Tennessee Campground Regulations: Permits, Sanitation, and Inspections

Running a campground in Tennessee starts with a permit from the Department of Health, not TDEC as many operators assume. Tennessee campground regulations sit primarily under Title 68, Chapter 110 of the Tennessee Code, which requires anyone establishing or maintaining an organized camp to hold a valid permit from the Commissioner of Health.¹ Annual permit fees run from $80 to $310 depending on camp type and size, and separate approvals from TDEC and the State Fire Marshal’s Office apply to septic systems, water quality, and electrical work.

Who Regulates What

The Tennessee Department of Health is the primary regulator for organized camps. The Commissioner of Health adopts rules for the protection of persons using or living adjacent to camps, and local county health departments handle permitting and inspections on the ground.²

Other agencies own specific systems. TDEC regulates septic construction permits, water quality compliance, and any construction that alters waterways or wetlands.³ The State Fire Marshal’s Office oversees electrical inspections and fire safety. Local governments control zoning. Getting the wrong agency on the phone wastes weeks; knowing which door to knock on saves them.

Permits and Fees

No campground can operate in Tennessee without a valid permit from the Commissioner of Health or a local public health officer. Anyone planning to construct, operate, or change ownership of an organized camp must submit a written application and fee through the local county health department. The permit issues only after the application is complete and the facility passes inspection.⁴

Annual fees depend on camp type and size. A travel campsite is a designated space with utility connections such as water, electric, or sewer hookups.

Day camp: $80
Resident camp, 1–99 campers: $80
Resident camp, 100 or more campers: $150
Travel camp, 1–25 sites: $80
Travel camp, 26–75 sites: $120
Travel camp, 76–150 sites: $170
Travel camp, 151–250 sites: $230
Travel camp, 251 or more sites: $310
Primitive camp: $80

Fees delinquent more than 30 days carry a penalty of half the permit fee, and the same penalty applies to a bounced check. The full amount, including any penalty, must be paid before the permit issues.⁵

Campgrounds with on-site septic systems need a separate TDEC construction permit. A conventional system runs $400 for up to 1,000 gallons per day of design flow, plus $100 per additional 1,000 gallons. Alternative systems start at $500. A construction inspection adds $100 to $200 depending on system type.³ If construction will physically alter a stream, river, wetland, or other water body, an Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit is also required under the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act.⁶

Zoning

Before buying land or breaking ground, confirm with the local planning department that the parcel is zoned for campground use. Counties and municipalities each set their own ordinances. Campgrounds generally need commercial or recreational zoning, though some agricultural zones allow them with conditions.

If the property is not zoned for a campground, you will need a variance or special use permit. That means a formal application to the local board of zoning appeals and a public hearing where neighbors can object. Approval is not guaranteed and can take months.

Even with the right zoning, expect setback requirements that keep sites a minimum distance from property lines, water bodies, and roads. Many counties impose density limits and require adequate space for internal roads, parking, and amenities. Some jurisdictions require visual buffers such as fencing or tree plantings. Campgrounds near protected habitats or wetlands can face additional environmental review.

Water, Sewage, and Sanitation

State organized camp rules set specific requirements for water supply, sewage disposal, and waste, and inspectors enforce them.

Water Supply

Every campground must provide water from a source built and operated in compliance with state law, with a potable water system installed to prevent backflow contamination. Drinking water containers, if used, must be durable, cleanable, and enclosed; shared cups and dippers are prohibited. Primitive camps are not required to provide water at all.⁴ Private wells should be tested regularly. Any ice provided to campers must come from an approved source and be protected from contamination.

Sewage Disposal

Campgrounds not connected to a municipal sewer need a septic system permitted and inspected by TDEC.³ Campgrounds serving RVs with holding tanks must provide sanitary dump stations with a covered sewage inlet, a concrete apron sloped inward to the drain, and wash-down facilities. Capped four-inch above-ground sewer connections are an acceptable alternative. Service buildings with toilets, bathing facilities, and sinks are required for RVs and tent campers that lack holding tanks. Primitive camps and campgrounds serving only self-contained RVs are exempt from bathhouse requirements.⁷

Restroom Fixture Ratios

When no local building or plumbing code applies, state rules set minimum fixture ratios. A travel campground serving 1 to 15 sites needs at least one toilet, one lavatory, and one shower for each gender, and ratios scale up from there. Beyond 100 sites, add one toilet and lavatory per gender for every additional 25 sites and one shower per gender for every additional 40 sites.⁴

Waste

Garbage and refuse must be disposed of according to applicable state and local law. Provide enough clean, covered garbage containers in good repair to serve the whole property. Tied plastic bags qualify as containers only if removed daily.⁴ Hazardous waste such as propane canisters, batteries, and chemical cleaners must be handled under Tennessee’s hazardous waste regulations and cannot go in regular trash.

Fire and Electrical Safety

Fire extinguishers must be approved by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and installed, operated, and maintained according to Fire Marshal rules. Campgrounds with more than 15 guest rooms must install an approved fire alarm system. Approved smoke detectors are required in applicable structures.⁷ Visible fire and electrical hazards are prohibited. Flammable liquids must be stored in a separate, well-ventilated building away from sleeping areas, constructed and rated for flammable storage and clearly marked. Open fires, including campfires and fire pits, are subject to local burn regulations that may require permits or impose seasonal restrictions during high wildfire risk.

Electrical systems, including RV hookups and power distribution, must comply with the National Electrical Code and are inspected by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Inspection fees for recreational vehicle parks are negotiated based on the number of pedestals and ampere capacity of service, subject to Commissioner approval.⁸ Each RV pedestal installation requires a permit and inspection before service is connected.

Removing Problem Guests

Tennessee law is explicit that a campground owner is not a landlord. That means you do not have to run formal eviction proceedings to remove a disruptive or nonpaying guest.⁹ Operators in other states sometimes find local law enforcement treating guest disputes as civil landlord-tenant matters; Tennessee’s statute closes that ambiguity.

Under TCA 68-110-107, a campground owner may eject a person and notify local law enforcement if the person:

is not a registered guest or visitor of the campground;
stays past the agreed departure date or time;
fails to pay registration or visitor fees;
creates a disturbance that interferes with other guests’ quiet enjoyment; or
violates any federal, state, or local law.

A person who remains after being asked to leave for any of these reasons commits criminal trespass and can be removed by the owner or a law enforcement officer. Even a registered guest whose departure date has not passed can be treated as a trespasser if asked to leave for a valid reason. The ejected person is entitled to a prorated refund of unused prepaid fees, minus any damages or amounts owed.⁹

Service Animals

A campground open to the public is a place of public accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, so service animals must be allowed even if the campground has a “no pets” policy. Staff may ask only two questions: whether the animal is a service animal required because of a disability, and what task it has been trained to perform. Documentation, certification, or a task demonstration cannot be required.¹⁰

A guest with a service animal cannot be restricted to “pet-friendly” sites when other sites are available, and extra cleaning fees cannot be charged for normal shedding. Actual damage to the site or facilities may be billed at the same rate any guest would pay. A service animal can be excluded only if it is out of control and the handler does not take effective action, or if it is not housebroken.¹⁰

Lodging Tax

Many operators are surprised to learn they owe hotel/motel tax. Tennessee’s tax code defines “hotel” broadly to include tourist camps, tourist cabins, primitive campsites, recreational vehicle campsites, and campgrounds. If you furnish rooms, lodgings, or accommodations to transients for a fee, the tax applies.¹¹

Counties can impose a local hotel/motel tax of up to 4% of the amount charged the occupant, with a cumulative cap of 8% when combined with any municipal tax in incorporated areas. Metropolitan counties under 25,000 residents can levy up to 6% total (3% base plus 3% additional). Actual rates depend on your county’s enabling legislation, so check locally. Failing to collect and remit these taxes can result in back-tax liability and penalties.

Seasonal Workers and the FLSA

Campgrounds that hire seasonal workers should look at the federal Fair Labor Standards Act exemption for amusement or recreational establishments. Under FLSA Section 13(a)(3), employees of such establishments are exempt from minimum wage and overtime if the establishment operates for no more than seven months in any calendar year, or if its average receipts during any six months of the preceding year were no more than one-third of its average receipts for the other six months.¹²

A year-round campground that doesn’t meet the revenue test falls outside the exemption. Nonexempt employees must then receive at least federal minimum wage and overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. This matters for “workamper” arrangements where seasonal staff receive a free campsite as part of their pay. The value of lodging can count toward minimum wage under specific conditions, but the arrangement must be structured carefully. Mistakes lead to wage claims that are expensive to defend regardless of outcome.

Inspections and Penalties

The Commissioner of Health and local public health officers may enter a campground at reasonable times to inspect conditions and enforce the organized camp law.¹³ A new campground must pass an initial inspection before its permit issues. Routine inspections follow, and complaints or reports of unsafe conditions can trigger more. Inspectors look at permit compliance, water and sewage systems, waste disposal, restroom ratios, fire safety equipment, electrical hazards, and general facility conditions. Refusing an inspection is itself a violation.

Penalties per offense are modest but stack. Anyone who violates the chapter or its regulations, or fails to meet reasonable Department requirements after 10 days’ written notice, faces a fine of $10 to $50 per offense, with each day of continued violation after conviction counting as a separate offense.¹⁴ Specific violations that trigger fines include operating under a suspended permit, operating without a permit, refusing an inspection, and failing to post the permit.⁴ The Commissioner can also suspend or revoke a permit, which shuts down operations until compliance is restored.

Environmental violations carry separate and steeper consequences. Contaminating groundwater or surface water, discharging wastewater illegally, or failing to maintain a septic system can trigger enforcement under the Tennessee Water Quality Control Act. TDEC has authority to revoke, suspend, or modify water-related permits and can require remediation at the operator’s expense.⁶ An environmental cleanup order dwarfs the organized camp fines and represents the real financial exposure for most operators.

Recreational Use Statute: A Limited Shield

Tennessee’s recreational use statute limits a landowner’s liability when people enter private land for activities such as camping, hiking, fishing, or boating. Under TCA 70-7-102, a landowner owes no duty of care to keep land safe for recreational users and is not required to warn of hazardous conditions.¹⁵

For commercial operators, the protection has limits. Recreational use statutes generally do not shield landowners who charge fees for access. A commercial campground collecting nightly rates likely falls outside this protection and owes guests the standard duty of care any business owes its customers. The statute is more useful when parts of the property, such as public hiking trails or fishing areas, are open to the public at no charge. Adequate general liability insurance remains essential regardless.

1
Tennessee Code Annotated. Tennessee Code Ann 68-110-103 – Permits
2
State of Tennessee, Health. Organized Campgrounds
3
TN.gov. Septic System Construction Permit
4
Tennessee Secretary of State. Organized Camps Rules 1200-01-05
5
Justia Law. Tennessee Code 68-110-103 – Permits
6
TN.gov. Aquatic Resource Alteration Permit (ARAP)
7
Cornell Law School Legal Information Institute. Tenn Comp R Regs 1200-01-05-.04 – Facilities and Grounds
8
Tennessee Secretary of State. Electrical Inspection Rules 0780-02-01
9
Justia Law. Tennessee Code 68-110-107 – Posting of Campground Rules
10
U.S. Department of Justice ADA.gov. Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
11
UT County Technical Assistance Service. Hotel/Motel Tax
12
eCFR. Seasonal Amusement or Recreational Establishments
13
Tennessee Code Annotated. Tennessee Code Ann 68-110-104 – Inspections
14
Tennessee Code Annotated. Tennessee Code Ann 68-110-106 – Penalties
15
Justia Law. Tennessee Code 70-7-102 – Landowner’s Duty of Care