Tennessee

Registration or Filing Required? No
Business Opportunity Laws? No

Tennessee is not a franchise registration state nor a franchise filing state, so you may offer or sell your franchise without registering or filing your Franchise Disclosure Document (“FDD”) with the state, provided that you are compliant with the Federal Franchise Rule.

Does Tennessee Have Any Rules About Franchises?

Despite not being a registration or filing state, Tennessee has enacted Franchise Laws, which put restrictions on franchisors. In general, the Act prohibits the franchisor from terminating the franchise agreement without good cause and without giving the franchisee 30 days to cure defaults. Additionally, it restricts franchisor’s ability to not renew a franchise agreement without good cause, and without providing 60 days’ notice to the franchisee. The law also nullifies any terms of the franchise agreement in which a franchisee waives its rights governed by the Tennessee Franchise Law. Lastly, the law limits the franchisor’s ability to prohibit transfers of the franchised business by a franchisee.

Fun Fact: Ever had a desire to see the Parthenon in all its former glory? Well, you can – in Nashville! Sure, it’s not completely to scale, but you’ll still get the same effect.