Pay stub requirements in Tennessee
No tax on wages
Tennessee is a short page for an honest reason: the Wage Regulations Act regulates when you are paid and what you are told before you start, not what a pay stub has to contain. There is no state statute listing wage statement fields, and no state minimum wage law at all, so employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act pay the federal $7.25. What the state does require is that the employer tell you the amount of wages before you work, pay private-sector wages at least semi-monthly, and post notice of the regular paydays in at least two conspicuous places.
- Pay stub required
- No state rule on stub contents
- Electronic delivery
- No state rule either way
- Minimum wage 2026
- No state rate; federal $7.25 applies
- Pay frequency
- At least semi-monthly
01 — The law
What Tennessee law requires
You are told the wage before you start work
It is unlawful for any employer to employ, permit or suffer to work any person without first informing the employee of the amount of wages to be paid. That is T.C.A. § 50-2-101, and it is the opening line of the required workplace poster rather than a footnote, which tells you how the state frames the relationship.
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Wage Regulations Act poster →Wages at least semi-monthly, paydays posted
The Department of Labor and Workforce Development states that all wages or compensation of employees in private employment is due and payable at least semi-monthly, and that notice of regular paydays must be posted by each employer in at least two conspicuous places, citing T.C.A. § 50-2-103.
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development — How often must my employer pay me? →No state minimum wage law to fall back on
The U.S. Department of Labor lists Tennessee among the states with no state minimum wage law, so employers subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. An employer outside the reach of the federal act has no state floor above it.
U.S. Department of Labor — State minimum wage laws →A 30-minute unpaid break after six consecutive hours
Each employee scheduled to work six hours consecutively must have a 30-minute unpaid rest break or meal period, and that break may not be scheduled during or before the first hour of scheduled work activity. Adult employees in workplaces that by their nature offer ample opportunity to rest are excepted.
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Wage Regulations Act poster →Equal pay within the same establishment
No employer shall discriminate between employees in the same establishment on the basis of sex by paying salary or wage rates less than it pays to an employee of the opposite sex for comparable skill, effort and responsibility performed under similar working conditions. That duty sits in T.C.A. § 50-2-202.
Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Wage Regulations Act poster →
02 — Local rates
Local rates above the Tennessee minimum
No city or county rate above the Tennessee minimum is listed here. Where one exists it is set by a local ordinance, so an employer in a city with its own should check that ordinance before relying on the state figure.
03 — What we calculate
What this generator calculates for Tennessee
| Withholding line | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | irs.gov | Calculated |
| Social Security | ssa.gov | Calculated |
| Medicare | ssa.gov | Calculated |
| TN state income tax | tn.gov | Prints 0.00 |
Tennessee levies no personal income tax on wages, so a stub built here shows federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare, and leaves the state income tax line at zero because there is nothing to withhold.
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
- Does Tennessee law say what has to be on a pay stub?
- No. The Wage Regulations Act covers paydays, notice of the wage rate, breaks and equal pay, but it does not set out a list of wage statement fields the way California or Maryland do. What appears on your stub is driven by your employer’s payroll practice and by federal record-keeping rules.
- How often must a Tennessee employer pay me?
- The Department of Labor and Workforce Development states that wages in private employment are due at least semi-monthly under T.C.A. § 50-2-103, and that each employer must post notice of its regular paydays in at least two conspicuous places so employees know when to expect payment.
- What is the minimum wage in Tennessee?
- Tennessee has no state minimum wage law. Employers covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act must pay the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Because there is no state rate, there is also no annual state adjustment to watch for.
- Am I entitled to a meal break in Tennessee?
- If you are scheduled to work six hours consecutively, you must get a 30-minute unpaid rest break or meal period, and it cannot be scheduled during or before your first hour of work. Adults in workplaces that by their nature give ample chance to rest are excepted from the rule.
- Does my employer have to tell me my rate of pay in advance?
- Yes. Under T.C.A. § 50-2-101 it is unlawful to employ or permit anyone to work without first informing them of the amount of wages to be paid. It is one of the few things Tennessee does regulate tightly about the wage relationship.
Sources
- Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development — Wage Regulations Act poster
- Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development — How often must my employer pay me?
- U.S. Department of Labor — State minimum wage laws
Wage and hour law changes. Check the linked source before relying on any figure here, and treat this page as a starting point rather than legal advice.