Noise from Specific Sources in Franklin, TN

If you live in Franklin or are thinking about moving there, noise from specific sources are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Franklin has 4 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of noise from specific sources, and some of them might surprise you.

Bar & Nightclub Noise

Franklin, Tennessee bars yelling, shouting, or singing outside commercial businesses open between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., and holds the owner liable if patron parking sits within 100 feet of a residential zone.

Key details: Hours flagged: 11 p.m.-7 a.m.. Owner liability: parking within 100 ft of residential zone. Section: sec. 11-404(3)(c). Fine: $50 per day, sec. 11-407.

Both the patron and, where parking sits within 100 feet of a residential zone, the bar owner or manager face a misdemeanor and $50 fine under section 11-407, with each night's violation billed separately.

Generator Noise

Franklin treats continual use of a portable generator as regulated 'construction activity' under Sec. 12-1301(2)(d), so generator noise on a permitted job site is confined to the same construction-hours window: weekdays 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with no use on Sundays or city holidays once permanent utility power is available.

Key details: Regulated as: 'Construction activity' under Sec. 12-1301(2)(d). Permitted window: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sat. Barred days: Sundays and city holidays. Distance exemption: 1,000+ ft from occupied residence. Liable parties: Owner, developer, contractor, equipment supplier.

Running a generator outside the permitted construction window is punishable by the fine set in Appendix A, Comprehensive Fees and Penalties, with citations issued to Franklin Municipal Court. The building official can issue a stop-work order of at least five business days for repeat offenders, and citations can reach the owner, contractor, and the company that rented or supplied the generator.

Low-Frequency Bass Limits

Franklin, Tennessee bans playing a vehicle radio, tape, CD, or similar audio system loud enough to be heard 50 feet away on public streets, parks, lots, or other city property.

Key details: Distance test: audible beyond 50 feet. Applies to: city streets, parks, lots, city property. Section: sec. 11-404(3)(p). Fine: $50 per day, sec. 11-407.

A car stereo audible beyond 50 feet on city property is a misdemeanor under section 11-407, carrying a $50 fine per day of continued violation.

Delivery Truck Noise

Franklin, Tennessee confines noisy loading and unloading to daytime hours: Franklin Municipal Code § 11-404(3)(h) bans loud or excessive noise from loading or unloading a vehicle or dumpster, or breaking down bales, boxes, crates, and containers, outside the 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. window. A business can seek a city administrator waiver to run deliveries overnight, but that permission can be pulled at any time.

Key details: Governing section: Franklin Municipal Code § 11-404(3)(h). Permitted hours: 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.. Waiver: City administrator may extend hours, revocable anytime. Applies to: Vehicle/dumpster loading, unloading, crate/box breakdown. Penalty: $50 misdemeanor fine per day (§ 11-407).

A loading or unloading noise violation under § 11-404(3)(h) is a misdemeanor punishable by a $50.00 fine under § 11-407, with each day of unauthorized early-morning or late-night delivery noise counted as a separate offense; an administrative waiver obtained from the city administrator can be revoked at any time, restoring the 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. window and putting any further nighttime noise back into violation.

The Bottom Line

Franklin's noise from specific sources rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming Franklin is broadly strict or permissive.

These rules come from Franklin's publicly available municipal code. For complete penalty schedules, exemption details, and answers to common questions, see the individual ordinance pages throughout this guide.