Rutherford County, TN Garage & Yard Sales: Frequency, Duration & Permits (2026)
Key Facts
- Max duration
- 3 days per 90-day period
- Max frequency
- 4 times per year
- Eligible goods
- Personal/household items or home-grown produce
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Rutherford County only
- Enforcement
- Director of Building Codes
Summary
Unincorporated Rutherford County caps a yard sale of household items or home-grown produce at three days within any 90-day period, and no more than four sales a year per property, under Section 403.A.2.g of the Zoning Ordinance.
g. Yard sale of personal/household items from a residence or produce grown on the same zone lot as the dwelling unit but only if;
i. Sale occurs no more than three (3) days in a ninety (90) day period of time, and;
ii. No more than four (4) times a year.
Full Breakdown
covers "Yard sale of personal/household items from a residence or produce grown on the same zone lot as the dwelling unit," allowed only if two conditions are both met: the sale occurs no more than three days in a ninety-day period, and no more than four times a year. Because this sits in the Residential District Regulations chapter, it applies to houses in the AR, RL, RM, RMF, and RMF districts of unincorporated Rutherford County, not to Murfreesboro, Smyrna, La Vergne, or Eagleville, which each administer their own zoning.
The same three-day/four-times-a-year formula appears identically for the Commercial and Industrial district chapters, so the limit is consistent no matter which zoning district a property sits in. C makes any use not specifically permitted or granted a special exception a prohibited use.
Violations & Fines
A yard sale that runs longer than three days per 90-day stretch, or that occurs a fifth time in the same year, is treated as an unauthorized use of the property rather than a permitted accessory activity. Enforcement runs through the Director of Building Codes under Section 1410: any person may file a written complaint, the county investigates, and violations are punishable with each day of the noncompliant sale counted as a separate offense, chargeable to the property owner, tenant, or anyone who assists in maintaining the violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days can I hold a yard sale in unincorporated Rutherford County?
How many yard sales can I hold per year on the same property?
Does this limit apply inside Murfreesboro or Smyrna?
What can I sell at a permitted yard sale under this rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rutherford County
Compare Rutherford County to another location·View the Tennessee garage & yard sales overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.