Do servers need a server permit in Tennessee?
Yes. Tennessee requires a server permit from the Alcoholic Beverage Commission to serve liquor, wine and high-gravity beer at restaurants and bars, and you have 61 days from your hire date to get it. Permits issued since January 1, 2025, last 2 years.
What Tennessee requires
- Servers at on-premises (liquor-by-the-drink) businesses need a server permit to serve liquor, wine and high-gravity beer. Source
- There is a one-time grace period of 61 days from your original hire date. Source
- Permits issued on or after January 1, 2025, last 2 years. Older permits lasted 5 years. Source
How to list it on your resume
Put these lines under a Certifications and licenses heading near the top, with dates. The employer looks for them first.
Server permit
Tennessee ABC Server Permit (expires 2027)
Alcohol trained
Tennessee ABC Server Permit, renewed (expires 2028)
Common questions
My Tennessee server permit is from 2023. When does it expire?
Permits issued before January 1, 2025, lasted 5 years. Check the date on your permit and list it on your resume.
Does the 61-day grace period reset with a new job?
No. It is a one-time grace period from your original hire date.
Do I need a permit to serve regular beer only?
The permit covers liquor, wine and high-gravity beer at on-premises businesses. Ask your employer, since many want every server permitted.
Pay for servers in Tennessee
See the Tennessee minimum wage and work out your take-home pay with the Tennessee paycheck calculator.
The full server checklist
The rules above are only for Tennessee. For everything else a server resume needs, with a full example, see the server resume checklist.
Sources
Last updated November 15, 2026. Rules change, so check the source before you rely on it.
- Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission: Server permits (checked November 15, 2026)