5 rules for unincorporated Hamilton County, Tennessee.
Verified from official government sources
Chattanooga property-maintenance rules require premises to be kept free of accumulated garbage, rubbish, and refuse. Trash must be stored in containers, not piled or scattered. Code Enforcement handles complaints inside the city; unincorporated county follows nuisance rules.
Chattanooga City Code ch. 21 (Property Maintenance)
Premises must be maintained free of accumulated garbage, rubbish, refuse, or other waste material.
Chattanooga has adopted the International Property Maintenance Code and enforces blight through its Code Enforcement office. Deteriorated structures, accumulated junk, and inoperable vehicles on private land are prohibited. Unincorporated Hamilton County relies on county nuisance rules and city standards.
Chattanooga City Code ch. 21 (Property Maintenance)
No person leaves any partially dismantled, non-operating, wrecked, or junked vehicle on any lot, tract, or parcel of privately owned land within the city unless it is stored or parked on the property in connection with a licensed business enterprise operating in a lawful place and manner.
Vacant lots in Chattanooga must be mowed and kept free of litter. City code bars depositing litter on any vacant or occupied property regardless of ownership, and the 10-inch overgrowth limit applies to all premises, including empty lots.
Chattanooga City Code ch. 21 (Property Maintenance)
No person shall deposit litter on any vacant or occupied public or private property within the city limits, regardless of ownership.
Neither Hamilton County nor Chattanooga imposes a dedicated yard-sale permit for occasional residential sales; they are allowed as an accessory home use. Temporary sale signs must follow the city sign code and cannot be placed in the public right-of-way.
In Chattanooga, grass, underbrush, and weeds on any premises must be kept below 10 inches. Owners and tenants are responsible for the whole lot, including the strip to the street. Overgrowth is a common code-enforcement violation.
Chattanooga City Code ch. 21 (Property Maintenance)
All premises containing grass, underbrush, or weeds shall be maintained at the height of less than ten (10) inches.
See every category we cover for Hamilton County — parking, noise, fences, fires, animals, pools, and more.
Hamilton County Ordinance Hub →