Moving to Hendersonville, TN?

Hendersonville's quiet-hour rule lives in Hendersonville Municipal Code Title 11 (Municipal Offenses), Chapter 4 (Offenses Against the Peace and Quiet). Section 11-402(1)(b) targets radios, phonographs, instruments and amplified sound 'particularly during the hours between 11:00 P.M. and 7:00 A.M.,' and Section 11-402(1)(c) extends the same 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. window to yelling, shouting, whistling and singing on public streets when they annoy or disturb persons in the vicinity.

Hendersonville expressly caps construction activity in Hendersonville Municipal Code Section 11-402(1)(h): 'Construction activities, including demolition and street repair, are permitted between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and sunset Monday through Friday and between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and sunset on Saturday and Sunday.' Work outside those windows requires written authorization from the Codes Director or designee for public-health, safety or community-good reasons.

Barking-dog and other animal-noise complaints in Hendersonville are enforced under Hendersonville Municipal Code Section 11-402(1)(d) (Pets), which prohibits 'the keeping of any animal, bird, or fowl which by frequent or long continued noise shall disturb the comfort or repose of any person in the vicinity.' Sumner County Animal Control (the Hendersonville Animal Shelter at 1 Executive Park Drive) handles primary animal-control response.

Hendersonville's industrial-noise enforcement runs through Hendersonville Municipal Code Section 11-403(3), which caps noise from any 'business or commercial facility' at 65 dBA between 9 p.m.-6 a.m. (Sun-Thu) and 11 p.m.-6 a.m. (Fri-Sat), and 75 dBA at all other times, measured at the outside wall of any residential structure in a residential zoning district. Hendersonville has limited heavy industry (the economy is dominated by retail, services and lake tourism), so Section 11-403(3) primarily reaches commercial-corridor and warehouse uses on Highway 31E (Gallatin Pike) and along Indian Lake Boulevard.

Hendersonville has no leaf-blower-specific ordinance and does not ban gas-powered leaf blowers. Residential and commercial leaf-blower use is regulated through the general anti-noise standard of Section 11-402, the construction-hours window of Section 11-402(1)(h), and (for commercial users adjacent to residential zones) the 65 dBA night / 75 dBA day cap of Section 11-403(3).

Hendersonville Municipal Code Section 11-403(3) sets explicit dBA caps for business and commercial facilities: 65 dBA between 9 p.m.-6 a.m. (Sun-Thu) and 11 p.m.-6 a.m. (Fri-Sat), and 75 dBA at all other times, measured at the outside wall of any residential structure in a residential zoning district. Section 11-403(1) also imposes the 'plainly audible at 50 feet' standard on motor-vehicle audio systems. Residential-source noise is enforced on the qualitative Section 11-402 'unreasonably loud, disturbing, and unnecessary' standard with the 11 p.m.-7 a.m. emphasis.

Amplified music in Hendersonville is regulated by Hendersonville Municipal Code Section 11-402(1)(b) (radios, phonographs, instruments, loudspeakers) and Section 11-402(1)(k) and (l), which require a Loudspeaker/Loud Noise Permit issued by the city recorder before amplifiers, loudspeakers or sound trucks may be used to attract attention or advertise. Section 11-403(2) separately requires music at any facility within 50 feet of a residence or natural conservation area to be inside a totally enclosed structure or restricted to 7 a.m.-11 p.m. outdoors.

Outdoor music in Hendersonville is governed by Hendersonville Municipal Code Section 11-403(2), which prohibits any facility within 50 feet of a residence or natural conservation area from operating amplified music outside an enclosed structure except between 7:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. City-permitted special events, mass gatherings, and City-owned outdoor entertainment facilities and parks are exempted. Loudspeaker / Loud Noise Permits from the city recorder are required for amplified sound that advertises or attracts attention (Sec. 11-402(1)(k)).

Hendersonville is approximately 20-25 minutes northeast of Nashville International Airport (BNA / KBNA) and roughly 15 minutes northeast of John C. Tune Airport (JWN / KJWN). Aircraft-in-flight noise is preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration; Hendersonville's Title 11 noise ordinance contains no aircraft-noise provisions and the city cannot regulate flight operations, routing or curfews. Recreational seaplane and aircraft operations on Old Hickory Lake fall under FAA and TVA authority.

Short-term rentals in Hendersonville TN collect a four-layer tax stack on every reservation of fewer than 30 continuous days: 7% Tennessee state sales tax under TCA 67-6-202, 1.5% Tennessee state hotel/motel privilege tax under TCA 67-4-1402, 5% Sumner County hotel/motel occupancy tax, and 4% City of Hendersonville hotel/motel tax under Ordinance 2023-13 (raised from the prior 2.75% rate). The combined approximate burden is 17.5% on each stay. Operators must file monthly returns with the City Finance Department (615-264-5317) by 4:30 PM on the 20th day of the month following the reporting period, with three-year record retention. Marketplace facilitators (Airbnb, VRBO, Booking.com) are required under Tennessee law effective January 1, 2021 (TCA 67-4-708 and 67-6-501, Public Chapter 759 of 2020) to collect and remit the state sales tax and the state and local occupancy taxes on platform-booked stays directly to the Tennessee Department of Revenue, which distributes local-tax revenue back to Hendersonville and Sumner County. Direct (off-platform) bookings remain the operator's full responsibility.

Hendersonville's STR ordinance does not codify a specific minimum dollar amount of liability insurance as a condition of the Use and Occupancy Permit; the Codes Department's inspection focuses primarily on building, life-safety, and Engineered Site Plan compliance. However, operating an STR with only a standard ISO HO-3 homeowner's policy is functionally uninsured: the policy's business-pursuits exclusion voids coverage for paid short-term rental activity. Hendersonville STR operators (which must be in the Old Town Commercial or General Commercial zoning district or be a pre-October-2016 legacy operation) should carry a dedicated commercial STR liability policy of $1M-$2M from carriers such as Proper Insurance, Steadily, CBIZ, or Foremost, or add a home-sharing endorsement to the homeowner's policy through Tennessee carriers including State Farm, Allstate, Erie, or Farm Bureau. Platform host-protection programs (Airbnb AirCover, VRBO Liability Insurance) are widely treated as supplemental rather than primary coverage and do not cover direct (off-platform) bookings at all.

Operating a short-term/vacation rental in the City of Hendersonville is categorically prohibited in all residential zoning districts and is permitted only in two commercial zones: Old Town Commercial (OTC) and General Commercial (GC). The framework was adopted by the Board of Mayor and Aldermen in 2016 (Ordinance 2016-16) as an amendment to the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance under Title 14 (Zoning and Land Use Control). Each commercial-zone STR must obtain three items before advertising or booking: an Engineered Site Plan, a Use and Occupancy Permit, and a City of Hendersonville business license. The 2016 ordinance was challenged constitutionally by an investor-owner; Sumner County Circuit Court Judge Robert E. Lee Davies initially struck it down (July 30, 2021) but reversed his own ruling on November 3, 2021, upholding the ordinance under rational-basis review as a reasonable regulation of residential neighborhood character. The Tennessee Short-Term Rental Unit Act (TCA 13-7-602 to 13-7-606) protects properties that were lawfully operating as STRs before the October 2016 ordinance, but Hendersonville's documented enforcement record shows that owners who purchased properties after 2016 (such as J and J Ventures at 540 Indian Lake Road and 107 Breakwater North, purchased 2022) do not qualify for legacy protection and are subject to permanent injunction.

Hendersonville does not impose a primary-residence-only rule for permitted commercial-zone short-term rentals - investor-owned, LLC-owned, and out-of-state-owned STRs may operate in the Old Town Commercial (OTC) and General Commercial (GC) zoning districts provided they hold the Engineered Site Plan, Use and Occupancy Permit, and business license. The primary-residence concept enters the framework only as an exclusion: owner-occupied dwellings where the owner lives full-time and rents only a portion of the home are excluded from the STR definition entirely. In residential zoning districts, STRs are categorically prohibited regardless of whether the owner uses the property as a primary residence (Ordinance 2016-16, October 2016). This is structurally different from Franklin TN (which requires owner-occupancy for all new residential-zone STR permits since December 2019) and from cities like San Francisco and Portland (which require primary-residence operation for any unhosted STR). The Tennessee Short-Term Rental Unit Act (TCA 13-7-602 to 13-7-606) protects pre-October-2016 legacy operators regardless of residency status, but those legacy claims must be documented.

Hendersonville's STR framework requires off-street parking adequate for guest vehicles as a condition of the Engineered Site Plan approval and the Use and Occupancy Permit issued by the Codes Department for STRs in the permitted Old Town Commercial (OTC) and General Commercial (GC) zoning districts. The Planning Department reviews the site plan against the underlying commercial-district parking standards in the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance (Title 14) - typically a per-square-foot or per-room calculation that includes the STR's bedroom count and listed sleeping capacity. The site plan must also address ingress/egress, lighting, and life-safety. Guests are subject to citywide on-street parking restrictions; persistent guest-parking complaints can be cited at Use and Occupancy Permit renewal and count toward the three-strike legacy-termination threshold under TCA 13-7-603(a)(3) for the small pool of pre-October-2016 legacy STRs in residential zones.

Hendersonville does not codify STR-specific quiet hours or a decibel table separate from the citywide noise framework. STR guests in the permitted commercial zones (OTC, GC) and at any legacy-protected residential STR are subject to the general noise prohibition in the Hendersonville Municipal Code, enforced by the Hendersonville Police Department on a plain-audibility / disturbance standard. The functional teeth on STR noise come from two parallel mechanisms: (1) the Use and Occupancy Permit condition that the operator manages guest behavior and responds promptly to complaints, with persistent complaints providing grounds for permit non-renewal, and (2) the Tennessee Short-Term Rental Unit Act at TCA 13-7-603(a)(3), which terminates legacy STR grandfather protection on three or more violations of generally applicable local laws including noise citations.

Hendersonville does not impose a host-presence (hosted-only / on-site host) requirement for permitted commercial-zone short-term rentals in the Old Town Commercial (OTC) and General Commercial (GC) zoning districts - those STRs may operate as fully unhosted rentals provided they hold the Engineered Site Plan, Use and Occupancy Permit, and business license. The host-presence concept enters the framework on the opposite side: an owner-occupied dwelling where the owner lives full-time and rents only a portion of the home is excluded from the STR definition entirely under the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance, meaning such hosted arrangements operate outside the STR regulatory framework altogether (no permit required, no commercial-zone restriction). This is structurally different from Nashville (which imposes a hosted-only Type 1 vs. unhosted Type 2 distinction with permit caps) and Franklin (which requires owner-occupancy for all new residential-zone STR permits since December 2019).

Hendersonville's STR program does not impose a flat citywide guest headcount but caps occupancy through the Engineered Site Plan and the building/life-safety inspection conducted by the Codes Department before the Use and Occupancy Permit is issued. The maximum stated occupancy is anchored to the dwelling's legally permitted bedroom count under the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance and adopted building code, with each rented bedroom required to have code-conforming egress (door or egress window), and to life-safety equipment (smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, CO detectors where applicable). For commercial-zone STRs, the Engineered Site Plan parking calculation also implicitly bounds maximum occupancy because parking must scale with sleeping capacity. Marketing a non-bedroom space (loft, basement bonus room, converted attic without code egress) as a rentable sleeping space is a misrepresentation that voids the Use and Occupancy Permit. Exceeding the stated occupancy is a permit-condition violation and, for legacy residential-zone STRs, counts toward the three-strike legacy-termination threshold under TCA 13-7-603(a)(3).

Hendersonville does not impose a fixed annual cap on the number of nights a permitted short-term rental may host. There is no '90-day,' '113-day,' '120-day,' or '180-day' booking limit codified in the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance or the STR compliance program. A property with a current Use and Occupancy Permit, Engineered Site Plan approval, and business license in the Old Town Commercial (OTC) or General Commercial (GC) zoning district may book up to 365 nights per year provided the operator continues to satisfy all permit conditions, tax obligations, and the no-violation backstop. Scale is controlled instead through (1) the categorical residential-zone prohibition that confines STR activity to a small commercial-zone footprint, (2) the rigorous Engineered Site Plan and building/life-safety inspection at permit issuance, (3) the city's aggressive enforcement posture documented in City v. J and J Ventures (October 2024 permanent injunction), and (4) the TCA 13-7-603(a)(3) three-strike rule that terminates pre-October-2016 legacy residential-zone protection on three local-law violations.

STR registration in Hendersonville is a multi-step, commercial-zone-only process. Operators must first confirm that the property is located in the Old Town Commercial (OTC) or General Commercial (GC) zoning district (the only zones where new STRs may be permitted), then complete three city approvals before advertising or accepting bookings: (1) an Engineered Site Plan reviewed and approved by the Hendersonville Planning Department (planning@hvilletn.org, 615-264-5316); (2) a Use and Occupancy Permit issued by the Codes Department upon successful building and life-safety inspection; and (3) a City of Hendersonville business license through the Finance Department. Operators must also register for tax collection with the Tennessee Department of Revenue (state sales tax 7%, state privilege tax 1.5%), the Sumner County Trustee (5% county occupancy tax), and the City of Hendersonville Finance Department (4% city hotel/motel tax under Ordinance 2023-13). The single most common reason for STR enforcement in Hendersonville is operating without one or more of these approvals - typically a residential-zone owner attempting to register an Airbnb listing without realizing the categorical residential prohibition.

The Hendersonville Fire Department exempts cooking, ceremonial, and recreational fires - including backyard fire pits, chimineas, smokeless fire pits, barbecues, and outdoor fireplaces - from the open-burn permit requirement under the city's open-burning rules. The Department enforces the 2021 International Fire Code (IFC) under Title 7 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code, effective July 1, 2025 (the prior adopted edition was the 2018 IFC effective June 13, 2017). IFC Section 307.4.2 requires recreational fires to be at least 25 feet from a structure or combustible material, attended at all times by an alert adult, and equipped with an extinguishment means (hose, bucket, or extinguisher) on site. The Fire Prevention Bureau (615-822-1119) is the local point of contact. Hendersonville fronts Old Hickory Lake; recreational fires on lakeside lots remain subject to the same 25-ft setback and wind-velocity limits.

A Controlled Burn Permit is required from the Hendersonville Fire Department for any open fire on private or commercial property within city limits, except for cooking, ceremonial, or recreational fires (which are exempt). Permits are obtained from any fire station (residential) or the Fire Marshal's office at 225 Freehill Road (commercial/contractors) and are valid for one week from issue. Burning is allowed only for trees, limbs, and brush indigenous to the site - no pallets, tires, construction debris, roofing, painted/treated wood, asbestos, pesticides, herbicides, or petroleum products. Burning hours are 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday (no Sunday burning), and no burning is allowed when sustained winds exceed 10 mph. Outside city limits in unincorporated Sumner County, the Tennessee Division of Forestry requires a free burn permit October 15 through May 15 for burning within 500 ft of forestland or grassland under TCA 68-102. The Fire Marshal may invalidate permits during adverse weather (a city-wide burn ban was imposed in spring 2026 during drought).

Backyard fires in Hendersonville fall into three categories under Title 7 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code, which adopts the 2021 IFC (effective July 1, 2025): (1) cooking, ceremonial, and recreational fires - including backyard fire pits, chimineas, smokeless fire pits, barbecues, and outdoor fireplaces - are exempt from the Controlled Burn Permit requirement, subject to IFC 307.4 standards (25-ft setback from structures, adult attendance, extinguishment means on site); (2) brush burns require a Controlled Burn Permit from the Fire Prevention Bureau (615-822-1119) and are limited to indigenous trees/limbs/brush in 144 cubic foot piles with a 50-ft setback, attended at all times, only 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, no winds above 10 mph; (3) burning trash, pallets, treated wood, tires, painted material, asbestos, herbicides, pesticides, or petroleum products is prohibited regardless of containment under both city policy and TDEC Rule 1200-03-04. The Fire Marshal may declare burn bans during drought.

Title 7, Chapter 4 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code (Fireworks) requires a permit issued by the Fire Department for the discharge of consumer fireworks within the city limits. Under Section 7-402, permits are issued only for July 3 and July 4 from 5:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Tennessee Code Annotated 68-104-116 (Local Regulation) expressly authorizes municipalities to regulate, restrict, or totally prohibit the sale and use of fireworks within their corporate limits even though TCA Chapter 68-104 otherwise legalizes consumer fireworks (DOT Class C / 1.4G) statewide. Sky lanterns are separately prohibited statewide for non-professional use under TCA 68-104-101(9) - only licensed fireworks professionals may operate them. Public fireworks displays in Hendersonville require both a State Fire Marshal's Office display operator's license and local Hendersonville Fire Marshal approval.

Hendersonville sits on Old Hickory Lake in Sumner County in Middle Tennessee and is not within a federally mapped Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) zone. Tennessee does not adopt the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code (IWUIC) statewide; TCA 68-120-101 establishes the 2018 IBC/IRC/IFC family as the statewide minimum and the State Fire Marshal's Office administers it. Wildfire-related controls in Hendersonville therefore come from (1) the City's Controlled Burn Permit regime under Title 7 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code and the 2021 IFC, which requires constant attendance, a 50-ft setback, a 10 mph wind limit, and a 144 cf pile cap on permitted brush burns; and (2) Tennessee's statewide outdoor-burning permit season under TCA 68-102 (October 15 to May 15) for areas within 500 ft of forestland or grassland in unincorporated Sumner County. The Fire Marshal may declare local burn bans during drought (one was imposed in spring 2026).

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.

Smoke alarm requirements in Hendersonville homes follow Tennessee Code Annotated 68-120-112 (Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in residential buildings) and the 2021 International Residential Code adopted locally effective July 1, 2025 under the Hendersonville Municipal Code (the prior adopted edition was the 2018 IRC). Smoke alarms must be installed in each sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of the bedrooms, and on each story of the dwelling including basements, per IRC Section R314 and the manufacturer's instructions. In new construction, alarms must be hardwired with battery backup and interconnected. TCA 68-120-112 also requires carbon monoxide alarms in dwellings with fossil-fuel-burning appliances or attached garages. The Tennessee State Fire Marshal's Office runs the statewide Get Alarmed, TN! program providing free 10-year sealed-battery smoke alarms to qualifying residents.

Propane (LP-gas) storage, use, and dispensing in Hendersonville is regulated by the Tennessee LP-Gas Code (Tennessee adoption of NFPA 58) under the Liquefied Petroleum Safety Act of Tennessee (TCA Title 68, Chapter 135) and Tennessee Rules 0780-02-17, and by Chapter 61 (Liquefied Petroleum Gases) of the 2021 International Fire Code adopted locally effective July 1, 2025 under Title 7 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code. The State Fire Marshal's Office regulates LP-gas dealers, transporters, and bulk facilities; the Hendersonville Fire Marshal's Office enforces in-City installations. Container installations greater than 2,000 gallons single or 4,000 gallons aggregate water capacity require construction documents. Per IFC Chapter 61 and NFPA 58, LP-gas containers larger than 2.5 lb water capacity may not be operated or stored on combustible balconies of multi-family buildings (1- and 2-family dwellings and fully sprinklered buildings exempt).

Hendersonville does not impose a citywide overnight parking ban on passenger vehicles. The functional limits come from Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) of the Hendersonville Municipal Code (posted no-parking zones, plus Section 15-301 speed limits most recently amended by Ordinance 2024-12), Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160 distance restrictions (7.5 to 15 feet of a fire hydrant, intersections, sidewalks, driveways, etc., a Class C misdemeanor), Section 10.4.17 of the Zoning Ordinance for RV/boat/trailer accessory use, and Title 20 (Park and Recreation Regulations) Section 20-503(21), which closes all city parks between 11:00 P.M. and one-half hour before sunrise without permission from the Board of Parks and Recreation.

Driveway design, dimensions, and surfacing in Hendersonville are governed by Chapter 11.2 (Off-Street Parking and Loading) of the City of Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance, with Figure 4 setting residential driveway widths and Section 11.2.7 setting construction, access, and surfacing standards. Vehicles parked in the front or corner side yard outside the driveway are limited by Section 10.4.17 (Parking) and the city's adopted 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC, effective 7/1/2025, Ord. 2025-03 series). On the street, blocking a sidewalk, driveway, or fire hydrant is enforceable under Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160.

Section 10.4.17 of the City of Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance allows residential commercial-vehicle parking only as an accessory use and only within strict size limits: one commercial vehicle not exceeding 22 feet in length or 8 feet in height, OR one commercial vehicle and attached trailer not exceeding 30 feet in length or 8 feet in height, OR one detached trailer not exceeding 18 feet in length or 4 feet in height. These vehicles and trailers shall not be parked between the street or side street and residence except in a paved driveway. Semi-tractor trucks, trailers, dump trucks, and heavy construction equipment (bulldozers, end loaders, backhoes, and similar) are specifically prohibited in residential zones.

Curb markings and colored-curb paint on Hendersonville public streets are installed only by the city under Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards as referenced in Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) of the Hendersonville Municipal Code; residents and adjacent property owners may not paint, alter, or add markings to a public curb. Where paint is faded or unmarked, the state-law distance restrictions in Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160 still apply by default - 7.5 to 15 feet from a fire hydrant (the municipality sets the exact distance), no parking in intersections, on crosswalks, on sidewalks, in front of driveways, etc. A violation of 55-8-160 is a Class C misdemeanor.

Hendersonville treats RV, camper, travel trailer, motor home, boat and boat trailer parking as a residential accessory use under Section 10.4.17 of the Zoning Ordinance: they may not be parked in the required front or corner side yards for more than three days per calendar month except in the driveway, and not more than one may be parked between the house and the street or any side street even if in a driveway. No recreational vehicle, camper, travel trailer, motor home, or the like may be used for living, sleeping, or housekeeping purposes except for visitors for not more than two weeks per calendar year. Boats may not be stored on park land except by permit at boat launches (Section 20-503(17), Park Regulations).

Hendersonville has explicit size caps on residential oversized-vehicle storage. Under Section 10.4.17 of the City of Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance, the only permitted residential accessory commercial vehicle is one not exceeding 22 feet in length or 8 feet in height, or one commercial vehicle and attached trailer not exceeding 30 feet in length or 8 feet in height, or one detached trailer not exceeding 18 feet in length or 4 feet in height. Semi-tractor trucks, trailers, dump trucks, and heavy construction equipment (bulldozers, end loaders, backhoes, and similar) are specifically prohibited in residential zones. Recreational vehicles, campers, travel trailers, motor homes, boats, and boat trailers must follow the separate three-days-per-month-in-required-yards rule with not more than one allowed between house and street.

Street parking in Hendersonville is governed primarily by Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) of the Hendersonville Municipal Code and by Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160, which prohibits stopping, standing, or parking within 7.5 to 15 feet of a fire hydrant (the municipality sets the exact distance), within an intersection, on a crosswalk, on a sidewalk, in front of a public or private driveway, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, within 30 feet of a flashing signal or stop sign, alongside another vehicle (double parking), upon any bridge, or in any highway tunnel. A violation of 55-8-160 is a Class C misdemeanor. Park lots and roads have separate Title 20 rules including a 20 mph park speed limit.

Hendersonville regulates EV charging equipment under Sections 10.4.9 (EV Charging Equipment, Minor) and 10.4.10 (EV Charging Equipment, Major) of the City of Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance. Minor (six EV charging ports or fewer on a lot) is permitted as an allowable accessory use in commercial zone districts and with institutional uses in residential districts, with charging pedestals capped at 6 feet height and 4 feet width and required setback of at least 80 feet from any street right-of-way. Major (any EV equipment exceeding minor criteria) requires Planning Commission site plan approval, screening with evergreen vegetation or brick screen walls, and similar setback rules. Tennessee has NOT adopted a right-to-charge statute - per Plug In America, only CA, CO, CT, IL, OR, and DC extend right-to-charge protections - so HOAs and condominium associations in Hendersonville may still restrict EV charger installation.

Abandoned vehicles in Hendersonville are governed primarily by Tennessee Code Annotated Title 55, Chapter 16 (Unclaimed or Abandoned Vehicles). Under TCA 55-16-105, a police department must notify the last known registered owner and all lien holders by registered mail or overnight delivery within three business days of taking a vehicle into custody; the owner has 10 days from the date of the notice to appeal or reclaim the vehicle on payment of all towing, preservation, and storage charges. Unreclaimed vehicles may be sold at public auction under TCA 55-16-106. On private property, the city's adopted 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (effective July 1, 2025 by Ord. 2025-03 series) and Zoning Enforcement procedures address inoperable vehicles.

Loading zones in Hendersonville are installed and signed by the city under Title 15 (Motor Vehicles, Traffic and Parking) of the Hendersonville Municipal Code and follow Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) standards. On the development side, Section 11.2.11 (Required Off-Street Loading Spaces) and Section 11.2.12 (Design of Off-Street Loading Spaces) of the City of Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance require commercial and industrial uses to provide off-street loading spaces with specified design standards. Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-160 treats active loading and unloading differently from parking but still prohibits stopping in fire hydrant setbacks, intersections, crosswalks, sidewalks, or in front of driveways.

Hendersonville fence heights are set by Chapter 10.4.9 of the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance, administered by the Planning Department (101 Maple Drive North, 615-264-5316). The maximum fence height in rear and interior side yards is 8 feet measured from existing grade. Side-street yards are also capped at 8 feet but must be set back at least 50 percent of the required side-street setback or 12 feet off the edge of pavement, whichever is more. Front-yard fences may not be located closer to the lot line than the home, with limited exceptions for decorative fences up to 48 inches (or 60 inches on lots over one acre).

A Fence Permit shall be secured from the Hendersonville Planning Department prior to construction per the City's published Residential Fence Standards and Chapter 10.4.9 of the Zoning Ordinance. The application is submitted to the Planning Department at 101 Maple Drive North (615-264-5316, planning@hvilletn.org) and confirms fence location, height, materials, and compliance with right-of-way, setback, and HOA rules. Pool barriers are separately permitted by Building & Codes (615-822-3802) under the City-adopted 2021 ISPSC.

Hendersonville restricts fence materials by Design Guideline in Chapter 10.4.9 of the Zoning Ordinance. The approved list includes treated wood/cedar/redwood, simulated wood (vinyl-covered and synthetic composite), decorative brick or stone, wrought iron or aluminum designed to simulate wrought iron, and coated chain-link in brown, black, or green only. Uncoated/galvanized chain-link, barbed wire, razor wire, and other non-approved materials are not allowed unless the Planning Department determines an alternative is equivalent in quality and appearance.

Hendersonville fences are governed by Chapter 10.4.9 of the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance (administered by the Planning Department, 615-264-5316). Permits are required prior to construction, heights are capped at 8 feet in rear/interior side and side-street yards, front-yard fences may not be closer to the lot line than the home (with 48/60-inch decorative exceptions), the fence must lie completely within the lot, framing members of board fences cannot be directly visible from the street, and the fence may not encroach on the street right-of-way.

Neither the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance nor the Hendersonville Municipal Code contains a 'good-side-out' requirement, a partition-fence statute, or a mandatory cost-sharing rule for residential boundary fences. Hendersonville Chapter 10.4.9 requires the framing members of board fences not be directly visible from the street (an aesthetic rule), but it does not dictate cost-sharing or which neighbor must face the finished side. Tennessee common law governs boundary disputes, and the City does not survey property lines.

Retaining walls in Hendersonville are regulated under the City-adopted 2021 International Residential Code and 2021 International Building Code (effective July 1, 2025) and require a permit from the Building & Codes Department (615-822-3802). Per IRC R404.4 / IBC 1807, retaining walls over 4 feet measured from the bottom of the footing to the top of the wall, or any wall supporting a surcharge, require a building permit and engineered design. Pool-related retaining walls must show 'Wall height and slope for any retaining walls that are part of the proposed construction' on the Swimming Pool Plan submittal.

Residential pool barriers in Hendersonville must comply with the City-adopted 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (effective July 1, 2025). Under ISPSC Section 305, the barrier must be at least 48 inches above grade on the side facing away from the pool, openings may not allow a 4-inch-diameter sphere to pass, gates must be self-closing, self-latching, and open outward away from the pool, and the latch must be at least 54 inches above the bottom of the gate (or located on the pool side with restricted nearby openings). Pool plans submitted to Building & Codes must show 'Pool fencing design and location' and 'All gates to indicate swing away from pool.'

Per Chapter 10.4.9 of the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance, residential fences must be constructed of treated wood, cedar, or redwood; simulated wood (vinyl-covered, synthetic composite); decorative brick or stone; wrought iron or aluminum designed to simulate wrought iron; or coated chain-link (brown, black, or green only). The Planning Department may also approve other materials it determines equivalent in quality and appearance. Front-yard decorative fences are limited to finished wrought iron, aluminum tubing, wood picket, split rail, brick, or stone (with ranch-style wood or vinyl on lots over one acre).

The City of Hendersonville does not have a breed-specific dog ban. Pit bulls, Rottweilers, and other commonly-restricted breeds are legal to own in Hendersonville. Tennessee has no statewide preemption of breed-specific legislation - cities and counties retain home-rule authority under Title 6 of the TCA to enact local BSL, and roughly 35-40 Tennessee municipalities have done so - but Hendersonville and Sumner County have chosen not to. Dangerous-dog issues are handled on an individual, conduct-based basis under Title 10 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code and Tennessee state law (TCA 44-8-413 strict liability for dogs at large; TCA 39-17-1363 'vicious dog' criminal offense after a serious injury).

Title 10 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code (Animal Control) follows the standard MTAS Tennessee municipal pattern: it is unlawful to allow cattle, horses, mules, sheep, goats, swine, or domestic fowl to run at large in any street, alley, or unenclosed lot in the corporate city limits. Larger livestock (cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine) is not authorized on standard city residential lots and is functionally limited to the largest RR (Residential Rural) tracts inside Hendersonville. Outside the city, the Sumner County Zoning Resolution administered by the Sumner County Planning Department generally permits agricultural use including livestock in most rural districts. Field enforcement is performed by Hendersonville Animal Control (615-264-5355) inside the city and by Sumner County Animal Control (Gallatin) in unincorporated areas.

The City of Hendersonville Municipal Code Title 10 (Animal Control) governs running-at-large of poultry and livestock inside the corporate limits. Backyard hens are allowed as a residential accessory use in RR (Residential Rural), ER (Residential Estate), SR-1 (Single-Family Residential 1), and SR-2 (Single-Family Residential 2) zoning districts under the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance, with a typical density limit of one (1) hen per 3,000 square feet of lot area and coops set back at least fifteen (15) feet from any property line. Roosters are not permitted in residential zones because of the noise nuisance. The Hendersonville Building & Codes Department administers chicken-related permits and coop reviews.

The City of Hendersonville Municipal Code does not contain a beekeeping-specific ordinance. Beekeeping in Hendersonville is governed by the Tennessee Apiary Act of 1995 (TCA 44-15-101 through 44-15-122), administered by the State Apiarist within the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA). All beekeepers in Tennessee must register their apiaries with TDA at no charge, and re-register every three (3) years. Hives are inspected by the State Apiarist for American foulbrood and other regulated diseases. The Sumner County Beekeepers Association is the local Tennessee Beekeepers Association affiliate and offers a beginner short course for new Hendersonville-area beekeepers.

The City of Hendersonville Municipal Code does not include a city-specific wildlife-feeding ordinance, and state-level Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) rules govern. Sumner County is NOT currently in the TWRA CWD Management Zone (which is limited to the 22 West Tennessee counties: Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Lauderdale, Lewis, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Shelby, Tipton, Wayne, and Weakley). However, CWD was detected in nearby Williamson County in December 2025, and the statewide ban on bear-feeding (TCA 70-4-116) and on placing food to attract or congregate wildlife for the purpose of hunting still applies in Sumner County.

Title 10 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code (Animal Control) prohibits dogs from running at large within the corporate city limits. State law reinforces this: Tennessee Code Annotated Section 44-8-408 (Dogs not allowed at large) makes it a Class C misdemeanor (on first offense) for a dog owner to allow the dog to run at large in a place where the public commonly gathers or to enter another person's property uninvited. Field enforcement and impoundment are handled by Hendersonville Animal Control at 1 Executive Park Drive (615-264-5355).

The City of Hendersonville Municipal Code does not authorize keeping wild or exotic animals as personal pets within the corporate limits. Exotic-animal possession is governed at the state level by Tennessee Code Annotated Title 70, Chapter 4, Part 4 (Exotic Animals, TCA 70-4-401 through 70-4-418) and the rules of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) at 1660-01-18, which classify wildlife into Class I (inherently dangerous - prohibited as personal pets), Class II (native wildlife - TWRA permit required), Class III (no permit required), Class IV (white-tailed deer / black bear / wild turkey - only zoos/rehabbers), and Class V (special permit only).

Hendersonville has been a Tree City USA community for 32 years (designated by the Arbor Day Foundation through 2023) and also received a Tree City USA Growth Award (26 years), so it maintains a tree care ordinance and an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita. The City does not require a permit for routine pruning of healthy trees on private residential property. Pruning of public/right-of-way trees and trees within Old Hickory Lake's USACE-managed shoreline buffer requires advance authorization. Tennessee common law (UT Extension SP687) allows an adjoining landowner to trim overhanging branches back to the property line.

Hendersonville regulates weeds through the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (adopted by Ord. No. 2025-05). IPMC § 302.4 prohibits weeds or plant growth in excess of the adopted maximum and defines 'weeds' as 'all grasses, annual plants and vegetation' other than cultivated flowers and gardens. There is no standalone Tennessee statewide residential noxious-weed list; the Tennessee Invasive Plant Council (TN-IPC, formerly TN-EPPC) publishes the authoritative invasive-plant list used statewide and routinely cited in municipal tree and landscape ordinances. Enforcement is by the City Property Maintenance Inspector.

Hendersonville does not mandate native landscaping on private residential property, but the City's landscape standards require that 'for each development site, at least 75 percent of the trees required to be planted under the provisions of this article shall be native species.' The Tree Selection Notes template on the Planning Department's submittal page guides applicants in selecting native and adapted species. Tennessee's state tree is the tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) per TCA § 4-1-305. Property owners may remove TN-IPC-listed invasive species without City restriction.

The City of Hendersonville does not have a specific ordinance prohibiting or regulating artificial turf on residential lots. Synthetic turf may be installed in rear and side yards without City permits. In required landscape areas under the City's landscape standards (street trees, bufferyards, parking-lot interior landscaping, screening), live plant material is required and artificial turf typically does not satisfy required-plantings standards. HOA covenants are commonly the operative restriction on synthetic turf in Hendersonville subdivisions and are enforceable independent of City rules.

The City of Hendersonville has adopted the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) by Ordinance No. 2025-05, enforced by the Property Maintenance Inspector (615-590-4662) at 3 Executive Park Drive. Under IPMC § 302.4 (Weeds), all premises and exterior property must be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of the jurisdictionally adopted maximum (Hendersonville enforces the IPMC default of 10 inches absent a higher local figure). Tall grass and litter on private property are handled jointly by Property Maintenance and Zoning Enforcement.

The City of Hendersonville Planning Department issues a Tree Removal Permit (application and checklist available under Application & Submittal Information). Tree Survey and Tree Removal documents are required components of a Land Disturbance Permit ($50 application fee + $10,000/acre surety), making tree-removal review mandatory for any site triggering land disturbance. On unregulated single-family residential lots, removal of a healthy tree generally does not require a City permit, but trees within the USACE-managed Old Hickory Lake shoreline buffer require federal approval. TCA § 43-28-312 imposes double (negligent) and triple (intentional) damages for unauthorized cutting of another's timber.

Rainwater harvesting is legal and unregulated for residential non-potable use throughout Tennessee, including Hendersonville. There are no volume limits, no permit requirements, and no equipment/inspection requirements at the state level. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) Permanent Stormwater Management Manual recognizes rainwater harvesting (Chapter 5.4.10) as an approved Stormwater Control Measure. Hendersonville's Title 18 stormwater program (revised September 10, 2024) treats green infrastructure favorably for development-site stormwater credits.

Hendersonville is served by the Hendersonville Utility District (HUD), an independent utility serving more than 45,000 people in 14,000 homes/businesses across the greater Hendersonville area. HUD draws from Old Hickory Lake (Cumberland River system) via its intake near Rockland Park, treating water at a state-of-the-art plant dedicated in 2014. The City of Hendersonville does not own or operate water utilities. Tennessee has no statewide outdoor-watering schedule, and HUD does not impose routine year-round watering restrictions. White House Utility District serves portions of the area.

Hendersonville requires every home-based business to obtain a Minor Home Occupation Permit from the Planning Department under Chapter 10.4.10. The application is an affidavit-style form initialed line-by-line acknowledging the 14+ standards. Activities that cannot meet the Minor standards (on-site customers, non-resident employees, larger floor area) require a Major Home Occupation Permit. Day care homes and cottage food are NOT regulated under this chapter — they have separate frameworks.

Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10.4.10 flatly prohibits customers, clients, or the like on the premises of a Minor Home Occupation. Off-premises customer interaction (online, by phone, at a separate work site) is allowed. The receipt, sale, or shipment of deliveries from the premises is prohibited except for ordinary US Mail and express shipping characteristic of a residence. Because Tennessee has no Home-Based Business Act, this customer-traffic ban applies without state-law override.

The Tennessee Food Freedom Act (TCA § 53-1-118), enacted by SB 693 in 2022 and expanded by HB 130 in 2025, lets a homemade-food producer sell directly to consumers with NO sales cap, NO license, NO permit, NO inspection, and NO state training requirement. It expressly preempts local regulation of homemade food producers, so Hendersonville cannot require a cottage-food-specific permit or impose food-safety rules. Local zoning restrictions in Chapter 10.4.10 (on-site customer ban, commercial delivery ban) still apply to the related business activity.

Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10.4.10 prohibits exterior alterations that change the residential character of the principal building, including exterior business signs, unless authorized by Chapter 13 (Signs). Chapter 13 effectively bars commercial signage in residential districts: only a small permanent nameplate (no logo, no commercial message, max 6 sq ft, one per building) is allowed for a residence. Because Tennessee has no home-based business preemption, the city's restrictive sign rules apply in full.

Family child care in Tennessee is governed by TCA § 71-3-501 et seq. and Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1240-04-01-.20: 5-7 unrelated children is a 'family child care home' requiring a license from the Tennessee Department of Human Services (DHS); the total maximum is 12 children including related kids (with a 9-or-older exception). Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10.3.3 treats day care homes as accessory uses but requires a Conditional Use Permit for homes serving more than four children in residential districts (excluding MFR). Day care is explicitly NOT regulated as a Minor Home Occupation under Ch. 10.4.10.

Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10.4.10 allows a Minor Home Occupation as an accessory use in any residential dwelling, but with strict limits: no on-site customers, no non-resident employees on the premises, the business must occupy no more than 25% of the principal building's floor area, and detached accessory buildings may not be used (storage only). Tennessee has NOT enacted a Home-Based Business Protection Act, so Hendersonville's local rules apply in full — there is no state preemption like Florida FS 559.955 or Texas LGC 250.005.

All swimming pools, spas, and hot tubs in Hendersonville require a building permit from the Building & Codes Department (101 Maple Drive North, 615-822-3802, codes@hvilletn.org). The City has adopted the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code (effective July 1, 2025), the 2021 IRC, 2021 IBC, and 2020 NEC with amendments. The applicant must submit a complete Swimming Pool Plan Submittal package including a scaled site plan, pool depths, property dimensions, easements, mechanical/plumbing/gas details, electric service location, fencing design, drainage, and engineered design for gunite pools and retaining walls.

Hendersonville's pool safety rules come from the City-adopted 2021 ISPSC (effective July 1, 2025) plus the 2020 NEC (Article 680) and the City's Swimming Pool Plan Submittal Checklist. Required safety measures include a 48-inch ISPSC Section 305 barrier with self-closing/self-latching gates opening outward, anti-entrapment compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, door alarms or powered safety covers where a dwelling wall is part of the barrier, engineered design for gunite pools and any surcharge-bearing retaining walls, and full NEC bonding/grounding (Article 680) inspected separately.

Hot tubs and spas in Hendersonville require a permit from Building & Codes (615-822-3802) under the City-adopted 2021 ISPSC and 2020 NEC. ISPSC barrier requirements (Section 305) apply, but Section 305.5 provides an important exception: a spa or hot tub equipped with a safety cover that complies with ASTM F 1346 is exempt from the 48-inch barrier provisions. Hot tubs also require dedicated 240V GFCI-protected electrical service per NEC Article 680.42, with shut-off disconnects within sight and at least 5 feet from the tub.

Hendersonville pool barriers are governed by Section 305 of the 2021 International Swimming Pool and Spa Code as adopted by the City effective July 1, 2025. Barriers must be at least 48 inches above grade on the side facing away from the pool, openings may not allow a 4-inch sphere to pass, gates must be self-closing, self-latching, and open outward away from the pool, and the latch must be at least 54 inches above the bottom of the gate. The City's Swimming Pool Plan Submittal Checklist independently requires applicants to show 'Pool fencing design and location to show enclosure around pool area' and 'All gates to indicate swing away from pool.'

Converting a garage to habitable space in Hendersonville requires a building permit from the Codes Department under the Tennessee-adopted IRC. If the conversion adds a kitchen and separate entrance creating an independent living unit, it becomes either an Attached Accessory Apartment under Ch. 10.4 (capped at 40% of combined heated area, family/domestic-employee occupancy only, owner-occupant required) or — if separated and on a 30,000+ sq ft lot — a Detached Accessory Dwelling requiring a Conditional Use Permit. Off-street parking required for the principal dwelling must still be met (4 spaces if ADU is added).

Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10.4 (Accessory Buildings) allows up to 2 accessory buildings on a residential property, placed in the rear yard or beside the house (no closer to the street than the house). In Suburban Residential-Low Density (SR-1), the side setback is 10 ft; in SR-2 (Medium Density), 8 ft. Rear setback is 20 ft in both. A small-structure exception (under 400 sq ft and 10 ft from the house) allows a 5 ft side/rear setback. Combined size is capped on a sliding scale from 800 sq ft (lots under 15,000 sq ft) to 2,500 sq ft (lots over 3 acres) or 50% of the principal dwelling, whichever is less. Building permits follow Tennessee Building Code for any structure over 200 sq ft.

Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10.4 permits an Accessory Apartment (attached to the principal dwelling) OR a Detached Accessory Dwelling — but never both on the same lot. Tennessee does NOT preempt local ADU rules, so the city's restrictive scheme stands: owner-occupant required, occupant must be a relative or domestic employee, detached ADUs require a 30,000+ sq ft lot AND a Conditional Use Permit ($250 fee) from the Board of Zoning Appeals, with strict size caps tied to lot size and a 20 ft setback from side/rear lines.

Carports in Hendersonville are accessory structures regulated under Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10.4. Detached carports must follow the standard accessory-building setbacks: 10 ft side in SR-1, 8 ft side in SR-2, 20 ft rear in both. The 'under 400 sq ft + 10 ft from house' exception drops to a 5 ft side/rear setback. Carports under 120 sq ft do not count toward the 2-building maximum. Attached carports follow principal-building setbacks for the underlying zoning district. Building permit required for carports over 200 sq ft under the Tennessee IRC.

Tiny homes in Hendersonville must comply with the Tennessee-adopted 2018 IRC (including Appendix Q for dwellings 400 sq ft or less). A site-built tiny home on a permanent foundation is either the principal single-family dwelling (must meet zone's minimum lot size and principal-building setbacks) or an accessory dwelling subject to Ch. 10.4 ADU rules (30,000+ sq ft lot, CUP, family-only occupancy, 1,200-1,800 sq ft cap). Tiny homes on wheels classified as RVs or travel trailers cannot be used as a residence in residential zones. Tennessee does not preempt local tiny-home rules.

Hendersonville participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and is regulated by the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for Sumner County. Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) are extensive along the Old Hickory Lake shoreline and along Drakes Creek, Station Camp Creek, and other tributaries. Old Hickory Lake is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) flood-control reservoir on the Cumberland River — the lake elevation is actively managed by USACE Nashville District as part of the Cumberland Basin flood-control system. The catastrophic May 2010 Cumberland Basin flood, which crested the Cumberland River at 51.86 feet in Nashville, drove tighter regional floodplain standards. Free flood-zone determinations are available from the City at (615) 822-1000.

Hendersonville enforces erosion and sediment control through Title 18 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code (revised September 10, 2024) and through the TDEC NPDES Construction General Permit (CGP) TNR100000 (2021 issuance). Sites disturbing one acre or more (or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development or sale) require a full Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), a Notice of Intent filed with TDEC, and a Notice of Coverage under TNR100000 before clearing or grading begins. The new Tennessee Erosion Prevention and Sediment Control (EPSC) Handbook took effect January 9, 2026. Plot-plan and minor commercial/industrial sites use the City's Standard EPSC plan (Revision 7-1-2025).

Grading, drainage, and post-construction stormwater quality in Hendersonville are regulated by Title 18 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code (revised September 10, 2024) and by the TDEC Permanent Stormwater Management Program standards. Site plans, grading permits, and stormwater management plans are reviewed by Public Works before the City will issue a building permit. The City maintains storm drains, manholes, driveway pipes/culverts, and regional detention ponds in the public right-of-way, but private stormwater facilities and runoff between adjacent private properties are the property owner's responsibility. The Stormwater Utility (Ord. 2017-42) funds the program.

Hendersonville is a Phase II MS4 community permitted by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and operates its stormwater program under Title 18 of the Hendersonville Municipal Code (H.M.C.). The Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed a revised Stormwater Ordinance on September 10, 2024 that updated Title 18 to current TDEC NPDES MS4 standards. The City also operates a Stormwater Utility funded by user fees authorized by Ordinance 2017-42 (adopted February 13, 2018) under T.C.A. 68-221-1101 et seq. Because Hendersonville sits on Old Hickory Lake (Cumberland River) and on numerous lake-tributary creeks, illicit discharges reach the federally managed reservoir within hours. Contact: Public Works (615) 822-1016; construction@hvilletn.org.

There are NO marijuana dispensaries in Hendersonville or anywhere in Tennessee — the state has not authorized commercial medical or recreational cannabis sales. There is no state licensing framework comparable to Kentucky's Office of Medical Cannabis or to other state dispensary programs. Any attempt to open a marijuana dispensary in Hendersonville would be unlawful retail trafficking under T.C.A. 39-17-417 with felony exposure. The only cannabis-adjacent retail in Hendersonville is the sale of hemp-derived cannabinoid (HDC) products (delta-8, delta-9, low-THC CBD) regulated by the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) since January 1, 2026.

Home cultivation of marijuana is PROHIBITED in Hendersonville and across Tennessee. Tennessee has no recreational marijuana program and no commercial medical marijuana program. The only legal cannabis-related product is low-THC cannabidiol (CBD) oil with less than 0.9% THC for narrowly defined medical use under T.C.A. 39-17-402(16). All other cultivation, possession, or use of marijuana is a criminal offense under T.C.A. 39-17-417. Cultivation of even a single plant is a Class E felony punishable by 1 to 6 years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.

Tennessee does NOT have a strong statewide solar-rights statute that overrides HOA restrictions — a sharp contrast with Florida, California, Texas, Colorado, and Arizona. The Tennessee Solar Access Law of 1979 (T.C.A. 66-9-201 et seq.) only authorizes VOLUNTARY solar easements between adjoining property owners; it does NOT preempt HOA covenants. HOAs in Hendersonville can lawfully restrict, condition, or prohibit residential solar PV through their recorded Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CC&Rs) and architectural review committee approvals. Hendersonville homeowners should read CC&Rs and ARC guidelines BEFORE signing a solar contract.

Residential rooftop and small ground-mount solar in Hendersonville requires a building permit and a separate electrical permit. Hendersonville's Codes Department (codes@hvilletn.org) reviews building permits applying the 2021 International Residential Code (IRC) and 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), adopted effective 7/1/2025 under the City's Policies & Codes Adopted list. Electrical permits for residential solar in Hendersonville are issued through the State of Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (since Hendersonville is a state-electrical-permit jurisdiction), with the 2020 National Electrical Code adopted by the City. The City's Zoning Ordinance permits solar panels as accessory rooftop or freestanding rear-yard structures for one- and two-family residential uses. Tennessee has NO statewide residential solar-rights preemption, so HOA covenants can validly restrict rooftop solar.

Campaign signs in Hendersonville are governed by the Tennessee Freedom of Speech Act (TCA 2-7-143, enacted by Public Chapter 294 in 2017 with amendments in 2022), which preempts local governments and HOAs from restricting the shape or quantity of political signs on private residential property more than 100 feet from a polling place. The City's published Campaign Sign Regulations apply Section 13 of the Zoning Ordinance: signs must be out of the public right-of-way and at least 12 feet back from the edge of street pavement; one sign per candidate/issue per lot (or per street frontage on corner lots); residential maximum 16 sq ft and 4 ft height; commercial maximum 32 sq ft and 6 ft height. Display window is 60 days before early voting through 5 days after the official election day. No permit required. Signs displayed in violation will be immediately removed by City Staff.

Hendersonville's Sign Ordinance (Chapter 13 of the Zoning Ordinance) does not impose a calendar take-down date for residential holiday lights, wreaths, garlands, or seasonal decorations that carry only a generic holiday/seasonal message — they are not regulated as 'signs' under Chapter 13. Strings of lights are listed as Prohibited Signs (with the exception of high-quality lighting for approved outdoor seating for restaurants), and inflatable signs and pennants are likewise prohibited as signage. Practical limits come from the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (adopted 7/1/2025 under Hendersonville's Adopted Codes) and right-of-way prohibitions. HOA covenants commonly impose their own take-down deadlines.

Hendersonville treats garage/yard sale signs as temporary signs under Chapter 13 of the Zoning Ordinance. Residential temporary ground signs (no banners) are limited to 30 days per calendar year, one sign per lot/road frontage, maximum 9 sq ft and 4 ft height in residential zones, located out of the public right-of-way and at least 12 feet from the edge of pavement, with property owner permission. The City's Prohibited Signs guidance bans all signs in the public right-of-way, on utility poles, on fences, and on benches — violating signs will be removed by City Staff with possible per-sign fines. The City does not publish a separate yard-sale permit program; sales themselves follow the Peddlers Ordinance (Title 9, Chapter 1) only when conducted by non-residents or food trucks staying under one hour.

Hendersonville enforces property blight, junk, and nuisance conditions through its Zoning Enforcement program and the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC), adopted effective 7/1/2025 under the City's Adopted Codes list. Common violations include high grass, litter, and inoperable vehicles on the property. Enforcement follows a citizen-complaint and city-inspection process: an initial violation letter sets a 7–60 day correction window depending on infraction type, followed by a second letter, citation, and Municipal Court hearing. The Planning Department (615-264-5316) administers code compliance; planning@hvilletn.org receives complaints.

Hendersonville applies the 2021 International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC) — adopted effective 7/1/2025 — to all properties including vacant lots. IPMC Section 302.4 (Weeds) requires premises and exterior property to be maintained free from weeds or plant growth in excess of the locally adopted height (the IPMC default is six inches, with cities commonly amending upward). Zoning Enforcement explicitly lists 'high grass' as a typical property maintenance violation. The standard 7–60 day correction window applies; failure to comply leads to follow-up notice, citation, and Municipal Court. Report to Planning Department 615-264-5316; planning@hvilletn.org.

Residential trash collection in Hendersonville is provided by Waste Pro under contract to the City, coordinated by Public Works (615-822-1016). Standard service is once-a-week curbside collection. Residents MUST have their trash out for collection by 6:00 AM on their service day; failure to do so may result in a missed collection for the week. Standard curbside volume is limited to two cans (up to 96-gallon size) plus two additional bags and two bulk items. All cans must have lids and all trash must be bagged. Backdoor collection is available via medical waiver or paid add-on. Paper yard waste bags are collected by the City weekly. Holiday weeks slip collection by one day for major federal holidays.

Hendersonville does NOT publish a separate yard-sale permit program for residents holding occasional sales of personal household items at their own home. Recurring/commercial-scale sales would trigger the Peddlers Ordinance at Municipal Code Title 9, Chapter 1 (615-822-1000 City Hall front office for a Peddlers Permit) or could require home-occupation zoning approval. Signage for yard sales falls under Chapter 13.3.2.10 (Temporary Signs) of the Zoning Ordinance: one residential temporary ground sign per lot, maximum 9 sq ft and 4 ft height, 30-day-per-calendar-year cap, located out of the public right-of-way and at least 12 feet from the edge of pavement, with property-owner permission. Off-premise signs on utility poles, ROW, fences, benches, trees, or rocks are prohibited and removed by City Staff.

All new exterior lighting installed within the zoning jurisdiction of the City of Hendersonville must comply with the outdoor lighting standards in Chapter 46, Article VI of the Hendersonville Code of Ordinances. Lighting levels and placement must be designed in accordance with applicable Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) recommended practices, must achieve an Uplight ratio of zero (0), and must be designed to limit Backlight trespass. Lighting facilities must be aimed, directed, shielded, or arranged so that light sources do not cause undue glare on neighboring properties or interfere with the safe use of public rights-of-way. Exceptions include flagpoles, sports facilities, temporary construction sites, correctional facilities, lighting solely for signage, emergency lighting, low-voltage landscape lighting, temporary seasonal lighting, and ornamental lighting. Hendersonville is not listed on DarkSky International's roster of certified lighting codes but enforces a zero-uplight standard close to dark-sky principles.

Hendersonville requires all residents to have trash containers at the curb by 6:00 AM on their assigned service day. Standard curbside service is limited to two cans (up to 96-gallon size), two additional bags, and two bulk items per week. All cans must have lids; all trash must be bagged. Boxes must be broken down and placed in cans or in bags next to them. Backdoor service (medical waiver or paid upgrade) cannot exceed four 65-gallon cans plus two bulk items, must be visible from the driveway, and may NOT be placed under carports, behind fences, or behind gates. Yard waste paper bags must be at curbside by 6:00 AM Monday.

Residential solid waste collection in Hendersonville is governed by Title 17 (Refuse and Trash Disposal), Chapter 2 (Solid Waste Disposal) of the Hendersonville Municipal Code. The City CONTRACTS with Waste Pro for all city solid waste collection — pickup runs Monday through Friday with each address on an assigned weekday route. All residents MUST have their trash out for collection by 6:00 AM on their service day. Standard curbside service includes up to two cans (96-gallon maximum), two additional bags, and two bulk items per week. The City does NOT currently offer curbside or drop-off recycling. Public Works: (615) 822-1016.

Hendersonville residents may set out up to TWO bulk items per week with regular Waste Pro curbside collection. Acceptable bulk items include stoves, refrigerators, water tanks/heaters, washing machines (all drained of water), furniture, and large/oversized boxes. Refrigerated appliances (refrigerators, freezers, AC units, vending machines) cannot be accepted unless refrigerant and/or compressor is removed and tagged before collection. The Sumner County Resource Authority operates regional disposal at (615) 452-1114. Household hazardous waste goes to TDEC mobile HHW collection events at Moss Wright Park, Goodlettsville. Illegal dumping into Old Hickory Lake or its tributaries is a triple violation.

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 AGL cap, visual line of sight, Remote ID, TRUST test). Tennessee adds the Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act (TCA 39-13-609) limiting law-enforcement drone use, TCA 39-13-903 (unlawful image capture as a Class A misdemeanor) which also makes drone surveillance of critical-infrastructure facilities a felony, and TCA 70-4-302 prohibiting drone interference with hunters/anglers. Hendersonville sits in Sumner County and is partly under or near Nashville International (BNA) Class B airspace — LAANC authorization required for controlled-airspace flights. The City does not publish a stand-alone drone ordinance; the Mobile Vendor Checklist notes that operations on City Parks or City-owned property require permission of the Hendersonville Parks Director or Mayor — drone take-off/landing on city property follows the same gatekeeping.

Under Zoning Ordinance Chapter 10.6.3.6, Hendersonville mobile vendors are permitted in all commercial districts only. The Planning Department enforces specific siting standards: minimum 1-acre lot; vendor at least 100 feet from any public street; at least 1,000 feet from any other vendor (groups of up to 3 within 50 ft count as a single vendor); at least 1,000 feet from a permanent business which sells the same items (unless the operator obtains notarized permission on the Mobile Vendor Consent Form, Appendix E of the Zoning Ordinance); maximum 6 one-week periods on a lot per calendar year (consecutive periods allowed); the 20-foot-from-principal-building exception waives the time cap. Tables seating up to 8 persons are allowed with trash receptacles. City Parks or City-owned property operations require permission of the Parks Director or Mayor.

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). Mobile vendors are permitted in all commercial districts and must conform to all applicable laws. Required: a City of Hendersonville Mobile Vendor application reviewed by the Planning Department, a business license (prominently displayed), and — for food vendors — the required Tennessee Department of Health Food Service Permit (administered under TDH/TDA rules for mobile food establishments). Food trucks that do not remain on any lot for more than one (1) hour fall under the Peddlers Ordinance (Municipal Code Title 9, Chapter 1) — call City Hall at 615-822-1000 for a Peddlers Permit. State fire permits apply through the Tennessee State Fire Marshal as part of the 2021 International Fire Code adopted by the City effective 7/1/2025.

Hendersonville residential building setbacks are set by zoning district in Title 14 (Zoning) Chapter 10.3 (district dimensional standards). The city's primary residential districts include Suburban Residential-Low Density (SR-1), Suburban Residential-Medium Density (SR-2), Multi-Family Residential (MFR), and Planned Developments. Accessory-building setbacks under Ch. 10.4 are: 10 ft side in SR-1, 8 ft side in SR-2, 20 ft rear in both, with a 5 ft small-structure exception for buildings under 400 sq ft at least 10 ft from the house. Accessory dwellings require 20 ft from side and rear lines.

Tennessee has no statewide heritage-tree statute, and the City of Hendersonville does not separately codify a 'heritage tree' designation. However, the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) Landmark, Historic & Heritage Tree Registry includes the Walton Oak in Sumner County — a 250-year-old oak associated with Hendersonville's early settlement. The TUFC registry is advisory recognition rather than a regulatory protection, but listed trees inform local Tree City USA priorities and are commonly protected through site-plan tree preservation requirements. TCA § 43-28-312 imposes 2x/3x damages for unauthorized cutting.

Hendersonville's tree-protection framework operates through four layers: (1) Tree City USA designation (32 years through 2023, plus 26 Growth Awards) — requiring a tree board/department, tree care ordinance, ≥ $2/capita annual community forestry budget, and Arbor Day observance; (2) Site Plan and Design Review Checklist landscape standards — Tree Survey, Tree Replacement Plan, Tree Protection Fencing, 75% native, 2.5-in caliper / 6-ft evergreen minimums, 1 street tree per 35 ft; (3) Title 18 Stormwater Ordinance (revised Sept 10, 2024) — Tree Removal Permit linkage to Land Disturbance Permit ($50 + $10,000/acre); and (4) federal overlay — USACE Nashville District Old Hickory Lake Shoreline Management Plan governing trees on federal fee land.

On regulated development sites in Hendersonville, the Site Plan and Design Review Checklist requires a Tree Replacement Plan alongside the Tree Survey, and the City's landscape standards require that at least 75 percent of trees planted to satisfy required landscape areas be native species. Replacement trees must meet minimum size standards (deciduous shade trees ≥ 2.5-inch caliper; evergreen trees ≥ 6 feet in height). Required street trees are planted at the rate of one tree for every 35 linear feet of property abutting a street.

The City of Hendersonville Planning Department issues a Tree Removal Permit — the application and a Tree Removal Permit Application Checklist are published on the City's Application & Submittal Information page. Tree-removal review is triggered as a required component of the Land Disturbance Permit under Title 18 (Stormwater Ordinance revised September 10, 2024). The Site Plan and Design Review Checklist explicitly requires a Tree Survey, Tree Replacement Plan, and Tree Protection Fencing on the grading sheet. Applications run through the Hendersonville Citizen Self Service Portal at css.hvilletn.org.

Hendersonville does not publish an HVAC-specific noise rule. Residential HVAC equipment falls under the general Section 11-402 anti-noise standard with the 11 p.m.-7 a.m. residential emphasis. Commercial-facility HVAC equipment is capped by Section 11-403(3) at 65 dBA night / 75 dBA day measured at the outside wall of any residential structure in a residential zoning district. Equipment setbacks are governed by the Hendersonville Zoning Ordinance.

The City of Hendersonville does not have a bamboo-specific ordinance, and Tennessee does not designate bamboo on the state pest plant rule administered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. However, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture publicly states it receives more complaints about invasive bamboo than any other plant because running bamboo (Phyllostachys and Bambusa spp.) spreads aggressively through underground rhizomes that can damage foundations, driveways, and pools. Spread onto a neighbor's property in Hendersonville is generally a private common-law nuisance issue, but bamboo that grows tall and unmaintained may also be cited under Hendersonville's general overgrown-vegetation and nuisance provisions.