What each overlay reviews
| Work | Neighborhood conservation overlay | Historic preservation / landmark overlay |
|---|---|---|
| Demolition, in whole or in part | Preservation permit | Preservation permit |
| New building (house, DADU, garage) | Preservation permit | Preservation permit |
| Addition | Preservation permit | Preservation permit |
| Moving a building | Preservation permit | Preservation permit |
| Exterior repair or alteration | Not reviewed | Preservation permit |
| Paint | Not reviewed | Not reviewed, except masonry |
| Interior work | Not reviewed | Not reviewed |
| Fee | None | None |
Source: Metro Historic Zoning Handbook. Work done differently from the permit must be corrected, and unapproved materials removed and replaced.
Timing
The Commission's preservation permit page (updated August 2026) sets out two tracks:
- Staff. Projects "pre-approved by the Commission" that meet the design guidelines generally get a permit within four days of a complete application.
- Commission. Infill, large additions, demolition of a main historic building and setback determinations are likely to go to a public meeting; the applicant is responsible for the notice (yard signs and letters). A pre-application meeting is encouraged for infill and additions over 1,500 sq ft of footprint.
- Then Codes. Most projects also need a building permit from Codes, which can be applied for at the same time, but the drawings must match the preservation permit. Work must begin within six months of the preservation permit's issue date.
What it means when you hire
- Look the lot up first. Use the Historic Zoning Lookup (linked from the Commission's design guidelines page) or call 615-880-4900 before you get bids, so the scope is priced for the overlay.
- Put the preservation permit in the contract. Who prepares the application, who attends the meeting, and that no work starts before both permits are issued.
- Specify materials by name. The new construction and rehab checklists ask for door and window manufacturer and model. A bid that says "vinyl windows" in a preservation overlay is a bid for rework.
- DADUs in an overlay. Historic enforces setbacks, size and design; zoning enforces use; a historic permit is required on top of the Codes permit (Metro DADU page). See Nashville DADU rules.
What Nashville permits show for overlay-reviewed work
| Measure | Demolition | New home | Garage | Backyard unit (ADU) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permits, September 2023 to September 2026 | 1,670 | 10,208 | 769 | 407 |
| Firms | 584 | 2,252 | 454 | 256 |
| Usual filed value | $10,000 | $264,404 | $37,309 | $114,788 |
| Firms with exactly one permit | 55.8% | 55.2% | 76.2% | 72.7% |
| Busiest month | July | June | September | June |
Demolition and new-home permits come in pairs on infill lots, and summer is the peak for both. A Commission hearing adds weeks to a staff approval's four days, so a builder planning a June start on an overlay lot should file the preservation application in spring. Most garage and ADU builders filed only one such permit; ask each for an overlay project it has finished. Prices: Nashville demolition cost, new home cost and garage cost; counts by year: Nashville permit statistics.
Compare Nashville home builders by permits filed →
Related
Building permits and older records: Nashville building permit search and Nashville new home permit. Licensing: Nashville contractor license lookup. Compare firms: demolition, garage, ADU.
What this does not tell you
Our Nashville file does not flag which permits sit in an overlay, and it has no preservation permits, which the Commission tracks separately in its Permit Tracker. Filed values are estimates. The Handbook is undated on its face (published in Metro's 2021 file folder); check the current design guidelines for your district.
How we know this
What each overlay reviews and the no-fee rule are from the Metro Historic Zoning Handbook; the staff and Commission tracks, notice, six-month start and Codes coordination from the Commission's preservation permit page (updated 14 August 2026); DADU overlay rules from Metro Codes' DADU page; all read 23 October 2026. Permit counts are Metro Nashville building permits by type, September 2023 to September 2026.
Numbers come from Metro Nashville (Davidson County) building and trade permits, data through September 21, 2026. Nobody paid to be on this page and nobody can.
Questions
- What is the difference between a historic preservation overlay and a conservation overlay in Nashville?
A neighborhood conservation overlay, the least restrictive, reviews only new construction, additions, demolition and moving buildings. A historic preservation overlay also reviews exterior repairs and alterations. Interior work is not reviewed in either (Metro Historic Zoning Handbook).
- How much is a preservation permit in Nashville?
$0. The Metro Historic Zoning Handbook says there is no fee for a preservation permit; the Codes building permit for the same job has its usual fees, and the permit must be used within 6 months of issue.
- How long does a Nashville preservation permit take?
Projects the Commission has pre-approved that meet the design guidelines generally get a permit within 4 days of a complete application. Infill, large additions, demolition of main historic buildings and setback determinations usually go to a Commission meeting.
- Do I need a preservation permit to replace windows in Nashville?
In a historic preservation or landmark overlay, yes: exterior alterations are reviewed, and the application checklist asks for the window manufacturer and model. In a neighborhood conservation overlay, window replacement is not reviewed.
- How do I know if my Nashville house is in a historic overlay?
Use the Historic Zoning Lookup linked from the Metro Historic Zoning Commission's design guidelines page, or call the Commission at 615-880-4900.
Build your own list
Every firm with that kind of permit on record. Pick what you value. The list moves.
Related guides
- Tearing down a house in Denver: the 40% rule, Landmark Preservation review, and the 21-day posting
- Building on a Pittsburgh hillside: the landslide-prone overlay, steep slopes, undermined areas and the geotechnical report
- ADU cost in San Diego County: what the permits were filed at, by size
- Austin HOME initiative: three units on one lot, 1,800 sq ft small lots, and what it means when you hire a builder
- Do I need a demolition permit in Nashville? Yes, for any structure or part of one
- Building a new house in Nashville: the permit, the plans, the bond and the U&O letter
For one city
- Apply for a Preservation Permit — Metro Historic Zoning Commission (updated 2026-08-14, accessed 2026-10-23)
- Metro Historic Zoning Handbook — Metro Historic Zoning Commission (accessed 2026-10-23)
- Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit — Metro Nashville Codes (updated 2025-12-22, accessed 2026-10-23)