EXHIBIT 5.1

                           [LETTERHEAD APPEARS HERE]

                                 July 21, 1998

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549

     Re:  PMT Services, Inc.
     Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We are acting as counsel to PMT Services, Inc., a Tennessee corporation 
(the "Company"), in connection with the registration under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the "Act"), of 413,123 shares of the Company's Common Stock,
$.01 par value per share (the "Shares"), to be sold by certain shareholders of
the Company (the "Selling Shareholders") pursuant to the above captioned
Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement"). We have examined the
Company's Amended and Restated Charter, as amended, its Bylaws as amended to
date, the record of shareholders, the record of proceedings of its shareholders
and directors, and the Registration Statement. We have also examined and relied
upon such records, documents and other instruments as in our judgment are
necessary or appropriate in order to express the opinions hereinafter set forth.

     Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that the Shares to be sold 
by the Selling Shareholders are duly and legally issued, fully paid and 
non-assessable.

     We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the 
Registration Statement.

                                   Very truly yours,

                                   /s/ Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis, PLLC