(a) All registration plates issued under this part shall be issued in one (1) of the following categories:
Terms Used In Tennessee Code 55-4-203
Agriculture: means :(i) The land, buildings and machinery used in the commercial production of farm products and nursery stock. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
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.
Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
Dealer: means every person engaged in the business of buying, selling or exchanging vehicles of a type required to be registered and who has an established place of business for that purpose in this state. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
Person: means a natural person, firm, copartnership, association, corporation, or an engaged ADS. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
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
Probate: Proving a will
Railroad: means a carrier of persons or property upon cars, other than streetcars, operated upon stationary rails. See Tennessee Code 55-8-101
Road: includes public bridges and may be held equivalent to the words "county way" "county road" or "state road". 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
Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
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;(2) Cultural;(3)Dealer;(4) Disabled;(5) Emergency;(6) Firefighter;(7) General assembly;(8) Government service;(9) Judiciary;(10) Legislator Emeritus;(11) Memorial;(12) National Guard;(13) New specialty earmarked;(14) OEM headquarters company;(15) Off-highway vehicles:
(A) Class I off-highway vehicles; and(B) Class II off-highway vehicles;(16) Physician;(17) Sheriff;(18) Specialty earmarked;(19)United States house of representatives;(20) United States judge; and(21) United States senate.(b)(1) Registration plates currently provided under the “dealer,” “government service,” “disabled,” and “national guard” categories shall be issued in design configurations and colors which distinguish the plates from those of other categories, and in a manner which would avoid confusion with any other registration plates.(2) Registration plates issued in any other category shall be issued in a design configuration distinctive to that category and determined by the commissioner, and shall bear at the top of the plate the word “Tennessee” or “Tenn” and at the bottom the name of the category. In addition, the plates in each category may bear identifying letter prefixes to distinguish the group within the category, and shall bear identifying number suffixes to identify the individual registrant.(c) The groups within each category having multiple plates shall be as follows:
(1) Emergency:
(A) Amateur radio;(B) Auxiliary police;(C) Civil air patrol;(D) Civil defense;(E) Rescue squad;(F) Emergency services squad, including, but not limited to, emergency medical technicians and paramedics;(G)Police officer;(H) Trauma physicians;(I) Trauma nurses;(J) On-call surgical personnel;(K) Constables;(L) Tennessee state guard;(M) United States coast guard auxiliary; and(N) Emergency communication dispatchers;(2) Judiciary:
(A) Supreme court;(B) Court of appeals;(C) Court of criminal appeals;(D) Chancery court;(E) Circuit court;(F)Probate court;(G) Juvenile court;(H) General sessions court;(I) Retired judges of courts, not-of-record;(J) Municipal court judges; and(K) Magistrates;(3) National Guard:
(A) Enlisted;(B) Honorably discharged members;(C) Officers; and(D) Retirees;(4) Memorial:
(A) Air Force Cross recipient;(B) Air Medal (Valor) recipients;(C) Bronze Star (Valor) recipients;(D) Disabled veteran;(E) Distinguished Flying Cross recipients;(F) Distinguished Service Cross recipient;(G) Former prisoner of war;(H) Gold star family;(I) Holder of the Purple Heart;(J) Medal of honor recipient;(K) Navy Cross recipient; and(L) Silver Star recipients;(5) Cultural:
(A) Antique Auto (unrestricted use) [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(B) Arts, as provided for in § 55-4-217 and § 55-4-240;(C) Collegiate, as defined in § 55-4-201:
(i) Bryan College;(ii) Cumberland University [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(iii) Penn State University;(iv) University of Arkansas;(v) University of Florida;(vi) University of Mississippi;(vii) All collegiate plates issued as cultural motor vehicle registration plates prior to July 1, 1998; and(viii) All collegiate plates administratively issued by the department on or after July 1, 1998, pursuant to § 55-4-210;(D) Delta Kappa Gamma Society International;(E) Honorary consular;(F) Metropolitan council;(G) Military:
(i) 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne);(ii) Air Medal (Meritorious) recipients;(iii) Army ranger;(iv) Blue star family;(v) Bronze Star (Meritorious) recipients;(vi) Coast Guard Medal;(vii) Coast Guard Commendation Medal;(viii) Combat Action Badge;(ix) Combat Infantryman Badge;(x) Combat Medical Badge;(xi) Combat veterans;(xii) Disabled Veteran (service-connected);(xiii) “Enemy Evadees” as certified by the department of veterans services;(xiv) Honorably discharged veterans of the United States Armed Forces;(xv) Legion of Merit recipients;(xvi) Marine Corps League;(xvii) Paratrooper;(xviii) Pearl Harbor survivors;(xix) Presidential Service Badge;(xx) Rakkasans;(xxi) Submarine veteran;(xxii) Tennessee woman veteran, pursuant to § 55-4-267;(xxiii) United States military, active forces, pursuant to § 55-4-252;(xxiv) United States military, honorably discharged members, pursuant to § 55-4-252;(xxv) United States military, retired forces, pursuant to § 55-4-252;(xxvi) United States reserve forces, pursuant to § 55-4-254;(xxvii) United States reserve forces, honorably discharged members, pursuant to § 55-4-252;(xxviii) United States reserve forces, retired, pursuant to § 55-4-252; and(xxix) Women Veterans of Color;(H) Personalized, pursuant to §§ 55-4-210 and 55-4-214;(I) Police Benevolent Association; and(J) Retired female firefighter;(K) Retired firefighter.(6) Specialty earmarked:
(A)Agriculture;(B) Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority;(C) Alpha Phi Alpha;(D) CHILDREN FIRST!;(E) Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.;(F) Ducks Unlimited;(G) Environmental;(H) Friends of Great Smoky Mountains;(I) Helping school volunteer;(J) Kappa Alpha Psi;(K) Nongame and endangered wildlife species or “Watchable Wildlife”;(L) Omega Psi Phi;(M) Phi Beta Sigma;(N) Supporters of Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and(O) Zeta Phi Beta; and(7) New specialty earmarked plates, as defined in § 55-4-201:
(A) 100 Black Men;(B) 101st Airborne Screaming Eagle [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(C) A Soldier’s Child;(D) African American Breast Cancer Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(E) Alcorn State University [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(F) ALS Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(G) Alumni Program of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville;(H) Alzheimer’s Association [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(I) America at Its Best;(J) AMVETS [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(K) Animal Friendly;(L) Appalachian Trail;(M) Atlanta Braves;(N) Autism Awareness;(O) Back the Blue [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(P) Baylor School [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(Q) Bays Mountain;(R) BE NICE [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(S) Big Brothers Big Sisters;(T) Blood Donor [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(U) Boone Lake Association [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(V) Boy Scouts of America [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(W) Bristol Motor Speedway;(X) CASA [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(Y) Chattanooga [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(Z) Chattanooga Football Club;(AA) Child Development Services of Murfreesboro;(BB) Childhood Cancer Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(CC) Childhood Hunger Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(DD) Children’s Hospital at Erlanger [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(EE) Choose Life;(FF) Civil War Preservation;(GG) Clement Railroad Hotel Museum [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(HH) Combat Action [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(II) Crusade Against Darkness;(JJ) Cystic Fibrosis Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(KK) D.A.R.E. [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(LL) Delta Kappa Gamma Society International [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(MM) Diabetes Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(NN) Dollywood Foundation;(OO) Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(PP) Down Syndrome Awareness;(QQ) Drive Electric Tennessee;(RR) “Driving To A Cure” (Pink Ribbon);(SS) Dyslexia Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(TT) Eagle Foundation;(UU) East Tennessee Children’s Hospital;(VV) Eastern Star [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(WW) Elizabethton Cyclones;(XX) Enjoy the Ride;(YY) Explore TN;(ZZ) Fallen Linemen [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(AAA) Fallen Police and Firefighters [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(BBB) Fighting for At-Risk Youth [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(CCC) Fighting for the Bullys;(DDD) First State Flag;(EEE) Fish and wildlife species;(FFF) Fisk University;(GGG) Fraternal Order of Police;(HHH) Friends of Shelby Park and Bottoms;(III) Friends of Sycamore Shoals Historic Area, Inc.;(JJJ) Germantown Charity Horse Show [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(KKK) Golfer;(LLL) Greene County School System [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(MMM) Habitat for Humanity [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(NNN) Hampton University;(OOO) Historic Collierville [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(PPP) Historic Franklin;(QQQ) Historic Jonesborough;(RRR) Historic Maury;(SSS) Historic Whitehaven [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(TTT) Honor the Fallen;(UUU) Honoring Law Enforcement;(VVV) I RECYCLE;(WWW) I Stand with Israel [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(XXX) Improve Hendersonville;(YYY) In Remembrance [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(ZZZ) International Association of Firefighters;(AAAA) Isaiah 117 House;(BBBB) Jackson State University;(CCCC) Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Scenic Trail State Park [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(DDDD) Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(EEEE) Kappa Delta Sorority;(FFFF) Kiwanis International [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(GGGG) Knights of Columbus [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(HHHH) Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center;(IIII) Let Freedom Ring [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(JJJJ) Linemen Power Tennessee;(KKKK) Look Twice Save a Life;(LLLL) Louisiana State University [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(MMMM) Loyal Order of Moose [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(NNNN) Lung Cancer Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(OOOO) Lupus Foundation;(PPPP) Make-A-Wish Foundation [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(QQQQ) Martin Luther King, Jr. [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(RRRR) Masons;(SSSS) Memphis Grizzlies;(TTTT) Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum;(UUUU) Memphis/Shelby County Schools Alumni [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(VVVV) Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(WWWW) Millennial Debt Foundation;(XXXX) Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt;(YYYY) Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD);(ZZZZ) Mountain Tough [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(AAAAA) Muse Knoxville [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(BBBBB) Nashville Cares [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(CCCCC) Nashville Parks Foundation [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(DDDDD) Nashville Predators;(EEEEE) Nashville SC;(FFFFF) National Rifle Association;(GGGGG) National Wild Turkey Federation;(HHHHH) Natural Gas Fuels Tennessee [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(IIIII) Niswonger Children’s Hospital;(JJJJJ) North Carolina State University [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(KKKKK) Nurses;(LLLLL) Ohio State University [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(MMMMM) Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary;(NNNNN) Order of The Eastern Star [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(OOOOO) Pancreatic Cancer Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(PPPPP) Pat Summitt Foundation;(QQQQQ) Police Activities League [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(RRRRR) Promote Peace;(SSSSS) Prostate Cancer Awareness [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(TTTTT) Protecting Rivers and Clean Waters;(UUUUU) Radnor Lake;(VVVVV) Regional Medical Center at Memphis (The MED);(WWWWW) Remote Area Medical;(XXXXX) Respiratory therapists;(YYYYY) River Life;(ZZZZZ) Robotics in Education;(AAAAAA) Rotary International [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(BBBBBB) Save Our Smokies [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(CCCCCC) Save the Bees;(DDDDDD) Service Dogs;(CCCCCC) Service Dogs Changing Lives;(DDDDDD) Share the Road;(EEEEEE) Sheriff’s and Police Activities League of Memphis and Shelby County [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(FFFFFF) Sickle Cell Foundation;(GGGGGG) Smallmouth bass;(HHHHHH) Sons of Confederate Veterans;(IIIIII) Special Olympics;(JJJJJJ) Sportsman;(KKKKKK) Strictly Vettes [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(LLLLLL) Stronger Than My Father;(MMMMMM) Suicide Prevention [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(NNNNNN) Support Our Troops;(OOOOOO) Tennessee Association of Realtors;(PPPPPP) Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(QQQQQQ) Tennessee Councils of the Boy Scouts of America;(RRRRRR) Tennis Memphis [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(SSSSSS) Tennessee School Nutrition Association [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(TTTTTT) Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association;(UUUUUU) Tennessee Tech University [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(VVVVVV) Tennessee Titans;(WWWWWW) Tennessee Voices for Victims [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(XXXXXX) Tennessee Walking Horse;(YYYYYY) Tennessee Wildlife Federation;(ZZZZZZ) Tennessee Wildlife Federation nongame and education programs;(AAAAAAA) TennesSEIA [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(BBBBBBB) The Center for Living and Learning, Inc. [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(CCCCCCC) The Compassionate Friends [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(DDDDDDD) The Equity Alliance;(EEEEEEE) The Fairgrounds Nashville [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(FFFFFFF) The Ohio State University [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(GGGGGGG) The Volunteer State;(HHHHHHH) Tiger Haven;(IIIIIII) TN Back the Blue [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(JJJJJJJ) Trout Unlimited;(KKKKKKK) University of Miami [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(LLLLLLL) University of North Carolina;(KKKKKKK) University of South Carolina [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(LLLLLLL) University of Tennessee Health Science Center;(MMMMMMM) University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers’ NCAA National Championships;(NNNNNNN) University of Tennessee National Championship;(OOOOOOO) University of Texas [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(PPPPPPP) USTA Tennessee;(QQQQQQQ) VFW [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(RRRRRRR) West Virginia University [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(SSSSSSS) Whitehaven High School [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(TTTTTTT) Wilder Reign;(UUUUUUU) Wilson County The Place to Be;(VVVVVVV) Women’s Suffrage Centennial [Obsolete. See the Compiler’s Notes.];(WWWWWWW) Youth Villages.(d)(1) No registration plate shall be issued under this section unless authorized by this part. Registration under this part is supplemental to the motor vehicle title and registration law, compiled in chapters 1-6 of this title, and nothing in this part shall be construed as abridging or amending that law. An applicant with more than one (1) motor vehicle titled or leased in that applicant’s name, or applicants with more than one (1) motor vehicle jointly titled and/or leased in their names are entitled to an unlimited number of registration plates under the applicable provision of law, as long as all other special fees and regular costs are paid by the applicant and all requirements set out in parts 1 and 2 of this chapter are followed.(2) No qualified person shall receive more than one (1) free plate, unless the issuance of additional free plates is specifically authorized by the statute creating the cultural, specialty earmarked or new specialty earmarked plate, memorial plate or special purpose plate.(e) Registration plates issued to United States judges, United States senators, and members of the United States house of representatives pursuant to subdivisions (a)(9) and (a)(16)-(18) shall be of a distinctive design approved by the department and shall bear, as applicable, the district number of house members, the number “1” or “2” for senators, based on seniority, and the appropriate number for judges, based on seniority of appointment. Unless a conflict exists with other designs, the designs used before July 1, 1984, shall be used.(f) Whenever a spouse having a cultural, specialty earmarked or new specialty earmarked plate, memorial plate or special purpose plate is divorced and no longer entitled to the plate, the spouse no longer entitled to that plate shall deliver the plate to the county clerk, and the county clerk shall issue a regular plate valid for the same period as the cultural, specialty earmarked or new specialty earmarked plate, memorial plate or special purpose plate.(g) [Deleted by 2023 amendment.]
