Chattanooga, TN Special Events & Permits: Street Fair Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required
- temporary use permit, Sec. 38-44
- Renewal
- may issue on yearly basis
- Right-of-way events
- need separate special event permit
- Residential zones
- institutional uses only
Summary
Chattanooga requires a temporary use permit for festivals, carnivals, flea markets, and similar sales events on private property, with duration and yearly renewal set case-by-case under the Zoning Ordinance.
The standards of this section and the use permission in Table 38-41.1 are for temporary entertainment and/or sales event that are located on private property. A special event permit and/or other authorization within the City Code is required for such events located in the right-of-way. However, when an event is authorized to occur in the public right-of-way, adjacent private properties may be included in the area of the event; in such case, an additional temporary use permit for the private property is not required.
(1)The timeframe of a temporary entertainment and/or sales event, including number of days per week and overall duration of the event, will be determined and approved as part of the temporary use permit. The temporary use permit may be issued on a yearly basis.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 40 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Chattanooga's Zoning Ordinance treats festivals, carnivals, arts-and-crafts fairs, and flea markets as a 'Temporary Entertainment and/or Sales Event,' requiring a temporary use permit under Sec. 38-44. The permit sets the days per week and overall duration, and it can be issued on a yearly basis for repeat events. Applicants must submit a management plan covering expected attendance, layout, hours, security, waste removal, and, for outdoor events, a lighting plan. Events held in the public right-of-way instead need a separate special event permit; in residential zones, temporary entertainment or sales events are limited to those run by an institutional use on-site, such as a church or school.
Violations & Fines
Hosting a festival, fair, or sales event without an approved temporary use permit is a zoning violation enforceable by the Land Development Office; unpermitted right-of-way events also risk removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to hold a festival or flea market in Chattanooga?
Can a church host an outdoor festival in a residential zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Chattanooga
Compare Chattanooga to another location·View the Tennessee special events & permits overview
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