Tennessee now has a public registry for certain repeat domestic violence offenders. Savanna’s Law created the Persistent Domestic Violence Offender Registry, which is maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and available for the public to search online.
The law took effect January 1, 2026. For someone facing a new domestic violence-related charge who already has a qualifying conviction, the consequences of another conviction can now include having their name, photograph, and conviction information placed on a public registry for years.
Who Has to Register Under Tennessee’s Savanna’s Law?
Savanna’s Law applies to a “persistent domestic violence offender.” Under Tennessee law, that generally means someone who is convicted in Tennessee of an offense committed against a domestic abuse victim and has at least one prior conviction for an offense committed against a domestic abuse victim.
This means registration can become an issue with the second qualifying conviction. If the state establishes the necessary prior conviction or convictions, the court is required to order the defendant to register.
The timing also matters. The new offense must have occurred on or after January 1, 2026. A prior conviction used to qualify someone for the registry, however, can be from before January 1, 2026.
Does Savanna’s Law Only Apply to Domestic Assault Convictions?
This is an important part of the law that can be missed when Savanna’s Law is described simply as a registry for repeat domestic violence offenders. The statute does not define a persistent domestic violence offender as someone with two convictions specifically labeled “domestic assault.”
Instead, the law refers to an “offense committed against a domestic abuse victim.” Tennessee made additional changes in 2026 to clarify what that language means. The current law looks at whether the victim meets Tennessee’s definition of a domestic abuse victim and whether the underlying offense involves conduct against that victim.
Determining whether Savanna’s Law applies requires looking at the actual prior convictions and the relationship between the defendant and the alleged victim, rather than simply searching the record for a previous charge titled “domestic assault.”
Can a Class B Misdemeanor Put Someone on Tennessee’s Domestic Violence Registry?
Potentially, yes. Nothing in Savanna’s Law creates a blanket exception for a conviction simply because it is a Class B misdemeanor.
That matters because assault can be charged at different misdemeanor levels depending on the alleged conduct. Conduct involving intentional or knowing physical contact that a reasonable person would regard as extremely offensive or provocative can fall within the Class B misdemeanor category. When the offense involves a person who qualifies as a domestic abuse victim, the classification of the misdemeanor does not by itself answer whether the conviction can count under Savanna’s Law.
In other words, someone should not assume that a lower-level misdemeanor automatically falls outside the registry law. The relevant questions include what the offense was, who the alleged victim was, whether the conviction qualifies under the statute, and whether there is a prior qualifying conviction.
Why Does the Class B Misdemeanor Issue Matter in a Domestic Violence Case?
A Class B misdemeanor may sound relatively minor compared with a felony or even a Class A misdemeanor. Savanna’s Law makes the long-term consequences of a conviction more important to consider when a defendant already has a qualifying criminal history.
A plea that resolves a current case as a misdemeanor does not necessarily resolve the registry issue. Before entering a plea, a defendant needs to understand whether that particular conviction, combined with the person’s prior record, would trigger mandatory registration.
That can change how the defense approaches the case. The exact offense of conviction, the nature of a prior conviction, and whether the alleged victim meets the statutory definition can all have consequences beyond the sentence imposed in the current case.
What Information Appears on Tennessee’s Domestic Violence Offender Registry?
The registry is maintained by the TBI and is available for public searches online. It contains identifying and conviction information about people who are required to register.
Information available through the registry can include:
- The offender’s name
- Date of birth
- Date of the qualifying conviction
- County or counties of conviction
- A photograph
- Other identifying information the TBI determines is necessary to properly identify the person
The publicly searchable registry does not include information such as the offender’s Social Security number, driver’s license number, or home address.
Registration also carries a $150 fee. Part of that fee is retained for administration, while the remainder is directed toward grants for family violence prevention and intervention services.
How Long Does Someone Stay on the Tennessee Domestic Violence Registry?
Savanna’s Law does not impose the same registration period on everyone. The length of time depends on the number of prior qualifying convictions, with the period measured from the most recent qualifying conviction.
The registration periods are:
- One prior conviction: 5 years
- Two prior convictions: 7 years
- Three prior convictions: 10 years
- Four or more prior convictions: 20 years
Changes that took effect in July 2026 also require the court to identify the number of prior convictions it relied on when ordering registration. If the court does not specify the number, the registration period defaults to the period applicable to one prior conviction.
For someone facing a second qualifying case, this means the consequences of a conviction may continue well after probation, jail time, fines, or other parts of the criminal sentence have ended.
What Should You Know Before Pleading Guilty to a Domestic Violence Charge in Tennessee?
For a defendant with a prior domestic violence-related conviction, the immediate sentence is no longer the only issue to consider before resolving a new case. A plea may also determine whether the defendant becomes subject to Tennessee’s public domestic violence offender registry.
The Law Offices of Amanda J. Gentry can review the current charge, the alleged victim’s relationship to you, and your prior record to determine whether Savanna’s Law may apply. If you are facing a domestic violence charge in Tennessee and are concerned about registry consequences, contact our office before making decisions about a plea or other resolution of the case.
