Franklin, TN Accessory Structures: Carport Rules (2026)

Detached carports — covered open-sided vehicle shelters — are regulated as Accessory Structures under Franklin Zoning Ordinance § 5.2.3 when 200 sq ft or larger and as Minor Accessory Structures under § 5.2.4 when 200 sq ft or smaller. Minor carports do not require a building permit but must still comply with setbacks and the 'subordinate to principal building' rule (height may not exceed the principal building per most district dimensional tables). Carports 200 sq ft or larger require a building permit through Franklin Building & Neighborhood Services with engineered anchorage to resist the Tennessee Residential Code wind-uplift loads. Per the general accessory rule in § 5.2, all detached accessory structures must sit behind the front facade of the principal dwelling — front-yard carports detached from the house are not permitted. An attached carport may extend forward only if it meets the principal-building front yard setback for the zone (60 ft in R1, 20 ft in R2/R3, average setback no less than 10 ft in R4). Side and rear setbacks for accessory structures follow the underlying district table, generally the same as principal building setbacks but often reduced in the accessory structure column. Permanently enclosing a carport with walls is a structural alteration triggering a new building permit converting it to a garage and the full Tennessee Residential Code requirements for an attached garage (fire separation, firestopping, garage door, slope to drain, vehicle barrier). Carports may not be used as habitable space, storage that exceeds the accessory structure footprint cap, or living quarters.