Tennessee Code Title 67. Taxes and Licenses § 67-4-105

(a) Every person, partnership or corporation engaged in any mercantile or other business requiring a license to engage in business shall, in order to obtain such license, make application for license in writing to the county clerk, the application to be signed by each and every member of any copartnership or association; and, when such application is made by an individual doing business under a trade name, the applicant shall sign the applicant's name to the application as the owner of such business, such application to be retained by the clerk in a book kept for that purpose, which shall be open to inspection to all parties desiring to inspect it.

(b) No license shall be issued by the clerk to any person, copartnership or corporation to engage in the mercantile or other business until application has been made for the license, as provided in this section and § 67-4-104.