{"id":376456,"date":"2016-03-31T21:36:48","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/tennessee-law\/tennessee-indecent-exposure-laws.html"},"modified":"2016-06-20T23:00:00","modified_gmt":"2016-06-21T04:00:00","slug":"tennessee-indecent-exposure-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/tennessee-law\/tennessee-indecent-exposure-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee Indecent Exposure Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Tennessee Indecent Exposure Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

Tennessee prohibits both indecent exposure<\/a> and public indecency, essentially prohibiting sexual activity in public, public nudity, and genital exposure to adults or children for sexual gratification. The details of Tennessee’s indecent exposure laws are outlined below.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Code Section<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Tennessee Code Section 39-13-511: Public Indecency & Indecent Exposure<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

What Is Prohibited?<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

In Tennessee, three forms of indecent behavior in public are prohibited:<\/p>\r\n

Penalties<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Public indecency is a Class B misdemeanor punishable only by a fine of $500 for the first or second offense. The third or subsequent offense is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by $1,500 fine and not more than 11 months and 29 days in jail<\/a>. If the defendant was working at the time of the incident, the employer may be liable for the fine, but only if the employer knew or should have known of the employee’s acts.<\/p>\r\n

Indecent exposure is a Class B misdemeanor unless the defendant is 18 or older and the victim is under 13, in which case it’s a Class A misdemeanor. If the defendant is 18 or older, the victim is under 13, and the defendant has two or more prior convictions for any of these crimes, then it is a Class E Felony. Class E felonies can be punished by 1-6 years in prison and a fine up to $3,000. Additionally for three or more convictions<\/a> of indecent exposure, you will be required to register as a sex offender<\/a> in Tennessee.<\/p>\r\n

Indecent Exposure while Incarcerated is a Class A misdemeanor, even if committed by a child under 18 while in a juvenile detention facility.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Defenses<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

The Tennessee indecent exposure statute provides several defenses specific to various circumstances:<\/p>\r\n