Local rules and regulations for Rutherford County, Tennessee. Population: 341,486.
Verified from official government sources
Select a topic to see Rutherford County's rules on that subject.
Every residential pool in unincorporated Rutherford County must be enclosed by a barrier at least four feet high. Tennessee follows the 2018 IRC Appendix G, requiring a 48-inch barrier with self-closing, self-latching gates and limited ground clearance.
Tennessee's Katie Beth's Law requires a pool alarm on every residential swimming pool installed after January 1, 2011. The alarm must sound at 50 decibels when a person or 15-pound object enters the water.
Tennessee law treats aboveground pools like in-ground pools. Any structure holding water over 36 inches deep, including aboveground and on-ground pools, is a swimming pool subject to the state pool-alarm law and county permitting.
Hot tubs and nonportable spas count as swimming pools under Tennessee law. Those holding over 24 inches of water need a Rutherford County building permit, and units over 36 inches deep require a pool alarm under Katie Beth's Law.
In unincorporated Rutherford County, any swimming pool, hot tub, or spa holding more than 24 inches of water needs a building permit from County Building Codes, and the owner signs a notarized barrier-and-alarm agreement before final inspection.
In unincorporated Rutherford County, an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) is allowed by-right in any residential district on a lot of at least one acre, with only one ADU per single-family lot. The owner must live in either the main house or the ADU.
In unincorporated Rutherford County, a shed and other detached accessory structures must sit at least 5 feet from side and rear property lines, stay out of the front yard unless the house is set back over 60 feet, and may not exceed the district height limit (typically 35 feet).
A carport is a detached accessory structure in unincorporated Rutherford County, so it must follow Section 1101 D: a 5-foot side/rear setback, the acreage-based size cap, and the district height limit (typically 35 feet). It cannot be approved before the principal home is built without special-exception approval.
There is no separate tiny-home rule in unincorporated Rutherford County. A permanent tiny dwelling is regulated either as a single-family home or, on a lot with an existing house, as an accessory dwelling unit, and must meet the 300-square-foot minimum and adopted building code.
Converting a detached garage or accessory building into living space in unincorporated Rutherford County is treated as creating an accessory dwelling unit. It is allowed only where the structure meets the current adopted residential building code, plus ADU covenant, lot-size, and permit rules under Section 1101 Q.
Dogs and cats may not run at large in unincorporated Rutherford County. Off the owner's property an animal must be leashed and controlled by a person able to restrain it. Violations bring impoundment and fines under the county PAWS Rules.
PAWS Rules focus on dogs, cats, fowl, and livestock and set no general exotic-pet list. Tennessee state law—not the county—controls inherently dangerous wildlife: a Class I permit is required to possess animals like big cats, bears, and venomous reptiles.
Rutherford County has no breed-specific ban. Its dangerous-dog rules cannot label a dog dangerous based solely on breed. Truly dangerous dogs are regulated by behavior through General Sessions Court, and state law allows destruction of a dog that kills or seriously injures.
The county animal code sets no cap on backyard chickens, but Article XXIV makes it unlawful to let any chicken or fowl run at large onto another person's property. Where you may keep fowl is set by county zoning, not by PAWS.
The county animal code (PAWS) does not regulate honeybees. Where you can keep hives is governed by zoning and Tennessee's state apiary and right-to-farm law, not by PAWS. Confirm hive placement with county planning or your city before setting up.
In unincorporated Rutherford County livestock is common and largely governed by zoning, but the PAWS Rules make it unlawful to let livestock run at large on streets or on another's land. Impounded large animals can be redeemed, sold, or euthanized.
Rutherford County's animal Rules set no numeric cap on how many dogs or cats you may own. Instead, animals that habitually disturb neighbors are controlled as a 'public nuisance,' and every dog and cat over three months must be licensed and vaccinated.
Cats fall under the same at-large, licensing, and rabies rules as dogs, but 'community cats' are exempt from the running-at-large prohibition. Every owned cat over three months needs a $5 county license and a rabies vaccination.
The county animal Rules (PAWS) contain no ban on feeding deer, birds, or other wildlife. Wildlife is regulated by the state Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and problem feeding is generally addressed through nuisance or zoning rather than a specific county ordinance.
The county has no ordinance using the word 'hoarding,' but the PAWS Rules make neglect and cruelty unlawful and let officers seize animals kept without adequate food, water, shelter, or veterinary care. Serious cases are prosecuted under state cruelty law.
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro set no short-term-rental-specific guest cap. Occupancy is governed by generally applicable rules such as the property maintenance/building code and health limits, plus any house rules the host sets.
There is no short-term-rental-specific parking ordinance in Rutherford County or Murfreesboro. Guests must follow the same street-parking, driveway, and yard-parking rules that apply to every resident.
Before renting, you must obtain an initial business license through the Rutherford County Clerk (and your city) and register for state and local taxes. Airbnb, VRBO, and privately operated rentals are all covered.
Rutherford County hosts owe three taxes: state business tax on gross receipts, state and local sales tax, and a 5% occupancy (hotel/motel) tax paid monthly to the county and city. Business licenses cost $15 each.
No STR-specific noise ordinance exists, but short-term rental guests must obey Murfreesboro's general noise and nuisance rules. Repeated noise violations can strip a legacy operator's grandfather protection under state law.
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro do not limit short-term rentals to a host's primary residence. Tennessee's STRU Act also grandfathers existing rentals, blocking local ordinances that would prohibit a property already used as a short-term rental.
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro impose no rule requiring the host to be present or on-site during a short-term rental stay. Unhosted, whole-home rentals are allowed.
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro do not cap the number of nights a short-term rental can operate. State law bars local rules that effectively prohibit STR use, and grandfathers existing rentals against later caps.
The City of Murfreesboro requires no local zoning permit to run a short-term rental. Tennessee lets local governments create a permit or application process under the STRU Act, but Murfreesboro and Rutherford County have not adopted one; you still need a county business license and must pay taxes.
Rutherford County and Murfreesboro do not impose a local short-term rental insurance mandate. Under Tennessee's STRU Act framework, hosts are generally expected to carry liability coverage, which is often provided through the booking platform.
In Murfreesboro and Rutherford County's cities, amplified sound must not be plainly audible across a neighbor's property line between 10:00 PM and 7:00 AM, and residential zones drop to a 48 dBA nighttime limit. Unincorporated county land has no dedicated decibel curfew.
Murfreesboro caps construction noise at 80 dBA at a residential property line, allowed only 7 AM-8 PM weekdays (6 AM in June-August) and 8 AM-8 PM weekends and holidays. Rutherford County sets no construction-hour rule for unincorporated land.
In Murfreesboro it is a noise violation if an animal barks, howls or whines continuously for more than 10 minutes, or intermittently for more than 20 minutes, when plainly audible 100 feet or more away. Kenneled livestock is exempt.
Murfreesboro allows gas leaf blowers and power tools only 7 AM-8 PM, capped at 75 dBA (engines 5 HP or less) or 80 dBA (over 5 HP) at a neighbor's property line. Commercial landscaping is banned in residential areas 8 PM-7 AM.
Murfreesboro bars any instrument, drum, TV or amplification device that is plainly audible 50 feet away on a public right-of-way or public property, or audible across a neighbor's line between 10 PM and 7 AM. Rutherford County has no dedicated amplification rule.
Murfreesboro treats a car sound system audible 50 feet from the vehicle as prima facie evidence of a violation, and requires every vehicle to run a working muffler with no cutout or bypass. Statewide, T.C.A. governs modified exhaust.
Murfreesboro's Table 2 caps exterior sound at 55 dBA daytime / 48 dBA nighttime in residential zones, 65 / 58 dBA commercial, and 70 dBA around the clock in industrial zones, measured at the receiving property line. Rutherford County sets no county-wide dB cap.
Murfreesboro caps amplified sound from a public entertainment venue at 65 dBC (7 AM-10 PM) and 50 dBC (10 PM-7 AM) at the nearest home's boundary. Outdoor commercial loudspeakers face plainly-audible limits; special events need a permit.
Murfreesboro caps sound from industrial-zone property at 70 dBA around the clock at the receiving boundary. A nonconforming use must meet the most restrictive zone's limit, and homes predating a source get extra protection. County zoning governs unincorporated industry.
Aircraft noise is exempt from Murfreesboro's noise ordinance and is regulated by the FAA, not by the county or its cities. Local governments cannot set flight-path or overflight noise limits; complaints go to the FAA or the airport.
Removing a street or public tree in Murfreesboro requires City Arborist authorization. A tree on private property may be removed without a city permit unless it is declared a public nuisance. Unincorporated Rutherford County has no tree-removal ordinance.
The City of Murfreesboro makes it unlawful to let weeds or grass grow over twelve inches, and requires yards be kept free of rubbish and refuse. Unincorporated Rutherford County's separate ordinance caps growth at fifteen inches.
Rutherford County and its water providers have not imposed mandatory watering restrictions; conservation is voluntary. Tennessee sets no statewide homeowner watering ban. During drought, the county and utilities such as the Consolidated Utility District ask residents to cut non-essential water use.
Neither Rutherford County nor the City of Murfreesboro restricts residential rainwater harvesting, and Tennessee places no ban on collecting rooftop rainwater. Rain barrels and cisterns for outdoor irrigation are legal; large or plumbed systems follow the state plumbing code.
Neither Rutherford County nor Murfreesboro requires homeowners to plant native or drought-tolerant species. Landscaping and buffer plantings are required only for certain new commercial and subdivision developments under zoning, not for existing home lawns.
No Rutherford County or Murfreesboro ordinance bans residential artificial turf. Synthetic grass is generally allowed on private yards; development landscaping standards and any HOA covenants may impose conditions. Tennessee has no statewide turf statute.
Backyard composting is legal in Rutherford County and Murfreesboro; there is no mandatory residential organics-diversion program. A compost pile must not become rubbish, refuse, or a vermin or odor nuisance, and yards must be kept clean under property maintenance rules.
Unincorporated Rutherford County's Tall Weeds and Grass Ordinance keeps grass and weeds below fifteen inches on lots of two acres or less and within 25 feet of any street. Inside the City of Murfreesboro the limit is twelve inches.
Murfreesboro's Tree Preservation Ordinance bars topping or pruning street, park, and other public trees without City Arborist authorization. Trimming a healthy tree entirely on your own private property needs no city permit. Unincorporated county has no tree-trimming rule.
In Murfreesboro, overgrown weeds, junk vehicles, and accumulated rubbish are declared a public nuisance under the International Property Maintenance Code. Codes Enforcement issues a notice, and unresolved conditions are abated by the City at the owner's expense.
Vacant lots in Murfreesboro must be mowed. Unimproved lots of two acres or less stay under 12 inches; larger tracts must be cut at least twice a year and to residential standards within 50 feet of adjacent homes. Dumping litter on vacant land is banned.
Grass and weeds on lawns and small lots in Murfreesboro may not exceed 12 inches in height. Trees, shrubs, crops, flowers, and other ornamental plants are exempt, as are rain gardens and designated water-quality protection areas.
Murfreesboro requires no permit for yard sales, but the Zoning Ordinance allows only up to four one-day yard sales per calendar year. Excessive sales are treated as commercial activity, which is not permitted in residential areas.
Murfreesboro requires trash carts to be stored out of view from the street except on collection day. A cart kept behind the home is allowed even if visible to a rear street. Owners must also keep premises free of litter.
Tennessee permits consumer 1.4G fireworks statewide (T.C.A. Title 68, Ch. 104). Rutherford County's cities add limits: Murfreesboro allows discharge only January 1, July 3-5, and December 31, and only between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Unincorporated county follows permissive state law.
Recreational fire pits are allowed in Rutherford County. Under the Tennessee Division of Forestry, small contained fires and cooking fires do not need a debris-burn permit, but open piles of yard debris do require one from October 15 to May 15.
In Rutherford County you may burn natural wood debris outdoors, but from October 15 through May 15 you must first get a free permit from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry. Only leaves, branches, and other natural vegetation may be burned.
Tennessee sets no wildfire defensible-space or brush-clearance mandate for homeowners in Rutherford County. Overgrowth is handled as a nuisance/high-grass matter, and any cleared brush may only be burned as natural on-site vegetation, with a Division of Forestry permit required October 15-May 15.
Backyard burning is allowed in Rutherford County for natural yard debris only. From October 15 to May 15 you need a free Division of Forestry permit, one person must stay at the fire the entire time, and household garbage may never be burned.
Tennessee law requires an approved smoke alarm in every rental living unit. For one- and two-family rentals (T.C.A. 68-102-151) the tenant maintains it, but the owner must ensure it works before each new tenancy. Apartment-building violations are a Class C misdemeanor.
Rutherford County sets no separate propane-storage ordinance. LP-gas storage follows the state-adopted fire code and NFPA 58 (Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code), enforced by the State Fire Marshal. Small residential grill cylinders (typically 20 lb) are exempt from permitting; larger tanks have placement and clearance rules.
Rutherford County is in Middle Tennessee and is not placed in a state-mapped wildfire or wildland-urban-interface hazard zone. Tennessee has no statewide WUI building code. Wildfire risk is managed mainly through seasonal debris-burn permits (October 15-May 15), not zone-based construction rules.
Murfreesboro zoning allows outdoor storage of limited boats, jet skis, ATVs and one RV/camper per dwelling, but nothing may sit in a required front yard. Smyrna limits recreational vehicles kept in the rear yard to two.
Smyrna requires you to leave at least 14 feet of roadway clear for traffic and bans parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, in front of driveways, in intersections and in crosswalks. Murfreesboro streets follow similar traffic rules.
In Smyrna it is unlawful to park any vehicle on a street between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless in a designated, marked spot. Emergency vehicles on calls are exempt. Rutherford County sets no separate overnight rule for county roads.
Smyrna bans parking commercial vehicles over 12,000 pounds gross weight on public streets in residential districts or on residential lots under five acres. Emergency, refuse and active service vehicles are excepted, and two school buses may be kept at a driver's home.
Smyrna requires vehicles on residential lots to be parked on a paved, concrete, rock, or gravel driveway or inside an enclosed roofed space. Parking on grass or dirt front yards is limited, and side/rear yard grass parking needs a six-foot privacy fence.
Smyrna prohibits parking any truck or vehicle over 12,000 pounds gross weight, or any trailer or semitrailer, on a street from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Tractor trucks and tractor trailers cannot be stored on residentially zoned property at all.
In Smyrna a marked loading and unloading zone may be used only for the expeditious loading or unloading of passengers or merchandise, and for no other purpose or period of time. Parking in alleys is limited to loading while leaving 10 feet of roadway clear.
Smyrna impounds and disposes of abandoned motor vehicles under Tennessee's abandoned-vehicle law, T.C.A. 55-16-101 et seq. Murfreesboro tags and tows abandoned or inoperable vehicles left on streets or visible on private property after notice.
There is no rule requiring homeowners to install EV chargers. Murfreesboro's zoning code defines EV-Capable, EV-Ready and EV-Installed parking spaces (Level 2, 208/240V, 40 amp) for use in new development standards. Rutherford County and Smyrna set no residential EV mandate.
Residents do not paint curbs; the town marks them. In Smyrna a yellow-painted curb designates a fire lane where parking is prohibited, on both public and private property. Painted yellow lines and official markings likewise control where you may stop or park.
The City of Murfreesboro requires a building permit before constructing any fence. In unincorporated Rutherford County, fences must comply with the Zoning Ordinance and a zoning compliance review; contact Planning & Engineering before building.
Retaining walls are allowed within required yards in all Rutherford County zoning districts as a permitted obstruction, provided they do not impede the vision triangle or block natural water drainage. Structural retaining walls also fall under Building and Codes review.
Rutherford County permits masonry or stone walls, ornamental iron, chain-link, and wood or vinyl fences in all zoning districts. Other materials may be considered on a case-by-case basis by the Planning & Engineering Department.
In unincorporated Rutherford County, residential fences may not exceed 8 feet in side and rear yards. Front-yard fences may reach 8 feet only if of transparent construction (split rail, picket, chain link). Commercial/industrial fences cap at 15 feet.
Murfreesboro imposes no fence setback but warns owners not to encroach on a neighbor's property, easements, or the right of way. Rutherford County requires fences to stay out of the right-of-way and out of utility or drainage easements without written consent.
Rutherford County requires fence posts to be set at least 2 feet deep, fences positioned so support members do not face the street, and 5-foot clearance around electrical transformers and pedestals. Owners must keep fences in good repair.
Rutherford County bars fences topped with barbed or razor wire (except agricultural/non-residential), electrified fences (except livestock), flammable materials, solid plywood or scrap lumber, and plain concrete or cinderblock unless finished with masonry.
Grilling and barbecuing are allowed in Rutherford County and are exempt from the state debris-burn permit. Fire-code limits still apply near apartments and condos, where charcoal and LP-gas grills generally cannot be used within 10 feet of combustible construction.
Charcoal, pellet, and offset smokers are treated as cooking, not open burning, so they need no Tennessee debris-burn permit. Rutherford County has no smoker-specific ordinance. The same apartment fire-code limits on open-flame cooking near combustible balconies apply to smokers.
Minimum yard setbacks in unincorporated Rutherford County depend on the zoning district. RL Low Density Residential requires 40-foot front, 20-foot rear, and 10-foot side yards; AR Agricultural requires 50-foot front, 20-foot rear, 10-foot side. Accessory structures need 5 feet.
In unincorporated Rutherford County, the maximum building height is 35 feet in the AR, RL, and RM residential districts (45 feet in RMF Multi-Family). Accessory structures also may not exceed the district height, typically 35 feet.
In unincorporated Rutherford County, maximum lot coverage is 20% for residential uses (50% for other uses) in the AR and RL districts, and 40% in the RM Medium Density district. Detached accessory structures count toward the district maximum.
In Murfreesboro, a home occupation is an accessory use allowed only by special use permit. It must stay incidental to the home, employ only residents, and occupy no more than 25% of the dwelling's floor area.
A Murfreesboro home occupation may have just one attached business sign no larger than three square feet, and only with Board of Zoning Appeals approval — such signs are not allowed by right.
Murfreesboro home occupations need a special use permit. If the applicant only needs an address for a business license and meets the standards, the Planning Director may issue it; otherwise the Board of Zoning Appeals decides.
Under the Tennessee Food Freedom Act, foods made in a home kitchen are exempt from state licensing, permitting, inspection, packaging, and labeling laws. No state permit or Rutherford County registration is required to sell most cottage foods.
A Murfreesboro family day care home caring for five to seven unrelated children needs a special use permit plus a statement that it can meet Tennessee Department of Human Services requirements. On-site loading and off-street parking are required.
The City Solid Waste Department collects residential refuse once a week. Apartment complexes of five or more units and commercial businesses are collected twice each week. Murfreesboro holds a right of first refusal over all refuse collection.
Bulk items such as furniture, boxes, and mattresses require a scheduled pickup for a fee. Confirm a date with Solid Waste first. Collection is limited to one pickup per 30 days, four items or fewer, placed five feet from the curb.
Set your 96-gallon cart curbside by 6 a.m. on your collection day, or the night before, and remove it the same day. Between pickups, carts must be stored out of view from the street.
Recycling in Murfreesboro is voluntary, not mandatory. The Recycle Murfreesboro program accepts glass, steel, tin, aluminum, plastic bottles, cardboard, and newspaper through curbside and drop-off collection. Hazardous, infectious, and commercial waste is excluded.
Dumping garbage, rubbish, or waste anywhere other than an approved dump, sanitary landfill, or convenience center is unlawful in Murfreesboro. Littering streets, lots, waterways, or another's property is separately prohibited, and Tennessee law also criminalizes illegal dumping.
The Rutherford County Zoning Ordinance defines light trespass as light from an outdoor luminaire that shines beyond the property at a brightness exceeding 0.1 foot-candles at the property line, and its glare standards cap illumination at 0.5 foot-candles at a residential boundary.
Rutherford County has no formal dark-sky ordinance, but its zoning performance standards require all site lighting to be shielded so that substantially all directly emitted light falls within the property line of the lot emitting the light.
Garage and yard-sale signs are temporary signs under Section 1206 of the Rutherford County Zoning Ordinance. They must be removed within 48 hours of no longer serving a purpose, cannot go in the right-of-way, and count toward the 32-square-foot temporary-sign allowance on residential lots.
In unincorporated Rutherford County, temporary non-commercial signs, including political and campaign signs, may be posted on any residential lot at any time. On lots of five acres or less you may have up to 32 total square feet, split into up to five signs of no more than 16 square
These cities are located within Rutherford County and may have their own ordinances.
These communities are in unincorporated Rutherford County. County ordinances apply directly to these areas.
Ordinance data for Rutherford County is sourced from the following official government references. Click any topic above for detailed citations.