Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-6-523 (2026)

• (a) It is the duty of every dealer required to make a report and pay any tax under this chapter to keep and preserve suitable records of the sales or purchases, as the case may be, taxable under this chapter, and such other books of account as may be necessary to determine the amount of tax due hereunder, and other information as may be required by the commissioner, and it is the duty of every such dealer, moreover, to keep and preserve, for a period of three (3) years from December 31 of the year in which the associated return required by this chapter was filed, all invoices and other records of goods, wares and merchandise, or other subjects of taxation under this chapter. All such books, invoices, and other records shall be open to examination at all reasonable hours to the commissioner or any authorized agents of the commissioner.

• (b) Each dealer, as defined in this chapter, shall secure, maintain, and keep for a period of three (3) years from December 31 of the year in which the associated return required by this chapter was filed a complete record of tangible personal property received, used, sold at retail, distributed or stored, leased, or rented within this state by the dealer, together with invoices, bills of lading, and other pertinent records and papers as may be required by the commissioner for the reasonable administration of this chapter. All such records shall be open for inspection to the commissioner at all reasonable hours.

• (c) In order to aid in the administration and enforcement of this chapter, and collect all of the tax imposed by this chapter, all wholesale dealers and jobbers in this state are required to keep a record of all sales of tangible personal property made in this state, whether such sales be for cash or on terms of credit. The record required to be kept by all wholesale dealers and jobbers shall contain and include the name and address of the purchaser, the date of the purchase, the article purchased, and the price at which the article is sold to the purchaser. These records shall be kept for a period of three (3) years from December 31 of the year in which the associated return required by this chapter was filed and shall be open to the inspection of the commissioner, or the duly authorized assistants of the commissioner, at all reasonable hours.

• (d) For the purpose of enforcing the collection of the tax levied by this chapter, the commissioner is specifically authorized and empowered to examine at all reasonable hours the books, records, and other documents of all transportation companies, agencies or firms that conduct their business by truck, rail, water, airplane, or otherwise, in order to determine what dealers, as provided in this chapter, are importing or are otherwise shipping articles of tangible personal property which are liable for the tax. The commissioner has the right to proceed in the chancery court for a mandatory injunction or other appropriate remedy to enforce the right, as granted by this section, to an examination of the books and records of transportation companies.

• (e) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

Acts 1947, ch. 3, §§ 8, 9; C. Supp. 1950, §§ 1248.68, 1248.71-1248.73 (Williams, §§ 1328.30, 1328.31); Acts 1955, ch. 242, §§ 2-4; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), §§ 67-3034 -- 67-3037; Acts 1986, ch. 598, §§ 15-17; 1989, ch. 591, § 113; 2005, ch. 499, § 17.