Tennessee: official links to open a restaurant or bar

1. Alcohol licensing (bar or restaurant serving alcohol)

• Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission

Source: TTB: Alcohol Beverage Authorities (verified 2026-10-17). Some states list tax or enforcement divisions here; start at the authority that issues on-premise retail licenses.

2. Food service licensing, plan review and food code

• Department of Health Division of General Environmental Health
• Department of Agriculture Regulatory Services Division

Source: FDA: State Retail and Food Service Codes and Regulations by State (verified 2026-10-17). In many states the county or city health department issues the actual permit; ask the state program who does.

3. State business and tax registration

• IRS: Tennessee state government websites for businesses (links to the state's tax, business-registration and employer pages)

Source: IRS: State government websites (verified 2026-10-17).

4. Tipped-employee wage rules (for bar and restaurant staffing)

DOL note: No state minimum wage law; federal minimum applies to FLSA-covered employees.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Minimum Wages for Tipped Employees, document revised 2026-07-01, checked 2026-10-17. Local minimums and recent state changes may not be reflected. Confirm with your state labor agency.

Local reminder

Zoning, building, fire and occupancy approvals, local alcohol hearings and sometimes the health permit are handled by your city or county. Owners report that these steps depend on each other and that guidance is hard to find; see the opening roadmap.