Memphis, TN Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)

Memphis Code Chapter 13 and the adopted International Property Maintenance Code prohibit grass, weeds, and rank vegetation over 10 inches on improved and vacant lots. Code Enforcement inspects on complaint through 311. Owners receive a written notice with 10 days to bring the property into compliance. Failure to cut results in a city contractor mowing the lot and a bill of approximately $150 to $300 plus an administrative fee assessed as a lien on the property. Repeat violators are added to the city mow list and mowed proactively. Tennessee Code §13-21-111 authorizes municipal blight abatement and lien collection. Humid subtropical Memphis produces rapid vegetation growth from April through October, driving peak enforcement volume. Invasive species such as kudzu, privet, and Johnson grass are common and must be managed. Vacant lots in Frayser, Orange Mound, and South Memphis generate significant complaint volume; absentee owners face accumulating liens. Natural-landscape and pollinator-garden areas may be exempt if registered and maintained below blight thresholds.