Skip to main content

Tennessee law

Administrative Laws in Tennessee.

Tennessee administrative law is governed by the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act (UAPA, Tenn. Code § 4-5-101 et seq.), which governs rulemaking, contested cases, and judicial review of state agency action. Rules are published in the Tennessee Administrative Register. Contested cases are heard by the Administrative Procedures Division of the Secretary of State (for many agencies) or by agency hearing officers. Final agency decisions are reviewable in Chancery Court.

Last verified: 2026-04-17

State law

Key Tennessee Statutes

Uniform Administrative Procedures ActTenn. Code § 4-5-101 et seq.

Tennessee's UAPA governs rulemaking and contested cases. Rulemaking requires notice, public hearing opportunity, fiscal impact analysis, and publication in the Administrative Register.

Administrative Procedures DivisionTenn. Code § 4-5-301

Administrative Procedures Division of the Secretary of State provides administrative law judges for contested cases from many Tennessee state agencies.

Judicial ReviewTenn. Code § 4-5-322

Final agency decisions are reviewable in Chancery Court. Standard: whether the decision is supported by substantial and material evidence and within agency authority.

State law

Official Sources

Not Legal Advice

This page summarizes publicly available statutes and rules for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by viewing this content. Laws change — always verify with the primary source or consult a licensed attorney in Tennessee.

Next step

Move from state law into guided help or attorney search.

If you want help applying this information to your situation, start with guided help or browse attorneys for this issue in Tennessee.