Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208 (2026)
Certificate required - Contents - Exceptions
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) As a condition precedent to the issuance of a license under § 57-3-204, every applicant for a license under that section shall submit with the application to the commission a certificate signed by the county mayor or chair of the county commission in which the licensed premises are to be located if outside the corporate limits of a municipality or, if within a municipality, from the mayor or a majority of the commission, city council, or legislative body of the municipality, by whatsoever name designated, or if the municipality has no mayor, from the highest executive of the municipality.
- (b)
- (1) The certificate must state:
- (A) That the applicant or applicants who are to be in actual charge of the business have not been convicted of a felony within a ten-year period immediately preceding the date of application and, if a corporation, that the executive officers or those in control have not been convicted of a felony within a ten-year period immediately preceding the date of the application;
- (B) That the applicant or applicants have secured a location for the business which complies with all restrictions of any local law, ordinance, or resolution, duly adopted by the local jurisdiction, as to the location of the business;
- (C) That the applicant or applicants have complied with any local law, ordinance or resolution duly adopted by the local authorities regulating the number of retail licenses to be issued within the jurisdiction;
- (D) The certificate remains valid unless there is a change of ownership or location. If either of these events occurs, a new certificate must be obtained prior to renewal.
- (2) Each applicant or officer identified in subdivision (b)(1)(A) must obtain and submit with the certificate a local and national criminal history record obtained from a third party using a multistate criminal records locator or other similar commercial nationwide database with validation. A criminal history record that indicates that the applicant or officer has not been convicted of a felony within the immediately preceding ten-year period serves as proof satisfactory that the applicant or officer has complied with subdivision (b)(1)(A).
- (1) The certificate must state:
- (c) Municipalities and counties are hereby authorized to limit the location of retail liquor stores and the number of licenses issued within their jurisdictions. No local law, ordinance or resolution may limit the location and number of licenses authorized under § 57-3-204, so as to unreasonably restrict the availability of alcoholic beverages for the residents of such municipalities and counties. A local jurisdiction may impose reasonable residency requirements on any applicant. However, if a local jurisdiction does impose such residency requirements, such local jurisdiction shall not be authorized to impose any residency requirement on any applicant who has been continuously licensed pursuant to § 57-3-204 for seven (7) consecutive years.
- (d) An applicant may seek review of the denial of a certificate by instituting an action in the chancery court having jurisdiction over the municipality or county within sixty (60) days of the denial.
- (e) A failure on the part of the issuing authority to grant or deny the certificate within sixty (60) days of the written application for such shall be deemed a granting of the certificate.
- (f) The requirement imposed by this section to submit a certificate shall not be applicable to any applicant if:
- (1) The authority of the county or municipality charged with the responsibility to issue the certificate required herein shall have failed to grant or deny the certificate within sixty (60) days after written application for such certificate is filed; or
- (2) The applicant submits a final order of a court holding that the denial of the required certificate was unreasonable, as established by subsections (c) and (d).
Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 136, s 4, eff. 8/1/2019.
Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 783, s 12, eff. 4/20/2018.
Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 783, s 14, eff. 4/20/2018.
Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 357, s 1, eff. 7/1/2017.
Amended by 2015 Tenn. Acts, ch. 269, s 2, eff. 4/24/2015.
Acts 1939, ch. 49, § 9a, as added by Acts 1949, ch. 284, § 5; C. Supp. 1950, § 6648.14a (Williams, § 6648.12a); Acts 1951, ch. 52, § 2; impl. am. Acts 1963, ch. 257, § 24; Acts 1976, ch. 438, § 2; impl. am. Acts 1978, ch. 934, §§ 7, 16, 36; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 57-121; Acts 1980, ch. 894, § 1; 1981, ch. 84, §§ 1, 2; 1993, ch. 451, §§ 1, 2; 2003, ch. 90, § 2; 2015, ch. 269, § 2; 2017, ch. 357, § 1; 2018, ch. 783, § 12; 2019, ch. 136, § 4.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 8
cases, 1983–2019 · leading case: Thomas Goodman Rutherford v. Melodey Joice Lawson Rutherford, 416 S.W.3d 845 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2013).
Thomas Goodman Rutherford v. Melodey Joice Lawson Rutherford, 416 S.W.3d 845 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2013). “(citing Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208 (e), (f) (2002) (emphasis added)).”
Johnson v. Alcoholic Beverage Comm'n, 844 S.W.2d 182 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1992). “Pursuant to T.C.A. §§ 57-3-208 and 57-3-213, Plaintiff also filed an application with the City of Gatlinburg to renew his certificate of compliance to sell retail alcoholic beverages.”
Tennessee Wine & Spirits Retailers Assn. v. Thomas, 588 U.S. 504 (2019). “Tennessee law already calls for criminal background checks on all applicants, see Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208 , and more searching checks could be demanded if necessary.”
JJ & Tk Corp. v. Bd. of Com'rs of Fairview, 149 S.W.3d 628 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004). “§ 57-3-208. The proposed location of the plaintiffs’s liquor store was at the entrance to Bowie Nature Park in Fairview.”
Templeton v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cnty., 650 S.W.2d 743 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1983). “On October 31, 1980, plaintiff-appellant, Everett Templeton, 1 filed suit challenging the denial by Metro of a certificate of com *745 pliance under T.C.A. § 57-3-208. 2 The action was brought under T.”
SPE, Inc. v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cnty., 817 S.W.2d 330 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1991). “The certificate is required by Tenn.Code Ann. § 57-3-208 as a condition precedent to the issuance of a retail liquor license.”
Kardoush, LLC, d/b/a Caesar's Wine & Liquor v. City of Memphis Alcohol Comm'n (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). “Kardoush (collectively, “Kardoush”) 2004 application for a certificate of compliance from the City of Memphis Alcohol Commission (“the Commission”) as required by Tennessee Code Annotated § 57-3-208. On or about July 12, 2004, Kardoush submitted an application to the Commission…”
CBM Package Liquor v. City of Maryville (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004). “Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208 (a) provides that as a condition precedent to the issuance of a State license for the retail sale of alcoholic beverages the applicant for a license under that section must submit a certificate “from the mayor or a majority of the commission, city…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208(2) — 1 case
Templeton v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cnty., 650 S.W.2d 743 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1983). “On October 31, 1980, plaintiff-appellant, Everett Templeton, 1 filed suit challenging the denial by Metro of a certificate of com *745 pliance under T.C.A. § 57-3-208. 2 The action was brought under T.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208(a) — 1 case
Johnson v. Alcoholic Beverage Comm'n, 844 S.W.2d 182 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1992). “Pursuant to T.C.A. §§ 57-3-208 and 57-3-213, Plaintiff also filed an application with the City of Gatlinburg to renew his certificate of compliance to sell retail alcoholic beverages.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208(b) — 2 cases
JJ & Tk Corp. v. Bd. of Com'rs of Fairview, 149 S.W.3d 628 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004). “§ 57-3-208. The proposed location of the plaintiffs’s liquor store was at the entrance to Bowie Nature Park in Fairview.”
Johnson v. Alcoholic Beverage Comm'n, 844 S.W.2d 182 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1992). “Pursuant to T.C.A. §§ 57-3-208 and 57-3-213, Plaintiff also filed an application with the City of Gatlinburg to renew his certificate of compliance to sell retail alcoholic beverages.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208(b)(2) — 1 case
JJ & Tk Corp. v. Bd. of Com'rs of Fairview, 149 S.W.3d 628 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2004). “§ 57-3-208. The proposed location of the plaintiffs’s liquor store was at the entrance to Bowie Nature Park in Fairview.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208(c) — 1 case
Templeton v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cnty., 650 S.W.2d 743 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1983). “On October 31, 1980, plaintiff-appellant, Everett Templeton, 1 filed suit challenging the denial by Metro of a certificate of com *745 pliance under T.C.A. § 57-3-208. 2 The action was brought under T.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208(d) — 3 cases
Johnson v. Alcoholic Beverage Comm'n, 844 S.W.2d 182 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1992). “Pursuant to T.C.A. §§ 57-3-208 and 57-3-213, Plaintiff also filed an application with the City of Gatlinburg to renew his certificate of compliance to sell retail alcoholic beverages.”
Templeton v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cnty., 650 S.W.2d 743 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1983). “On October 31, 1980, plaintiff-appellant, Everett Templeton, 1 filed suit challenging the denial by Metro of a certificate of com *745 pliance under T.C.A. § 57-3-208. 2 The action was brought under T.”
Kardoush, LLC, d/b/a Caesar's Wine & Liquor v. City of Memphis Alcohol Comm'n (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). “Kardoush (collectively, “Kardoush”) 2004 application for a certificate of compliance from the City of Memphis Alcohol Commission (“the Commission”) as required by Tennessee Code Annotated § 57-3-208. On or about July 12, 2004, Kardoush submitted an application to the Commission…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208(e) — 3 cases
Thomas Goodman Rutherford v. Melodey Joice Lawson Rutherford, 416 S.W.3d 845 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2013). “(citing Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208 (e), (f) (2002) (emphasis added)).”
SPE, Inc. v. Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cnty., 817 S.W.2d 330 (Tenn. Ct. App. 1991). “The certificate is required by Tenn.Code Ann. § 57-3-208 as a condition precedent to the issuance of a retail liquor license.”
Kardoush, LLC, d/b/a Caesar's Wine & Liquor v. City of Memphis Alcohol Comm'n (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). “Kardoush (collectively, “Kardoush”) 2004 application for a certificate of compliance from the City of Memphis Alcohol Commission (“the Commission”) as required by Tennessee Code Annotated § 57-3-208. On or about July 12, 2004, Kardoush submitted an application to the Commission…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208(e)(f)(2002) — 1 case
Kardoush, LLC, d/b/a Caesar's Wine & Liquor v. City of Memphis Alcohol Comm'n (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). “Kardoush (collectively, “Kardoush”) 2004 application for a certificate of compliance from the City of Memphis Alcohol Commission (“the Commission”) as required by Tennessee Code Annotated § 57-3-208. On or about July 12, 2004, Kardoush submitted an application to the Commission…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 57-3-208(f) — 1 case
Kardoush, LLC, d/b/a Caesar's Wine & Liquor v. City of Memphis Alcohol Comm'n (Tenn. Ct. App. 2005). “Kardoush (collectively, “Kardoush”) 2004 application for a certificate of compliance from the City of Memphis Alcohol Commission (“the Commission”) as required by Tennessee Code Annotated § 57-3-208. On or about July 12, 2004, Kardoush submitted an application to the Commission…”
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