(a) In addition to title, registration, transfer or other fees or taxes otherwise applicable under this title, persons applying for and receiving registration plates under this part shall pay additional fees as follows:

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 55-4-204

  • Amendment: A proposal to alter the text of a pending bill or other measure by striking out some of it, by inserting new language, or both. Before an amendment becomes part of the measure, thelegislature must agree to it.
  • Department: means the department of revenue. See Tennessee Code 55-1-111
  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Police officer: means every officer authorized to direct or regulate traffic or to make arrests for violations of traffic regulations. 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
  • 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) Antique motor vehicle – thirty dollars ($30.00), pursuant to § 55-4-111(a)(1) Class C and as provided for in § 55-4-111(b);
(2) Dealers, as provided for in § 55-4-226;
(3) Disabled – regular fee applicable to the vehicle, except as expressly provided otherwise in § 55-21-103;
(4) Emergency:

(A) Amateur radio:

(i) Regular fee applicable to the vehicle, if the applicant meets the qualifications of § 55-4-225(e); or
(ii) Twenty-five dollars ($25.00), if the applicant does not meet the qualifications of § 55-4-225(e);
(B) On-call surgical personnel – regular fee applicable to the vehicle and as provided for in § 55-4-223(i);
(C) Police officer – regular fee applicable to the vehicle and as provided for in § 55-4-223(f);
(D) Regular fee applicable to the vehicle and as provided for in § 55-4-223 for the following special purpose plates:

(i) Auxiliary police;
(ii) Civil air patrol;
(iii) Civil defense;
(iv) Constables;
(v) Emergency services squad, including, but not limited to, emergency medical technicians, paramedics, emergency medical technician-paramedics, other emergency medical services providers or emergency medical responders, or physicians or nurses on the scene or accompanying or attending a patient in an ambulance;
(vi) Rescue squad; and
(vii) Emergency communication dispatchers;
(E) Tennessee state guard – regular fee applicable to the vehicle and a fee proportionately equal to the cost of actually designing and manufacturing the plates to ensure that the issuance of the plates is revenue neutral; provided, that the fee shall only be applicable upon initial issuance or reissuance of the plates provided for in this section and shall not be applicable at the time of renewal;
(F) Trauma nurses – regular fee applicable to the vehicle and as provided for in § 55-4-223(h);
(G) Trauma physicians – regular fee applicable to the vehicle and as provided for in § 55-4-223(g); and
(H) United States coast guard auxiliary – regular fee applicable to the vehicle and a fee proportionately equal to the cost of actually designing and manufacturing the plates to ensure that the issuance of the plates is revenue neutral; provided, that the fee shall only be applicable upon initial issuance or reissuance of the plates provided for in this section and shall not be applicable at the time of renewal;
(5) Firefighter – regular fee applicable to the vehicle and as provided for in § 55-4-224;
(6) General assembly – twenty-five dollars ($25.00);
(7) Government service – as provided for in § 55-4-219;
(8) Judiciary – twenty-five dollars ($25.00);
(9) National guard: enlisted, officers, retirees and honorably discharged members – as provided for in § 55-4-255;
(10) Physician – twenty-five dollars ($25.00);
(11) Sheriff – twenty-five dollars ($25.00);
(12) [Deleted by 2023 amendment.]
(13) United States house of representatives – twenty-five dollars ($25.00);
(14) United States judge – twenty-five dollars ($25.00);
(15) United States senate – twenty-five dollars ($25.00);
(16) Regular fee as provided for in Class H of § 55-4-111(a)(1) and as provided for in part 7 of this chapter for Class I off-highway vehicles and Class II off-highway vehicles; and
(17) Legislator Emeritus – twenty-five dollars ($25.00).
(b) The following plates shall be issued free of charge and in the number specified by the section authorizing the issuance of the individual plate; provided, that the appropriate criteria are met by the applicant:

Memorial:

(1) Air Force Cross recipients;
(2) Air Medal (Valor) recipients;
(3) Bronze Star (Valor) recipients;
(4) Disabled Veterans, including those disabled veterans who choose to receive the Purple Heart plate pursuant to § 55-4-257(e);
(5) Distinguished Flying Cross recipients;
(6) Distinguished Service Cross recipients;
(7) Former Prisoner of War;
(8) Gold star family;
(9) Holder of the Purple Heart;
(10) Medal of Honor recipients;
(11) Navy Cross recipients; and
(12) Silver Star recipients.
(c)

(1) The following military cultural plates shall be issued upon the payment of the regular registration fee and a fee equal to the cost of actually designing and manufacturing the plates; provided, that the issuance of these plates shall be revenue neutral:

(A) 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne);
(B) Air Medal (Meritorious) recipients;
(C) Army ranger;
(D) Blue Star family;
(E) Bronze Star (Meritorious) recipients;
(F) Coast Guard Medal;
(G) Coast Guard Commendation Medal;
(H) Combat Action Badge;
(I) Combat Infantryman Badge;
(J) Combat Medical Badge;
(K) Combat veterans;
(L) Disabled Veteran (service-connected);
(M) “Enemy Evadees,” as certified by the department of veterans services, pursuant to § 55-4-263;
(N) Honorably discharged veterans of the United States armed forces, pursuant to § 55-4-253;
(O) Legion of Merit recipients;
(P) Marine Corps League;
(Q) Paratrooper;
(R) Pearl Harbor survivors, pursuant to § 55-4-262;
(S) Presidential Service Badge;
(T) Rakkasans;
(U) Submarine veteran;
(V) Tennessee woman veteran, pursuant to § 55-4-267;
(W) United States military, active forces, pursuant to § 55-4-252;
(X) United States military, honorably discharged members, pursuant to § 55-4-252;
(Y) United States military, retired, pursuant to § 55-4-252;
(Z) United States reserve forces, honorably discharged members, pursuant to § 55-4-252;
(AA) United States reserve forces, pursuant to § 55-4-254;
(BB) United States reserve forces, retired, pursuant to § 55-4-252; and
(CC) Women Veterans of Color.
(2) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the payment of the fee equal to the cost of actually designing and manufacturing the plates provided in subdivision (c)(1) shall only be applicable upon initial issuance or reissuance of the plates specified in subdivision (c)(1) and shall not be applicable at the time of renewal.
(d) All other cultural, specialty earmarked and new specialty earmarked plates authorized by this part shall be issued upon the payment of a fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00), in addition to the regular registration fee, in accordance with § 55-4-202(b)(2).
(e) OEM headquarters company plates shall be issued free of charge as provided for in § 55-4-227.
(f) For purposes related to this chapter, the department may authorize the state treasurer to establish a program for the sale of nonrefundable gift vouchers, gift cards, rebates, incentives, debit cards or any other form of electronic payments. The state treasurer, or designated entity, may administer all or any portion of the program regarding the use of such gift vouchers, gift cards, rebates, incentives, debit cards or any other form of electronic payments. The treasurer may charge for reasonable administration costs, or authorize the designated entity to charge a fee to defray such costs.
  Previous section
Next section  
 Part 2 Contents