The Nashville zoning ordinance is Title 17 of the Metropolitan Code of Laws, and it assigns every parcel in Davidson County to a zoning district that controls what you can build, how large it can be, and how the property can be used. Overlay districts can add rules on top of the base district, and separate processes exist for changing your zoning, asking for an exception, or appealing a decision you think is wrong. The Metro Planning Department administers the ordinance and makes recommendations to the Planning Commission; the Metropolitan Council has the final word on rezonings.
Check Your Property’s Zoning First
Before anything else, find out what your parcel is actually zoned. The fastest tool is the Parcel Viewer at maps.nashville.gov, which lets you search by street address or parcel ID. Opening a parcel’s details shows ownership, the base zoning classification, any overlay districts, and permit history.1Nashville Maps. Parcel Viewer
The map is a starting point, not the final word. Overlay requirements, pending zone changes, and conditions written into a Specific Plan ordinance do not always show cleanly on the viewer. If you are buying property, signing a lease, or planning anything that depends on the zoning being what you think it is, confirm with Planning staff before you commit.
What the District Letters Mean
Each base district has a short abbreviation. The letters tell you the general category of use, and the number that often follows tells you the minimum lot size or density.
- AG (Agricultural) covers large-lot rural land at the edges of the county.
- RS (Residential Single-Family) allows only one dwelling per lot. The number is the minimum lot size in square feet, so RS5 requires at least 5,000 square feet.
- R (Residential) allows one- and two-family dwellings, which opens the door to duplexes that RS does not.
- RM (Residential Multi-Family) covers apartments and condominiums; a higher suffix means more units per acre.
- O (Office) is for professional and administrative services with limited retail.
- CN, CL, and CS are the commercial tiers. Commercial Neighborhood (CN) is the most restrictive, built for small shops serving nearby residents. Commercial Limited (CL) allows broader retail. Commercial Service (CS) permits more intensive uses like auto repair and large-format retail.
- I (Industrial) is for manufacturing, warehousing, and operations that need separation from residential areas.
- MU (Mixed-Use) combines residential and commercial activity on the same lot or in the same building.
Each district carries its own table of permitted uses. A use that is allowed in one district may be prohibited in another, so match the use to the district before you sign anything.
Overlay Districts Stack On Top
A base classification is not always the whole story. Chapter 17.36 of the Metropolitan Code identifies overlay districts that add requirements on top of the base code. The common ones include the Urban Design Overlay (UDO), which sets site-specific building form and streetscape standards; the Contextual Overlay, which limits new construction to match surrounding buildings; the Institutional Overlay for campus-style sites like hospitals and universities; the Corridor Design Overlay, which controls building placement along designated roads; and Planned Unit Developments (PUDs), an older framework whose existing projects still carry their original conditions.2Nashville.gov. Planning Department Zoning Overlays
Overlays appear alongside the base district on official maps and in the Parcel Viewer. They can also modify the bulk rules of the base district. In commercial and mixed-use overlays, for example, street setbacks are often reduced to zero to bring buildings to the sidewalk edge.
Historic Overlays Add Another Review
Properties inside a historic overlay face a separate review by the Metropolitan Historic Zoning Commission (MHZC). Even minor exterior work, including replacing windows, changing siding, or adding a fence, can require a Preservation Permit from the MHZC. The Codes Department will not issue a building permit until the Preservation Permit is in hand.3Nashville.gov. Multi-Departmental Design Review in Historic Overlays Projects inside the Downtown Code area or a Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency redevelopment district should expect concurrent reviews, with the MHZC decision typically taking priority.
Setbacks, Height, and Lot Coverage
Every base district sets bulk regulations that control how much of a lot you can build on and how tall the structure can be. RS5, a common residential district, shows the pattern:
- Maximum height: 3 stories
- Maximum lot coverage: 50 percent
- Rear setback: 20 feet
- Side setback: 5 feet
- Street setback: 20 feet on minor or local streets; 40 feet on all other streets
Where an established development pattern exists along a street, the contextual setback rule under Metro Code 17.12.030(C) can override the standard minimum, aligning new construction with the rhythm of nearby buildings.4Nashville.gov. Understanding the Zoning Code
Specific Plan Districts
The Specific Plan (SP) district is Nashville’s most flexible zoning tool. Unlike a base district, an SP is not bound by standard land-use and design tables. Permitted uses and design elements, including height, setbacks, materials, and signage, are negotiated for the individual development and written directly into the zone change ordinance that becomes law for that parcel.
SP zoning is often used for large unified developments, sites near sensitive environmental features, or projects that need infrastructure the standard code does not anticipate. Developers must still follow historic and redevelopment guidelines, subdivision regulations, and stormwater rules. The Planning Department encourages applicants to meet with the district council member and neighbors before filing. All SP submittals are electronic; the department does not accept paper copies, and filing fees are tiered by project size.5Nashville.gov. Specific Plan District
Common Property Questions the Ordinance Answers
Detached Accessory Dwelling Units
Nashville permits detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs), sometimes called backyard cottages or granny flats, on qualifying single-family lots. A DADU is a self-contained second dwelling that must be smaller than the primary house and sit on the same parcel. One of the two dwellings must be owner-occupied.
To qualify, the zoning district’s land-use table must permit DADUs, the lot must meet the minimum lot area for its classification, and the property must sit in the Urban Services District, a DADU overlay within the General Services District, a UDO with DADU standards, or an SP with DADU provisions. Only one single-family principal structure can already exist on the lot.
Living space cannot exceed 700 square feet on lots under 10,000 square feet, or 850 square feet on lots of 10,000 square feet or more. The DADU footprint must be smaller than the primary structure, and no other accessory building on the lot can exceed 200 square feet once a DADU is built. Height is capped at the eave line of the primary structure, with a maximum eave height of 10 feet for single-story and 17 feet for two-story units, and a ridge line no higher than 27 feet.6Nashville.gov. Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit (DADU)
Short-Term Rentals
Anyone renting a property through a short-term rental platform must obtain a Short-Term Rental Property (STRP) permit from the Codes Department before listing. Operating without a permit is a code violation. The minimum rental period is 24 hours, no guest may stay longer than 30 consecutive days, and permits renew annually. Permit holders are responsible for collecting and remitting business taxes, sales taxes, and hotel occupancy taxes.7Nashville.gov. Short Term Rental Property
Nashville distinguishes between owner-occupied and non-owner-occupied STRP permits. Eligibility depends on your zoning district and whether a permit is still available in your area. The Codes Department’s property search tool can tell you whether a specific parcel qualifies.
Changing Your Zoning: The Rezoning Process
Changing a property’s zoning classification is a legislative act. It requires approval by the Metropolitan Council, not just the Planning Commission.
- The property owner files a zone change application with the Planning Department. The standard filing fee is $2,200, and SP applications pay more. The application must include the completed form, a map of the property, proof that property taxes are current, and documentation that the applicant has notified the district council member and the Metro Council office.8Nashville.gov. Zone Change Application
- Planning staff review the proposal against the community plan and prepare a recommendation. The Planning Commission holds a public hearing and votes, but its decision is advisory.
- A council member sponsors a bill. The bill goes through three readings at the Metropolitan Council: introduction, a public hearing, and a final vote.
- Once Council passes the bill, the Mayor signs it and the rezoning takes effect.9Nashville.gov. The Rezoning Process
If the property is owned by a corporation, LLC, or other entity, the application also needs a letter on company letterhead authorizing the signer to act for the entity. Applicants must post signs on the property and mail notices to nearby owners so the community can weigh in.
Community plans shape the outcome. Each plan is supported by the Community Character Manual, which assigns character policies and transects describing the intended look and feel of a neighborhood.10Nashville.gov. Community Plans A zone change that conflicts with the community plan faces an uphill battle, and applicants are often advised to also request a community plan amendment, which adds time and complexity.
Getting an Exception Without Rezoning
Not every zoning problem calls for a full rezoning. The Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) handles three narrower categories.
An administrative appeal challenges a decision by the zoning administrator, such as a permit denial or a code interpretation you believe is wrong. The appeal is filed in writing with the BZA.
A variance is limited relief from a strict application of the code where it creates a hardship unique to your property. The hardship must come from the property’s physical characteristics (unusual shape, topography, size), not from personal circumstances or something you created. The variance must be consistent with the intent of the zoning code and must not threaten public safety.
A special exception use permit covers uses that a district allows only with BZA approval, subject to conditions the board may attach.
The BZA must hold a public hearing within 60 days of receiving a complete application. At least four affirmative votes are required to grant or deny any application. If a variance or special exception is approved, the applicant must obtain the associated permit within two years or the approval expires.11Municode. Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County Code of Ordinances – Article VI Board of Zoning Appeals
The BZA also hears reasonable-accommodation requests under the Fair Housing Act, where a person with a disability needs a modification to standard zoning rules to use their home. Appeals of the zoning administrator’s decision on such a request must be filed within 30 days.
Nonconforming (Grandfathered) Uses
When Nashville updates its zoning map or amends the code, some existing properties end up out of compliance. A house legally built as a duplex in an area later rezoned to single-family, or a small shop that predates a residential reclassification, becomes a “nonconforming use.” The property can generally continue operating as it did before the change, the principle often called grandfathering.
Nonconforming status comes with limits. Expanding or intensifying the use beyond what existed at the time of the zoning change is typically restricted. If the use is abandoned or discontinued for a continuous period set in the code, the nonconforming status may be permanently lost and the property must conform to its current zoning. Damage or destruction beyond a certain threshold can also trigger loss of nonconforming rights, requiring any rebuild to comply with current district standards.
If you own a property you believe is legally nonconforming, document the status carefully. Records of the use’s history, the date of the zoning change, and permits or tax filings that prove continuous operation can be critical if the status is ever challenged.
Enforcement and Penalties
The Codes Department enforces zoning. If you build without a permit, operate a prohibited use, or ignore conditions attached to your zoning approval, the department can issue a stop-work order halting construction immediately. Written notice goes to the owner or the person doing the work, and the order specifies what must be corrected before work can resume.
Violations carry fines of up to $500 per day, and each day the violation continues counts as a separate offense. For owner-occupied residential properties appraised at $30,000 or less, the maximum fine is reduced to $150 per day. The Codes Director can also revoke existing permits, and no new permits will be issued to a person found in violation until the problem is corrected.12Municode. Metro Government of Nashville and Davidson County Code of Ordinances – Title 16 Violations and Penalties
Zoning complaints are typically filed through the Codes Department’s hub system. Filing a complaint triggers an investigation, but resolution can take weeks or months depending on case volume and whether the property owner contests the finding.
Federal Limits on Metro’s Authority
Nashville’s zoning authority is broad, but federal law draws boundaries the Metro Council and BZA cannot cross. The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) prohibits zoning and landmarking laws that impose a substantial burden on religious exercise unless the government shows it is using the least restrictive means to further a compelling interest. Nashville cannot treat religious institutions less favorably than secular assembly uses, discriminate between denominations, totally exclude religious assemblies from any area, or unreasonably limit where they can locate.13Department of Justice. Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act
The federal Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to use zoning to make housing unavailable to someone because of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. The most common friction point involves group homes for people with disabilities: a zoning ordinance that limits the number of unrelated people living together is not automatically exempt from the Act, and the U.S. Supreme Court has held that such limits can be challenged. Nashville’s code provides for reasonable-accommodation requests to modify standard zoning requirements when necessary to give a person with a disability equal opportunity to use their home.