Sign Regulations in Clarksville, TN

If you live in Clarksville or are thinking about moving there, sign regulations are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Clarksville has 3 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of sign regulations, and some of them might surprise you.

Window Signs

Within the Madison Street Corridor Urban Design Overlay, window signs cannot cover more than 15% of the window area, and lettering is capped at 10 inches tall. The Design Review Board and Clarksville-Montgomery Regional Planning Commission review every sign under a Certificate of Appropriateness before a building permit issues.

Key details: Window coverage limit: 15% of window area maximum. Letter height cap: 10 inches maximum. Permit required: Certificate of Appropriateness plus Building Review. Applies where: Madison Street Corridor Urban Design Overlay only. Reviewing bodies: Design Review Board and Regional Planning Commission staff.

Signs installed without a Certificate of Appropriateness are enforced as a Code of Ordinances violation, and Building and Codes Department staff can require a nonconforming window sign be resized or removed before final building sign-off. Because Design Review Board approval never overrides the building code or zoning ordinance, a business that exceeds the 15% coverage or 10-inch letter limit risks a stop-work order on its sign permit until the display is brought into compliance with Section E of the overlay standards.

Holiday Displays

Clarksville's sign chapter expressly exempts holiday signs and decorations carrying no commercial message. Lights and yard displays on private property are not regulated as signs, and the code sets no takedown date.

Key details: Holiday displays: Exempt from sign chapter. Commercial message: Removes the exemption. Takedown deadline: None in city code. Public right-of-way: Obstruction prohibited. Downtown projections: Eight feet minimum clearance.

Obstructing a public way violates Section 12-111. The city may remove the obstruction under Section 12-113 and charge the reasonable cost to the property owner.

Clarksville is more permissive than most cities when it comes to holiday displays. That said, there are still limits.

Garage Sale Signs

Clarksville requires yard sale holders to register with the building official and confines all advertising to temporary signs inside the yard where the sale is held. Signs on utility poles or at neighborhood entrances are unlawful.

Key details: Off-site sale signs: Prohibited citywide. Sales per year: Two, three days each. Registration: Required with building official. Residential sign size: Six square feet maximum. Utility poles: No sale advertisements.

Sign violations are cited to Clarksville Municipal Court under Zoning Ordinance Section 11.9, civil fine up to $50 per violation, each day a separate offense.

This is one of the stricter rules in Clarksville's municipal code. If you are unsure whether your situation complies, it is worth checking with the city before proceeding.

The Bottom Line

Clarksville's sign regulations 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 Clarksville is broadly strict or permissive.

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