2023 Tennessee Code › Title 55 - MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES (§§ 55-1-101 — 55-53-105) › Chapter 4 - REGISTRATION AND LICENSING OF MOTOR VEHICLES (§§ 55-4-NEW — 55-4-702) › Part 2 - SPECIAL LICENSE PLATES (§§ 55-4-201 — 55-4-299) › Section 55-4-214 - Personalized plates - Fees

(a)
(1)
In addition to the personalized plates authorized by §
55-4-210
, an applicant may, through the payment of a personalization fee of thirty-five dollars ($35.00), in addition to the regular registration fee and the thirty-five-dollar ($35.00) fee established by §
55-4-202(b)(2)
, obtain certain cultural, specialty earmarked and new specialty earmarked plates with a personalized combination of numbers, letters, positions or a combination of numbers, letters and positions.
(2)
The personalization fee shall be paid by the applicant upon the issuance and renewal of any personalized plate.
(b)
(1)
An applicant for the issuance of personalized motor vehicle registration plates or the personalization of cultural, specialty earmarked or new specialty earmarked motor vehicle registration plates pursuant to subsection (a) or the renewal of those plates in a subsequent registration year shall file an application in the form and by the date as the department may require, indicating the numbers, letters, positions or combination, requested as a registration number.
(2)
The registration number shall consist of not less than three (3) nor more than seven (7) numbers, letters, positions or combination of numbers, letters or positions for a passenger motor vehicle, truck of one-half or three-quarter-ton rating or recreational vehicle or trailer or semitrailer that is not required to be registered but that the owner desires to be registered pursuant to §
55-4-111(c)(3)
, or, if authorized, not less than three (3) nor more than six (6) numbers, letters, positions or combination of numbers, letters or positions for a motorcycle.
(3)
Registration numbers issued pursuant to this section shall be in compliance with §
55-4-210(d) and (e)
.
(c)
The following plates shall not be eligible for personalization pursuant to this section, but may be personalized if the statute authorizing such plate permits or requires the plates to be personalized in some form:
(1)
Dealer;
(2)
Emergency;
(3)
Firefighter, pursuant to §
55-4-224
;
(4)
General assembly;
(5)
Government service;
(6)
Honorary consular;
(7)
Judiciary;
(8)
Memorial, as enumerated in §
55-4-203(c)(4)
and defined in §
55-4-250
;
(9)
Metropolitan council;
(10)
Military, as enumerated in §
55-4-203(c)(5)(F)
;
(11)
National guard;
(12)
OEM headquarters company;
(13)
Sheriff;
(14)
[Deleted by 2023 amendment.]
(15)
United States house of representatives;
(16)
United States judge; and
(17)
United States senate.
(d)
(1)
Notwithstanding any provision of this title to the contrary, any person who fulfills the following conditions may continue to renew and be issued personalized plates that consist of two (2) letters, numbers, or a combination of letters and numbers:
(A)
The person was the owner of a passenger motor vehicle which was registered with the department prior to July 1, 1984; and
(B)
The person was issued a personalized motor vehicle registration plate which consisted of two (2) letters, numbers, or combination thereof prior to July 1, 1984.
(2)
All other provisions of this title regarding registration and licensing of passenger motor vehicles shall apply to any registration plates issued in accordance with subdivision (d)(1).
(e)
Notwithstanding subdivisions (c)(8) and (10), memorial plates, as enumerated in §
55-4-203(c)(4)
and defined in §
55-4-250
, and military plates, as enumerated in §
55-4-203(c)(5)(F)
, are eligible for personalization pursuant to this section. In addition to any other fees required by this section or by this part for the issuance of such plates, an applicant for the personalization of memorial or military plates shall pay a fee equal to the cost of actually designing and manufacturing the personalized plates. Nothing in this subsection (e) authorizes the removal or other redesign of any distinctive identification legend or letters required to be included on memorial or military plates.
Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 250, s 3, eff. 7/1/2023.
Amended by 2023 Tenn. Acts, ch. 52, s 4, eff. 1/1/2024.
Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 461, s 1, eff. 7/1/2019.
Amended by 2018 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1023, s 49, eff. 7/1/2018.
Acts 1998, ch. 1063, § 1; 2002, ch. 876, § 63; 2007 , ch. 142, § 3; 2008 , ch. 924, § 14; 2009 , ch. 530, § 121.