MoveCheck

Moving from Tennessee

About 180,400 people left Tennessee for other states in 2023, while about 203,200 moved in.

  • Tennessee does not tax wages, and the Hall tax on interest and dividends ended for tax periods starting in 2021.
  • So most people leave without a final state tax return.
  • Tennessee plates belong to the owner, not the car, so the plate rules matter more than the tax rules.
  • This page covers every Tennessee-origin route we track.
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Tennessee at a Glance

Taxes

State income taxNone
State sales tax7%
Property tax (eff.)0.52%

Climate

Avg annual temp59°F
Annual precipitation55″

Humid subtropical with hot, humid summers and cold winters.

Cost of Living

COL index88.9 (US=100)
Avg electric bill$143/mo

Why People Move from Tennessee

Most people who leave stay in the South.

  • Census ACS 2023 flows put Georgia first at about 17,300, then Florida at about 15,700 and Kentucky at about 14,400.
  • Mississippi took about 13,800, Alabama about 12,600, and Texas about 12,100.
  • Some of these routes are lopsided.
  • Mississippi and Alabama each took about twice as many people from Tennessee as they sent back.
  • Florida and Texas run the other way: each sent more people to Tennessee than it took.

Tennessee is one of the less expensive states, so check what your new state costs.

  • The MERIC first quarter 2026 series put its cost of living index at 88.9, ranked 9th, with housing at 80.3.
  • The Tax Foundation lists a 7.00 percent state sales tax and an average combined state and local rate of 9.61 percent.
  • The effective property tax rate on owner-occupied homes is 0.52 percent.
  • If your new state taxes wages, that is a new line in your budget.

Popular Routes Moving from Tennessee

Tennessee → AlaskaTennessee → AlabamaTennessee → ArkansasTennessee → ArizonaTennessee → CaliforniaTennessee → ColoradoTennessee → ConnecticutTennessee → Washington D.C.Tennessee → DelawareTennessee → FloridaTennessee → GeorgiaTennessee → HawaiiTennessee → IowaTennessee → IdahoTennessee → IllinoisTennessee → IndianaTennessee → KansasTennessee → KentuckyTennessee → LouisianaTennessee → MassachusettsTennessee → MarylandTennessee → MaineTennessee → MichiganTennessee → MinnesotaTennessee → MissouriTennessee → MississippiTennessee → MontanaTennessee → North CarolinaTennessee → North DakotaTennessee → NebraskaTennessee → New HampshireTennessee → New JerseyTennessee → New MexicoTennessee → NevadaTennessee → New YorkTennessee → OhioTennessee → OklahomaTennessee → OregonTennessee → PennsylvaniaTennessee → Rhode IslandTennessee → South CarolinaTennessee → South DakotaTennessee → TexasTennessee → UtahTennessee → VirginiaTennessee → VermontTennessee → WashingtonTennessee → WisconsinTennessee → West VirginiaTennessee → Wyoming

Before You Leave Tennessee

You have no final Tennessee income tax return to file

Tennessee does not tax wages or salaries. The Hall income tax on interest and dividends was repealed for tax periods that begin on or after January 1, 2021. Do not file a Hall return for those years.

Source: Tennessee Department of Revenue, Hall Income Tax

Ask your county clerk about your Tennessee plates

Tennessee license plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle. The Department of Revenue does not say what to do with them when you move out of state. Ask your county clerk before you destroy or turn in your plates.

Source: Tennessee Department of Revenue, Surrendering a License Plate

Do not expect a refund for unused registration

Generally, Tennessee does not refund the unused part of a registration. A tag cannot be refunded after its registration period starts. You may get a refund only if you return new tags before your old ones expire. The state refunds only its share. Ask the county clerk about the county share.

Source: Tennessee Department of Revenue, VR-15 Unused Portion of a Vehicle Registration

Check the professional privilege tax if you keep a Tennessee license

Some professionals licensed or registered to practice in Tennessee pay a $400 tax each year. This includes attorneys, lobbyists, investment advisers, broker-dealers, and securities agents. The tax is due June 1. The tax is owed by people licensed or registered to practice in Tennessee. If you keep that license after you move, check whether you still owe it.

Source: Tennessee Department of Revenue, Professional Privilege Tax

Ask your county election commission to remove your registration

Tennessee registration is permanent until the county election commission removes it. Send a written request to the commission to remove your name. The commission also removes you when it gets written confirmation that you registered in another place.

Source: Tennessee Secretary of State, How to Update your Voter Registration

Tennessee DMV & Registration

Your new state sets the deadline for its license and plates.

  • Tennessee plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle, and you can move them to another vehicle at a county clerk for a $1 fee.
  • The Department of Revenue does not say what to do with plates when you move out of state, so ask your county clerk.
  • Tennessee generally does not refund the unused part of a registration.
  • If a renewal notice reaches you after you move, the Department of Revenue says you can disregard it.
Official Tennessee DMV →
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Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to file a Tennessee tax return when I move out?

Not for wages or salaries, because Tennessee does not tax them.

  • The Hall income tax on interest and dividends was repealed for tax periods beginning on or after January 1, 2021.
  • The Department of Revenue asks people not to file a Hall return for those years.
  • Your new state may tax income you earn after the move, so check its rules.

What do I do with my Tennessee license plates when I move?

Tennessee plates belong to the owner, not the vehicle.

  • The Department of Revenue page on surrendering plates does not cover a move out of state.
  • Ask your county clerk before you destroy or turn in your plates.
  • The page does say to destroy a plate right away if it is damaged or defaced.
  • Turn in specialty or personalized plates at renewal if you no longer want them.

Can I get a refund on my Tennessee registration after I move?

Usually not.

  • Tennessee generally does not refund the unused part of a registration.
  • Once a tag is in use on the first day of the registration period, it cannot be refunded.
  • The exception is when your old tags have not expired and you return the new ones.
  • Even then, the state refunds only its share.
  • Ask the county clerk about the county share.

I moved out of Tennessee and still got a renewal notice. What do I do?

You can disregard it.

  • The Department of Revenue says the system may send another renewal notice after someone moves out of state.
  • The notices should stop after the system gets the surrender notice for your Tennessee title, as long as you did not renew that year.

How do I cancel my Tennessee voter registration?

Send a written request to your county election commission to remove your name.

  • Tennessee registration is permanent until the commission removes it.
  • The commission also removes you when it gets written confirmation that you registered in another place.
  • Register in your new state as well.

Where do people move when they leave Tennessee?

Using Census ACS 2023 state-to-state flows: Georgia (about 17,300), Florida (about 15,700), Kentucky (about 14,400), Mississippi (about 13,800), Alabama (about 12,600), and Texas (about 12,100).

  • Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Alabama took more people from Tennessee than they sent.
  • Florida and Texas sent more than they took.