Building Setbacks & Zoning in Knoxville, TN (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Knoxville, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Front setbacks in Knoxville's residential zoning districts range from a 40-foot minimum in EN down to 10 feet in RN-3 and RN-4, each keyed to the average blockface, per Table 4-2 of the zoning code.
Knoxville Yard Setback Minimums By Zone
Some RestrictionsKnoxville City Code, Appendix B (Zoning Code), Art. 4, Sec. 4.3, Table 4-2 (Ord. No. O-10-2024, § 1, 2-6-24; Ord. No. O-143-2025, § 1, 11-25-25; Ord. No. O-147-2025, § 1, 11-25-25)
Minimum Front Setback: +/- 10' of the average of blockface; in no case less than 40' [EN] / +/- 10' of the average of blockface; in no case less than 25' [RN-1] / 20', or the average of blockface, whichever is less; in no case less than 10' [RN-2] / 10' or the average of blockface, whichever is less [RN-3] / 10' or the average of blockface, whichever is less [RN-4]
Structure Height Limits
Knoxville caps residential structures at 35 feet in the EN, RN-1, RN-2, RN-3, and RN-4 single-family zoning districts, measured from grade at the front building line, per the city's Table 4-2 dimensional standards.
Knoxville Residential Building Height Limits
Some RestrictionsKnoxville City Code, Appendix B (Zoning Code), Art. 4, Sec. 4.3, Table 4-2 (Ord. No. O-10-2024, § 1, 2-6-24; Ord. No. O-143-2025, § 1, 11-25-25; Ord. No. O-147-2025, § 1, 11-25-25)
Table 4-2: Residential Districts Dimensional Standards EN RN-1 RN-2 RN-3 RN-4 Bulk Minimum Lot Area 22,000 sf SF: 10,000 sf 2F: 15,000 sf Nonresidential: 20,000 sf SF: 5,000 sf 2F: 10,000 sf Nonresidential: 10,000 sf SF: 5,000 sf SF-A: 3,750 2F: 7,500 sf TH: 12,000 sf for 3 du, 3,000 sf each additional du Nonresidential: 10,000 sf SF: 5,000 sf SF-A: 3,500 2F: 7,000 sf TH: 3,000 sf...
Lot Coverage Limits
Knoxville's Recode Knoxville zoning code caps impervious surface, the paved and structural coverage that blocks water absorption, by residential district: 35% in the EN district up to 70% in RN-7. Maximum building coverage is capped separately (25% to 50%), and a permeable pavement system counts as only 50% impervious, subject to Department of Engineering approval.
Knoxville Lot Coverage And Impervious Caps
Some RestrictionsKnoxville City Code, Appendix B (Zoning Code), Art. 4, Sec. 4.3, Table 4-2 (Ord. No. O-10-2024, § 1, 2-6-24; Ord. No. O-143-2025, § 1, 11-25-25; Ord. No. O-147-2025, § 1, 11-25-25)
H.Impervious Surface Coverage Impervious surface coverage is a measure of intensity of land use that represents the portion of a site that is occupied by structures, pavement, and other impervious surfaces that do not allow for the absorption of water into the ground. Maximum impervious surface of a lot is calculated as the percentage of all impervious surface area against the total area of the...
Looking for Knox County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Knoxville city rules.
Building Setbacks & Zoning in Knox County →