Tennessee Lease Agreement: What to Include
September 3, 2025Tennessee has an unusual structure: the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (URLTA) only applies in counties above a certain population threshold, meaning landlord-tenant rules can genuinely differ depending on where in the state your property is located.
URLTA applies by county, not statewide
Tennessee's URLTA generally applies only in counties with a population above a specific threshold (historically counties including the state's larger metro areas). Outside those counties, landlord-tenant relationships are governed more by common law and the lease itself. This means the same lease clause can be treated differently depending on which Tennessee county the property is in.
Security deposits
Tennessee has no statewide cap on security deposit amounts. There's no requirement to pay the tenant interest, but landlords are required to hold deposits in a separate account rather than commingling them with personal or business funds. Deposits must generally be returned within 30 days of move-out.
Entry notice
In URLTA counties, entry notice is generally 24 hours for non-emergency purposes. Outside URLTA counties, entry notice follows the lease terms and general common-law reasonableness standards rather than a specific statutory number.
Required disclosures
A Tennessee lease should include or accompany:
- • Federal lead-based paint disclosure (for pre-1978 buildings)
- • Owner or authorized agent disclosure
- • Showing notice terms for the final 30 days of the tenancy, if the lease includes a showing provision
The bottom line
Knowing whether your specific county falls under URLTA is the single most important thing for a Tennessee landlord to confirm, since it changes which rules actually apply. See LeasePilot HQ's full Tennessee landlord-tenant law summary for the complete breakdown with sources, or generate a lease with Tennessee-specific clauses built in automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if URLTA applies to my property?
URLTA applies based on county population, historically covering Tennessee's larger metro-area counties — confirm your specific county's current status rather than assuming based on general familiarity with the state.
Do I need a separate bank account for security deposits in Tennessee?
Yes — Tennessee requires holding security deposits in a separate account rather than commingling them with the landlord's personal or general business funds.
Is the entry notice period the same everywhere in Tennessee?
No — it depends on whether your county falls under URLTA. In URLTA counties there's a specific notice standard; outside those counties, it follows the lease and general common-law reasonableness.