To register a car in Tennessee, you need to visit your local county clerk’s office with your out-of-state title or bill of sale, a government-issued photo ID, two documents proving your Tennessee address, proof of liability insurance meeting state minimums, a completed multipurpose application, and enough money to cover sales tax, the state registration fee, and your county’s wheel tax. New residents have 30 days from their move date to get it done.
The 30-Day Clock for New Residents
If you just moved to Tennessee, you have 30 days from your move date to register your vehicle. Out-of-state students attending school in Tennessee are the main exception and may keep driving on their home state’s registration. If you bought the car from a Tennessee dealer, the dealer usually handles the temporary tag and sends paperwork over, but you are still responsible for finishing the title and registration at the county clerk’s office.
Documents to Bring
The paperwork sorts into three piles: proof of the vehicle, proof of who you are, and proof of where you live.
For the vehicle, bring your current out-of-state title or your most recent registration from your previous state. Still making payments? Bring the name and address of your lienholder in place of the title. If you bought from a private seller, add a bill of sale showing the purchase price, the date, and both parties’ names. For vehicles from model year 2007 or newer (for transfers in 2026), the seller must have signed an odometer disclosure statement showing the mileage at the time of sale. Older vehicles are exempt from that federal requirement.
For your identity, bring a valid Tennessee driver’s license or another government-issued photo ID. You will also need two separate documents proving your Tennessee address. Utility bills, bank statements, a current pay stub, or a voter registration card all qualify.
Proof of Insurance
Tennessee will not register a vehicle without proof of liability insurance meeting the state minimums: $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage. An insurance card or a declaration page from your insurer showing those limits satisfies the requirement at the clerk’s window.
The Multipurpose Application
The core form is the Application for Noting of Lien, Duplicate Title, or Multipurpose Use (form RV-F1315201). You can download it from the Tennessee Department of Revenue’s forms page or pick up a paper copy at any county clerk’s office. It asks for the vehicle identification number, make, model, year, purchase price, sale date, and your contact information. If there is a lienholder, their information goes on the form so the state knows who holds the title.
What It Will Cost
Sales tax is the biggest line item for most people. Tennessee charges a 7% state sales tax on the full purchase price. On top of that, the state levies a 2.75% single-article tax on the portion of the price between $1,600 and $3,200, with nothing above $3,200 subject to that additional rate. Your county’s local sales tax applies only to the first $1,600 of the purchase price, at rates ranging from 1.5% to 2.75% depending on where you live.
Already paid sales tax in another state? Tennessee will generally credit that amount, so you only owe the difference if Tennessee’s combined rate is higher. Bring documentation of the tax you paid.
The base state registration fee for a passenger vehicle is $26.50. Most counties also charge a wheel tax that funds local roads and schools, and the amount varies widely. Shelby County charges $50 for a personally owned vehicle. Montgomery County charges $74. Some rural counties charge considerably less. Call your county clerk’s office for the exact amount before your visit.
Paying by credit or debit card usually adds a convenience fee. Davidson County charges a 2% surcharge on card transactions, for example. If you want to avoid it, bring a check or cash.
Electric and Hybrid Surcharges
Owners of electric and hybrid vehicles pay an extra annual registration fee. For 2026, all-electric vehicles carry a $200 surcharge and plug-in hybrids carry a $100 surcharge. Starting January 1, 2027, the all-electric surcharge rises to $274 and will be adjusted annually for inflation after 2028.
Gifts and Inherited Vehicles
Gifted From a Family Member
If a qualifying family member is giving you the vehicle, you can avoid sales tax by filing an Affidavit of Non-Dealer Transfers with the county clerk. Tax-exempt relatives include spouses, parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, and the spouses of your children or grandchildren. Both the giver and the recipient must sign under penalty of perjury, confirming that no money changed hands (or confirming the actual sale price if it was a below-market deal). If the recipient is not a qualifying relative and the sale price is 75% or less of fair market value, the clerk will use fair market value from a pricing guide like the N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide to calculate sales tax.
Inherited
Registering an inherited vehicle depends on whether the deceased left a will. If a will exists and names an executor, bring the probated will or certified letters testamentary along with the certificate of title signed by the executor. If there is no will, all heirs must complete an affidavit of inheritance form and submit it with a copy of the death certificate. Either way, file everything through your local county clerk’s office with the standard title and registration application.
No Emissions Test
Tennessee ended its vehicle emissions testing program in January 2022. Five counties previously required inspections before registration, but that is no longer the case anywhere in the state. No vehicle inspection of any kind is required to register a car in Tennessee.
At the County Clerk’s Office
All registration happens at your local county clerk’s office. Most counties accept walk-ins, though larger offices like Davidson County also offer appointments. Bring every document, the completed application, and the full amount of taxes and fees. The clerk verifies everything, calculates your total, and processes the transaction on the spot. You leave with your license plates and registration decals, which means you can legally drive the vehicle immediately.
If you need to drive the vehicle before you have completed registration, the county clerk can issue a temporary operation permit for $10, valid for 30 days.
When Your Title Arrives
You will not receive your certificate of title at the clerk’s office. Titles are processed through the state’s central office and mailed. According to the Tennessee Department of Revenue, most titles go in the mail within 24 to 48 hours of processing. If there is a lienholder on the vehicle, the title goes to them. Keep your registration receipt in the vehicle as proof of ownership until the title arrives, and store the title somewhere secure once it does, because you will need it for any future sale or transfer.