Use & Occupancy Permit — Metro Codes Administration (Nashville)
A Metro Use & Occupancy permit is required for every Nashville restaurant — even when the prior use was also a restaurant.
What it is. The Use & Occupancy (U&O) permit / Certificate of Occupancy certifying the space is approved for the restaurant use. A U&O permit is required for all restaurants even when the previous use was a restaurant; a business license or other regulatory permit does not exempt you from the change-of-use requirement. The U&O process triggers reviews by the Fire Marshal, Metro Public Health, and Metro Water Services.
Who issues it. Metro Codes Administration (Metro layer).
When you need it. Before occupying the space for the restaurant use; the certificate of occupancy is required before Metro Public Health schedules the pre-opening inspection.
How to apply. Apply for the U&O permit through Metro Codes; complete construction and pass required reviews/inspections.
Fees. Per the Metro Codes schedule — see source (⟢ VERIFY).
What SpoonSeal tracks. The document(s) you upload for this requirement, with automatic renewal/expiration tracking (Current, Due Soon, Expired). Where the city publishes health-inspection results (e.g., NYC and Chicago), SpoonSeal syncs them automatically; elsewhere they can be added manually.
References
- Nashville.gov — Commercial Use and Occupancy Permits — https://www.nashville.gov/departments/codes/construction-and-permits/commercial-building-permit-process/commercial-use-and-occupancy-permits — Official source last checked: 2026-07-02
Stay ahead of this requirement
SpoonSeal stores your documents, tracks expirations, and reminds you before anything lapses — so you are always inspection-ready.
Get started free →This guide is informational and not legal advice. Always confirm current requirements with the official agency linked above.