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Carter Lawrence

Commissioner
Commerce & Insurance

Carter Lawrence serves as the Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance and the State Fire Marshal. Before his appointment to Governor Lee’s cabinet, Lawrence served in a variety of roles in the Department, including Chief Deputy Commissioner, Chief Operating Officer, and Assistant Commissioner. He has spearheaded initiatives to lower fees on licensed professionals, increase customer service through better tools for customers, and has advocated for the removal of overly burdensome regulations.

As Tennessee’s Commissioner of Commerce and Insurance and State Fire Marshal, Lawrence is responsible for the divisions of insurance, fire prevention, regulatory boards – including twenty-six regulatory entities, TennCare Oversight, Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, Tennessee Police Officer Standards and Training Commission, and the administratively attached Tennessee Emergency Communications Board.

In 2020, the department collected approximately $1.25 billion in fees and premium taxes which go to the state’s general fund.

On behalf of the Governor’s administration, Commissioner Lawrence has served on several initiatives including: the Tennessee Economic Recovery Group, Law Enforcement Training Advisory Council, and the historic economic development announcement of Ford Motor Company’s Blue Oval City.

Lawrence is an attorney who studied law at the University of Tennessee, where he also obtained a Master of Business Administration. For undergraduate studies, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College in Illinois. Lawrence is a Nashville-area native. He and his wife, Amy, are the proud parents of three children and attend Nashville’s Church of the Redeemer. 

Lawrence remains focused on leading Commerce and Insurance to protect Tennesseans through balanced oversight of insurance and regulated professions while enhancing consumer advocacy, education, and public safety.