You cannot establish or run an organized camp in Tennessee without the required permit, and the permit must be displayed at the camp.
No place or site within any political subdivision of the state of Tennessee shall be established or maintained by any person as an organized camp, unless the person holds a valid permit issued by the commissioner or public health officer in the name of the person for the specific organized camp. The commissioner or public health officer is authorized to issue, suspend, or revoke permits in accordance with this chapter and any rules and regulations that may be adopted by the department under the authority of this or other applicable laws. The annual permit fee to operate an organized camp shall be in accordance with the following schedule. As used in this subsection (c), a “travel campsite” is a designated camping space that is equipped with utility connections. Type of Camp Fee Day $ 80.00 Resident 1-99 campers $ 80.00 100 or more campers $150.00 Travel 1-25 camp sites $ 80.00 26-75 camp sites $120.00 76-150 camp sites $170.00 151-250 camp sites $230.00 251 or more camp sites $310.00 Primitive $ 80.00 Click to view table. If the permit fee is delinquent for more than thirty (30) calendar days, a penalty of one half (½) the permit fee shall be added to the permit fee. If a check is returned for any reason, a penalty of one half (½) the permit fee shall be added to the permit fee. The permit fee, plus any penalty, shall be paid to the commissioner before the permit is issued. The permit shall be kept and displayed in a conspicuous manner, properly framed, at the organized camp for which it was issued. Ninety-five percent (95%) of permit fees, fines, and penalties collected within a contract county pursuant to this chapter shall be conveyed by contract to the respective county health department to assist such county health department in implementing the program in the local jurisdiction. This amount shall be calculated based upon fees collected in the contract county during the state's fiscal year multiplied by ninety-five percent (95%). No contract county currently charging a local permit fee shall charge a local permit fee. By July 30 of each year, each contract county shall provide a report to the commissioner for the preceding fiscal year documenting the total cost relative to carrying out the provisions of the contract and the amount of permit fees collected. The report shall be on a form provided by the commissioner.