Rules & Regulations of the State of Tennessee
Title 0780 - Commerce and Insurance
Subtitle 0780-02 - Division of Fire Prevention
Chapter 0780-02-23 - One and Two Family Dwellings and Townhouses
Section 0780-02-23-.01 - DEFINITIONS

(a) Addition means an increase in floor area or height of structure.

(b) Construction means the erection of a new building containing a detached one (1) or two (2) family dwelling or townhouse, a change of occupancy of an existing building to a one (1) or two (2) family dwelling or townhouse or, after October 1, 2011, an addition to an existing detached one (1) or two (2) family dwelling or townhouse of thirty (30) square feet or more of interior space. The term "construction" shall not be construed to include excavation, site preparation or renovation. The term "construction" shall also not be construed to include the construction or placement of a modular or manufactured home under T.C.A. Title 68, Chapter 126; however, the term "construction" shall include any additional on-site construction to a modular or manufactured home.

(c) Department means the Department of Commerce and Insurance.

(d) Deputy State Building Inspector (DBI) means any person who meets the qualifications in T.C.A. § 68-120-101(f)(1) and (2) and is appointed by the Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance to perform inspections of one (1) and two (2) family dwelling and townhouse construction.

(e) Division means the Division of Fire Prevention of the Department of Commerce and Insurance.

(f) Fire renovation means a renovation required after a fire regardless of whether the walls must be reconstructed.

(g) Local government means any city, county, town, municipal corporation, metropolitan government, or political subdivision of the state of Tennessee.

(h) One (1) and two (2) family dwelling means a building that contains one (1) or two (2) dwelling units used, intended, or designed to be built, used, rented, leased, let or hired out to be occupied for living purposes.

(i) Property owner's permit means permit applied for by a record owner of the property in order to build a one (1) family dwelling in which the owner intends to live upon completion.

(j) Renovation means interior or exterior painting, papering, tiling, carpeting, cabinet installation, counter top installation, reroofing, residing, glazing or replacing windows or doors, floor finishing, repairs to existing chimneys, stairs, porches, underpinnings, exterior siding or roof and similar activities, additions of exterior space and additions of less than thirty (30) square feet of interior space.

(k) Townhouse means a single family dwelling unit constructed in a group of three (3) or more attached units that extends from foundation to roof, separated by a two (2) hour fire resistance rated wall assembly, not more than three (3) stories in height, with a separate means of egress, and an open space or public way on at least two (2) sides.

(l) Transient occupant means a person who occupies a single dwelling unit for not more than thirty (30) days.