Tennessee Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel
Tennessee rules on section 8, records & right to counsel for renters and landlords, with the statute or official page behind each answer. Last verified: 2026-10-22.
Short answer: No. The Tennessee Human Rights Act's housing provision covers race, color, creed, religion, sex, disability, familial status and national origin, but not source of income or vouchers. T.C.A. 4-21-601(a)
The rules in Tennessee
| Statewide ban on refusing Section 8 / source of income | No. The Tennessee Human Rights Act's housing provision covers race, color, creed, religion, sex, disability, familial status and national origin, but not source of income or vouchers. Official code published only via LexisNexis; text verified on a public mirror (code year 2024). Source: T.C.A. 4-21-601(a) |
|---|---|
| Eviction record sealing | No statute. Tennessee has no law sealing or expunging eviction (detainer) records. A 2026 bill to make dismissed unlawful detainer cases confidential (HB1940/SB2016) failed in House subcommittee on March 18, 2026 and was not enacted. Absence of an enacted sealing statute inferred from the failed bill and no located provision in T.C.A. 29-18; not confirmed against the official LexisNexis code. |
| Right to a lawyer in eviction | No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases. No right-to-counsel provision found in the eviction or landlord-tenant statutes reviewed; not exhaustively confirmed. |
Related questions
- Can a landlord refuse Section 8?
- Can an eviction be removed from your record?
- Do tenants get a free lawyer for an eviction?
Tennessee vs. neighboring states
| State | Statewide ban on refusing Section 8 / source of income | Eviction record sealing | Right to a lawyer in eviction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | No. The Tennessee Human Rights Act's housing provision covers race, color, creed, religion, sex, disability, familial status and national origin, but not source of income or vouchers. T.C.A. 4-21-601(a) | No statute. Tennessee has no law sealing or expunging eviction (detainer) records. A 2026 bill to make dismissed unlawful detainer cases confidential (HB1940/SB2016) failed in House subcommittee on March 18, 2026 and was not enacted. 2026 HB1940 / SB2016 (not enacted) | No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases. T.C.A. Title 29, Chapter 18; Title 66, Chapters 7 and 28 |
| Alabama | No. Alabama's Fair Housing Law covers race, color, religion, sex, familial status, national origin and handicap only; it does not protect source of income or housing-voucher holders. Ala. Code § 24-8-4 | No statute — Alabama has no law sealing, masking or expunging eviction (unlawful detainer) court records. Ala. Code § 35-9A-461; §§ 6-6-310 et seq. (checked) | No statewide right to counsel for tenants in eviction cases. Ala. Code § 35-9A-461 (eviction actions) |
| Arkansas | No. Arkansas has no statewide ban on refusing tenants who pay with housing vouchers (Section 8) or other lawful income. Source of income is not a protected class under the Arkansas Fair Housing Act. Ark. Code § 16-123-310 | Not verified yet | No. Arkansas has no statewide right to a lawyer in eviction cases. Ark. Code §§ 18-17-901 to 18-17-913; 18-60-301 et seq. |
| Georgia | No statewide protection. Georgia's fair housing protected classes are race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status and disability; source of income (including vouchers) is not among them. Georgia Fair Housing Act, O.C.G.A. § 8-3-200 et seq. (as summarized in DCA Landlord-Tenant Handbook, rev. 8-29-24, p. 4) | No statute in effect yet. Beginning January 1, 2027, a court may, on motion and after a hearing, order all court records of a dispossessory (eviction) case made unavailable to the public if the tenant won the case, the tenant paid the judgment in full with interest and costs, or seven years have passed since a dismissal or judgment (with any judgment paid in full). The landlord may still pursue amounts owed in a separate action or through collections. O.C.G.A. § 44-7-50(e) (added by SB 406, 2026, Act 715, § 8; effective January 1, 2027) | Not verified yet |
| Kentucky | No. There is no statewide protection, and since 2024 local governments may not adopt or enforce ordinances that bar landlords from refusing to rent to someone whose rent is paid in part with a federal housing assistance program (e.g., Section 8 vouchers). This overrides the Louisville and Lexington source-of-income ordinances to the extent they cover federal housing assistance. KRS 65.874 (2024 Ky. Acts ch. 3, sec. 1, HB 18; emergency, veto overridden) | Not verified yet | No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases was found in KRS Chapter 383. KRS Chapter 383 (checked) |
| Mississippi | Not verified yet | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Missouri | No. Missouri has no statewide ban on refusing voucher holders. Since 28 Aug 2025, cities and counties (including charter governments) are also barred from enacting, keeping, or enforcing ordinances that stop landlords from refusing tenants whose rent is paid partly with federal or other housing assistance. Local ordinances protecting recipients of veterans' benefits remain allowed. RSMo 441.043.2(1), .4 (as amended by L. 2025 H.B. 595 & 343) | No statute found. No section of RSMo Chapters 441, 534 or 535 provides for sealing, masking, or expunging eviction court records. RSMo Ch. 441, 534, 535 (section lists reviewed) | No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases found. RSMo Ch. 441, 534, 535 (no counsel provision) |
| North Carolina | No statewide protection. Since 2024 state law also bars counties and cities from adopting or enforcing ordinances that stop landlords from refusing tenants whose rent includes federal housing assistance (for example Section 8 vouchers). N.C. Gen. Stat. § 42-14.1(b) (S.L. 2024-47, s. 7) | No statute. North Carolina has no general provision for sealing or expunging summary ejectment (eviction) records. N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 42 (no sealing provision for summary ejectment) | No statute. North Carolina has no statewide right to a lawyer in eviction cases. N.C. Gen. Stat. ch. 42, art. 3 (Summary Ejectment; no counsel provision) |
| Virginia | Yes. The Virginia Fair Housing Law bars refusing to rent, discriminating in terms, discriminatory advertising, and misrepresenting availability because of 'source of funds'. Va. Code § 36-96.3(A) | Yes (expungement). For unlawful detainer cases with no order of possession, the general district court must automatically expunge records, without petition or hearing, once 30 days pass after dismissal or 6 months pass after a voluntary nonsuit. A tenant who won a judgment is not automatically covered but may petition, and the court must expunge without a hearing. For cases filed before July 1, 2024, the tenant may petition on a Supreme Court form for expungement of dismissed (30 days) or nonsuited (6 months) cases with no order of possession. Va. Code § 8.01-130.01 | Not verified yet |
City rules that may add to state law
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Compare section 8, records & right to counsel in all 50 states and DC →
Tennessee Section 8, Records & Right to Counsel FAQ
Is it illegal for a landlord to refuse Section 8 vouchers in Tennessee?
No. The Tennessee Human Rights Act's housing provision covers race, color, creed, religion, sex, disability, familial status and national origin, but not source of income or vouchers. (T.C.A. 4-21-601(a))
Can an eviction record be sealed or removed in Tennessee?
No statute. Tennessee has no law sealing or expunging eviction (detainer) records. A 2026 bill to make dismissed unlawful detainer cases confidential (HB1940/SB2016) failed in House subcommittee on March 18, 2026 and was not enacted. (2026 HB1940 / SB2016 (not enacted))
Do tenants have a right to a free lawyer in eviction cases in Tennessee?
No statewide right to counsel in eviction cases. (T.C.A. Title 29, Chapter 18; Title 66, Chapters 7 and 28)
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.