Yes, if the property has any fossil-fuel-burning appliance, a fireplace, or an attached garage. According to TCA 68-120-112, CO detectors must be installed within 10 feet of each sleeping room in any short-term rental that meets any of these conditions. In practice, this covers nearly every cabin and vacation rental in Tennessee.
According to TCA 68-120-112, CO detectors are required in any building used for sleeping accommodations that has:
Even if exempt under state law, your municipality may still require them.
The statute defines "fossil fuel" as coal, kerosene, oil, fuel gases, or other petroleum or hydrocarbon products that emit carbon monoxide as a byproduct of combustion. In the Smoky Mountains, where most cabins have gas fireplaces or wood-burning stoves, the vast majority of properties trigger this requirement.
Measured from the CO detector to the door of the sleeping room
Per the Sevier County Fire Marshal's STRU inspection checklist, revised November 2024
According to TCA 68-120-112, CO detectors must be installed following either NFPA standards or manufacturer directions. They may be:
According to the Sevier County Fire Marshal's STRU inspection checklist, the county requires CO detectors within 10 feet of every fuel-burning, natural gas, or propane appliance, AND within 15 feet of the door of all bedrooms. This is a dual-distance requirement: one measured from the appliance, one measured from the bedroom.
For a typical multi-level cabin with a gas fireplace on the main level and bedrooms on multiple floors, this means you may need CO detectors on every level where there is either a fuel-burning appliance or a bedroom.
TCA 68-120-112 is a Class C misdemeanor. Each day a violation continues constitutes a separate offense. Additionally, failing the CO detector portion of a Sevier County STRU inspection means the property cannot operate until the deficiency is corrected and a re-inspection is passed.
According to TCA 68-120-112, the short-term rental unit provider is responsible for "performance of maintenance, repairs, and tests to ensure that every... carbon monoxide alarm required in the short-term rental unit is operational at all times." This is not a tenant responsibility. The operator must verify CO detector functionality between every guest stay.
Full reference Tennessee Vacation Rental Fire Safety Requirements (2026)TCA 68-120-112: Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms in residential buildings (2024 Tennessee Code via Justia)
Sevier County Fire Marshal STRU Inspection Items (Revised November 8, 2024)