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Tennessee eviction process and court fees

Tennessee evictions start with a detainer warrant in General Sessions Court. In counties covered by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, nonpayment requires a 14-day notice.

Not legal advice. This page summarizes public statutes and court fee schedules as of the date shown. Rules and fees change; confirm with the court before you file, and talk to a local attorney about your situation.

Tennessee eviction at a glance

CourtGeneral Sessions Court in the county (detainer warrant)

Tennessee evictions start with a detainer warrant in General Sessions Court. In counties covered by the Uniform Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, nonpayment requires a 14-day notice.

Step by step

  1. 14-day notice (URLTA counties). For unpaid rent in counties covered by the URLTA, the tenant gets 14 days after notice to pay or vacate. Check whether your county is covered. (Tenn. Code §66-28-505)
  2. Detainer warrant. File a detainer warrant with the General Sessions clerk; the sheriff serves it. (Tennessee courts detainer summons form)
  3. Hearing and appeal. After a judgment, a party has 10 days to appeal to circuit court.
  4. Writ of possession. The landlord requests a writ of possession from the clerk; the sheriff executes it.

Statewide fees

Detainer warrant filing (incl. litigation tax)Not verified
Set per county

Tennessee fees vary by county. Verified counties are below.

About the missing details

Why it's missing: We only list eviction court fees published by an official source. Tennessee hasn't published its local filing, service and writ fees online in a form we could verify, so call the clerk of the general sessions court to confirm before you file.

General information
Not specific to Tennessee

Across the 21 counties where we've read the official fee schedule, the eviction filing fee runs from $41 to $322. Sheriff or constable service usually adds a per-tenant charge, and a writ of possession adds another. Statewide fixed filing fees we've verified: California $240 (claims up to $10,000), Connecticut $175, Delaware $45, Florida $185, Texas $54.

Closest place with verified data

Davidson County, TN (about 43 miles away): detainer warrant ($50 clerk + $52 sheriff + $43.75 litigation tax) $145.75

Call or visit the official office

HelP4TN · Official website

Ask for the clerk's office for the court that handles evictions in your county.

Know the current fee? Tell us. We check every tip against an official source before publishing it.

Counties with verified local fees

Official resources

All Tennessee counties

Counties without verified local fees show the statewide rules above.

Frequently asked

Which court handles evictions in Tennessee?

General Sessions Court in the county (detainer warrant).

How much notice does a Tennessee landlord have to give?

For unpaid rent in counties covered by the URLTA, the tenant gets 14 days after notice to pay or vacate. Check whether your county is covered.

How much does it cost to file an eviction in Tennessee?

Tennessee fees vary by county. Verified counties are below.