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Tennessee

State Adoptions

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Purchase Tennessee Codes

The State Fire Marshal’s Office is responsible for the enforcement of codes in the built environment which includes building, both commercial and residential, plumbing, mechanical, electrical, life safety, and energy conservation. Municipal jurisdictions in Tennessee are either classified as exempt or non-exempt with regard to the adoption of local codes. A municipal jurisdiction may be classified as exempt from state enforcement if they have an approved code enforcement department with certified inspectors. An exempt jurisdiction can adopt any code as long as it is at least as strong as the state code and gets OSFM approval. There are now provisions that allow for a lessening of seismic provisions provided the proposed reduction is approved by the OSFM. See "State Codes Adoption & History" at https://www.tn.gov/commerce/fire/codes-enforcement.html.

Links to State Adoption Agencies

Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance, Fire Prevention Division

Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance, Division of Insurance

Tennessee Health Department

Key Contacts

ICC Government Relations Representative
Stephen Jones
Regional Director
E-mail: sjones@iccsafe.org

State Building Official:
Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance
State Fire Marshal’s Office
Gary Farley
Division of Fire Prevention
500 James Robertson Parkway
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: (615) 741-2981
Fax: (615) 741-1583

State Building Code Review Board:
State Building Official

State Fire Marshal:
State Building Official

Energy and Environmental Affairs:
State Building Official

State Insurance Commissioner:
Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance
Hodgen Mainda, Commissioner
500 James Robertson Pkwy
Davy Crockett Tower
Nashville, TN  37243-0565
Phone: (615) 741-2241

State Forester:
Roy Ward, District Forester
PO Box 438
Lexington, TN  38351
Phone: (731) 968-6676
roy.ward@tn.gov

Pool Adoption Agency:
Tennessee Health Department
Division of General Environmental Health
425 Fifth Ave. North
Cordell Hull Building, 6th Floor
Nashville, TN  37243
Phone: (615) 741-7206

Plumbing Code Adoption Agency:
State Building Official

Other Adoption Boards:
Mechanical – State Building Official

Accessibility Advocates:
State Building Official