Moving to Tennessee - The First Steps

Becoming a Resident of Tennessee

There are just a few steps for establishing a legal residence in Tennessee. A driver license, voter registration, automobile registration, the appearance of a person’s name on a city or town street list, and rent, utility, mortgage or telephone bills normally provide tangible proof of residence. Tennessee is the only state that has no durational requirement. Meaning there is no time limit before you can be a resident. However, individual public or private agencies or institutions may have their own requirements for proof of residence.

Get a Drivers License

• If you are new to Tennessee, it is state law that you get a new driver license and register your vehicle within 30 days of arrival. See how to get a Tennessee license.
• Find a Driver License Station in your area.
• You also have the option of registering to vote in most driver license stations.

Register Your Vehicle

• As a resident of Tennessee and owner of a motor vehicle, you must title and register the vehicle if you wish to operate it upon Tennessee’s streets and highways. You must visit your county clerk’s office to title and register your vehicle(s). Learn more about Titling and Registering Your Vehicle and Boat Registration

Register to Vote

There are three easy ways to register to vote in the State of Tennessee. Read Voter Registration FAQs

• 1. Now you can save time by registering to vote at the same time you are applying for your driver license.
• 2. Download the Voter Registration Form PDF and mail it to the proper commission.
• 3. Register in person at your county election commission office.

Communities and Neighborhoods

• Tennessee Community Search - Search for Resident, Health, Education, City, County, Community, and surrounding city information.
• Current County Profiles - View Geography and demographics, Income and Poverty, Health and Healthcare, Employment, County Government Finance, Public Infrastructure, Adult & Post-secondary Education, and Public School Systems.
• Forecasted County Profiles - View Geography and demographics, Income and Poverty, Health and Healthcare, Employment, County Government Finance, Public Infrastructure, Adult & Post-secondary Education, and Public School Systems.

Families & Children

• Child Care Provider Locator - Locate a Child Care Center, Family Child Care Home, Group Child Care Home, or a Drop-In Center. Search by County or Keyword.
• Immunization Program - Learn about the effective and inexpensive way to protect children from potentially deadly childhood diseases, such as measles, whooping cough, diphtheria, and chickenpox.
• National Next of Kin Registry - A free emergency contact registry. By registering, you are informing national and worldwide emergency agencies who should be contacted if you or your family member is missing, injured or deceased.
• TEIS - A voluntary educational program for families with children ages birth through two years of age with disabilities or developmental delays.

Education

• Pre-K through 12 School enrollment is handled at the local level. Please contact your school district for complete details. To locate your school district by county, visit http://www.tn.gov/education/districtmap/index.shtml.
• List of required immunizations to enroll in a Tennessee public school - http://www.tn.gov/education/schoolhealth/healthservices/doc/RequiredImmunizations.pdf
• Information for Parents and Community - Information provided by the Tennessee Department of Education that can provide assistance for the newcomer to Tennessee in finding basic information on the variety of programs offered within the Tennessee public school systems as well as homeschooling guidelines and special needs programs.
• Map Tennessee Public Schools on a Map - A map of Tennessee's public schools.
• SDE Tennessee School Directory - Search for a public or private school. Customize search by region, city, name, district, zip code, school number, and type.
• Report Card on State Schools - View general information, demographics, and finance information about Tennessee schools.
• Special Education - Read announcements, reports, rules and regulations, and other special education services.
• Home Schooling in Tennessee - Read the procedures and requirements of home schooling in Tennessee.
• College Education in Tennessee - Higher Education resource that provides links for Schools & Programs, Online & Distance Degrees, Preparation & Financial Aid, Internships, Statistics & Reports

Most Commonly Requested Information

Answers to some of our most frequently requested information.