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Telehealth nursing license requirements in Tennessee

Telehealth licensing has one governing idea: you generally need authority where the patient is. Here is how that plays out for patients located in Tennessee.

Do I need a Tennessee license for telehealth nursing?

Generally, you need authority to practice where your patient is — so if your patient is in Tennessee, Tennessee licensure rules apply, even if you never leave home. Because Tennessee recognizes compact privilege, an active multistate license from your compact home state generally covers telehealth to patients in Tennessee. A single-state license does not. Employer policy and the Tennessee Board of Nursing’s rules may add requirements on top — confirm before you take the role.

Last reviewed 2026-06-17

Licensure follows the patient

The location that matters for telehealth is generally the patient’s, not yours. Sitting in one state and caring for a patient in Tennessee generally means you need authority to practice in Tennessee — via compact privilege or a Tennessee license. See telehealth: patient in another state.

The law that governs this in Tennessee

Caring for a patient located in Tennessee is practice in Tennessee, so it is Tennessee’s own nurse practice act that defines what you may do and the Tennessee Board of Nursing that applies it. That act is T.C.A. tit. 63, ch. 7 (Nursing); RNs at §§ 63-7-103, -104, LPNs at §§ 63-7-108, -109.

Tennessee has adopted the compact, but we have not confirmed which section of its code carries it, so we do not cite one — several states replaced an earlier compact and the superseded sections still circulate. The practice act above is the citation we have read.

Compact status is not the only consideration

Even where a multistate license reaches Tennessee, your employer and the Tennessee Board of Nursing may impose additional requirements, and some roles carry their own rules. Compact status answers one question — it is not a blanket authorization to practice remotely.

APRN telehealth is separate

The compact covers RN and LPN/LVN licenses only. If you work as an APRN, your advanced-practice authority is granted state by state and is not carried by a multistate RN license — a point that catches out a lot of remote NP roles.

Since when has a compact license worked in Tennessee?

Nurses holding another state’s multistate license have been able to practice in Tennessee since January 19, 2018. It has been a member long enough that most guidance you find will be accurate on this point.

What usually comes next

Next-step checklist

  • Identify where your patients are located — that generally drives licensure.
  • Confirm your license reads multistate on Nursys (nursys.com) if you rely on privilege.
  • Confirm your multistate license covers Tennessee, then check employer requirements.
  • If you practice as an APRN, confirm Tennessee APRN authority separately with the board.

Frequently asked questions

Generally, if you hold an active multistate license from your compact home state, compact privilege reaches Tennessee, which covers telehealth to patients located in Tennessee. Licensure follows the patient's location. A single-state license does not carry privilege. Employer and board rules may add requirements — confirm with the Tennessee Board of Nursing.

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