(a) No person shall be required to obtain an annual registration certificate and license plates or to pay the fee prescribed therefor pursuant to this chapter for vehicles owned or used exclusively by volunteer lifesaving or first-aid crews or rescue squads; provided, that:

lawyer at desk

Ask a traffic law question, get an answer ASAP!
Thousands of highly rated, verified traffic lawyers.
Parking violations, accidents, DUI/DWI, licensing, registration, and more
Protect your vehicle and your rights with expert legal help now
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 55-4-127

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Department: means the department of revenue. See Tennessee Code 55-1-111
  • Person: means a natural person, firm, copartnership, association, corporation, or an engaged ADS. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Vehicle: means every device in, upon or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a highway, excepting devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
(1) The vehicle is used exclusively as a lifesaving, rescue, or first-aid vehicle and is not rented, leased or loaned to any private individual, firm or corporation;
(2) No charges are made by the organization for the use of the vehicles; and
(3) The organization is chartered by the state as a volunteer, nonprofit organization.
(b) The equipment must be painted a distinguishing color and conspicuously display in letters and figures, not less than three inches (3″) in height, the identity of the volunteer lifesaving or first-aid crew or rescue squad having control of its operation; provided, that the equipment be used exclusively for lifesaving, first-aid, or rescue activities.
(c) Before the equipment may be operated upon the highways of this state without license plates, there must be filed with the department a certification by the county clerk of the county in which the equipment is based, certifying a description of the equipment and the name of the lifesaving or first-aid crew, or rescue squad.
(d) “Rescue squad,” as used in this section, means only those persons or organizations who are members of the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads, except that in counties having a population of six hundred thousand (600,000) or more, according to the 1970 federal census or any subsequent federal census, “rescue squad” includes persons and organizations which meet the requirements of this section but who are not members of the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Part 1 Contents