Council for Hearing Instrument Specialists
Licenses and regulates those qualified to dispense and fit hearing instruments in Tennessee.About
- Canceled - Notice of Rulemaking Hearing to be held on October 20, 2023
- Notice of Rulemaking Hearing to be held on December 15, 2023
About the Council for Hearing Instruments Specialists
The Council for Licensing Hearing Instrument Specialists was created in 1995 by an act of the State Legislature. This Council is under the Board of Communication Disorders and Sciences, formerly the Board of Hearing Aid Dispensers (created in 1979). Its mission is to safeguard the health, safety, and welfare of Tennesseans by ensuring that all that practice the profession of dispensing and fitting hearing instruments are qualified. The Council, in conjunction with the Board of Communication Disorders and Sciences, interprets the laws, rules, and regulations to determine the appropriate standards of practice in an effort to ensure the highest degree of professional conduct. The Council is authorized to issue a license to qualified applicants who have completed appropriate education and successfully completed required examinations. The Council is also responsible for the investigation of alleged violations of the Practice Act and rules and is responsible for the discipline of licensees who are found guilty of such violations.
The administrative staff of the Division of Health Related Boards supports the Committee by issuing licenses to those who meet the requirements of the law and rules. Renewal notices are mailed from Board’s administrative office approximately forty-five (45) days prior to the expiration of the license to the current address on record. For those licensees who have "opted in," an email will be sent to the email address on file approximately seventy (70) days prior to the expiration date of the license. This is the only reminder a licensee shall receive. Licensees are responsible for renewing their license on time and keeping the Board apprised of current information. Licenses can be renewed on-line seventy (70) days prior to expiration at https://apps.tn.gov/hlrs/. Click on "renew license" and follow the prompts. Failure to renew by the expiration date may result in a fine.
The five (5) member Council meets throughout the year to conduct administrative business. The meetings are open to the public. All members of the Council are appointed by the Governor and serve five (5) year terms.
Contact
Contact the Council for Hearing Instruments Specialists
Call (615) 741-5735 local or 1-800-778-4123 nationwide
Unit1HRB.Health@tn.gov
665 Mainstream Drive, 2nd Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
Applying for Licensure
When completing the application process below, you will be required to submit an official transcript from the institution where you completed your education. The transcript must be mailed directly from the educational institution to the board office located at 665 Mainstream Drive, Nashville, TN 37243 or emailed directly to our office at Unit1HRB.Health@tn.gov.
Effective immediately, anyone coming in person to complete their application, speak to an administrator, or paying a fee will be required to have an appointment. This will ensure excellent customer service. To schedule an appointment please email Unit1HRB.Health@tn.gov. An administrator will contact you with a date and time.
Applications
Applying for initial licensure from your professional licensing board has become a bit easier. The Department of Health has been working on an online application process that will allow all health care professionals to apply online for an initial license and complete (and update as necessary) a practitioner profile mandatory for certain professions. The process is user friendly and convenient and even allows you to pay for your initial application utilizing a credit card, debit card or e-check. You will also be able to upload many of the documents required to complete your initial application! Please go to the initial application link below to begin the online process.
For mailing documents please send to: Council for Licensing Hearing Instrument Specialists; 665 Mainstream Dr.; Nashville TN 37243
- Application for Licensure as a Hearing Instrument Specialist (Paper Application: PH-3559)
- Declaration of Citizenship (PH-4183)
- Declaration of Eligibility for Expedited Licensure Process for a Military Member (PH-4279)
- Declaration of Eligibility for Expedited Licensure Process for a Spouse of Military Member (PH-4280)
- HIS Apprentice Supervision Form
- Physician's Form
- Out of State Verification Form
- Affidavit of Retirement From Practice in Tennessee (PH-3460)
- Name and Address Change Request (PH-3619)
- Reinstatement Application (PH-4049)
- Criminal Background Check Instructions
- Practical Skills Examination Proctor Application (PH-4452)
Meetings, Members, & Minutes
Meeting Schedule
Public Notices will remain online until the minutes are ratified and posted on the Meeting Minutes page.
Unless otherwise noted, all events take place at 665 Mainstream Drive, MetroCenter.
Members
| Member | Position | Representation | Term Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vacant |
Member |
Hearing Instrument Specialist | 06-30-2022 |
| Sammi Jean Wyatt | Member | Hearing Instrument Specialist | 06-30-2026 |
| Dr. Bruce L. Fetterman, MD | Member | Physician | 06-30-2022 |
| Amanda N. Yarnell | Member | Hearing Instrument Specialist | 06-30-2024 |
| Lordy Dell Smith | Member | Citizen | 06-30-2024 |
Meeting Minutes
Copies of all minutes are maintained in the official record section of the administrative office.
Please contact the board administrator to make arrangements to review minutes of meetings held prior to 2004.
- July 11, 2025
- January 17, 2025
- October 18, 2024
- August 1, 2024
- March 1, 2024
- December 15, 2023
- July 28, 2023
- February 24, 2023
- October 31, 2022
- July 29, 2022
- January 28, 2022
- October 22, 2021
- June 18, 2021
- February 19, 2021
- November 10, 2020
- October 16,2020
- July 17, 2020
- February 28, 2020
- September 20, 2019
- May 17, 2019
- February 01, 2019
- September 28, 2018
- May 18, 2018
- February 2, 2018
- September 22, 2017
- May 12, 2017
- January 20, 2017
- September 23, 2016
- July 12, 2016 Emergency Telephonic Meeting
- June 13, 2016 Emergency Telephonic Meeting
- May 13, 2016
- February 26, 2016
- October 30, 2015 Emergency Telephonic Meeting
- September 25, 2015
- May 8, 2015
- March 27, 2015
- January 30, 2015 (Meeting canceled)
- October 23, 2014
- June 26, 2014
- February 27, 2014
- December 13, 2013
- September 12, 2013
- July 16, 2013
- March 22, 2013
Continuing Education
Each licensee registered with the Council is required to successfully complete twenty (20) hours of continuing education during the two (2) calendar years (January 1 - December 31) that precede the licensure renewal year.
Two (2) hours of the twenty (20) hour requirement shall pertain to Tennessee statutes and rules concerning hearing instrument specialists.
Calibration Certificates - Each licensee registered with the Council is required to retain calibration of equipment certificates for each audiometer used at his/her place of business during the calendar year.
Bills of Sale - Each licensee registered with the Council is required to retain copies of bills of sale for each hearing aid sold at his/her place of business during the calendar year.
At this time, it is not required that licensees register for an account but the board is encouraging licensees utilize this as a tool to assist in the tracking of the required continuing education. CE Broker is the official tracking system for the Tennessee Board of Hearing Instruments Specialists. The Board has provided you with a free Basic Account, so you'll have their helpful CE tracking tools right at your fingertips.
Free Access
Within the free Basic Account, you will have access to your Course History and CE Compliance Status. This lists all of the courses which have been reported thus far and indicates whether or not you have satisfied your renewal requirements. From here, you may easily find and report any CE that might be missing. CE Broker is 100% free to use and you will never have to pay to access all of the necessary tools to renew your license!
How to activate your free CE Broker account
Activating your free Basic Account provided to you by your board is a simple 3-step process.
1 | Visit https://cebroker.com/tn/account/basic/
2 | Next, enter your license number
3| Then, start tracking your continuing education!
Comprehensive Course Search
One of the best free tools CE Broker provides is the Course Search. You can easily find every course needed to successfully complete your license renewal, with just a few clicks! After you are finished with each course, educational providers will report the credits directly into CE Broker for you - but you should always retain a copy of the certificates for your records. To find courses, visit courses.cebroker.com/search/tn and select your profession.
Helpful Support Center
CE Broker provides dedicated support 8AM- 8PM ET, Monday through Friday, with a team of experts trained on the rules and regulations of the Tennessee Board of Hearing Instruments Specialists. You can reach them by phone at 877-434-6323, or via email and live chat. For additional information and helpful guides, please visit: https://help.cebroker.com/
Other Benefits of using CE Broker
Track and know precisely how many hours you've completed and how many hours are remaining;
Available convenience features like a personalized transcript and a personal account manager;
Bring CE compliance wherever you go with the CE Broker mobile app (available for Iphone and Android).
Requirements
Educational Programs
An individual seeking licensure as a hearing instrument specialist or apprentice must have completed two years of course work, or its equivalent, from an accredited college or university.
Frequently Asked Questions
8am-4:pm central standard time.
The administrators can be reached at 615-741-5735 or by email Unit1HRB.Heatlh@tn.gov.
If you have previously created an account in this licensure system, but cannot recall your Username and/or password, please click the appropriate Forgot Password or Forgot User ID link to recover your account credentials.
If you have forgotten or do know the email address used to create your account, you can contact the board administrators at 615-741-5735 local or 800-778-4123 nationwide, or email Unit1HRB.Health@tn.gov to update or retrieve your email address.
A provider must be licensed in the state of Tennessee to provide treatment to a client in Tennessee or operated in a free clinic environment.
Unless in a free clinic environment, the provider must be licensed in Tennessee, and the client must be in Tennessee.
Policies, Rules, & Statutes
Policies
- Receiving Continuing Education for Remote Attendance of Board Meetings
- Effective Policy for Practical Examination Proctors
- Practical Exam Time Limit for Taking the Exam
- Continuing Education
- Policy for Nonpayment of Council Operations Fee
- Lapsed License - Revised 2025
- Renewal of Licensees Called to Active Military Duty
- Policy Statement, May 13, 1998
- Policy Statement, Practical Examination, August 9, 2016
Rules
Click here for Rules and Regulations pertaining to the Tennessee Council for Hearing Instruments Specialist
Statutes
Statutes are proposed and made law by the Tennessee State General Assembly (Legislature). The Board, following specific notice requirements and hearings, adopts rules. Both have the force of law and may be used in the regulation of a profession. The statutes pertaining to this Board are found at
T.C.A. 63-1 (Division of Health Related Boards) and T.C.A. 63-17 Part 2 (Hearing Instrument Specialists).
Click here to review the Tennessee Code Annotated. (This link will take you to a website that is not maintained by the Tennessee Department of Health).
This Page Last Updated: January 20, 2026 at 9:52 AM