One of the fastest-growing small cities in Tennessee — southeast of Nashville in Williamson County, with a high-value new-construction market and the full Williamson County fee stack: a $2.00/sq ft Privilege Tax plus a tiered Education Impact Fee on every new residential permit.
Nolensville is one of the fastest-growing small cities in Tennessee — a community of approximately 14,000 residents situated in the southeastern corner of Williamson County, roughly 20 miles from downtown Nashville. Once a quiet rural crossroads, Nolensville has undergone dramatic residential transformation over the past decade, driven by its location within the Williamson County school system, its relatively lower land costs compared to Brentwood and Franklin, and its appeal to families seeking newer construction in a less urbanized setting. The city's new-construction market is anchored by production builders and semi-custom homebuilders delivering homes averaging near $950,000 and approximately 3,300 square feet — making it one of the most active mid-to-upper price point markets in the county.
For residential developers and homebuilders, Nolensville's fee environment is driven primarily by Williamson County's two county-wide charges, both assessed on every new residential permit regardless of municipality. The Privilege Tax — a flat $2.00 per square foot of living and expandable space — is split equally between the Adequate Facilities Tax and the Adequate School Facilities Tax, and is collected by the County Trustee at permit issuance. On top of this, every permit is subject to the tiered Education Impact Fee, which ranges from $1,681 on homes up to 1,399 sq ft to $12,399 on homes 3,400 sq ft and above. On a typical Nolensville home, these two county fees combined frequently exceed $18,000 per unit before any city-level charges are added.
At the city level, Nolensville levies several charges on every new residential permit, detailed in the Town's official Construction Fee Information worksheet. The Road Impact Fee totals $5,928 per unit ($4,446 for the 75% portion and $1,482 for the 25% portion), used for improvements to roads within the Town's jurisdiction. The Fire Impact Fee is a flat $981 per unit, funding fire infrastructure capacity. The Nolensville Facilities Tax (also referred to as an Adequate Facilities Tax) is $1.00 per heated and cooled square foot, enacted under Ordinance 04-14 to fund new public facilities in response to rapid growth. Finally, the Building Permit Fee is calculated using the ICC Building Valuation Data method — total square footage multiplied by the current ICC value per square foot, then applied against a tiered fee table.
This is an estimate only. Fees often change on an annual basis. Contact each municipality to confirm before finalizing your estimates. See an error? Report it here
Every Nolensville building permit triggers two Williamson County charges paid directly to the County Trustee at application. The Privilege Tax is a flat $2.00 per square foot of living and expandable space, split equally between the Adequate Facilities Tax and the Adequate School Facilities Tax. The Education Impact Fee is a tiered per-lot charge based on finished square footage, ranging from $1,681 on homes up to 1,399 SF to $12,399 on homes 3,400 SF and above. On a typical Nolensville home, these two county fees combined routinely exceed $18,000 per unit before any city-level charges are added.
Local reporting and public records covering Nolensville's development landscape, housing market, and Williamson County fee policy debates.
The Williamson County Circuit Court ruled in favor of the Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee, finding that Nolensville lost its authority to impose impact fees when it adopted a City Manager Commission Charter in 2020. The court ordered the Town to return all impact fees collected from HBAMT members since August 6, 2020.
Read Full StatementThe Williamson County Board of Commissioners unanimously authorized a study examining whether raising the commercial Adequate Facilities Tax rate would require crediting back Education Impact Fee revenue — a legal balancing requirement that could restructure the county's entire development fee framework.
Read Full ResolutionThe Tennessee Court of Appeals affirmed Williamson County's authority to collect its Education Impact Fee after a two-year legal challenge by the Home Builders Association of Middle Tennessee, releasing $8.8 million held in escrow and permanently clearing enforcement of the graduated fee schedule.
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