Landlord Compliance Checklist for Gallatin and Sumner County

Gallatin landlords should start by identifying whether the rental is inside Gallatin city limits or in unincorporated Sumner County, then verify zoning and permitted use, required building permits, property-maintenance standards, smoke alarms, written lease disclosures, security-deposit procedures and applicable taxes or business licenses. Tennessee’s landlord-tenant rules apply in Sumner County, but city and county code requirements can differ. Confirm unusual situations—especially short-term rentals, multifamily properties and major renovations—with the responsible agency before leasing.

If you own or manage a rental property in Gallatin or elsewhere in Sumner County, compliance starts with one question: which government rules apply to this property and this type of rental? A house inside Gallatin city limits may be subject to city zoning, building and business processes, while a property in unincorporated Sumner County generally goes through county departments for those local matters.

Tennessee’s Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act also applies in Sumner County. For landlords, the practical checklist includes property condition, smoke alarms, written lease information, security-deposit handling, repairs, access, recordkeeping and any applicable business or occupancy taxes.

This is general information, not legal, tax or property-management advice. When a rule depends on the property’s address, rental term, number of units or ownership structure, confirm it with the responsible agency.

Start with the property’s jurisdiction and rental type

Before reviewing forms or advertising a vacancy, record these details:

• The property’s full address and whether it is inside Gallatin city limits.
• Whether the property is a single-family home, duplex, apartment building or another multifamily property.
• Whether the rental is a conventional residential lease or a short-term rental.
• Whether the property is owner-managed or handled by a management company.
• Whether renovations, additions, conversions or a change of use are planned.

Gallatin provides a public zoning map for property classification inside the city. Sumner County’s Planning and Zoning section handles zoning review for new construction and other applicable land-use matters in unincorporated areas.

That jurisdiction check matters because Gallatin’s Building Codes Department handles construction permits within city limits, while Sumner County Building and Codes handles county code compliance, permitting, inspections and property-maintenance violations for areas under county jurisdiction.

Gallatin landlord compliance checklist

1. Verify zoning, use and permits

Ask the appropriate planning or codes office whether the existing use is permitted before leasing a property that has been converted, divided or substantially remodeled. Do not assume that a residential-looking building is approved for every rental arrangement.

For a property inside Gallatin, the city says its Building Codes Department handles construction permits and inspections for building, electrical, gas, plumbing and mechanical work. Its permit guidance lists common projects such as additions, remodels, decks, accessory structures, pools, HVAC work and water-heater replacements.

For unincorporated Sumner County, the Building and Codes Department says it uses plan review, permits and inspections to enforce adopted building codes and also handles health-and-safety and property-maintenance violations.

Keep in your property file:

• Zoning or use confirmation, when obtained.
• Building, trade or renovation permits.
• Inspection approvals and certificates of occupancy, if applicable.
• Contractor information, invoices and warranties.
• Records showing that work was completed and closed out.

Gallatin’s permit information also states that the permit holder is legally responsible for completing permitted work to code standards.

2. Review health, safety and property-maintenance conditions

Tennessee guidance tells landlords to comply with applicable building and housing codes that materially affect a tenant’s health and safety.

Before a new tenant moves in, inspect the property systematically. Check structural conditions, stairs and railings, doors and locks, plumbing leaks, electrical hazards, heating and cooling equipment, ventilation, water intrusion, pests, visible mold-like growth and any condition that could affect safe occupancy.

Use dated photographs and written inspection notes. If a tenant reports a condition, acknowledge the report in writing, identify the next step and document the repair or inspection. Do not promise a completion date unless you can meet it.

Sumner County identifies property-maintenance and health-and-safety violations as part of its Building and Codes responsibilities, but the county page says those standards are being revised. Confirm the current standard before relying on a checklist for a disputed code condition.

3. Install and check required smoke alarms

Tennessee consumer guidance states that landlords are responsible for providing working smoke alarms in rental units.

For one- and two-family rental units, Tennessee fire-safety information says the owner or landlord must install an approved smoke detector in each living unit, with the alarm audible in sleeping rooms. The tenant generally maintains the alarm during the tenancy, but the owner must ensure required alarms are operational before reoccupancy after a tenancy ends.

A practical turnover procedure is to:

1. Test every required alarm before move-in.
2. Replace missing, damaged or nonfunctional units.
3. Record the test date and locations.
4. Give the tenant clear written instructions for reporting a problem.
5. Recheck alarms after a tenant moves out and before the next occupancy.

If the property has fuel-burning equipment, a fireplace or another potential carbon-monoxide source, ask the State Fire Marshal’s Office or a qualified code professional which carbon-monoxide requirements apply to that building. Do not assume that a smoke-alarm checklist alone covers every fire-safety obligation.

4. Prepare the lease and landlord-contact disclosures

Use a written rental agreement that clearly states the parties, rental term, rent amount and due date, deposits, utilities, maintenance responsibilities, rules, notice procedures and any included services. Tennessee consumer guidance recommends a written rental agreement and keeping a signed copy.

For rentals covered by Tennessee’s landlord-tenant statute, the landlord or authorized agent must provide the tenant in writing at or before the start of tenancy with the name and address of the management agent and an owner or agent authorized to receive notices and service of process. The disclosure must also include a telephone number, email address or online portal for maintenance communication, and the information must remain current.

Lease-file checklist:

• Signed lease and addenda.
• Move-in condition report.
• Current owner and manager contact information.
• Maintenance-request method.
• Written rules for entry, if included in the agreement.
• Copies of notices, repair requests and material communications.

A written lease should not be used as a substitute for checking current law. Provisions involving late fees, entry, termination, waivers, fees or tenant screening deserve legal review.

5. Handle security deposits correctly

If a residential landlord covered by the Tennessee statute requires a security deposit before occupancy, the deposit must be placed in an account used only for that purpose at a regulated bank or lending institution. The landlord must also notify the tenant when the lease is signed and the deposit is submitted about the location of the account, without having to provide the account number.

Tennessee’s current code also provides procedures for inspection and damage listings. Depending on how the tenancy ends, the tenant may have a right to participate in an inspection, and the landlord must prepare a listing of presently ascertainable damage and estimated repair costs when charging against the deposit.

Create a consistent process for:

• Recording the deposit received and where it is held.
• Giving the required account-location notice.
• Offering or documenting the move-out inspection process.
• Separating ordinary wear from tenant-caused damage.
• Sending the required damage listing or refund notice.
• Keeping photographs, invoices and correspondence.

Because security-deposit disputes can turn on timing and exact notice language, use the statutory text and obtain legal advice for a contested or unusual situation.

6. Set up repair, access and documentation procedures

Tennessee guidance states that tenants may not unreasonably withhold consent to entry for inspection, repairs, improvements or showing the property to prospective purchasers, while landlords may not abuse access or use it to harass a tenant. Emergency entry is treated differently.

Create a written maintenance workflow with:

• A primary emergency contact.
• A nonemergency repair-request method.
• A log of the request, response and completion date.
• Vendor names and invoices.
• Photos before and after work.
• Notes about tenant notice and access.

If a repair concerns gas, electrical systems, structural conditions, fire safety or suspected environmental hazards, use an appropriately qualified professional and contact the responsible public agency when required.

7. Check business-tax and licensing requirements

This is one area where landlords should not rely on a one-size-fits-all answer.

Gallatin’s business-license page says businesses operating within the city must obtain a business license before beginning operations, lists standard and minimal license categories, and identifies a $15 license fee. It also directs applicants to complete applicable planning and codes approvals.

At the same time, the Tennessee Department of Revenue’s June 2025 Business Tax Manual says receipts from selling or renting real property are generally excluded from business tax, while commissions and fees earned by brokers or agents for renting property belonging to others are taxable. The manual separately treats short-term vacation lodging of 180 consecutive days or less as subject to business tax.

For short-term rentals, the Department of Revenue says taxable gross receipts of $100,000 or more in a city or county require business-tax registration and a business license; gross receipts between $3,000 and $100,000 require a minimal activity license.

Before opening or changing a rental operation, ask:

• Is this a conventional lease or a short-term lodging activity?
• Are management fees or other taxable services being collected?
• Is the property inside Gallatin city limits?
• Does the owner operate other taxable activities in the same jurisdiction?
• Is a county, city, state or local occupancy tax involved?

Keep the written answer in the property file. The City Recorder, Sumner County Clerk and Tennessee Department of Revenue can help determine which registration or filing applies.

City of Gallatin versus unincorporated Sumner County

Question — Inside Gallatin city limits — Unincorporated Sumner County

Zoning and land use — Start with Gallatin Planning and the city zoning map. — Start with Sumner County Planning and Zoning.

Building and renovation permits — Gallatin Building Codes handles city construction permits and inspections. — Sumner County Building and Codes handles county permitting and inspections.

Property-maintenance concerns — Contact the applicable city codes office for city-jurisdiction questions. — Sumner County Building and Codes identifies property-maintenance violations as part of its responsibilities.

Business licensing — Gallatin publishes city business-license requirements and application instructions. — Check with the Sumner County Clerk and Tennessee Department of Revenue.

The table is a starting point, not a substitute for an address-specific determination. A property near the city boundary, a multifamily conversion or a short-term rental may require additional review.

A practical move-in and annual review checklist

Before advertising:

• Confirm jurisdiction, zoning and permitted use.
• Close out required permits and inspections.
• Inspect life-safety systems and repair hazards.
• Confirm smoke alarms are installed and operational.
• Prepare a written lease and required contact disclosures.
• Establish the security-deposit account and notice process.
• Confirm tax, license and occupancy requirements.

At move-in:

• Use a signed condition report.
• Photograph the property and major systems.
• Provide emergency and maintenance contacts.
• Document alarm testing and key handoff.
• Give the tenant copies of the lease and addenda.

Every six months or after a material change:

• Review city, county and state pages for changed requirements.
• Check permits for open work or unresolved inspections.
• Update owner, manager and vendor contact information.
• Review security-deposit records.
• Reconfirm insurance, smoke alarms and emergency procedures.
• Recheck short-term-rental, business-tax or occupancy-tax obligations if the rental model changed.

Official next steps for Gallatin landlords

For a Gallatin property, begin with the city Planning and Building Codes departments, then contact the City Recorder about licensing. Gallatin Building Codes lists its office at 132 W. Main Street, Room 202, Gallatin, and provides 615-451-5968 for permit questions.

For an unincorporated Sumner County property, start with Sumner County Planning and Zoning and Building and Codes. The county Building and Codes Department lists 355 N. Belvedere Drive in Gallatin and 615-452-1467 as its main phone number.

Use this checklist as a file-management tool: identify the rule, save the official source, document the property’s condition and record the date you verified each item. That approach makes it easier to respond to tenant questions, renew leases and prepare for a change in ownership or management.