By Samantha Paul A disputed subscription charge or a merchant’s refusal to honor a refund can turn into weeks of unanswered emails. Tennessee residents have a state consumer complaint process designed to get the business and customer communicating in writing. What matters is understanding the scope of that process: the Division of Consumer Affairs facilitates voluntary resolutions, but it does not issue a court judgment or promise to recover money for the person who files.
The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office houses that division. Below are its current contact numbers, the official complaint links, filing instructions and the response timetable the division publishes.
Who Is the Current Attorney General of Tennessee?
As of October 15, 2026, Jonathan Skrmetti is Tennessee’s Attorney General and Reporter. He began serving in September 2022 and remains in office according to the department’s 2026 announcements. Unlike states that elect their attorney general in a statewide popular vote, Tennessee’s attorney general is selected by the state Supreme Court.
The office handles state legal work, civil enforcement and consumer-protection litigation. Its Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) receives individual complaints and operates an informal mediation program, while the Consumer Protection Division can pursue enforcement on behalf of the state. The Attorney General cannot serve as an individual complainant’s lawyer.
Tennessee Attorney General Contact Numbers
Tennessee’s general office and the DCA have different numbers. Contact the consumer staff for a business complaint rather than calling the office’s main switchboard:
- Attorney General main office: (615) 741-3491 — general inquiries.
- Division of Consumer Affairs: (615) 741-4737 — complaint questions and case follow-up.
- Consumer toll-free number: 1-800-342-8385 — available to callers inside Tennessee.
- Consumer Affairs email: consumer.affairs@ag.tn.gov — official consumer correspondence.
- Consumer Affairs fax: (615) 532-4994 — paper complaint submissions.
- Attorney General general fax: (615) 741-2009 — not the DCA complaint fax.
Tennessee Attorney General Office Address
Attorney General mailing address: Office of the Attorney General and Reporter, P.O. Box 20207, Nashville, TN 37202-0207.
Consumer complaint mailing address: Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, Tennessee Attorney General’s Office, P.O. Box 20207, Nashville, TN 37202-0207.
Both routes use the same published post-office box. Label mailed complaints for the Division of Consumer Affairs, and include the signed official form. The division accepts faxed or emailed forms too, although those methods may take longer to process than online filing.
How to File a Complaint With the Tennessee Attorney General
For a consumer complaint, use the designated intake process below rather than a general office inquiry. Other allegation types may require separate agencies or forms.
Step 1: Confirm that Tennessee has a connection to the dispute
Start at https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/working-for-tennessee/consumer/file-a-complaint.html. To qualify for the division’s mediation service, at least one of these must apply: the consumer lives in Tennessee, the business is in Tennessee or the transaction happened in Tennessee. Matters already litigated in court may fall outside the mediation program.
Step 2: Contact the business before filing
The state advises consumers to approach the merchant first, then a manager, owner or corporate office. Save the requests you made and the replies or lack of replies. If the dispute remains unresolved, identify the date, amount, product or service, the precise problem and the outcome you will consider acceptable.
Step 3: Choose the official online complaint or signed paper form
Use the Online Complaint link on the DCA page. Its system sends an automatically generated email containing a PDF copy of your filing. Alternatively, complete the printable complaint form and send it by mail to P.O. Box 20207, by fax to (615) 532-4994 or by email to consumer.affairs@ag.tn.gov. Sign and date a paper form.
Step 4: Provide documents while protecting sensitive data
Attach copies of invoices, promises, receipts and relevant communications. Tennessee specifically instructs paper filers not to send originals, not to staple materials and to redact Social Security, driver’s license, bank and card numbers. All consumer complaints are subject to the Tennessee Public Records Act, and the complaint is ordinarily sent to the business in its entirety.
Step 5: Save the complaint and track the correct milestones
After processing, DCA generally notifies the consumer within 14 days of specialist assignment and forwarding to the business, although high volume can extend the period. The business receives 21 days to reply. If it does not answer, the division sends a second letter allowing 14 more days. Include your file number when contacting the assigned specialist.
What Happens After You File a Complaint?
Tennessee’s consumer specialist sends the full complaint to the business and requests a written answer. The division forwards any response to the consumer, who may accept it or submit a rebuttal. This exchange is informal mediation, not a decision that the merchant has violated the law. Tennessee reports that the average mediation period from opening to closing is about 90 days, though individual cases vary.
DCA cannot force a business to settle or sue only to recover someone’s private money or property. If the exchange fails, the consumer may pursue a card dispute, small claims court or advice from independent counsel where appropriate. Complaint trends may separately inform broader consumer-protection enforcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can someone outside Tennessee use the complaint process?
Yes, potentially. The division says its mediation process may be available when the business is in Tennessee or the transaction occurred there, even if the complainant lives elsewhere.
Q. Will I receive a copy of the business’s response?
Yes. DCA says it forwards a responding company’s written answer to the consumer, who may accept it or send a rebuttal for further mediation.
Q. How long should I allow before asking for an update?
Allow time for initial processing, usually up to 14 days, and then respect the 21-day response window given to the company. Use the contact details of your assigned specialist and include your case number.
Q. Will Tennessee keep the complaint confidential?
Do not assume so. The division says consumer complaints are subject to the state Public Records Act. It also forwards the full complaint to the business as part of its mediation process.