How Franklin Handles Parking Rules: A Practical Guide

Franklin maintains 104 local ordinances across all categories, and 10 of those deal specifically with parking rules. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where Franklin falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.

Driveway Rules

Franklin's Property Maintenance Code prohibits parking motor vehicles on the lawn - all vehicles must sit on an approved parking pad or driveway - to prevent erosion and stagnant water accumulation. Driveway dimensions, curb cuts, and the share of a residential lot that may be paved for parking are governed by Title 14 (Zoning and Land Use Control) of the Franklin Municipal Code. Vehicles parked across a sidewalk, blocking a driveway, or in the public right-of-way are enforceable under Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) and Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160.

Key details: Lawn Parking: Prohibited (Property Maintenance Code). Required Surface: Approved parking pad or driveway. Zoning Authority: Title 14 (driveway design and lot coverage). Cure Period: 30 days, then abatement + lien. Blocking Driveway/Sidewalk: Prohibited (TCA 55-8-160).

Parking on a lawn instead of an approved parking pad or driveway violates the Franklin Property Maintenance Code; keeping an inoperable or unlicensed vehicle on the premises is a separate violation. Both come with a 30-day cure period, after which the city may abate at the owner's expense, place a lien on the property for unpaid invoices after 45 days, and issue a Municipal Court citation with each day of continued violation treated as a separate offense. Constructing or widening a driveway approach in the public right-of-way without a permit, or building parking surface exceeding what Title 14 (Zoning) allows for the lot, are separate code violations. Blocking a driveway or sidewalk on the street side is enforceable under Title 15 of the Franklin Municipal Code and TCA 55-8-160.

Commercial Vehicle Restrictions

Franklin does not impose a citywide weight or length cap on commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods, but every vehicle on the street is subject to Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) of the Franklin Municipal Code, including the city's authority to restrict parking by ordinance under Section 15-618, and to Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160 (7.5-to-15-foot fire-hydrant setback, no parking in intersections, crosswalks, or sidewalks, etc.). On private property, the Property Maintenance Code prohibits inoperable or unlicensed vehicles on any premises and prohibits lawn parking. Section 15-703 (parking enforcement) was most recently amended by Ordinance 2024-12.

Key details: Citywide Weight/Length Cap: None. Citation Procedure: Section 15-703 (am. by Ord. 2024-12). Restriction Authority: Section 15-618. Hydrant Setback: 7.5-15 ft (TCA 55-8-160). Downtown Limit: 2 hr M-F 8a-5p (Main, 1st-7th).

Parking a commercial vehicle in violation of TCA 55-8-160 distance restrictions (within 7.5 to 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in an intersection or on a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in front of a driveway, etc.) is a citable parking violation under Title 15 of the Franklin Municipal Code, with the citation procedure in Section 15-703 (most recently amended by Ordinance 2024-12). Exceeding the posted two-hour Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. limit on Main Street between 1st and 7th Avenues, or the four-hour signed limit on West Main between 5th and 7th Avenues North, is a separate violation. Storing an inoperable or unlicensed commercial vehicle on a private lot, or parking any commercial vehicle on the lawn, violates the city Property Maintenance Code.

Street Parking Limits

Street parking in Franklin is governed by Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) of the Franklin Municipal Code, with the Board of Mayor and Aldermen's authority to restrict parking by ordinance in Section 15-618 and the parking-enforcement citation procedure in Section 15-703 (most recently amended by Ordinance 2024-12). Downtown Main Street between 1st and 7th Avenues is signed two-hour Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (reduced from four hours in 2023), with a four-hour limit on West Main between 5th and 7th Avenues North. Restrictions are not enforced on weekends or city holidays. Two free public garages on 2nd Ave South and 4th Ave South offer 300 spaces each with no time limit (24-hour max stay).

Key details: Downtown Limit: 2 hr (Main, 1st-7th, M-F 8a-5p). West Main Limit: 4 hr (5th-7th Ave N, M-F 8a-5p). Weekend/Holiday: Not enforced. Free Garages: 2nd Ave S + 4th Ave S (300 spaces each). Citation Procedure: Section 15-703 (Ord. 2024-12).

Exceeding the posted two-hour Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. limit on Main Street between 1st and 7th Avenues, or the four-hour signed limit on West Main between 5th and 7th Avenues North, is a citable parking violation under Title 15 of the Franklin Municipal Code, with the citation procedure in Section 15-703 (most recently amended by Ordinance 2024-12). Parking within 7.5 to 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in an intersection or on a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in front of a driveway, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet of a flashing signal or stop sign, or in other TCA 55-8-160 prohibited locations is a separate citable offense citywide. Exceeding the 24-hour maximum stay in either of the two free downtown garages is enforceable under garage signage and Title 15.

Loading Zones

Loading zones in Franklin are installed and signed by the city under Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) of the Franklin Municipal Code, with the Board of Mayor and Aldermen authority to restrict parking in Section 15-618 and the parking-citation procedure in Section 15-703 (most recently amended by Ordinance 2024-12). Most downtown deliveries occur off Main Street through alleys and on-street spaces during the two-hour Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. window, or before/after enforcement hours, with overflow handled by the two free public garages on 2nd Avenue South and 4th Avenue South.

Key details: Loading Authority: Title 15 + Section 15-618. Active Loading Exception: Under TCA 55-8-160. Citation Procedure: Section 15-703 (Ord. 2024-12). Quick Loading Spaces: 30-min spaces in 4th Ave S Garage. Hydrant Setback: 7.5-15 ft (TCA 55-8-160).

Parking a non-delivery vehicle in a signed loading zone outside the posted active-loading window is a citable parking violation under Title 15 of the Franklin Municipal Code, with the citation procedure in Section 15-703 (most recently amended by Ordinance 2024-12). Blocking a marked loading zone is enforceable as a parking violation. Loading vehicles must still comply with Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160 distance restrictions, including the 7.5-to-15-foot fire-hydrant setback, the no-parking-on-sidewalk rule, and the no-parking-in-front-of-a-driveway rule. Exceeding the 30-minute limit in the Fourth Avenue South Garage 30-minute spaces is enforceable under garage signage.

Curb Color Rules

Curb markings and colored-curb paint on Franklin public streets are installed only by the city (the Franklin Street Department installed 29 new downtown parking signs in 2023 alone); residents and property owners may not paint, alter, or add markings to a public curb. Where paint has faded or is unmarked, the state-law distance restrictions in Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160 still apply by default - including the 7.5-to-15-foot fire-hydrant setback (the municipality sets the exact distance within that range).

Key details: Curb Marking Authority: Franklin Street Department only (MUTCD). Hydrant Setback: 7.5-15 ft (TCA 55-8-160). Intersection/Crosswalk: No parking (TCA 55-8-160). Sidewalk/Driveway: No parking (TCA 55-8-160). Resident Curb Paint: Not permitted.

Painting, repainting, or altering a public curb without city authorization is unauthorized work in the public right-of-way and may require restoration at the property owner's expense plus enforcement under Title 15 of the Franklin Municipal Code. Parking within 7.5 to 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in an intersection or on a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in front of a driveway, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet of a flashing signal or stop sign, or in another TCA 55-8-160 location is a citable parking violation regardless of whether the curb is painted, with the citation procedure in Section 15-703 (most recently amended by Ordinance 2024-12).

RV & Boat Parking

Franklin does not maintain a separate citywide ban on RV or boat storage, but the city Property Maintenance Code prohibits any inoperable or unlicensed motor vehicle from being kept on a premises, and prohibits parking any motor vehicle on a lawn (vehicles must be on an approved parking pad or driveway). On the street, all vehicles, including travel trailers and boat trailers, are subject to Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) of the Franklin Municipal Code and to Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160 distance restrictions, including the 7.5-to-15-foot fire-hydrant setback.

Key details: Inoperable Vehicle Rule: Prohibited on any premises (Property Maint. Code). Lawn Parking: Prohibited - must be on paved pad/driveway. Cure Period: 30 days from Notice of Violation. Street Parking Authority: Title 15 + Section 15-618. Hydrant Setback: 7.5 to 15 ft (TCA 55-8-160).

Keeping an inoperable, unlicensed, or major-disrepair RV, camper, or boat trailer on a Franklin premises violates the city Property Maintenance Code; parking any RV or trailer on the lawn instead of on an approved parking pad or driveway is a separate violation. Both are corrected by a Notice of Violation with a 30-day cure period; uncorrected violations may result in abatement at the owner's expense, a property lien for unpaid invoices after 45 days, and a Municipal Court citation, with each day of continued violation treated as a separate offense. On-street RV and trailer parking that violates a posted no-parking sign, the downtown two-hour limit, or a state-law TCA 55-8-160 distance restriction is enforceable under Title 15 of the Franklin Municipal Code.

Oversized Vehicle Parking

Franklin does not maintain a separate length- or weight-based oversized-vehicle ordinance on residential streets. The functional limits come from Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) of the Franklin Municipal Code (including the city's authority to restrict parking under Section 15-618 and the citation procedure in Section 15-703 as amended by Ordinance 2024-12), Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160 distance restrictions (7.5-to-15-foot fire-hydrant setback, etc.), Title 14 (Zoning and Land Use Control) outdoor storage limits, and the Property Maintenance Code's ban on inoperable vehicles and lawn parking.

Key details: Citywide Weight/Length Cap: None. Hydrant Setback: 7.5-15 ft (TCA 55-8-160). No-Parking Authority: Section 15-618 (BOMA ordinance). Citation Procedure: Section 15-703 (Ord. 2024-12). Private Property: Inoperable banned; no lawn parking.

Parking an oversized vehicle in a posted no-parking-anytime zone (multiple adopted by BOMA under Section 15-618), within 7.5 to 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in an intersection or on a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in front of a driveway, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet of a flashing signal or stop sign, or in another TCA 55-8-160 location is a citable parking violation under Title 15 of the Franklin Municipal Code, with the citation procedure in Section 15-703 (most recently amended by Ordinance 2024-12). Storing an inoperable or unlicensed oversized vehicle on a private Franklin lot, or parking any vehicle on the lawn rather than an approved parking pad or driveway, violates the city Property Maintenance Code with a 30-day cure period, abatement-and-lien escalation, and Municipal Court referral.

Abandoned Vehicles

Abandoned vehicles in Franklin are governed primarily by Tennessee Code Annotated Title 55, Chapter 16 (Abandoned, Immobile or Unattended Vehicles). Under TCA 55-16-105, after a vehicle is taken into custody, the police department must send written notice to the owner and any lienholder, who have ten days from the date of the notice to reclaim the vehicle on payment of all towing, preservation, and storage charges. On private property, the City of Franklin Property Maintenance Code prohibits keeping any inoperable or unlicensed motor vehicle on any premises, with a 30-day cure period after a Notice of Violation.

Key details: Primary State Law: TCA Title 55, Chapter 16. Reclaim Window: 10 days from TCA 55-16-105 notice. Private Property Trigger: 48 hrs without consent (TN DOR). Inoperable on Premises: Prohibited (Property Maint. Code). Code Cure Period: 30 days from Notice of Violation.

Leaving a vehicle as abandoned, immobile, or unattended on public or private property in Franklin exposes the vehicle to being taken into custody under Tennessee Code Annotated 55-16; once towed, the owner and any lienholder have only ten days from the date of TCA 55-16-105 notice to reclaim the vehicle on payment of all towing, preservation, and storage charges, after which the vehicle may be sold at public auction under TCA 55-16-106. Keeping an inoperable or unlicensed motor vehicle on a Franklin premises, or any vehicle in a state of major disrepair, violates the city Property Maintenance Code with a 30-day cure period, after which the city may abate at the owner's expense, place a lien for unpaid invoices over 45 days, and refer to Municipal Court (each day of continued violation is a separate offense).

Compared to other cities, Franklin takes a harder line on abandoned vehicles. The enforcement and penalty structure reflects that.

Overnight Parking

Franklin does not impose a citywide overnight parking ban on passenger vehicles. The functional limit on the street comes from posted no-parking ordinances adopted by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen under Section 15-618 (City Authority to Restrict Parking) of the Franklin Municipal Code, and from Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160 distance restrictions (7.5-to-15-foot fire-hydrant setback, etc.). Downtown's two free public parking garages on 2nd Ave South and 4th Ave South are open 24 hours but post a 24-hour maximum-stay limit. The Property Maintenance Code prohibits inoperable vehicles on premises and lawn parking, both with a 30-day cure period.

Key details: Overnight Street Ban: None for passenger vehicles. Free Garage Max Stay: 24 hours (both downtown garages). Restriction Authority: Section 15-618. Citation Procedure: Section 15-703 (Ord. 2024-12). Inoperable on Premises: Prohibited (30-day cure).

Parking overnight in a posted no-parking zone, within 7.5 to 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in an intersection or on a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in front of a driveway, or in another TCA 55-8-160 prohibited location is a citable parking violation under Title 15 of the Franklin Municipal Code. Leaving a vehicle in either free downtown public garage longer than the posted 24-hour maximum stay is enforceable under garage signage. On private property, keeping an inoperable or unlicensed vehicle on the premises or parking any vehicle on the lawn (instead of an approved pad or driveway) violates the Property Maintenance Code with a 30-day cure period before abatement and Municipal Court referral.

Franklin is more permissive than most cities when it comes to overnight parking. That said, there are still limits.

EV Charging

Franklin has not adopted a stand-alone EV charging ordinance; installations follow the adopted Tennessee Building Code and the city's adopted electrical code. Both of the free downtown public garages - Second Avenue South Garage (108 2nd Ave S) and Fourth Avenue South Garage (115 4th Ave S) - provide two EV charging spaces each, pay-for-use, with a rule that vehicles must be actively charging while parked in EV-designated spaces. Tennessee currently has no statewide 'right-to-charge' statute for HOAs or condominiums (unlike CA, CO, CT, IL, and OR), and as of January 2026 the state was considering a per-kilowatt-hour tax on public fast chargers.

Key details: City-Specific EV Ordinance: None - state and adopted codes govern. City Garage Chargers: 2 spaces each at 2nd Ave S + 4th Ave S. Active-Charging Rule: Required while in EV-designated space. TN Right-to-Charge: Not adopted (HOAs may restrict). Home Install Permit: Required (Building and Neighborhood Services).

Installing a Level 2 home charger without the required electrical permit through Franklin Building and Neighborhood Services is a code violation and may require after-the-fact permitting and inspection. Parking a non-charging vehicle in either of the two EV-designated spaces at the Second Avenue South or Fourth Avenue South garage violates the posted requirement that vehicles must be actively charging while parked in EV-designated spaces, and is enforceable under Title 15 of the Franklin Municipal Code. Tennessee has no statewide ICEing penalty statute, but the city is able to cite under the parking citation procedure in Section 15-703 (amended by Ordinance 2024-12).

The rules around ev charging in Franklin lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

The Bottom Line

Compared to many U.S. cities, Franklin gives residents more room on parking rules. 2 of the 10 rules here are rated permissive. But permissive does not mean unregulated. There are still requirements, and the city does enforce them when violations are reported.

This guide is based on Franklin's current municipal code. Local rules can and do change, so check the individual ordinance pages for the latest details, penalties, and FAQs.