Nashville, TN Landscaping Rules: Weed Ordinances (2026)
Key Facts
- Height limit
- 12 inches for weeds/grass
- Enforcement
- Dept. of Codes Administration
- Fine
- $50/day, $250 cap per lot
- Notice period
- 10 days to remedy
- Exempt areas
- Six satellite cities keep own codes
Summary
Metro Nashville caps weeds and grass at 12 inches on any property; taller growth is a public nuisance enforced by the Department of Codes Administration, with notice, fines, and a lien if you don't cut it.
All premises and exterior property shall be maintained free from weeds in excess of twelve inches so as not to endanger the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of the metropolitan government.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 53 | Charter: Republication 9).
Full Breakdown
Metro Nashville's Chapter 10.26 bans weeds, grass, and vegetation over twelve inches tall on any premises Metro-wide (the six satellite cities, Belle Meade, Berry Hill, Forest Hills, Goodlettsville, Oak Hill, Ridgetop, run their own codes). Weeds are grasses, annual plants, and vegetation grown without cultivation intent; ornamental grasses, trimmed shrubs, and cultivated gardens are excluded. A parallel chapter, 10.28, lets the Department of Codes Administration mail a notice; if unfixed within ten days the city can cut the lot, bill the owner, and record a lien, plus a fine up to fifty dollars per day capped at two hundred fifty dollars per lot. Natural landscaping needs beautification commission and traffic engineer sign-off plus a three-foot setback.
Violations & Fines
Public nuisance citation; unresolved after a ten-day notice draws a fine up to $50 per day, capped at $250 per lot, plus city abatement costs and a property lien.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the 12-inch weed limit apply in Belle Meade or Goodlettsville?
What happens if I don't cut my weeds after Metro sends a notice?
Are ornamental grasses or garden plants counted as 'weeds'?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
How Nashville compares: Cities with the Strictest Weed and Property Maintenance Rules·Compare Nashville to another location·View the Tennessee landscaping rules overview
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