Privacy & Surveillance in Nashville, TN (2026)
4 verified privacy & surveillance rules for Nashville, Tennessee, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Security Camera Rules
Metro doesn't require a permit for a home security camera, but MNPD's donor-camera program only pulls footage from participating private cameras, and it's barred from residential-only feeds and any camera aimed at your front door.
Nashville Security Camera and Police Camera-Sharing Rules
Light RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 13.08.080(A)(9), (K)(1)(e)
"Donor camera" shall mean any camera owned and maintained by a private entity where the private entity voluntarily elects to participate in the community safety camera network by providing access to common area-facing camera feeds... MNPD shall not have access to live video from a donor camera if located upon the property of a solely residential use.
Doorbell Camera Disclosures
Metro Nashville's voluntary 'donor camera' program lets residents share security footage with MNPD, but the ordinance bars police from accessing any residential camera feed that views a home's front door or entryway.
Nashville Doorbell Camera Police Access Rules
Light RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 13.08.080(K)(1)(b)(iv), (K)(1)(e)
MNPD shall not have access to a donor camera which: ... iv. Is installed upon the property of a residential use and views an area which includes the front door of a residence or the entryway thereto ... e. MNPD shall not have access to live video from a donor camera if located upon the property of a solely residential use.
Facial Recognition Ban
Metro Nashville bars its police-linked community safety camera network from identifying people via facial recognition and bars license plate readers from having facial-recognition capability, while requiring Metropolitan Council approval before any new biometric surveillance tech is deployed.
Nashville Bans Facial Recognition in Police Cameras
Significant RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 13.08.080(K)(2)(b) and § 13.08.080(G)(1)(a)(iii)
The community safety camera network shall not be used to identify individuals, or the characteristics thereof, through the use of facial recognition technology. ... An LPR system authorized under this section shall not be capable of facial recognition.
License Plate Readers
Metro Nashville requires council approval before installing license plate readers in the public right-of-way, caps LPR data retention at ten days, and bars police from using ICE-provided hot lists under Metro Code section 13.08.080.
Nashville License Plate Reader Rules
Significant RestrictionsMetropolitan Code of Laws § 13.08.080(G)(13)
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section, the metropolitan government shall not in any way use, upload, or refer to a hot list that is related to federal immigration enforcement including without limitation any hot list provided or generated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or any hot list that includes data provided or generated by the U.S. Immigration and Custom...