# Sign Regulations in Franklin, Tennessee

Sign permit rules, size and height limits, setbacks, and ordinance citations for Franklin, Tennessee, compiled by PermitPal from the jurisdiction's published municipal code.

- **Jurisdiction:** Franklin, Tennessee (TN)
- **Canonical page:** https://permitpal.io/sign-regulations/tennessee/franklin
- **Data last verified:** 2025-04-29
- **Source:** [other municipal code](https://web.franklintn.gov/flippingbook/FranklinZoningOrdinance/246/)

## At a glance

Franklin, Tennessee regulates 16 sign types across 4 zoning districts. Development Entrance Signs in the Agricultural District (AG) zoning district are capped at 6 feet at top of sign area, measured from centerline of adjacent right-of-way tall and 32 square feet per side, up to 2 sides, with a Minimum setback at property line setback (Sec. Section 15.7, Section 15.10, Chapter 15). Most commercial signs in Franklin require a permit.

## Sign rules by zoning district (4 zones)

| Zoning District | Sign Types Regulated | Max Height | Max Area | Permit Required |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Agricultural District (AG) | 4 | 40 feet (pole); 20 feet for rooftop poles | Width may not exceed one-fourth the height of the pole (e.g. 40-foot pole = max width 10 feet) | — |
| Estate Residential District (ER), Residential 1 District (R1), Residential 2 District (R2), Residential 3 District (R3), Residential 4 District (R4), Residential 6 District (R6), Mixed Residential District (MR) | 4 | 40 feet (pole); 20 feet (roof pole) | 32 square feet per side, up to 2 sides | — |
| Planned District (PD) | 16 | 40 feet pole (20 feet for rooftop pole) | 90% of canopy face or 120 sq ft, whichever less | — |
| Office Residential District (OR), Civic Institutional District (CI), Neighborhood Commercial District (NC), Central Commercial District (CC), Downtown District (DD), 1st Avenue District (1ST), 5th Avenue North District (5TH), Regional Commerce 4 District (RC4), Regional Commerce 6 District (RC6), Regional Commerce 12 District (RC12), General Office District (GO), Light Industrial District (LI), Heavy Industrial District (HI) | 16 | 40 ft pole (20 ft rooftop) | Max 90% of canopy face or 120 sq ft, whichever smaller | — |

## Zone-by-zone sign requirements (sample of 3 of 4 zones)

### Agricultural District (AG)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Development Entrance Sign | 6 feet at top of sign area, measured from centerline of adjacent right-of-way | 32 square feet per side, up to 2 sides | — | Minimum setback at property line | Maximum 2 per entrance | At the property line at the entrance to the development/minimum setback at property line | — | Section 15.7, Section 15.10, Chapter 15 |
| Flag | 40 feet (pole); 20 feet for rooftop poles | Width may not exceed one-fourth the height of the pole (e.g. 40-foot pole = max width 10 feet) | — | Minimum property line setback | Maximum 3 per lot | Attached to a pole, minimum setback at property line | — | Section 15.9 |
| Temporary Construction Site Sign | 6 feet | 32 square feet per side; 6 s.f. per side for residential lots | — | Minimum setback at property line | Maximum 2 per lot (or 1 per building facade on residential lots) | Minimum setback at property line | — | Section 15.17 |
| Temporary Sign | 6 feet (freestanding); building signs may not exceed top of building | 32 square feet per side | — | Minimum property line setback | Maximum 5 per site | Minimum setback at property line for freestanding sign | — | Section 15.18 |

### Planned District (PD)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | 16 feet | 60% of valance or 25% of awning face | — | — | Maximum 1 per main entrance | On awning valance or awning face, above retail storefront/tenant space entrance | — | Section 15.3 |
| Convenience Sign | 6 feet | 4.5 sq ft per side, max 2 sides | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 1 per entrance/exit; additional with justification | At entrance/exit or parking designation; minimum property line setback | — | Section 15.6 |
| Development Entrance Sign | 6 feet at top of sign area | 32 sq ft per side (up to 2 sides) | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 2 per entrance | Entrance to development, minimum property line setback | — | Section 15.7 |
| Flag | 40 feet pole (20 feet for rooftop pole) | Max width 1/4th height of pole | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 3 per lot | On a flagpole. Minimum property line setback | — | Section 15.9 |
| Monument Sign | 6 ft at top of sign area; overall structure 8 ft | 32 sq ft per side, up to 2 sides; overall structure 100 sq ft | — | Minimum setback at property line | 1 per lot per street frontage | Minimum setback at property line. | — | Section 15.10 |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 feet | 6 sq ft per side, up to 2 sides | — | — | 1 per ground floor tenant | Sidewalk in front of the retail/tenant space. Must maintain 48 in sidewalk clearance for pedestrians. | — | Section 15.11 |
| Temporary Construction Site Sign | 6 feet | 32 sq ft per side (6 sq ft per side on residential lots) | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 2 per lot/site or 1 per building facade | Min property line setback | — | Section 15.17 |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft freestanding; building sign to top of building | 32 sq ft per side | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 5 per site | Min property line setback for freestanding | — | Section 15.18 |

### Office Residential District (OR), Civic Institutional District (CI), Neighborhood Commercial District (NC), Central Commercial District (CC), Downtown District (DD), 1st Avenue District (1ST), 5th Avenue North District (5TH), Regional Commerce 4 District (RC4), Regional Commerce 6 District (RC6), Regional Commerce 12 District (RC12), General Office District (GO), Light Industrial District (LI), Heavy Industrial District (HI)

| Sign Type | Max Height | Max Area | Max Width | Setback | Signs Allowed | Location | Permit Required | Ordinance Citation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Awning Sign | 16 feet | Max 60% of awning valance or 25% of awning face | — | — | 1 per main entrance/tenant (ground floor only) | On valance or face of awning over a storefront or main entrance | — | Section 15.3 |
| Convenience Sign | 6 feet | 4.5 sq ft per side, max 2 sides | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 1 per entrance/exit (additional for parking designation permitted) | At entrance/exit or parking designation | — | Section 15.6 |
| Development Entrance Sign | 6 feet | 32 sq ft per side (up to 2 sides) | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 2 per entrance | At entrance to development, minimum property line setback | — | Section 15.7 |
| Flag | 40 ft pole (20 ft rooftop) | Max width 1/4 of pole height | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 3 per lot | On a pole, minimum property line setback | — | Section 15.9 |
| Monument Sign | 6 ft (sign area); 8 ft (structure) | 32 sq ft per side (up to 2 sides); overall structure 100 sq ft | — | Minimum property line setback | 1 per lot per street frontage | Minimum property line setback | — | Section 15.10 |
| Sandwich Board Sign | 4 feet | 6 sq ft per side, up to 2 sides | — | — | 1 per tenant | On sidewalk in front of retail space; minimum 48 inches sidewalk clearance | — | Section 15.11 |
| Temporary Construction Site Sign | 6 feet | 32 sq ft per side (6 sq ft per side for res. lots) | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 2 per lot (or 1 per ground floor tenant) | Min property line setback | — | Section 15.17 |
| Temporary Sign | 6 ft freestanding; building signs to top of building | 32 sq ft per side | — | Minimum property line setback | Max 5 per site | Min property line setback for freestanding | — | Section 15.18 |

## Prohibited signs in Franklin

- Signs shall not be placed within the public right-of-way, except for those placed by or on behalf of a governmental entity, sandwich board signs in the HPO as permitted by the Municipal Code, and sign types that project from a building over a sidewalk.
- Signs shall not interfere or block the sight of directional, instructional, or warning signs placed by or on behalf of a governmental entity.
- Signs and their supports, braces, guys, or anchors shall not obstruct or interfere with any door, window, fire escape or other means of egress, light, or ventilation.
- Signs shall be located so they do not obscure the view of pedestrian or vehicular traffic that would endanger safe movement.
- Signs shall not be placed to obscure prominent architectural features on a building.
- Signs shall not be irregularly shaped.
- Materials for sign backgrounds, frames, supports, and ornamentation shall not include exposed metal poles or smooth- or split-faced concrete blocks, whether painted or unpainted.
- Internal illumination of signs is limited to light emanating only through the letters, numbers, logos, and accent lines. The remainder of the sign area shall not be illuminated and shall be opaque to prohibit light penetration.
- Exposed neon and LED that is visible are prohibited and shall not be incorporated into the design of a principal building or accessory structure, except as specifically allowed for window signs.
- Signs shall not use blinking, flashing, or fluttering lights or other illuminating devices that have a changing light intensity, brightness, or color.
- Light fixtures shall not mix different types of light color or hues within a site.
- The following signs are prohibited: bench signs; freestanding canopy signs except as permitted for gas stations; home occupation signs; commercial signs for residentially-occupied dwellings except as specifically allowed; government imitation signs; inflatable or similar balloon-type devices larger than 18 inches in diameter that require tethering; moving signs; noisy mechanical devices; parked vehicle signs; roof signs including those painted on roofs or extending above the highest roof point; searchlights; signs on natural features such as trees, other vegetation, and rocks; trailer signs; signs projected onto surfaces using light; LED electronic message center signs; LED display screens; string lights attached to or part of a sign; and any other sign not expressly permitted by the Ordinance or other applicable codes.
- Trees, shrubs, or other vegetation shall not be trimmed, damaged, destroyed, or removed to increase or enhance the visibility of signs within the public right-of-way, on property not owned/controlled by the person conducting the work, or in areas required to remain vegetated under this Ordinance.
- No sign shall be allowed to deteriorate to a broken, torn, peeling, flaking, tattered, or otherwise decayed or faded condition (applies to all signs and flags).
- Signs that were lawfully permitted but become nonconforming may not be structurally altered, changed so as to increase the extent of nonconformity, or be re-established if abandoned for more than 90 days after business discontinuation or if destroyed or damaged beyond 50 percent of replacement cost (with certain exceptions).

## Signs exempt from permit in Franklin

- Signs placed by or on behalf of a governmental entity are exempt from placement prohibitions within the public right-of-way.
- Sandwich board signs in the HPO as permitted by the Municipal Code are exempt from general placement prohibitions within the right-of-way.
- Sign types that project from a building over a sidewalk are exempt from general right-of-way placement prohibitions.
- For internal illumination, window signs may have neon as per the provision for window signs (Section 15.16), even though exposed neon and LED are otherwise prohibited.
- Cleaning and normal maintenance and repair of a sign, unless a structural or design change is made, are exempt from the need for a sign permit.
- Painting or repainting of a sign is exempt from sign permit requirements unless the paint color is being changed within the HPO, in which case a certificate of appropriateness is required.
- Changing the contents of a sign area (size, shape, and location unchanged) does not require a sign permit unless otherwise specified for the HPO.
- Temporary signs such as ballfield fence signs, convenience signs, flags, public signs, ADA compliance signs, integral signs, sandwich board signs (permit required in HPO), temporary construction site signs, and temporary signs may be installed, altered, relocated, or demolished without a sign permit but must comply with Chapter 15 standards.

## Sign plan & submission notes

- A parking plan is required to be submitted with any development that is required to provide more than three parking spaces (per Section 10.1.4), but not specifically a 'sign plan.'
- Master/sign plans are not universally required; however, individual sign permits are required for permanent signs, unless exempt (per Section 20.17).
- Installation, construction, alteration, or relocation of a sign is subject to the issuance of a sign permit by the Department of Building and Neighborhood Services, unless exempt.
- Within the HPO, a certificate of appropriateness must be obtained prior to the issuance of a sign permit. If a sign permit is not required, a certificate of appropriateness is required prior to installation, construction, alteration, relocation, or demolition of a sign.
- If an electrical permit is required for a sign, it must be obtained at the same time as the sign permit.

## Full detail

This page publishes an overview of every zoning district plus a sample of 3 districts in full. Complete zone-by-zone requirements for all 4 zoning districts in Franklin — every sign type, every field — are available with a free PermitPal account: https://app.permitpal.io/?address=Franklin+TN&override=true&utm_source=landing&utm_medium=city-page&utm_campaign=city-franklin

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