Franklin, TN Sign Regulations: Digital Billboards (2026)
Key Facts
- LED message signs
- Prohibited citywide (§15.1.10.O)
- LED display screens
- Prohibited citywide (§15.1.10.P)
- Existing billboards
- Nonconforming, limited expansion only
- Effective
- January 13, 2026
Summary
Franklin's zoning code bans LED electronic message center signs and LED display screens outright: digital billboards aren't permitted anywhere in the city.
The following signs are prohibited: A. Bench signs; B. Freestanding canopy signs, except as permitted in Paragraph 5.1.4.I, Gas Stations; C. Home occupation signs; D. Commercial signs for residentially- occupied dwellings, except temporary signs as permitted by Section 15.18, Temporary Sign, and temporary construction site signs as permitted by Section 15.17, Temporary Construction Site Sign; E. Government imitation signs; F. Inflatable or similar balloon-type devices larger than 18 inches in diameter that require tethering; G. Moving signs; H. Noisy mechanical devices; I. Parked vehicle signs; J. Roof signs, including signs painted on roofs or that extend above the highest point of a roof; K. Searchlights; L. Signs on natural features such as trees, other living vegetation, and rocks; M.Trailer signs; N. Signs projected onto surfaces using light; O. LED electronic message center signs; P. LED display screens; Q. Strings lights attached to or part of a sign; and R. Any other sign not expressly permitted by this Ordinance, the Municipal Code, all applicable building codes, or the Historic District Design Guidelines, as applicable.
Franklin Zoning Ordinance Effective January 13, 2026 251
15Chapter SIGNS General Provisions
Full Breakdown
Section 15.1.10 of the 2026 Franklin Zoning Ordinance, effective January 13, 2026, lists prohibited sign types citywide, and items O and P name LED electronic message center signs and LED display screens specifically: the categories covering digital billboards and changeable electronic message boards. The same list also bars signs projected onto surfaces with light and moving signs, closing off other digital-display workarounds. Existing billboards that predate the ordinance may continue and expand only as Tennessee's nonconforming-billboard statute, T.C.A. § 13-7-208, allows under Section 15.1.12.B; new digital billboards aren't permitted in any zoning district.
Violations & Fines
Violating any zoning sign standard is a misdemeanor under Section 22.5, fined per Municipal Code Title 12's general penalty clause; each day a violation continues is a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a business put up a digital billboard in Franklin?
What about an existing digital billboard from before 2026?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Franklin
Compare Franklin to another location·View the Tennessee sign regulations overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.