Sign Regulations in Hendersonville, TN

If you live in Hendersonville or are thinking about moving there, sign regulations are one of those things you probably won't think about until they affect you directly. Hendersonville has 5 specific rules on the books covering different aspects of sign regulations, and some of them might surprise you.

Digital Billboards

Hendersonville allows electronic changeable-copy signage only at gas stations, theaters, and qualifying public sites in non-residential districts, requiring Design Review, 150-foot residential setbacks, and capping displays at 80 percent of allowable sign area; general off-site billboards are banned outright.

Key details: Districts allowed: Non-residential only. Eligible uses: Gas stations, theaters, qualifying public sites. Residential setback: 150 feet minimum. Max digital area: 80% of sign area. Off-site billboards: Banned in all zones.

Operating an electronic sign outside these limits, or erecting a prohibited off-site billboard, is a misdemeanor: a $50 fine per violation, with each day of noncompliance charged separately, plus removal by City staff (§4.13).

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

Garage Sale Signs

A garage sale sign in Hendersonville falls under the Zoning Ordinance's residential-message sign category, and that category needs no permit at all as long as it carries no commercial message. It's capped at one sign per lot, nine square feet, and four feet tall, the same size ceiling the Ordinance sets for a paid commercial sign in a residential zone.

Key details: Sign size limit: 9 square feet maximum. Sign height limit: 4 feet maximum. Permit: No permit needed for residential-message signs. Signs per lot: One temporary ground sign per lot. Enforcement: City may remove, discard or destroy noncompliant signs.

A garage sale sign itself needs no permit, so the exposure is placement, not registration: a sign over nine square feet, taller than four feet, or one left up outside a genuine sale window can be pulled by the Planning Department or other authorized City staff under Section 13.6, which lets the City remove, discard or destroy an offending temporary sign outright. A broader Ordinance violation on the property carries the Section 4.13 misdemeanor penalty of a $50.00 fine per day.

The rules around garage sale signs in Hendersonville lean permissive, but that does not mean anything goes.

Window Signs

Hendersonville caps window signs at 20 percent of a building's street-facing glass, tightens that to 5 percent in office and neighborhood commercial districts, and allows only one small illuminated window sign per business.

Key details: General coverage cap: 20% of glass area. O/NC districts cap: 5% of street-facing glass. Illuminated window signs: 1 per business, up to 2 sq ft. Illumination types allowed: Neon or LED only.

Violating the window sign coverage or illumination limits is a misdemeanor citable by the Planning Department, with fines starting at $50 per day the violation continues (§4.13).

Holiday Displays

Hendersonville exempts traditional holiday lighting from its building Design Review process, but only for up to two 30-day display periods per calendar year; the two periods may run back-to-back, covering roughly 60 days total.

Key details: Exemption: Two 30-day periods per year. Consecutive use: Periods may run back-to-back. Governing sections: SS4.7.3.2.C and SS12.3.6.3.B.5. Over the limit: Requires Design Review approval.

Holiday or accent lighting left up beyond the two 30-day exemption windows without prior Design Review approval is a zoning violation under Section 4.13, a misdemeanor punishable by a $50 fine per day it continues.

Political Signs

Hendersonville lets residents post election signs on private property without a permit, but caps them at 16 square feet/4 feet tall in residential zones (32 sq ft/6 feet in commercial-industrial) and restricts display to the 60-day early-voting window through one day after the election.

Key details: Permit required: None. Residential size/height: 16 sq ft / 4 ft. Commercial/industrial size: 32 sq ft / 6 ft. Display window: 60 days before early voting. Setback from pavement: 12 feet minimum.

No permit is required, but the ordinance directs Planning Department staff to immediately remove any election sign placed in violation: oversized, mistimed, or without the property owner's consent (§13.7.1).

The Bottom Line

Hendersonville'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 Hendersonville is broadly strict or permissive.

All of the above reflects Hendersonville's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.