Metro Nashville Permit Bond
What it is & who requires it
Contractors pulling a Metro Nashville permit for building, plumbing, electrical, gas/mechanical, or excavation/right-of-way work. A valid TN state contractor’s license is also required.
Obligee: The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee (Dept. of Codes & Building Safety). Citation: Metro Code of Laws §13.20.030 (excavation), §16.04.090 (building permits); Form DCAB7 (Rev. February 2010).
Bond amount
Single unified continuous Permit Bond (Form DCAB7) with a flat penal-sum schedule by contract type: Building under $25,000 = $10,000; Building $25,000 & over = $40,000; Plumbing & Excavation (and Electrical, Gas/Mechanical) = $40,000.
How to get it
This bond issues online — get bonded through our portal, usually in a single sitting once you confirm the bond, amount, and obligee.
Term & renewal
Term: Continuous (no fixed expiration); surety may cancel on 10 days’ written notice to the Dept. of Codes Administration; liability non-cumulative, capped at face amount
Renewal: Continuous bond — no annual renewal; remains in force until canceled
Filing
Filed with Metro Nashville’s Department of Codes & Building Safety on the City’s continuous Permit Bond form (DCAB7); there is no annual renewal, and the surety may cancel on 10 days’ written notice. The corporate surety must be U.S. Treasury-listed or a Tennessee domestic insurer. Required under Metro Code of Laws §13.20.030 and §16.04.090.
Source
Verified against the obligee source (last checked 2026-06-05).
Related Tennessee bonds
Frequently asked questions
- Who requires the Metro Nashville Permit Bond?
- It’s required by The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, Tennessee (Dept. of Codes & Building Safety) (Metro Code of Laws §13.20.030 (excavation), §16.04.090 (building permits); Form DCAB7 (Rev. February 2010)). Contractors pulling a Metro Nashville permit for building, plumbing, electrical, gas/mechanical, or excavation/right-of-way work. A valid TN state contractor’s license is also required.
- How much is the Metro Nashville Permit Bond?
- Single unified continuous Permit Bond (Form DCAB7) with a flat penal-sum schedule by contract type: Building under $25,000 = $10,000; Building $25,000 & over = $40,000; Plumbing & Excavation (and Electrical, Gas/Mechanical) = $40,000.
- How do I get the Metro Nashville Permit Bond?
- This bond issues online — get bonded through our portal, usually in a single sitting once you confirm the bond, amount, and obligee.
- What is the term?
- Continuous (no fixed expiration); surety may cancel on 10 days’ written notice to the Dept. of Codes Administration; liability non-cumulative, capped at face amount Renewal: Continuous bond — no annual renewal; remains in force until canceled
- Is this bond insurance for me?
- No. It protects the obligee and the public — not you. If a valid claim is paid, you repay the surety.
- How is this requirement verified?
- We verify it against the obligee’s primary source (last checked 2026-06-05); the source link is on this page.
