Tennessee § 55-8-212 Unlawful camping

Tennessee Statutes

§ 55-8-212 — Unlawful camping

Tennessee § 55-8-212

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This text of Tennessee § 55-8-212 (Unlawful camping) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Tennessee primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-212 (2026).

Text

(a)It is unlawful for a person to engage in camping:

(1)On the shoulder, berm, or right-of-way of a state or interstate highway; or (2) Under a bridge or overpass, or within an underpass, of a state or interstate highway.

(b)Notwithstanding § 39-14-414 , a violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable only by a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00) and community service work not less than twenty (20) hours nor more than forty (40) hours; except, that a person who violates this section must receive a warning citation for a first offense. In lieu of a fine and community service, the court may require a person convicted under this section to remove litter from the state or local highway system, public playgrounds, public parks, or other appropriate public locations for not less t

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(a) It is unlawful for a person to engage in camping: (1) On the shoulder, berm, or right-of-way of a state or interstate highway; or (2) Under a bridge or overpass, or within an underpass, of a state or interstate highway. (b) Notwithstanding § 39-14-414 , a violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor, punishable only by a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00) and community service work not less than twenty (20) hours nor more than forty (40) hours; except, that a person who violates this section must receive a warning citation for a first offense. In lieu of a fine and community service, the court may require a person convicted under this section to remove litter from the state or local highway system, public playgrounds, public parks, or other appropriate public locations for not less than twenty (20) hours nor more than forty (40) hours. (c) For purposes of this section, "camping" means: (1) Erecting, placing, maintaining, or using temporary structures, such as tents, tarps, and other temporary shelters, for living accommodation activities, such as sleeping or making preparations to sleep; (2) Carrying on cooking activities, whether by fire or use of artificial means, such as a propane stove or other heat-producing portable cooking equipment; or (3) Sleeping outside of a motor vehicle or making preparations to sleep outside of a motor vehicle, including laying down a sleeping bag, blanket, or other material used for bedding.