Tennessee still has dry counties and dry towns. Whether a restaurant can pour a cocktail or a store can sell a bottle of wine depends on the votes that city or county has taken, sometimes decades apart.
That makes “Is this town wet or dry?” one of the first questions to answer before you sign a lease, buy a building, or plan a menu. Tennessee doesn’t publish a statewide wet and dry list, so we built one from the state’s own license records. Below is every county, what the records show, how the system works, and how to check a specific address.
Why Tennessee has dry counties
Tennessee has let each city and county decide for itself since 1939. A city or county gets liquor stores or liquor by the drink only after its voters approve them in a referendum (Tennessee Code Annotated Sections 57-3-106 and 57-4-103). A referendum is a question put directly to voters on the ballot. A place that never held that vote, or held it and said no, stays dry for liquor and wine.
That is why a map of Tennessee alcohol sales looks like a patchwork. A county can be dry while the city at its center allows liquor stores and restaurants that serve cocktails. A town can allow mixed drinks but not liquor stores, or the other way around.
Wet, dry, and the places in between
People use three rough labels:
- Wet: the place has approved liquor by the drink, liquor stores, or both. Liquor by the drink means serving liquor and wine for guests to drink on site, the license most restaurants and bars hold.
- Dry: the place has approved neither. Apart from the exceptions below, no restaurant there can get a liquor-by-the-drink license, and no one can open a liquor store.
- Moist: an informal word for places that allow beer but not liquor. Beer runs on a separate track in Tennessee. Beer at 8% alcohol by weight or less is permitted by the local beer board, not the state, so many places that are dry for liquor and wine still sell beer.
The labels also stack. Liquor stores and liquor by the drink are separate votes, so a town can be wet for one and dry for the other. Wine in grocery stores is a third vote, and a city can only hold it if it already allows liquor stores or liquor by the drink (Sections 57-3-801 through 57-3-820).
What the state’s license records show
We pulled every active license from the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) public license search on October 26, 2026. The TABC is the state agency that licenses liquor and wine sales. Tennessee had 5,081 active liquor-by-the-drink licenses, 879 liquor stores, and 1,090 grocery stores licensed to sell wine.
Most of those licenses sit in cities. Alcohol sales in much of rural Tennessee stop at the city limits of one or two towns. A few counties stand out:
- Counties with no liquor stores or mixed-drink licenses: Grainger and Hancock. Hancock has no active liquor-by-the-drink or retail licenses, and Grainger has one grocery store licensed to sell wine.
- Counties with no liquor stores: Grainger, Hancock, Lake, Meigs, Union, and Weakley.
- Counties where the only mixed-drink license is a special-legislation venue: Clay, Fentress, and Pickett. Each has one venue the state licensed by name, and no restaurants or bars licensed to serve liquor otherwise. Moore County has no mixed-drink licenses at all.
| County | Mixed-drink licenses (liquor by the drink) | Liquor stores | Wine in grocery stores |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | 39 in Oak Ridge, Clinton, Andersonville, Rocky Top (incl. 3 special-legislation venues) | 12 in Oak Ridge, Clinton, Rocky Top, Andersonville | 15 |
| Bedford | 16 in Shelbyville (incl. 3 special-legislation venues) | 7 in Shelbyville | 6 |
| Benton | 6 in Camden, Big Sandy | 3 in Camden | 1 |
| Bledsoe | 2 in Pikeville | 1 in Pikeville | None |
| Blount | 81 in Maryville, Alcoa, Townsend, Louisville, Walland, Friendsville (incl. 4 special-legislation venues) | 8 in Maryville, Alcoa, Louisville, Friendsville | 33 |
| Bradley | 50 in Cleveland, Charleston (incl. 3 special-legislation venues) | 9 in Cleveland | 14 |
| Campbell | 13 in LaFollette, Caryville, Pioneer, Speedwell, Jacksboro (incl. 7 special-legislation venues) | 5 in LaFollette, Pioneer, Jellico, Caryville | 4 |
| Cannon | 1 in Woodbury | 1 in Woodbury | None |
| Carroll | 6 in Huntingdon, McKenzie | 6 in McKenzie, Huntingdon, Bruceton | 1 |
| Carter | 9 in Elizabethton | 3 in Elizabethton | 7 |
| Cheatham | 24 in Ashland City, Pleasant View, Kingston Springs, Pegram, Chapmansboro, Joelton (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 8 in Ashland City, Pleasant View, Kingston Springs | 6 |
| Chester | 1 in Henderson | 2 in Henderson | None |
| Claiborne | 10 in Tazewell, Cumberland Gap (incl. 7 special-legislation venues) | 3 in Tazewell, New Tazewell | 2 |
| Clay | 1 in Allons (special-legislation venue only) | 1 in Celina | None |
| Cocke | 11 in Newport, Cosby, Parrottsville (incl. 4 special-legislation venues) | 3 in Newport | 7 |
| Coffee | 42 in Tullahoma, Manchester (incl. 4 special-legislation venues) | 10 in Manchester, Tullahoma, Dickel | 7 |
| Crockett | 1 in Alamo | 1 in Alamo | None |
| Cumberland | 30 in Crossville, Fairfield Glade, Rockwood (incl. 8 special-legislation venues) | 3 in Crossville | 13 |
| Davidson | 1,283 in Nashville, Antioch, Hermitage, Madison, Goodlettsville, Brentwood, and 3 more (incl. 78 special-legislation venues) | 110 in Nashville, Antioch, Madison, Goodlettsville, Old Hickory, Brentwood, and 1 more | 140 |
| Decatur | 2 in Parsons, Bath Springs | 4 in Decaturville, Parsons | None |
| DeKalb | 12 in Smithville, Midway, Keltonburg, Snow Hill, Lancaster, Sparta, and 1 more (incl. 9 special-legislation venues) | 2 in Smithville | 3 |
| Dickson | 42 in Dickson, White Bluff, Burns, Charlotte | 8 in Dickson, White Bluff, Charlotte, Burns | 7 |
| Dyer | 16 in Dyersburg, Newbern | 6 in Dyersburg, Newbern | 4 |
| Fayette | 8 in Oakland, Somerville, Moscow | 4 in Somerville, Oakland, Rossville | 2 |
| Fentress | 1 in Jamestown (special-legislation venue only) | 1 in Jamestown | None |
| Franklin | 29 in Winchester, Sewanee, Cowan, Decherd, Tullahoma, Huntland (incl. 9 special-legislation venues) | 8 in Winchester, Decherd | 4 |
| Gibson | 14 in Trenton, Humboldt, Milan, Medina (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 10 in Milan, Trenton, Humboldt, Medina | 5 |
| Giles | 17 in Pulaski, Ardmore, Dellrose, Lynnville | 5 in Pulaski, Goodspring, Ardmore | 1 |
| Grainger | None | None | 1 |
| Greene | 15 in Greeneville | 6 in Greeneville | 12 |
| Grundy | 2 in Tracy City, Pelham (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 1 in Monteagle | 1 |
| Hamblen | 29 in Morristown (incl. 2 special-legislation venues) | 5 in Morristown | 20 |
| Hamilton | 384 in Chattanooga, Hixson, Ooltewah, East Ridge, Signal Mountain, Soddy Daisy, and 3 more (incl. 25 special-legislation venues) | 59 in Chattanooga, Hixson, Soddy Daisy, Ooltewah, East Ridge, Red Bank, and 2 more | 75 |
| Hancock | None | None | None |
| Hardeman | 4 in Bolivar | 4 in Bolivar, Whiteville | 1 |
| Hardin | 18 in Savannah, Counce, Pickwick Dam, Crump, Saltillo | 4 in Savannah | 4 |
| Hawkins | 10 in Rogersville, Kingsport (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 3 in Rogersville, Kingsport | 7 |
| Haywood | 6 in Brownsville | 3 in Brownsville | 3 |
| Henderson | 6 in Lexington, Wildersville | 5 in Lexington | 1 |
| Henry | 20 in Paris, Buchanan, Springville (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 4 in Paris | 4 |
| Hickman | 3 in Centerville, Bon Aqua (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 3 in Centerville | None |
| Houston | 3 in Erin, Stewart | 2 in Erin | None |
| Humphreys | 7 in Waverly, New Johnsonville, Hurricane Mills (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 4 in Waverly, New Johnsonville, McEwen | 1 |
| Jackson | 3 in Gainesboro, Granville (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 1 in Gainesboro | None |
| Jefferson | 15 in Dandridge, Jefferson City, White Pine (incl. 4 special-legislation venues) | 8 in Jefferson City, Dandridge, White Pine | 9 |
| Johnson | 1 in Mountain City | 2 in Mountain City | None |
| Knox | 441 in Knoxville, Concord, Powell, Farragut, Halls Crossroads, Maryville, and 2 more (incl. 22 special-legislation venues) | 51 in Knoxville, Concord, Powell | 129 |
| Lake | 2 in Tiptonville | None | None |
| Lauderdale | 3 in Ripley | 4 in Ripley, Halls, Gates | 2 |
| Lawrence | 14 in Lawrenceburg, Loretto, St. Joseph | 6 in Lawrenceburg, Loretto, Ethridge | 4 |
| Lewis | 3 in Hohenwald | 2 in Hohenwald | 1 |
| Lincoln | 10 in Fayetteville, Kelso | 6 in Fayetteville, Ardmore | 2 |
| Loudon | 23 in Lenoir City, Loudon (incl. 5 special-legislation venues) | 2 in Loudon | 11 |
| Macon | 4 in Lafayette | 3 in Lafayette, Red Boiling Springs | None |
| Madison | 71 in Jackson, Humboldt, Pinson | 12 in Jackson | 13 |
| Marion | 21 in Monteagle, Jasper, Kimball, South Pittsburg, Whiteside, Chattanooga, and 1 more (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 7 in Jasper, South Pittsburg, Monteagle, Whitwell | 5 |
| Marshall | 14 in Lewisburg, Chapel Hill, Cornersville | 8 in Lewisburg, Chapel Hill, Cornersville | 4 |
| Maury | 73 in Columbia, Spring Hill, Mt. Pleasant (incl. 3 special-legislation venues) | 13 in Columbia, Spring Hill, Mt. Pleasant | 16 |
| McMinn | 17 in Athens, Etowah, Niota | 5 in Athens, Etowah | 8 |
| McNairy | 4 in Selmer | 5 in Selmer, Adamsville | 1 |
| Meigs | 2 in Decatur, Ten Mile (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | None | None |
| Monroe | 22 in Vonore, Sweetwater, Tellico Plains, Madisonville, Maryville (incl. 3 special-legislation venues) | 8 in Madisonville, Sweetwater, Vonore, Tellico Plains | 10 |
| Montgomery | 129 in Clarksville (incl. 4 special-legislation venues) | 20 in Clarksville | 42 |
| Moore | None | 1 in Lynchburg | None |
| Morgan | 3 in Wartburg, Rugby, Lancing (incl. 2 special-legislation venues) | 1 in Wartburg | None |
| Obion | 13 in Union City, South Fulton, Hornbeak (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 5 in Union City | 2 |
| Overton | 7 in Livingston | 2 in Livingston | 3 |
| Perry | 1 in Linden | 2 in Lobelville, Linden | None |
| Pickett | 1 in Alpine (special-legislation venue only) | 1 in Byrdstown | None |
| Polk | 5 in Copperhill, Ocoee, Ducktown | 2 in Benton | 1 |
| Putnam | 58 in Cookeville, Monterey, Algood, Baxter (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 12 in Cookeville, Monterey, Baxter | 14 |
| Rhea | 9 in Dayton, Spring City | 3 in Dayton, Spring City | 3 |
| Roane | 19 in Harriman, Kingston, Rockwood, Oak Ridge, Ten Mile (incl. 2 special-legislation venues) | 6 in Harriman, Rockwood, Kingston | 8 |
| Robertson | 29 in Springfield, White House, Greenbrier, Portland, Goodlettsville, Cross Plains | 12 in Springfield, Greenbrier, White House, Cedar Hill | 12 |
| Rutherford | 205 in Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Eagleville, Lavergne, Mt. Juliet, Rockvale (incl. 6 special-legislation venues) | 37 in Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Lavergne | 55 |
| Scott | 3 in Oneida, Winfield | 2 in Winfield, Oneida | None |
| Sequatchie | 3 in Dunlap, Signal Mountain (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 3 in Dunlap | 1 |
| Sevier | 198 in Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Kodak, Seymour (incl. 9 special-legislation venues) | 10 in Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Kodak | 43 |
| Shelby | 644 in Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, Bartlett, Millington, Cordova, and 3 more (incl. 36 special-legislation venues) | 141 in Memphis, Collierville, Germantown, Bartlett, Millington, Cordova, and 2 more | 87 |
| Smith | 8 in Carthage, Gordonsville (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 4 in Carthage, Gordonsville | None |
| Stewart | 4 in Dover | 1 in Dover | None |
| Sullivan | 67 in Kingsport, Bristol, Piney Flats, Blountville (incl. 3 special-legislation venues) | 15 in Kingsport, Bristol, Piney Flats, Bluff City | 26 |
| Sumner | 118 in Hendersonville, Gallatin, Portland, Goodlettsville, White House, Westmoreland, and 1 more (incl. 3 special-legislation venues) | 20 in Gallatin, Hendersonville, Westmoreland, Portland | 38 |
| Tipton | 13 in Covington, Atoka, Munford, Drummonds | 8 in Covington, Atoka, Mason, Munford | 4 |
| Trousdale | 5 in Hartsville, Castalian Springs | 2 in Hartsville | None |
| Unicoi | 4 in Erwin, Unicoi | 4 in Erwin, Unicoi | 3 |
| Union | 3 in Maynardville (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | None | 2 |
| Van Buren | 3 in Spencer | 1 in Spencer | None |
| Warren | 15 in McMinnville, Rock Island | 5 in McMinnville | 4 |
| Washington | 105 in Johnson City, Jonesborough, Gray (incl. 4 special-legislation venues) | 13 in Johnson City, Jonesborough, Gray | 31 |
| Wayne | 1 in Clifton | 1 in Clifton | None |
| Weakley | 14 in Martin, Dresden | None | 3 |
| White | 12 in Sparta (incl. 1 special-legislation venue) | 2 in Sparta | 3 |
| Williamson | 273 in Franklin, Brentwood, Nolensville, Spring Hill, Fairview, Thompsons Station, and 2 more (incl. 20 special-legislation venues) | 28 in Franklin, Brentwood, Spring Hill, Fairview, Nolensville, Thompson Station | 53 |
| Wilson | 92 in Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, Old Hickory, Watertown (incl. 6 special-legislation venues) | 25 in Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, Old Hickory, Watertown | 25 |
How to read the table
The table shows where licenses exist today, which is the best public signal of where sales are allowed. It is not a list of votes. A city can vote yes and have no license holders yet, and the area just outside a wet city’s limits is often dry. Licenses are listed by the city in each business’s address. Special-legislation venues are places the legislature licensed by name, explained below, and a handful of retail licenses also come from special state laws rather than local votes. That is why a county known as dry can still show a store. We will refresh this table after each election and at least every few months.
The exceptions
State law carves out places that can serve without a local vote, most often by adding single venues to the definition of a premier type tourist resort. One 2026 law alone, 2026 Public Chapter 1074, added 29 single-venue carve-outs. That is how a hotel, golf course, or event venue can sometimes serve liquor in a dry county.
The best-known example is Moore County, home of Jack Daniel’s. The county is widely known as dry, and state records show no mixed-drink licenses there, but a special exception lets the distillery sell commemorative bottles on site.
How to check a specific address
Confirm what is allowed at the exact address before you commit to a location:
- Ask the city clerk or county election commission. They can tell you which alcohol referendums the city or county has passed and when. Check both, because the city and county answers can differ.
- Look up nearby licenses. The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), the state agency that licenses liquor and wine sales, has a public license search. If restaurants in the same city hold liquor-by-the-drink licenses, that city is wet for liquor by the drink.
- Call the local beer board. Beer permits and local beer rules come from the city or county, not the state.
- Read the local ordinances. Zoning, distance rules near schools or churches, and caps on the number of liquor stores can rule out a specific site, even in a wet city.
Our guide to the types of liquor licenses in Tennessee covers which license fits which kind of business once you know the address works.
Tennessee’s recent alcohol votes
Several Tennessee places vote on alcohol every election year. We track the local alcohol questions on Tennessee ballots and update this list after each election.
November 3, 2026 (results to be added November 4):
- Meigs County, countywide: liquor by the drink and liquor stores.
- Humphreys County, countywide: liquor by the drink.
- Lenoir City: liquor stores.
- Brighton: liquor stores and liquor by the drink.
- Harrogate: liquor by the drink.
- St. Joseph: liquor stores.
- Gainesboro: wine in grocery stores.
Our post on the November 3 referendums explains what each of those votes opens up for local businesses.
What a yes vote does and doesn’t change
A yes vote doesn’t open anything the next day. The results have to be certified, and the city or county may pass new rules about where alcohol businesses can go and how many liquor stores it allows. Every license still runs through local sign-off and the TABC. The businesses that are ready early have the edge when a town caps the number of liquor stores.
Where BevLaw Group fits
Whether a town is wet or dry is often the first legal question a new hospitality business runs into, and it is only one of them. BevLaw Group helps hospitality businesses check locations, pick the right license, and get the application in order. We stay on after the doors open, too, with contracts, employment questions, and help if a regulator ever comes calling, all on one flat monthly fee. Book a free call with our team if you are weighing a location and aren’t sure what it allows.