Do I need a license to open a sober living home in Tennessee?
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Tennessee doesn't license recovery residences that provide no clinical services. Under the Stopping Addiction and Fostering Excellence (SAFE) Act, though, licensed or certified providers, judges, and magistrates may refer people only to certified residences or ones funded by the state or federal government, and no state funds go to uncertified homes. A home that isn't certified must post an 11 by 17 inch notice that it is privately funded and not licensed, with the treatment hotline 1-800-889-9789.
Who certifies recovery residences in Tennessee?
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The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) approves certification organizations for three-year terms. It has approved the Tennessee Alliance of Recovery Residences (TN-ARR), the state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR), and Recovery Is the New High (RITNH).
How much does recovery residence certification cost in Tennessee?
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Each certifier sets its own fees. The Tennessee Alliance of Recovery Residences (TN-ARR) lists a one-time $990 training fee, which can be split into three payments, then $1 per bed per week once certified, capped at 100 beds. Recovery Is the New High (RITNH) lists fees starting at $500 for the first location and $100 for each additional location within 25 miles, plus a base fee after its internal review.
What standards do certified recovery residences in Tennessee follow?
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Tenn. Code 33-2-1404, added by Public Chapter 406 of 2025, sets minimum standards that include fair drug testing, abstinence policies that cover kratom, exit plans with relocation help, a good neighbor policy, financial accounting, no requiring residents to give up public benefits, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, limits on overnight visitors, sharing the home's location with local officials, and resident rights with a grievance procedure. Certifiers inspect each home at least once a year.
My Tennessee home was certified before 2026. Do the new standards apply?
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Yes, starting at your first renewal on or after July 1, 2026, or on January 1, 2027, whichever comes first. Until then, the standards in effect when you were certified apply.
Can a Tennessee town use zoning to keep a recovery residence out?
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The federal Fair Housing Act bars local governments from using zoning or land use rules to exclude homes for people with disabilities, but homes still follow neutral local rules and fire codes. Housing discrimination complaints can go to the Tennessee Attorney General's Civil Rights Enforcement Division (CRED) within 180 days, or to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
How do I list my recovery residence in this guide for free?
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Request a free listing. You choose what it shows, such as who the home serves and its certifications. The street address is shown only if you want it to be. Listing never requires ARKHE software.
What's the difference between a recovery residence, sober living, and a halfway house in Tennessee?
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Tennessee law defines a recovery residence as a substance-free home with supervised, monitored, or peer-led support that provides no medical or clinical services, treatment, or medication administration on site, except checking abstinence. The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS) says halfway houses are different: they are licensed residential treatment facilities that provide clinical services as part of a treatment program.
How do I find a certified recovery residence or sober living home in Tennessee?
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The Tennessee Alliance of Recovery Residences (TN-ARR) directory lists its certified residences, with a live map of open beds. Recovery Is the New High (RITNH) also certifies homes. Recovery Within Reach has a searchable statewide housing database, and Oxford House Vacancies lists open beds in Oxford Houses.
What does the notice in an uncertified Tennessee recovery home mean?
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State law requires a recovery residence that isn't certified to post a notice that it is privately funded and not licensed, along with the treatment hotline 1-800-889-9789. It means no state-approved organization has certified the home.
Where can I get help finding addiction treatment in Tennessee?
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Call or text the Tennessee REDLINE at 800-889-9789, a free, confidential referral line open 24/7. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988. You can apply for TennCare, Tennessee's Medicaid program, online through TennCare Connect or by calling 855-259-0701.
What should I ask a Tennessee recovery residence before moving in?
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Ask about costs and what they include, house rules and drug testing, the visitor policy, how the exit plan works, how to file a grievance, and whether the home is certified by the Tennessee Alliance of Recovery Residences (TN-ARR) or Recovery Is the New High (RITNH). Certified homes can't require you to sign away public benefits.