Direct answer
The responsible authority is Tennessee Board of Nursing. Use the verified contact details and task-specific official links on this page.
Tennessee source-reviewed jurisdiction snapshot
| Item | Reviewed detail |
|---|---|
| Authority | Tennessee Board of Nursing |
| Public verification | Tennessee Department of Health Licensure Verification |
| Renewal cycle | Biennial |
| Renewal deadline | Renew by the expiration date shown for the individual license. |
| Continuing competence | RN and LPN licensees must maintain evidence of two approved continued-competence activities during the renewal cycle. One listed option is 10 continuing-education contact hours. |
| Fees | The Board lists RN/LPN renewal at $140 after the April 2026 fee update. Confirm the current amount in LARS. |
| Compact status | Compact jurisdiction |
| Credentials | LPN, RN, APRN |
| Phone | (615) 532-5166 |
| Physical location | 665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243 |
| Mailing address | 665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243 |
| Primary official domains | www.tn.gov, internet.health.tn.gov, lars.tn.gov |
For Tennessee, 4 primary official source records and 8 labeled official destinations support this jurisdiction guide.
Responsible licensing authority
The Tennessee Board of Nursing regulates LPN, RN and APRN credentials. The public licensure verification site and the LARS renewal/account system are separate.
665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243Open map ↗
Confirm current service hours and walk-in availability before visiting.
Which office or system should you use?
| Goal | Route | Why and what to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Verify current license status | Tennessee Licensure Verification | Use the reviewed Tennessee primary-source route to confirm legal name, credential, status, expiration and public restrictions. Search by license number when available and document the live Tennessee result date. |
| Renew or reactivate a license | Tennessee LARS | Tennessee renewal eligibility, declarations and payments belong in the official account or renewal system. Follow this published timing: Renew by the expiration date shown for the individual license. |
| Check CE or continuing competence | Tennessee Continued Competence | Tennessee rules can differ by credential, first renewal, practice hours, mandatory topics or national certification. Review the exact requirement before buying coursework: RN and LPN licensees must maintain evidence of two approved continued-competence activities during the renewal cycle. One listed option is 10 continuing-education contact hours. |
| Apply by endorsement | NCSBN License Verification Guidance | The Tennessee destination authority decides application eligibility, documents, fingerprints, fees and any temporary authority. Use Nursys for participating jurisdictions or the direct verification route required by Tennessee. |
| Use the account or transaction portal | Tennessee LARS | Authenticated Tennessee transactions and messages should occur only in the authority-named system. Confirm the browser domain is one of the reviewed official domains: www.tn.gov, internet.health.tn.gov, lars.tn.gov. |
| Check complaints or public discipline | official complaint and discipline resource | License status and public discipline are separate questions in Tennessee. For Tennessee, open any public order or restriction linked by the authority; do not rely on social posts or an old screenshot. |
| Contact the licensing authority | Tennessee Board of Nursing | For Tennessee, use the responsible office for a missing document, status discrepancy, credential routing or application message. Call (615) 532-5166 with the credential, license or application number available; do not email sensitive documents unless given a secure route. |
| Use national verification or monitoring | Nursys QuickConfirm / e-Notify when accepted | Nursys can support participating-board national verification, endorsement verification and monitoring, but the Tennessee authority remains the source for local requirements. Tennessee is recorded as an operational Nurse Licensure Compact jurisdiction in this dataset. Verify that the individual public record is actually designated multistate and that the nurse maintains Tennessee or another qualifying compact state as the primary state of residence. |
Complete official task destinations
Tennessee LARS ↗
Tennessee LARS is the reviewed Tennessee renewal destination on lars.tn.gov. Confirm the credential, deadline, and amount before submitting payment.
Tennessee Department of Health official Licensure and Regulatory System · reviewed July 28, 2026Tennessee Licensure Verification ↗
Primary official source reviewed for this jurisdiction.
Exact primary-source record · reviewed July 27, 2026Tennessee Continued Competence Requirements ↗
Primary official source reviewed for this jurisdiction.
Exact primary-source record · reviewed July 27, 2026Tennessee LARS ↗
Primary official source reviewed for this jurisdiction.
Exact primary-source record · reviewed July 27, 2026Tennessee Board of Nursing ↗
Primary official source reviewed for this jurisdiction.
Exact primary-source record · reviewed July 27, 2026Nurse Licensure Compact ↗
National compact resource used with the Tennessee status recorded as Compact jurisdiction; individual eligibility depends on the actual license designation and primary state of residence.
National official source · reviewed July 28, 2026NCLEX Official Website ↗
Official NCLEX information for examination candidates applying through Tennessee Board of Nursing; passing the exam does not itself create a Tennessee license.
National official source · reviewed July 28, 2026NCSBN License Verification Guidance ↗
National licensing guidance used to interpret verification categories; the local Tennessee source remains Tennessee Department of Health Licensure Verification.
National official source · reviewed July 28, 2026Nursys QuickConfirm and e-Notify ↗
National participating-board service used alongside Tennessee Department of Health Licensure Verification for Tennessee; follow Tennessee Board of Nursing instructions for endorsement or monitoring.
National official service · reviewed July 28, 2026Before contacting the authority
- Confirm which credential and authority apply, especially in split-board jurisdictions.
- Have the application type, license number or transaction reference available.
- Ask a specific question about a missing item, renewal eligibility, status or credential assignment.
- Do not email Social Security numbers, payment-card details or background documents unless the authority explicitly instructs a secure method.
- Record the date, office or unit contacted and the response.
- Verify final license status in the public lookup system.
Frequently asked questions
Which office handles nursing licenses in Tennessee?
Tennessee Board of Nursing.
What is the published phone number?
(615) 532-5166
Is there a separate mailing address?
665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243
What should I prepare before contacting the authority?
Have the credential, application type, license number or transaction reference ready, but do not send sensitive records to an unverified address.
Is phone guidance proof of licensure?
No. Verify the final license status in the official public lookup system.
Should I visit the office without checking first?
No. Confirm office hours, walk-in availability and the correct unit before traveling.