The City of Hendersonville, a municipality incorporated in 1968, governs via a mayoral/aldermanic city charter granted by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1986.

The mayor, who functions as the city's Chief Executive Officer, is elected at large and serves a four-year term of office.

The city is apportioned into six wards, or geographical subdivisions based upon population, with each ward encompassing approximately 5,500 residents. Registered voters in each ward elect two aldermen/alderwomen who serve staggered four-year terms of office. Staggered terms provides continuity of policy, direction, and ordinances.

Hendersonville City Hall is located at 101 Maple Drive North.  City Hall is open for business Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. daily. The telephone number is (615) 822-1000. The Board of Mayor and Aldermen meets twice monthly to conduct city business. Meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall. Three aldermen serve on each of the Board's various sub-committees which meet a minimum of once a month to consider proposals. Findings and recommendations are reported to the full Board of Mayor and Aldermen for decisions. Citizen volunteers, who are appointed by the Mayor or the Board, serve on several sub-commissions that also meet a minimum of once a month. The commissions oversee routine operations of various city activities. One alderman/alderwoman serves as non-voting liaison, and reports any recommendations to the full Board for a decision. All meetings of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, its sub-committees, and its commissions are set by city ordinance, and are always open to the public. Regular meeting notices are posted on an outdoor bulletin board at City Hall, and any special called meeting of the Board, a committee, or a commission are also posted on the bulletin board, and are announced in the local bi-weekly newspaper when time permits.