5 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Shelby County, Tennessee.
Verified from official government sources
The Shelby County sanitary code (Chapter 44, Division 2) requires every occupant or owner in the unincorporated county to keep enough covered garbage containers for waste on the premises. Containers must be watertight galvanized or plastic and kept tightly lidded; the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department enforces these rules.
Shelby County Code sec. 44-63 (Refuse containers generally)
It shall be the duty of every person in possession, charge or control of any premises where garbage is created or accumulated... to keep or cause to be kept a sufficient number of containers for the deposit of garbage generated on the premises.
In unincorporated Shelby County, the litter-control division of the Code (Chapter 44) prohibits maintaining a nuisance and defines urban blight from deteriorated property. Blighted and nuisance properties are prosecuted in the Shelby County Environmental Court, the court of original jurisdiction for all county ordinance violations.
Shelby County Code sec. 44-87 (Litter Control definitions)
Nuisance means structures or buildings in such a state of deterioration or abandonment that it is a blighting influence on neighboring properties. The fact that buildings on neighboring properties are abandoned or deteriorated is not a defense.
Shelby County Code section 44-89 bars anyone in charge of property, improved or vacant, from allowing litter to accumulate, and section 44-88 prohibits high weeds that permit urban blight. Vacant lots are enforced through the Environmental Court, which can also pursue vacant nuisance buildings under the Neighborhood Preservation Act.
Shelby County Code sec. 44-89 (Accumulation of litter)
A person in possession or in charge of or in control of any property, improved or vacant, shall not allow litter to accumulate on the property, except property legally designated for that use.
Shelby County's Code of Ordinances sets no countywide permit or frequency limit for residential garage or yard sales in unincorporated areas. Signs and merchandise are still governed by county litter and public-property rules, so sellers must not leave litter or block rights-of-way. Cities like Memphis regulate garage sales separately.
Shelby County Code section 44-88(b) prohibits allowing high weeds or grass to accumulate so as to permit urban blight in unincorporated areas. Section 44-87 defines urban blight from uncut weeds and undergrowth. Complaints are enforced through the Environmental Court, and the county Vegetation Control section abates overgrowth along county rights-of-way.
Shelby County Code sec. 44-87 (definition of urban blight)
Urban blight means a condition existing on property such as weeds, grass, undergrowth and uncut shrubbery without apparent or patent supervision by an owner or tenant so that the exterior of property is in disrepair, contains excessive amounts of high weeds, tall grass, unkempt greenery and undergrowth about the premises.
1 cities in Shelby County have their own property maintenance rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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Shelby County Ordinance Hub →