Hendersonville requires property owners to maintain their lots free of accumulated brush and overgrown vegetation under the City's property-maintenance provisions (enforced through Code Enforcement and the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code adopted effective July 1, 2025). Unlike many Tennessee cities, Hendersonville does allow controlled burning of brush within city limits - but only with a Controlled Burn Permit from the Fire Prevention Bureau (615-822-1119), and only for tree limbs and brush 'indigenous to the site of the burn' (grown on the property). Pile size is capped at 144 cubic feet (12 ft x 12 ft), the pile must be at least 50 feet from any structure, no burning above 10 mph sustained wind, no Sunday burning, hours are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and the burn must be constantly attended with water or extinguishing equipment on site.
Hendersonville's property-maintenance framework is administered by the City through Code Enforcement and incorporates the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) adopted effective July 1, 2025 under Title 12 and Title 13 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code; the 2018 IPMC was the prior adopted edition. IPMC Section 302.4 (Weeds) requires premises and exterior property to be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of the locally defined height, with owners responsible for abatement. Unlike most surrounding cities that prohibit brush burning entirely, Hendersonville authorizes brush burning under a Controlled Burn Permit administered by the Fire Prevention Bureau (615-822-1119): permits are issued from any fire station or the administrative office at 225 Freehill Road. Specific limits include: (1) burning only of trees, limbs, and brush 'indigenous to the site of the burn' (grown on the property) - material shipped to the site, building wood, and construction components may not be burned; (2) pile size limited to 144 cubic feet (12 ft x 12 ft); (3) pile maintained at least 50 feet from any structure; (4) wind velocity not exceeding 10 mph as reported by NOAA; (5) burning hours 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, no Sunday burning; (6) constantly attended by a responsible person with a water source or extinguishing equipment immediately available; (7) permit valid for one week from date of issue; (8) the resident must call the Fire Department before burning each day to confirm a burn day. Prohibited materials include pallets, rubber tires, roofing materials, metal parts, painted materials, asbestos, treated wood, pesticides, herbicides, petroleum products, and any classified hazardous material - these are also prohibited under TDEC Rule 1200-03-04 (Tennessee Air Pollution Control Regulations) regardless of permit status. Outside Hendersonville in unincorporated Sumner County, the Tennessee Division of Forestry requires a free burn permit from October 15 through May 15 for any outdoor burning within 500 feet of forestland or grassland under TCA Title 68, Chapter 102.
Open burning without a Controlled Burn Permit is subject to a $250 fine for malicious burning under the Hendersonville Fire Department's published policy and is enforceable under Title 7 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code (Fire Prevention Bureau, 615-822-1119). Burning prohibited materials violates TDEC Rule 1200-03-04. State Division of Forestry burn-permit violations in unincorporated Sumner County are a Class C misdemeanor under TCA 68-102-148 (up to 30 days in jail and/or a fine). Overgrown vegetation in violation of the adopted 2021 IPMC is abateable by the City with the cost recoverable as a lien against the property.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Hendersonville, TN
The City of Hendersonville does not have a specific ordinance prohibiting or regulating artificial turf on residential lots. Synthetic turf may be installed ...
Hendersonville, TN
Hendersonville does not mandate native landscaping on private residential property, but the City's landscape standards require that 'for each development sit...
Hendersonville, TN
Rainwater harvesting is legal and unregulated for residential non-potable use throughout Tennessee, including Hendersonville. There are no volume limits, no ...
Hendersonville, TN
Under Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10.6.3.6, Hendersonville mobile vendors are permitted in all commercial districts only. The Planning Department enforces speci...
Hendersonville, TN
Mobile food vendors in Hendersonville are regulated under Chapter 10.6.3.6 of the Zoning Ordinance, administered by the Planning Department (615-264-5316). M...
Hendersonville, TN
Federal law governs the airspace over Hendersonville — the FAA's Part 107 covers commercial flight and 49 U.S.C. § 44809 covers recreational flight (400 ft A...
See how Hendersonville's brush clearance rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.