Cedar pergola over a paver patio with string lights and a dining table at dusk

Sumner County · 24 miles from downtown Nashville

Patios, decks, pergolas and fences in Gallatin

Patios, fire pits, decks and fences for the Sumner County seat, 24 miles northeast of downtown Nashville.

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Building in Gallatin

Gallatin is the seat of Sumner County, with 44,431 residents at the 2020 Census and a housing stock that’s young: the typical home there was built around 2004. Neighborhoods run from Fairvue Plantation and Foxland Harbor on Old Hickory Lake to Kennesaw Farms and Greensboro Village. Permits come from Building Codes at 132 West Main Street.

Every fence needs a permit

Gallatin requires a permit for any fence, with a $75 planning review. In the required front yard a fence can be 4 feet tall and no more than half solid, so a front fence is an open picket, rail or ornamental metal. Side and rear fences can reach 6 feet, finished side out. That makes a 6-foot privacy fence the tallest you’ll build around a Gallatin backyard.

Decks, pergolas and fire pits

The city lists decks, patio covers, pergolas and fire pits among the projects that need a building permit, so plan on one for most of a backyard build. A retaining wall up to 4 feet needs no permit; a taller one takes stamped plans and third-party inspections.

Bigger patios and driveways

Adding 800 square feet or more of new hard surface on an existing lot calls for a Residential Infill Development Permit, which looks at where the extra runoff goes. A large patio plus a widened driveway can cross that line together.

Historic districts and new zoning

The East Main Street and Woodson Terrace historic districts add design review to exterior work. Gallatin is also rewriting its zoning ordinance, with the new code due in 2026, so the numbers above are checked against the version in force when a permit is pulled.

Sources

What we build in Gallatin

Everything for a Gallatin backyard

  1. 01 Paver & Brick Patios
  2. 02 Pergolas, Pavilions & Patio Covers
  3. 03 Decks
  4. 04 Fences
  5. 05 Fire Pits & Outdoor Fireplaces
  6. 06 Retaining Walls
  7. 07 Brick & Stone Walls
  8. 08 Walkways & Steps
  9. 09 Driveways
  10. 10 Outdoor Kitchens
  11. 11 Outdoor Lighting

Answers

Gallatin questions

Does every fence in Gallatin need a permit?

Yes. Gallatin requires a permit for any fence, with a $75 planning review. A fence in the required front yard can be 4 feet tall and no more than half solid; side and rear fences can be 6 feet, with the finished side facing out toward the neighbors and the street.

Do I need a permit for a fire pit in Gallatin?

Yes. Gallatin lists fire pits among the residential projects that need a building permit, along with decks, patio covers and pergolas. Most backyard builds there therefore start with a permit application at Building Codes on West Main Street, and the fire pit gets placed and sized on the plan before construction.

When is a Residential Infill Development Permit needed in Gallatin?

When a project adds 800 square feet or more of new impervious surface on an existing lot. A large paver patio, a widened driveway or both together can cross that line. The permit looks at where the extra rainwater will go, so drainage is drawn into the plan from the start.

Can I build a retaining wall in Gallatin without a permit?

Yes, if it’s 4 feet or lower. Gallatin requires no permit for retaining walls up to 4 feet. A taller wall needs stamped engineering plans and third-party inspections during construction, so on a steeper Gallatin lot it’s often simpler to step the slope with two shorter walls.

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