Sign Regulations in Murfreesboro, TN

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

Holiday Displays

Home holiday inflatables like giant Santas and snowmen are exempt from sign permits and fees in Murfreesboro's residential zones, but the sign code still caps every stationary inflatable at 100 square feet with a five-foot setback from the right-of-way.

Key details: Residential holiday inflatables: No permit, no fee. Size limit: 100 sq ft maximum. ROW setback: 5 ft plus inflatable height. Governing section: Code § 25.2-25(C)(4).

Exceeding the 100-square-foot size cap or ignoring the right-of-way setback violates the Sign Ordinance; the Chief Building Official can order removal at the owner's expense after notice.

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

Window Signs

Murfreesboro caps window signage on nonresidential buildings at 25% of ground-floor window surface per façade and 15% on upper floors, under Code § 25.2-23(C), while exempting conforming window signs from a separate sign permit.

Key details: Ground floor cap: 25% of window surface. Upper floor cap: 15% per window. Door w/ window: 2¼ sq ft max. Frame lighting: Prohibited in all zones.

Window signage exceeding the 25%/15% coverage caps, or window-frame perimeter lighting, is enforced by the Chief Building Official under Code § 25.2-4, subject to citation and fines under Code § 1-8.

Digital Billboards

Murfreesboro's sign code flatly bans electronic graphic display signs, video display signs, and multi-vision signs in every zoning district: there's no permit path or grandfather clause for digital billboards anywhere in the city.

Key details: Electronic display signs: Prohibited in all zoning districts. Video display signs: Prohibited in all zoning districts. Multi-vision signs: Also prohibited citywide. Governing section: Code § 25.2-24(A)(28).

Erecting a prohibited electronic, video, or multi-vision sign violates the Sign Ordinance; the City can order removal and pursue code enforcement citations against the property owner or sign permittee.

This is not one of those rules that cities tend to ignore. Murfreesboro actively enforces its digital billboards requirements.

Political Signs

Murfreesboro treats campaign and other political signs as ordinary noncommercial temporary signs: capped at three per lot, 16 square feet each, and removed within ten days after the election or event ends.

Key details: Signs per lot: Three maximum at a time. Size cap: 16 sq ft each. Removal deadline: 10 days after event ends. Content neutrality: No preference for commercial signs.

Exceeding three temporary signs per lot, going over the 16-square-foot cap, or leaving a sign up more than ten days after the election violates the Sign Ordinance and can trigger removal by the City.

Freeway-Facing Signs

Murfreesboro allows a business near the Interstate 24 interchange to erect a larger, taller ground sign than the standard limit, but only when all five conditions in City Code § 25.2-26(C)(4)(b)[8] exist. The sign must sit within 2,000 feet of the interchange center and tops out at 200 square feet and 50 feet in height.

Key details: Qualifying area: Within a 2,000-foot radius of the Interstate 24 interchange center. Maximum sign area: 200 sq. ft.. Maximum height: 50 ft.. Setbacks: 10 ft. from ROW, 10 ft. minimum from power lines. Distance from residential zone: At least 300 ft..

Section 25.2-4(A) makes any violation of the sign chapter a violation of its own, and each day it continues counts as a separate and additional violation, punished on conviction as provided in Code § 1-8. Under § 25.2-4(C) the owner, tenant or occupant, plus any builder, contractor or agent who commits, maintains or aids the violation, can each be found guilty of a separate offense. Starting construction before the permit issues automatically doubles the permit fee under § 25.2-20(K). The Chief Building Official enforces the chapter.

The Bottom Line

Murfreesboro'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 Murfreesboro is broadly strict or permissive.

Keep in mind that Murfreesboro can amend these rules at any council meeting. For the most current version of any rule mentioned here, check the specific ordinance page, which shows when its source was last checked.