plumber license. It covers jobs under $25,000, but only where the town uses the state's Division of Fire Prevention for permits or inspections. General maintenance under $500 is exempt, and the first application costs $75.

Clarksville and the county run their own codes departments, so ask the office whether it accepts the LLP or uses its own licensing, as the state page itself advises.

Which plumbing code applies?

Both local offices enforce the 2018 International Plumbing Code. The city lists it, including appendix F, on its adopted codes page; the county adopted it by Resolution 20-10-6, effective January 1, 2021. The state minimum, under Rule 0780-02-02 as revised in April 2024, is the 2012 edition, and the State Fire Marshal's Office applies it only where it is the code authority.

What work should a homeowner leave alone?

Gas piping, gas valves, burners and pilots are licensed work in every case, and inside the city a homeowner cannot permit them at all. Electric water-heater work needs the breaker off for the whole job, as the flushing page explains. If you are unsure whether a job needs a permit or a license, call a licensed plumber and put the question to the permit office first.

How does this connect to other house jobs?

Permits come up when a water heater is replaced, when a lead or galvanized service line is swapped, and when a septic lot is built on. The pipes shelf collects the rest.