Building Setbacks & Zoning in Nashville, TN (2026)
3 verified building setbacks & zoning rules for Nashville, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Setback Rules
Rear and side yard setbacks for single- and two-family homes in Metro Nashville run from 20 feet in the largest AG and RS80 zones down to 3 feet in the densest RS3.75 zone, per the Metro Zoning Code's District Bulk Table 17.12.020A.
Nashville Yard Setback Minimums by Zone
Some RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 17.12.020, Table 17.12.020A
Table 17.12.020A SINGLE-FAMILY AND TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGS [...] Zoning District | Minimum Lot Area (sq. ft.) | Maximum Building Coverage | Minimum Rear Setback (in ft.) | Minimum Side Setback (in ft.) | Maximum Height [...] RS20, R20 20,000 0.35 20 10 2.5 stories [...] RS10, R10 10,000 0.40 20 5 2.5 stories [...] RS3.75, RS3.75-A 3,750 0.60 20 3 2.5 stories
Structure Height Limits
Metro Nashville caps most single-family and two-family homes at 24 feet to the eave and 35 feet to the roof ridge, with flat 3-story caps in large-lot districts and inside the I-40/I-65 loop.
Nashville Residential Structure Height Limits
Some RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 17.12.020, Table 17.12.020A, Note 6
Maximum height to eave/parapet limited to 24 feet; maximum height to roof ridge line limited to 35 feet, excluding elevator or stair bulkheads and chimneys or flues. If fifty percent or more of the existing structures on the same block face and oriented to the same street are more than 35 feet in height, then the maximum height is limited to 3 stories in 45 feet. Any exposed foundation in an ex...
Lot Coverage Limits
Metro Nashville caps how much of a single-family or two-family lot a house can cover, from 20% in the largest-lot AG and RS80 districts up to 60% in RS3.75 and higher-density zones.
Nashville Maximum Lot Coverage Limits
Some RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 17.12.020, Table 17.12.020A
Table 17.12.020A — SINGLE-FAMILY AND TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGS. Zoning District, Minimum Lot Area (in sq. ft.), Maximum Building Coverage: AG 5 acres 0.20 ... RS40, R40 40,000 0.25 ... RS10, R10 10,000 0.40 ... RS3.75, RS3.75-A 3,750 0.60