Tennessee License Plate Lookup

Motor vehicle records in Tennessee are maintained by the Department of Revenue. Therefore, you can look up a license plate record with the department. However, due to privacy laws, the department only allows authorized persons with permissible causes to view motor vehicle records via license plate lookups. If you meet this requirement, you must complete and submit a Vehicle Information Request and the appropriate fee ($1.5 for a certified computer printout of vehicle record, $1 for a computer printout of vehicle record, $5 for a photocopy of current motor vehicle record, or $15 for the complete history of vehicle record) to:

State of Tennessee
Department of Revenue
Vehicle Services Division
500 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37242

If you do not like paper applications or are not eligible to request motor vehicle records from the Tennessee Department of Revenue, you can use online lookup services to run license plate checks. These services offer a faster and cheaper means of accessing motor vehicle records. Some of these services are free, others are paid, while some offer both free and paid services. The difference between the free and paid services lies in the depth of information available to requesters. Free services usually offer basic vehicle information, such as vehicle model, make, year, and VIN. On the other hand, paid services allow requesters to view title history, accident history, and lien records.

You can look up Tennessee license plates using a license plate number or VIN.

A license plate search is useful in many cases. For instance, towing companies may need to verify certain vehicle information before rendering their services to a vehicle owner. A license plate lookup can help them with the verification process. Law enforcement may also use a license plate lookup to gather information in accident investigations and similar criminal investigations. In addition, individuals may conduct a license plate search to look up the history of the vehicle when buying a used car.

What you can get out of a Tennessee license plate lookup depends on whether you are authorized under the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) to access personally identifiable information. If you do not qualify under the DPPA, you can only access vehicle history information such as accident history, title history, vehicle make, year, color, year of manufacture, and other vehicle records.

However, if you are eligible under the DPPA to access sensitive information, you can access information such as license plate owner’s name, Social Security Number, address, driver’s license number, and all other vehicle records available in a free or paid online license plate search.

Tennessee began issuing license plates to registered vehicles in 1915. Prior to then, vehicle registrants provided their own license plates. Since 1977, the Vehicle Services Division of the Tennessee Department of Revenue has required vehicle owners in the state to have only rear plates.

The Tennessee General Assembly, in the 2023 legislative session, made minor changes to the standard license plate, creating two separate standard plate designs. Consequently, county clerks are required to ask vehicle owners which of the plates is preferred by a customer. One of the designs has an "IN GOD WE TRUST" inscription, while the other does not. If a customer does not indicate any preference when registering their vehicle, the state recommends that the county clerk's office issue the customer with the In God We Trust plate. The new design is issued for new registrations only and not renewals.

License plates in Tennessee follow the owner. Hence, they can be transferred to another vehicle for a $1 fee. Transfers of license plates can be done at local county clerk's offices.

TN License Plate Renewal

You can renew your license plate by renewing your Tennessee vehicle registration. The Tennessee Department of Revenue offers five methods for vehicle owners to renew their registrations:

• Online: Visit the Tennessee County Clerk website and select your county of residence from the menu. After, select "Plate Renewals" and input your license plate number.
• Self-service kiosks: The Tennessee DOR provides self-service kiosks across many participating counties for vehicle owners to renew their registrations. Visit any of the self-service kiosk locations with your current registration or driver's license. At the terminal in the kiosk, you will select your vehicle and pay the applicable fee with a debit or credit card. Note that a convenience fee is charged by a third-party vendor for all transactions. This fee is in addition to the renewal fee and taxes that may be due. After completing the renewal process, your registration and renewal decal will be printed at the kiosk.
• Phone app: Download the auto assistant app from your smartphone's application store. The app is available for Android and iOS users.
• Mail: Send appropriate vehicle registration renewal payment and renewal notice to the address of your local county clerk's office
• In-person: Visit the location of your local county clerk's office with your renewal notice or current registration to complete the renewal process.

1. Can I Look Up TN License Plates for Free?

   Anyone with a Tennessee license plate can use the number on the plate to perform a license plate lookup. However, free license plate lookup results will only yield basic vehicle information, such as the vehicle model, trim, color, and year of manufacture.

2. Can I Use Tennessee License Plate Lookup Services to Find Out About a Vehicle’s Accident History?

   A vehicle accident history will be revealed in a license plate lookup. However, accident history data is often not available in a free search. On the GoodCar website, you can get vehicle accident history information via a paid license plate search.

3. How Can I Register a Vanity License Plate in Tennessee?

   Most of the over 100 license plates issued by the Tennessee Department of Revenue can be personalized for an additional annual fee. The customization and order can be placed online or done at your local county clerk's office.

   If completing the process at a county clerk's office, complete the Application for Specialty License Plate and pay the applicable fee. Vanity plates to be affixed to a passenger vehicle or trailer cost $35, while it costs $70 to personalize cultural or specialty license plates.

   After submitting your personalized plate application, the DOR will review it for compliance with state regulations regarding the issuance of customized plates. Online requesters for personalized plates can use the plate check status resource on the DOR website to verify if their chosen combination is available. If the chosen combination meets all state requirements, you will get your vanity plate in the mail.