Tenn. Code Ann. § 9-19-104

Any issuer of fully registered public obligations is authorized to appoint a registration agent or agents and paying agent or agents with respect to the issuance, exchange and transfer of such public obligations or to maintain records so that public obligations in book-entry form may be effected, with such duties as shall be determined by the issuer. Any such registration agent may be a bank, trust company, financial institution or other financial intermediary within or without this state, including the federal government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities. The state funding board is authorized to adopt such guidelines as it deems necessary relative to the qualifications that such bank, trust company, financial institution, or other financial intermediary must meet to qualify as a registration agent or paying agent for any fully registered public obligations to be issued by any issuer in Tennessee. Any issuer may act as its own registration agent and paying agent in accordance with such terms and conditions as may be established by the state funding board. Any issuer, including the state of Tennessee, may, upon approval by the state funding board, appoint the state of Tennessee, acting by and through the comptroller of the treasury, as registration agent and the state of Tennessee, acting by and through the state treasurer, as paying agent.