Economic nexus
Tennessee economic nexus threshold
Tennessee's economic nexus rule decides when out-of-state sellers must collect sales tax. Here's the current threshold, how it's measured, and how the transaction-count rule has changed.
Confidence: moderate
Parts of this page (often the trailing-nexus timing) are still being verified, so our confidence here is moderate rather than high. Confirm anything you act on with Tennessee Department of Revenue or a tax professional before you register or deregister.
- Sales threshold
- $100,000
- Transaction threshold
- Never used
- Logic
- sales only
- Measured over
- rolling prior 12 months
- Effective
- October 2020
Source: Tennessee Department of Revenue
Nexus & savings calculator
Estimate whether you still have nexus in Tennessee — and what canceling could save.
Tennessee no longer counts transactions — only sales matter here.
- Physical presence
- Sales over $100,000
- Transactions (not counted here)
Based on these numbers you likely no longer have nexus in Tennessee. You can usually deregister after clearing the trailing-nexus window and filing your final return.
Trailing nexus: Tennessee has limited or no trailing-nexus window — you can generally deregister once your nexus has ended and final returns are filed.
You could stop paying
$600/ yr
Estimate only — general education, not tax advice. Confirm with Tennessee's tax authority before you register or deregister.
What is economic nexus in Tennessee?
Economic nexus means you can owe sales tax in Tennessee based purely on your sales volume there — no physical presence required. It traces to the 2018 South Dakota v. Wayfair decision. Tennessee's threshold took effect October 2020.
Today the threshold is $100,000 in sales, measured over rolling prior 12 months.
The transaction-count history
Tennessee has never used a transaction-count trigger — only the sales figure matters.
If your only nexus reason is the transaction count, watch it closely — a low-revenue, high-order business can cross it.
What counts toward the threshold
retail sales of tangible personal property and taxable services delivered to Tennessee customers; exempt sales are included in the threshold calculation; marketplace-facilitator-collected sales are excluded from the individual seller's threshold calculation (effective Oct 1, 2020); wholesale/resale transactions excluded; original threshold was $500,000 effective Oct 1, 2019, reduced to $100,000 effective Oct 1, 2020
Marketplace-facilitated sales do not count toward your own Tennessee threshold.
Where TrailingZero fits
TrailingZero connects to your store read-only, maps where you actually have nexus state by state, and tracks your sales against Tennessee's threshold so you register only when you truly cross it — and deregister when you fall below. During any wind-down it can file the zero-dollar returns so nothing lapses — and you only pay for the states you genuinely keep. Run a free audit anytime; this page is free education either way.
Tennessee Economic nexus FAQ
- What is the economic nexus threshold in Tennessee?
- $100,000 in sales, measured over rolling prior 12 months, in effect since October 2020.
- Did Tennessee remove the 200-transaction rule?
- Tennessee has never used a transaction-count trigger — only the sales figure matters.
- Do marketplace sales count toward economic nexus in Tennessee?
- No, facilitated sales don't count toward your own threshold.
- Is this tax advice?
- No. This page is general education built from public sources and the rules change often. Confirm your specific situation with the state's tax authority or your accountant before you register or deregister.
More on Tennessee sales tax
See what you can stop paying in Tennessee
Run a free audit and see which registrations you can drop — in minutes, no card required.
Other states
See all states →Sources
Primary sources reviewed for this page. Data current as of June 2026.
- https://revenue.support.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/360058589291-SUT-4-Nexus-Overview
- https://revenue.support.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/360058139452-SUT-11-Sales-and-Use-Tax-Account-Closing-an-Account
- https://revenue.support.tn.gov/hc/en-us/articles/360059495432-About-TNTAP-12-Closing-a-Tax-Account-in-TNTAP
- https://www.tn.gov/revenue/taxes/sales-and-use-tax/registration.html
- https://www.tn.gov/revenue/taxes/sales-and-use-tax/out-of-state-dealers-marketplace-facilitators.html
- https://www.salestaxinstitute.com/resources/economic-nexus-state-guide
- https://www.salestaxinstitute.com/resources/tennessee-enacts-economic-nexus-regulation
- https://www.numeral.com/nexus/tennessee
TrailingZerois software, not a CPA or law firm, and this page is general education — not tax or legal advice. State rules and thresholds change frequently; confirm your situation with the state's tax authority or your accountant before you register or deregister. See how we research and review this data in our editorial & accuracy policy.