Can CAAs practice in Tennessee?
Yes — CAAs are licensed in Tennessee.
Tennessee enacted CAA licensure in May 2025 (HB 979, Public Chapter 509), and the Board of Medical Examiners has been licensing CAAs since January 1, 2026. Applications are live through the state's LARS portal. Practicing or using the CAA title without a license is a Class B misdemeanor.
- Legal authority
- Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-21-101 et seq. (Pub. Ch. 509, 2025)
- Effective
- 2026
- Supervision
- Practice only under the supervision of a licensed anesthesiologist pursuant to a written supervising agreement kept at every practice location; the supervising anesthesiologist must be immediately available to intervene (no statutory concurrent-supervision ratio identified).
- Last verified
- 2026-08-12
Notes
No longer rules-pending: licensing is operational (LARS applications, NCCAA certification required). Codified as new T.C.A. Title 63, ch. 21 (rules cite §§ 63-21-102, -103, -107 as authority). Permanent BME rules (licensure process rule 0880-15-.03) went through an April 13, 2026 rulemaking hearing and July 2026 Gov Ops review after initial emergency rules; final permanent-rule effective date not yet confirmed, but practice is unaffected. PC 509 also seats a licensed AA on the Board of Medical Examiners.
Active legislation
-
HB 979 / SB 764 enacted (Public Chapter 509)
Anesthesiologist assistant licensure; hospital employment of physicians
Last action: Signed by Governor May 21, 2025; licensure provisions effective Jan 1, 2026
CAA programs in Tennessee
- Lipscomb University — Nashville · Nashville