11 local rules on file Β· Pop. 1,279 Β· Rutherford County
Showing ordinances that apply to Rockvale, TN
Rockvale is an unincorporated community with a population of approximately 1,279 in Rutherford County, Tennessee. Because Rockvale is not an incorporated city, it does not have its own municipal government or city code. Instead, Rutherford County ordinances apply directly to residential and commercial properties here. The rules below are the county-level regulations that govern your area. Nearby incorporated cities in Rutherford County may have different rules.
These unincorporated areas are also governed by Rutherford County ordinances.
Rutherford County does not require a county-level zoning permit for short-term rentals (STRs). The City of Murfreesboro likewise has no STR registration requirement and its Zoning Ordinance does not specifically regulate STRs. Operators must, however, register with the Rutherford County Property Assessor under the Tennessee Short Term Rental Unit Act (Tenn. Code Ann. Β§13-7-602), obtain business licenses, and remit hotel/motel occupancy taxes to the County and City under Tenn. Code Ann. Β§67-4-1408 and the local privilege tax act. State preemption protects properties operating before any new local STR ordinance takes effect.
Short-term rentals in Rutherford County owe a 5% local hotel/motel occupancy tax (paid monthly to the county and to the city you operate in), state sales tax (paid quarterly), state business tax (annual gross receipts), and a $15 county business license through the County Clerk. Inside Murfreesboro, Smyrna, or La Vergne, a separate $15 city business license also applies.
Rutherford County does not set a guest-occupancy cap for short-term rentals in unincorporated areas. The Tennessee Short-Term Rental Unit Act (T.C.A. Β§13-7-602 et seq.) limits county authority and grandfathers pre-2018 operators. Practical limits come from septic capacity, building/fire code, and HOA rules. Inside Murfreesboro, Smyrna, or La Vergne, the city's STR rules apply.
Rutherford County does not impose STR-specific parking minimums in unincorporated areas. The Rutherford County Zoning Ordinance Appendix D sets standard residential off-street parking (typically two spaces per single-family dwelling) that applies whether the home is owner-occupied or rented short-term. Vehicles cannot block county roads, mailboxes, or driveways. Inside city limits, that city's STR parking rules apply.