A Tennessee vehicle title transfer happens at your county clerk’s office: the seller signs the certificate of title over to you, you bring that title along with identification, an odometer disclosure if the vehicle qualifies, and payment for sales tax and fees, and the state mails your new certificate of title within about two weeks. Every ownership change requires a new title, whether the vehicle was bought, gifted, or inherited, and you should not drive the vehicle on public roads until the registration and title application have been filed.1Tennessee County Clerk. Transfer of Ownership
What the Seller Must Do First
Under T.C.A. § 55-3-118, the seller endorses an assignment and warranty of title on the back of the certificate, discloses any outstanding liens, and delivers the signed title to the buyer at the time of sale.2Justia. Tennessee Code 55-3-118 – Transfer of Title You then sign as the purchaser in the first reassignment space on the back of the title.
When two or more people own the vehicle jointly, every owner listed on the title must sign. The exception: if the names are joined by “or” rather than “and,” a single owner’s signature is enough.2Justia. Tennessee Code 55-3-118 – Transfer of Title
If a lender still holds the certificate because the seller has an outstanding loan, the seller may execute a separate notarized bill of sale that includes the lender’s name and address in place of signing the title itself.2Justia. Tennessee Code 55-3-118 – Transfer of Title The cleaner path is for the seller to pay off the loan and obtain a lien release before the sale, because an active lien complicates your title application.
What to Bring to the County Clerk
Gather everything before you go. A missing document means a wasted trip. For a used vehicle transfer, Tennessee requires:
- The properly assigned certificate of title, signed over by the seller.
- An odometer disclosure statement for any vehicle with a model year less than 20 years old, on a separate form if the title itself lacks space.
- Proof of identification and residency: a valid Tennessee driver’s license or photo ID, plus a document showing your current address if it differs from the ID.
- A copy of your current registration, only if you are transferring an existing license plate from another vehicle.
- An Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers, required for gifts, transfers to certain relatives, and any sale at 75 percent or less of the vehicle’s fair market value.
This checklist comes from the Tennessee Department of Revenue’s guidance for current residents titling a used vehicle.3Tennessee Department of Revenue. VT-1 – Documents Needed to Title a Vehicle (Current Resident)
If you cannot appear at the counter, someone else can act for you using Tennessee’s Power of Attorney for Vehicle Transactions (Form RV-F1311401). The form must be completed in full because any blank field or alteration voids it, and both you and the person acting for you need to provide a photocopy of identification.4Tennessee Department of Revenue. Power of Attorney for Vehicle Transactions
Odometer Disclosure Rules
Both parties acknowledge the vehicle’s mileage at the time of transfer. The seller records the reading on the title or on a separate odometer disclosure statement and certifies it as accurate; you sign to acknowledge what the seller certified.5Tennessee County Clerk. Odometer Overview
Federal rules from NHTSA changed the exemption window starting January 1, 2021. Vehicles with model year 2011 or newer require odometer disclosure for the first 20 years after manufacture, so a 2011 model will not be exempt until January 1, 2031. Vehicles with a 2010 model year or older remain exempt under the previous 10-year rule and no longer need a disclosure.6Tennessee Department of Revenue. VT-4 – Odometer Disclosure and Exemption For 2026, that means any vehicle with a model year of 2007 or newer needs a disclosure.
Match the mileage, VIN, and vehicle description on the disclosure to the certificate of title exactly. Mismatched documents are one of the most common reasons a clerk flags an application for correction, and fixing the error usually means both parties signing a new disclosure or a general affidavit.
Gifts and Family Transfers
Some transfers between family members are exempt from Tennessee sales tax. The tax-exempt relatives are spouses, siblings, parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, along with the spouses of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.7Tennessee Department of Revenue. Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers of Motor Vehicles and Boats
To claim the exemption, complete the Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers (Form F-1301201) and bring it to the county clerk with your other documents.8Tennessee Department of Revenue. Title and Registration Forms The same affidavit is required for a gift to anyone, or for any sale priced at 75 percent or less of fair market value, with fair market value tied to a standard pricing guide such as the N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide, SE Edition.7Tennessee Department of Revenue. Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers of Motor Vehicles and Boats The affidavit is signed under penalty of perjury, so reporting a fake low price to avoid tax carries real risk of assessment, penalties, and interest.
Taxes and Fees at the Counter
The county clerk collects everything at the time of the transaction.
Sales Tax
Tennessee charges a 7 percent state sales tax on the full purchase price. A state single-article tax of 2.25 percent applies to the portion of the price between $1,600.01 and $3,200.9Tennessee Department of Revenue. VTR-34 – Sales Tax on a Vehicle Purchase Counties may add a local option sales tax of up to 2.75 percent, but only on the first $1,600 of the purchase price.10Justia. Tennessee Code 67-6-702 – Tax Authorized If you traded in a vehicle, sales tax applies to the net difference between the purchase price and the trade-in credit.11Justia. Tennessee Code 67-6-510 – Computation on Trade-Ins
Title and Registration Fees
The state title fee is $13.12Shelby County, TN. Privately Owned Vehicles If a lender has a security interest in the vehicle, add $11 per lien noted on the title. The state registration fee is $29. Many counties also charge a wheel tax that ranges from $10 to $100.13CTAS. Wheel Taxes Davidson County charges $55, Lake County $100, Pickett County $10. Call your county clerk before you go so the total does not catch you off guard.
A Worked Example
Buy a used truck for $20,000 in Davidson County. State sales tax is $1,400 (7 percent of $20,000). The state single-article tax adds $36 (2.25 percent of the $1,600 between $1,600.01 and $3,200). Davidson County’s local option tax adds another $36 (2.25 percent of the first $1,600). Add the $13 title fee, $29 registration, and $55 wheel tax, and you are looking at roughly $1,569 before any plate or postage fees.14Tennessee Department of Revenue. County Clerk Sales and Use Tax Manual for Automobiles and Boats
Driving the Vehicle and Receiving the Title
Tennessee law requires you to apply for registration and a certificate of title before operating the vehicle on any highway.1Tennessee County Clerk. Transfer of Ownership The statute has no grace period; the obligation attaches before the first drive. If the vehicle will be used right after the sale, plan to visit the county clerk that same day or arrange transport.
Once the clerk processes your transaction, titles are batched for printing overnight. The Department of Revenue says most titles are in the mail within 24 to 48 hours of processing,15Tennessee Department of Revenue. VTR-4 – When Title Can Be Expected in the Mail and most buyers receive the physical title within about two weeks of the application date. The receipt from the county clerk serves as temporary proof of ownership and registration until the title arrives.
If the Seller Cannot Find the Title
No title, no transfer. The owner must apply for a duplicate first, through their county clerk’s office, either in person or by mail, using the Multi-Purpose, Noting of Lien, and Duplicate Title Application. The fee is $14, and in-person applicants need a valid photo ID.16Tennessee Department of Revenue. Duplicate Title
If any liens remain on the vehicle, only the lienholder can request the duplicate, and the replacement will be mailed to the first lienholder on record. Proof that all liens have been discharged is required when the owner applies directly. If someone other than the owner submits the request, that person needs a power of attorney from the owner and their own photo ID.16Tennessee Department of Revenue. Duplicate Title
Be cautious about buying a vehicle when the seller cannot produce the title. A duplicate takes time to process, and there is no way to confirm whether undisclosed liens exist until the state runs its records. Wait for the seller to have the duplicate in hand before money changes places.