Attorney License Information
The Board's Registration Department is responsible for managing all matters regarding a Tennessee attorney's law license with the exception of continuing legal education (CLE) matters and admission to practice law in Tennessee. All inquiries regarding CLE matters should be referred to the Tennessee Commission on Continuing Legal Education. All inquiries regarding admission to the bar of Tennessee should be referred to the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. All other attorney license inquiries can be directed to the Board's Registration Department at registration@tbpr.org. Please scroll down for additional information regarding Tennessee attorney law license status, renewal and registration.
Information for New Attorneys
Information regarding new attorney registration requirements with the BPR.
Reinstatement of Law License
Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9, Sections 10 and 30 list the requirements for reinstatement of an attorney's law license.
Active Status
Attorneys on active status are required by Tenn. Sup. Ct. Rule 9, Sections 10.1 and 10.2; to complete the annual registration requirements (per Rule 9, § 10, and Tenn. Sup.Ct. R. 43) and pay an annual registration fee ($170.00). To complete your annual registration, log into the Board’s attorney portal (see Attorney Login above) and select the Annual Registration tab. If you need to update your email address to gain access to the attorney portal, email registration@tbpr.org giving your prior email address information and your BPR number.
Inactive Status
The Supreme Court of Tennessee amended Rule 9, Sections 10.3 and 10.8 to include new classifications for inactive status and imposing an annual inactive fee effective January 1, 2012.
Upon application for status change pursuant to Rule 9, Section 10.7, the following attorneys may be exempted from the application of Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 9:
- Attorneys who serve as a justice, judge, or magistrate of a court of the United States or currently serve in a federal office and are prohibited by federal law from also engaging in the practice of law
Federal Inactive Application - Retired attorneys
Retiring Attorney Inactive Application - Attorneys on temporary duty with the armed forces
Military Inactive Application - Faculty members of a Tennessee law school who do not practice law
Law School Faculty Inactive Application - Attorneys not engaged in the practice of law in Tennessee
Non-Practicing Inactive Application
If your Tennessee law license is currently active and you qualify as exempt to request inactive status, please review Sections (a) through (e) above and click on the appropriate link in order to complete and submit to the Board the Affidavit and Application for Inactive Status (the Affidavit must be a notarized original).
The appropriate Affidavit and Application must be received by the Board prior to the first day of your birth month for the fee exemptions or the reduced fee to apply for the current year registration.
Beginning in 2012, all attorneys on inactive status must file an annual registration statement with the Board and pay an $85.00 annual inactive status fee due on the 1st day of the attorney's birth month. These registration requirements may be completed through the Board's attorney portal (see Attorney Login above) and select the Annual Registration tab. If you need to update your email address to gain access to the attorney portal, email registration@tbpr.org giving your prior email address information and your BPR number.
Change of Address
Every attorney admitted to practice in Tennessee is required to notify the Board of any changes of residence or office addresses within 30 days of the changes. See Rule 9, Section 10.1.
To file changes of address with the Board, log into the Attorney Portal and update your information online. You may also mail, fax, or otherwise deliver a signed notice of address change indicating your prior and new residence or office addresses and the effective date of the change.
Letters of Good Standing and/or Disciplinary History Reports
The Board of Professional Responsibility will provide Letters of Good Standing, Disciplinary History Reports, and certain other information to attorneys as requested. The Board cannot, however, provide a Certificate of Good Standing. Certificates of Good Standing are issued by the Supreme Court of Tennessee and can be requested by contacting the Appellate Court Clerk's Office.
A Tennessee-licensed attorney may request a Letter of Good Standing and/or a Disciplinary History Report through the Board's Attorney Portal on this website. Once logged in, click on the SERVICES tab then select LETTER OF GOOD STANDING to navigate to a page showing the following list:
- Request a Letter of Good Standing
- Request a Disciplinary History Report
- Request a Letter of Good Standing AND a Disciplinary History Report
Select one of the options and submit your request. An invoice will be added to your cart for the service request. Navigate to your Cart to make your payment ($25.00). Upon receipt of your payment, your request will automatically be sent to the Board's Registration Department. Please allow three to five business days for our staff to process your request. We will follow-up by email to confirm details of your request.
Contact the Board's Registration Department at registration@tbpr.org with any questions regarding Letters of Good Standing and/or Disciplinary History Reports. Contact the Appellate Court Clerk's Office if you need a Certificate of Good Standing.
Practice Pending Admission
Pursuant to Tenn. Sup. Ct. R. 7, Art. X, §§ 10.04 and 10.07, individuals who have made application to be licensed to practice law in Tennessee may apply to practice pending admission. An applicant for supervised practice or practice pending admission, must be approved to practice by the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners. Upon approval by the Board of Law Examiners, the applicant is required to notify the Board of Professional Responsibility in writing within thirty (30) days of first establishing an office or other systematic and continuous presence for the practice of law by the authority of § 10. The notice may be mailed to Registration, Board of Professional Responsibility, 10 Cadillac Drive, Suite 220, Brentwood, TN 37027, or by email to registration@tbpr.org and should include all of the following information:
- Full name of applicant
- State of licensure (if applicable) and registration number
- Contact information including the office address, preferred mailing address, home address, telephone numbers for both office and personal number.
- Current email address. Please be sure to provide this agency with exactly the same email address you have provided to the Board of Law Examiners for communication regarding the license application process. Should you change your email address with the Board of Law Examiners, be sure to also change the email address with this agency.
- Provide the name and BPR number of the associated or supervising attorney
Should you withdraw your application for admission to practice law in Tennessee, or if your application is denied by the Board of Law Examiners, please notify this agency by email addressed to registration@tbpr.org.
Professional Privilege Tax Obligations
As professionals, attorneys are subject to the Professional Privilege Tax as required by Tenn. Code Ann. § 67-4-1702. For more information about the Professional Privilege Tax, please visit the Tennessee Department of Revenue's Support Site.
Attorneys who have been notified by the Board of Professional Responsibility, pursuant to Supreme Court Rule 9, Section 26, that they were out of compliance are required to submit an affidavit establishing compliance with the Professional Privilege Tax obligations. A sample affidavit is available for download.