Nashville, Tennessee Dog Poop Law

Quick answer: Yes. Nashville requires dog owners to pick up after their dogs under Metropolitan Code of Nashville and Davidson County § 8.04.190. The set ticket for a first offense is $50, and $50 for a repeat.

What the Nashville ordinance says

How the penalty works

§ 8.04.190: 'Violations of this section shall be punishable by a fifty dollar fine.' § 8.04.210 makes any Chapter 8.04 violation a civil infraction with a civil penalty of not more than $50, and each day a violation continues is a separate offense. Citations are heard in General Sessions Court.

The carry rule

No bag-carry requirement. The owner must 'clean up and remove any excrement left by the owner's dog(s) on any public property or private property not owned or lawfully possessed by the dog owner.'

Service animals

§ 8.04.190 contains no service-dog or disability exemption.

How Nashville compares

At $50, the Nashville ticket is higher than Knoxville ($25).

In practice

Pick up every time, bag it, and put it in a trash can. That is the one method that satisfies every ordinance in the country. The Walk Dispenser clips to the leash and holds a full roll.

Elsewhere in Tennessee

Tennessee dog poop laws covers the state and its other large cities. Nearby: Memphis dog poop law · Knoxville dog poop law. All 50 states.

Source

Checked 2026-09-10 against the Nashville municipal code. Codes change, so read the current version before relying on this for an actual citation.

This page is general information, not legal advice.