Nashville, TN Special Events & Permits: Parklets (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing agency
- NDOT (Dept. of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure)
- Permit term
- One year, renewable
- Application fee
- $150, nonrefundable
- Liability insurance required
- $1,000,000 minimum
- Max footprint
- Two parking stalls or one loading zone
Summary
Metro Nashville requires a one-year NDOT permit before anyone installs a parklet or streatery in a street parking stall, with a $150 nonrefundable fee and mandatory neighbor support letters.
"Parklet" means a small public gathering space, occupying up to two parking stalls or a loading zone, as applicable, on the public street... "Streatery" means up to two parking stalls or a loading zone... used either as an extension of, or a stand-alone sidewalk cafe... Any person who maintains and/or operates any parklets or streatery facility withing the public right-of-way without obtaining a permit from the metropolitan government shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.
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
Under Metropolitan Code of Laws § 13.32.166, a "parklet" (privately owned, treated as public sidewalk) or "streatery" (a sidewalk-cafe extension tied to a restaurant or bar's food and alcohol permits) may occupy up to two parking stalls or a loading zone in the public right-of-way, but only after the Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure (NDOT) issues a permit. Applicants must submit a detailed site plan, secure a letter of support from fronting property owners, carry at least $1,000,000 in liability insurance, and pass review by an interdepartmental committee covering planning, NDOT, the beer board, water, police and fire before a construction permit is issued.
Violations & Fines
Operating a parklet or streatery without an NDOT permit is a misdemeanor, fined up to the amount set in Metropolitan Code § 1.01.030, with each day of continued violation charged as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a restaurant just set up a streatery without asking Metro?
Do neighbors have a say in a proposed parklet?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Nashville
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