What five Nashville-area town codes say about storefront and commercial exterior lighting

Nashville (Metro Nashville and Davidson County)

String, rope and neon-type lighting

• Section 17.28.100 E.4.c: "Rope lighting shall not be used on a building, sign, or any property with non-residential zoning located adjacent to an arterial or collector street as identified on the Major and Collector Street Plan. This provision shall not apply to properties zoned as DTC."
• Section 17.32.050 N, in the list of prohibited signs: "Strings of incandescent light bulbs with wattage in excess of ten watts per bulb that are used on commercially developed parcels for commercial purposes other than temporary holiday decorations;"
• Section 17.32.040 D, in the list of exempt on-premises signs: "Holiday lights and decorations;"
• Section 17.28.100 A defines Neon light as "colored fluorescent or gas discharge tubular which can be bent into various forms for use decoratively or as signs."

Flashing and animated lighting

• Section 17.32.050 G.1, in the list of prohibited signs: "Signs with any copy, graphics, or digital displays that change messages by electronic or mechanical means, where the copy, graphics, or digital display does not remain fixed, static, motionless, and non-flashing for a period of eight seconds with all copy changes occurring instantaneously without any special effects."
• Section 17.32.050 G.3, in the list of prohibited signs: "Sign display areas with varying light illumination and/or intensity, blinking, bursting, dissolving, distorting, fading, flashing, oscillating, rotating, scrolling, sequencing, shimmering, sparkling, streaming, traveling, tracing, twinkling, simulated movement, or convey the illusion of movement."

Glare, light spill and uplighting

• Section 17.28.100 D.4, Prohibited Outdoor Lighting: "Lighting that contributes to or causes disabling or distracting glare onto a public roadway."
• Section 17.32.050 L, in the list of prohibited signs: "Signs that are of such intensity or brilliance as to cause glare or impair the vision of any motorist, cyclist or pedestrian using or entering a public way;"
• Section 17.28.100 D.5, Prohibited Outdoor Lighting: "The use of uplighting, except when lighting a flag or other government endorsed symbol."
• Section 17.28.100 E.4.b, in full: "No illumination shall produce direct, incident or reflected light that interferes with the safe movement of motor vehicles on public streets."

Color temperature

• Section 17.28.100 E.2, Correlated Color Temperature (CCT): "All lighting sources, except for public playing fields and lighting on public property necessary for the proper functioning of security cameras, must have a correlated color temperature (CCT) at or below three thousand degrees Kelvin (3000° K)."

Whether B.1 or B.2 applies to a given building turns on the parcel's zoning, which this page cannot check for an address. We publish what the ordinance says and pick no reading.

Sign lighting

• Section 17.28.100 A, in the definition of Outdoor lighting: "For the purposes of this section, the light source inside an internally illuminated sign is not considered outdoor lighting."
• Section 17.32.140: "See Section 17.37 (Downtown Code) for standards on signage within the DTC district."
• Downtown Code, Illumination (page 135), lead-in: "Illumination of signs shall be in accordance with the following requirements:". External Illumination: "External light sources shall be placed close to, and directed onto, the sign and shielded to minimize glare into the street, sidewalks or onto adjacent properties."
• Downtown Code, Internal Illumination (page 135): "Channel letters may be internally lit or back-lit." and "For cabinet signs, the background must be opaque." and "Exposed neon may be used for lettering or as an accent."
• Downtown Code, Prohibited Light Sources (page 135): "The following light sources are prohibited on every Street Type except Printers' Alley:" followed by "Blinking, flashing, chasing, and sequential lighting." and "Bare bulb illumination."
• Downtown Code, Changeable Copy Signs (Manual or Electronic) (page 136): "Any image or message or portion of the image or message must have a static display for minimum duration of eight seconds." and "No portion of the image or message may flash, scroll, twirl, change color or in any manner imitate movement."

Read it yourself: Section 17.28.100, Chapter 17.32 and the Downtown Code PDF (page numbers above are its printed page numbers). Section 17.28.100 was re-read October 5, 2026; Chapter 17.32 was read October 2, 2026; the Downtown Code was re-read October 8, 2026.

Franklin

String lights

• Section 14.3.7 B: "String lights in nonresidential, mixed-use, and multifamily development shall not be permitted to: 1. Outline buildings, except as a part of temporary holiday lighting; 2. Be located in the public right-of-way; and 3. Be part of or attached to a sign."
• Section 14.3.7 C: "String lights are not regulated on residential lots."
• Section 14.3.3 B, building-mounted lights: "Lighting shall not outline buildings, except as part of temporary holiday lighting."
• The ordinance defines string lights as "Small white electric lights spaced evenly along a cable and used for decoration and/or low level lighting."
• Section 15.1.10, prohibited signs, includes "Strings lights attached to or part of a sign; and" (spelled that way in the source).

Flashing and animated lighting

• Section 14.2.3 A: "No exterior lighting shall have any blinking, flashing or fluttering lights or other illuminating device that has a changing light intensity, brightness, or color."
• Section 15.1.10 includes, among prohibited signs: "Signs projected onto surfaces using light;", "LED electronic message center signs;" and "LED display screens;".

Glare and light spill

• Section 14.2.1 table: "Maximum Illumination along Property Line of a Lot Other Than a Residential Lot 2" and "Maximum Illumination Abutting a Property Line of a Residential Lot 0", under the column heading "Foot-Candles".
• Section 14.2.2: "Be arranged to minimize glare and reflection upon adjacent properties;" and "Be positioned, aimed, or configured so the light source is not visible from a residential lot."
• Section 14.3.4 A: "Floodlights and spotlights shall be selected, located, aimed, and shielded so that direct illumination is focused exclusively on a portion of the building facade or other intended site feature."
• Section 14.3.6: "Internally illuminated awnings and canopies are prohibited." and "Backlighting and downlighting for awnings are prohibited."
• Section 15.1.5 B: "The sign or light source shall not produce glare or illumination that could distract or interfere with the vision of drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, or adjacent property owners."

Sign lighting

• Section 15.1.5 A, external illumination: "Be achieved by a white, steady, stationary light of reasonable intensity;" and "shall not be so bright as to cause glare on or other nuisances to adjacent properties."
• Sign-type lighting rows: 15.3 Awning Sign, "External illumination only, subject to Subsection 15.1.5, External Illumination"; 15.11 Sandwich Board Sign, "No external or internal illumination"; 15.17 Temporary Construction Site Sign, "Illumination is prohibited".

Read it yourself: Chapter 14 begins on page 243 (pages 243 to 246 cover the passages above); Chapter 15 general provisions begin on page 249 (pages 249 to 251); sign-type pages 256, 264 and 270; the string-lights definition is on page 428. Read October 2, 2026.

Brentwood

Seasonal lighting

• Section 78-417, in the definition of Sign, the list of what the term does not include: "(1) Seasonal or holiday displays that do not contain a commercial message."

Sign lighting

• Section 78-418(c)(4), Sign illumination: "Sign illumination shall only be achieved through the following standards: a. A white, steady, stationary light of reasonable intensity may be directed solely at the sign. The light source shall be shielded from adjacent buildings and streets, and shall not be of sufficient brightness to cause glare or other nuisances to adjacent land uses. b. Internal illumination shall provide steady, stationary lighting through translucent materials." Item c of the same paragraph: "If the sign or sign structure is internally illuminated or backlit by any means, the entire lighted area shall be included within the allowable signage calculation for the site."
• Section 78-419, Prohibited signs. Item (l): "Any internally illuminated sign, unless allowed within a commercial district."
• Section 78-420, Allowable signs by zoning district: for C-1 wall signs, (d)(3), "Wall signs shall be mounted flat against a wall of the building and shall not be internally illuminated." For C-2 and C-3, (e)(3), "Wall signs for non-retail uses on upper floors shall not be internally illuminated." and, for projecting signs, (e)(4), "Such signs shall not be internally illuminated." For canopy signs of retailers of motor fuel, (e)(5)b: "With the exception of the measurable area of the canopy sign, no internal illumination or back lighting of the canopy surface or canopy roof line shall be allowed." For C-4 wall signs, (f)(2): "Internally illuminated or back-lighted signage shall be permitted only through the use of individual letters or characters mounted directly against the building." and "External lighting for signs shall only be permitted through the use of gooseneck or other decorative lighting fixtures."

Tubular, string, rope, flashing and animated lighting

• Section 78-417, definition of Tubular lighting: "Tubular lighting means lighting such as but not limited to neon, gas, fiber optics, or other similar forms of lighting, used to outline a building façade, canopy, awning, architectural feature or any other structural component of a building for the purpose of drawing visual attention to a business or other building occupant."
• Section 78-419, Prohibited signs, item (k): "Any exterior tubular lighting outside the area of any allowable wall sign and not included in the measurable area of the sign face."
• Section 78-417, definition of Animated: "Animated means using movement, projection, or change of lighting or other electrical impulses to depict action or create a special effect." and "In addition to any other sign that is animated, beacons and scrolling message boards are considered to be animated signs under this article."
• Section 78-419, Prohibited signs, item (d): "Animated signs or electronic message displays of any type, other than: (1) Scoreboards in service institution districts. (2) Menu boards allowed in C-2 and C-3 zoning districts. (3) Signage incorporated into an ATM. (4) Gasoline pump signs allowed under 78-420 (e)(5). (5) Signs operated by or on behalf of a governmental entity."
• Article V's prohibited-sign list does not use flash, blink, strobe, string or rope wording.

Read it yourself: Chapter 78 on Municode; Article V, Signs; and Section 78-419. Read October 2, 2026.

Hendersonville

Glare and light spill

• Section 11.3.2 Light Distraction: "Light fixtures in excess of 150 watts shall be fully shielded to prevent glare or spillover onto adjacent lots and streets." and "No exterior lighting may be used in any manner that could interfere with the safe movement of motor vehicles on public thoroughfares."
• Section 11.3.3 Light Trespass: "No lighting source from a commercial use shall cause more than one foot-candle of illumination of cross the property line of an adjoining residentially zoned property." (spelled with the words of cross in the source)
• Section 11.3.1: "Lighting beneath canopies, such as at fuel centers, shall not exceed 30 foot-candles. Canopy lights shall be fully recessed into the canopy ceiling."

Sign lighting

• Section 13.5.2.4 Awning Sign: "Awnings shall not have back-lighting or internal illumination. Down-lighting, such as goose-neck lights, is permitted."
• Section 13.5.2.8 Suspended Signs, item C: "Shall not be illuminated."
• Section 13.5.2.10 Window Sign: "Window signs shall not be illuminated except that each business establishment shall be permitted one illuminated window sign not exceeding two square feet in size. The form of illumination may include exposed neon and LED lighting."

Read it yourself: 2026 Zoning Ordinance (Ordinance 2026-10), read October 2, 2026.

Mt. Juliet

String, rope and neon-type lighting

• Town PDF: Section 11.101.11, prohibited signs, opens "The following signs are prohibited:" (page 7) and includes item L, "Neon lighting (including string/rope type) in commercial and industrial settings." (page 7)
• Town PDF: Item W of the same list (page 8): "String/rope lights attached to or part of a sign, within a window/door or encompassing a building in commercial and industrial settings. See 11.121, for allowed window/door signage."
• Municode copy of Article XI: Section 11-105, Prohibited signs: "Strings of lights." Section 11-110, in the definition of Animated sign: "Animated attention-attracting devices may or may not convey a message and may include, but are not limited to, the following: 1. Search lights. 2. Beacons. 3. Rope and or string lights. 4. Neon lights, except as an incidental sign i.e. open/close sign and a marquee for a movie theater."

Flashing and animated lighting

• Town PDF: Section 11.101.11, in the list of prohibited signs (page 7), item B: "Animated signs." Item K: "Moving signs of any type including any sign or device which swings, undulates, or otherwise attracts attention through the movement of parts or through the impression of movement and includes flashing, fluttering, moving, beacons, pennants, revolving, rotating, streamers, windblown, or similar signs or devices."
• Town PDF: Item J, in the list of prohibited signs (page 7): "LED electronic message centers or display screen signs. *Only a single, open/closed and/or hours of operation sign is allowed. It shall only be one (1) color and must always remain static."
• Town PDF: Definition of Animated sign (page 9): "Animated sign - any sign that emits odor, sound, visible matter (smoke/steam), inflatable or similar balloon type, live animals, uses movement or change of lighting to depict action or create a special effect or scene, or any sign that uses fade in/fade out, marching, rolling, flashing, scrolling, or other special effects created with lights" (the sentence continues on page 10). Page 10 adds: "A sign on which any message changes more frequently than every eight seconds shall be considered an animated sign."
• Town PDF: Items S and U, in the list of prohibited signs (page 8): "Searchlights or spotlights." and "Signs projected onto surfaces utilizing light."
• Municode copy: Section 12-105.6 item 2 c: "No illumination shall produce direct, incident, or reflected light that interferes with the safe movement of motor vehicles on public streets. Lighting prohibited by this provision shall include, but not be limited to: i. Any light that may be confused with or construed as a traffic control device; ii. Any animated, flashing or changing intensity lights, except for temporary holiday displays."
• Municode copy of Article XI: Section 11-105: "Flashing signs, including flashing signs inside the window visible from the street (public or private)." Section 11-110: "Flashing Sign [means] any illuminated sign whose motion or visual impression primarily changes through electronic means."
• Municode copy: Section 11-107 A.8.c (paraphrased, not verbatim): window signage may be painted on the interior of the window with easily removable paint, constructed of paper, cloth or other like material, or internally illuminated if the signage carries UL safety certification, is non-animated, and does not flash, blink, or otherwise contain attention-getting features. LED electronic message center window signs are prohibited.

Glare and light spill

• Town PDF: Section 11.101.7 B (page 6): "The sign or light source shall not produce glare or illumination that could distract or interfere with the vision of drivers, cyclists, pedestrians, or adjacent property owners."
• Municode copy: Section 12-105.6 Glare, item 1 Applicability: "The standards contained within this section shall apply in all commercial and industrial districts and to all community facilities activities located within any district." Item 2 a: "All site lighting shall be shielded so that substantially all directly emitted light falls within the property line. No illumination in excess of one-half footcandle shall be permitted within the boundaries of any adjacent residentially developed property." Item 2 b: "All exterior building floodlights shall be shielded so that all of the light falls upon either the surface of the structure or on the ground."
• Town PDF: Section 11.101.12 C (page 8), signs exempt from the article: "Sign internal to the building, three (3) feet or more away from the window and door, provided any illumination does not promote a safety hazard to citizens or drivers."

Sign lighting

• Town PDF: Section 11.101.7 A (page 6): "Be achieved by a white, or single-color steady, stationary light of reasonable intensity;"
• Town PDF: Section 11.103 Awning Sign, lighting row (page 18): "External Illumination only." Section 11.104 Canopy Sign (page 19): "External and internal illumination only."

Read it yourself: the 2026 Sign Ordinance and the Land Development Code on Municode, Sections 12-105, 11-105, 11-107 and 11-110. Read October 2, 2026.