City Watch
Short-term rental rules in Franklin, TN
How Franklin regulates short-term rentals: the rules that apply, their sources, and pending changes.
Rules here limit which homes may operate as short-term rentals, how many, where, or for how many nights a year.
- Owner-occupied/primary-residence requirement — the owner of the lot must be a permanent occupant of the premises
- Maximum of one short-term vacation rental permitted per lot
- Whole-home rental without an accessory dwelling capped at 113 nights per 12-month rolling period, and only while the owner vacates the premises
- Grandfathered pre-ordinance STVR permits are non-transferable on sale (forfeited unless transferred to a family member), so the device forecloses new non-owner-occupied whole-home supply going forward
Based on: Franklin Zoning Ordinance (effective July 1, 2024; current edition effective January 13, 2026), Chapter 05 'Use
Summary of the rule
R. Short-Term Vacation Rentals. In addition to the applicable requirements of the Municipal Code, the following shall apply: 1. A maximum of one short-term vacation rental is permitted on a lot; 2. The owner of the lot is a permanent occupant of the premises, as defined under 'single-family residential' in Chapter 23, Definitions and Interpretations; 3. On a lot that has both a dwelling and an accessory dwelling, the owner of the lot may live in one and rent out the other as a short-term vacation rental; and 4. On a lot that has a dwelling with no accessory dwelling, the owner of the lot may rent out the dwelling only under the following: a. Nightly rentals shall not exceed 113 nights in any 12 month period, calculated on a rolling basis; and [b.] The owner of the lot shall vacate the premises for the duration of the rental.
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Last reviewed Sep 16, 2026 · Sources · Report an error
Pending legislation
Monitoring Franklin · system last checked Oct 25, 2026
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City Watch provides good-faith summaries of publicly available information as of the review date shown. Rules, enforcement, and permit availability can change, and summaries may contain errors or omissions. Ratings describe the general regulatory environment; they do not establish whether a particular property or stay is permitted. This is general information, not legal advice. Before buying, listing, or hosting, verify applicable requirements with the responsible authorities and review any HOA, condominium, deed, or lease restrictions.