(a) Any motor vehicle or motor vehicle component part with identification numbers or distinguishing numbers or marks that have been altered, counterfeited, defaced, destroyed, disguised, falsified, forged, obliterated, or removed shall be seized, forfeited, and disposed of in accordance with § 55-5-108.
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 55-5-204

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Chop shop: means any building, lot, or other premises where one (1) or more persons knew, or should have known, that they were engaged in altering, destroying, disassembling, dismantling, reassembling, or storing any motor vehicle or motor vehicle component part that was obtained by theft, or any other unlawful means to either:
    (A) Alter, counterfeit, deface, destroy, disguise, falsify, forge, obliterate or remove the identity, including the vehicle identification number of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle component part, or to prevent the identification of the motor vehicle or motor vehicle component part. See Tennessee Code 55-5-202
  • Motor vehicle: includes every device in, upon, or by which any person or property may be transported or drawn upon a highway, that is self-propelled or which may be connected to and towed by a self-propelled device, and shall also include any and all devices which are self-propelled but are not designed for use upon a highway, including, but not limited to, farm machinery, construction equipment, and water craft. See Tennessee Code 55-5-202
  • Motor vehicle component part: includes any and all parts installed upon the "motor vehicle" including, but not limited to, engines, transmissions, vehicle bodies, chassis, doors, deck lids, front end clips (fenders and grill), seats, differentials, tires, wheels, steering wheels, air bags, automobile radios, automobile tape players, and bumpers. See Tennessee Code 55-5-202
  • Person: includes a natural person, company, corporation, unincorporated association, partnership, professional corporation, and any other legal entity. See Tennessee Code 55-5-202
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • 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
  • Vehicle identification number: means :
    (A) A number or numbers, a letter or set of letters, a character or set of characters, a derivative or derivatives, or a combination thereof, used by the manufacturer for the purpose of uniquely identifying a motor vehicle or motor vehicle component part. See Tennessee Code 55-5-202
(b) Any tool, implement, or instrumentality used:

(1) To alter, destroy, disassemble, dismantle, or reassemble a stolen motor vehicle or stolen motor vehicle component part;
(2) To alter, counterfeit, deface, forge, obliterate, or remove the motor vehicle identification number; or
(3) In transportation, disposal, or sale of stolen motor vehicles or stolen motor vehicle component parts, is declared to be contraband and may be seized by a member of a state or local law enforcement agency and subject to forfeiture in accordance with this part.
(c) When property is seized pursuant to this section, the seizing agency shall remove the property to a place designated by that agency for safe storage pending disposition.
(d) No civil liability shall be attached to any law enforcement officer acting in good faith in regard to the seizure and forfeiture of motor vehicles, motor vehicle component parts, or tools, implements, or instrumentalities pursuant to this section.
(e) For purposes of clarifying this section and consistent with the overall remedial purpose of asset forfeitures, property is subject to seizure and forfeiture upon the arrest of a person who owns, operates or conducts a chop shop, or transports any motor vehicle or motor vehicle component part to or from a chop shop, or sells, transfers, purchases or receives any motor vehicle or motor vehicle component part to or from a chop shop.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Part 2 Contents