Chattanooga bars depositing litter on any vacant or occupied property, and Tennessee's litter law (TCA 39-14-502) makes littering a crime countywide. Penalties scale from a Class C misdemeanor for small amounts up to a Class E felony for large or commercial dumping.
Dumping trash on public or private property is illegal throughout Hamilton County. Chattanooga's code prohibits depositing litter on any vacant or occupied property within city limits regardless of ownership. Statewide, TCA 39-14-502 makes it an offense to knowingly place, drop, or throw litter on public or private property without permission and fail to remove it. Penalties escalate by weight and volume: mitigated criminal littering (5 pounds or less, or 7.5 cubic feet or less) is a Class C misdemeanor; larger amounts are a Class A misdemeanor; and dumping over 10 pounds/15 cubic feet or for commercial purposes is a Class E felony. Courts can require litter-pickup community service.
Mitigated criminal littering: Class C misdemeanor, $50 fine plus up to 40 hours litter pickup. Larger dumps rise to a Class A misdemeanor or a Class E felony, plus cleanup restitution.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Chattanooga, TN
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See how Chattanooga's illegal dumping rules stack up against other locations.
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