Tennessee License Plate Lookup

Check License Plate Now GoodCar's license plate lookup provides interested parties with the right information on their vehicles.

Table of Content

How To Lookup Tennessee License Plates
Why Run a License Plate Search in Tennessee?
What Can You Get Out of a Tennessee License Plate Lookup?
Why Choose GoodCar for Tennessee Plate Lookups?
Tennessee License Plates
How to Get a License Plate in Tennessee
Frequently Asked Questions about Tennessee License Plate Lookups

How To Lookup Tennessee License Plates

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.

License Plates

Online services offering license plate lookup services typically have a search bar for users to type in a license plate number. For instance, on GoodCar’s website, the license lookup resource has a search bar in the middle. After inputting the license plate number, select Tennessee in the state drop-down menu and click on the search button.

VIN

A license plate lookup using a VIN is similar to the search conducted using the license plate number. On the VIN search tool, fill in the VIN number of the vehicle in the search bar and click the search button. The next page will display a report of the vehicle information and history. The VIN can be obtained from the owner's manual, the vehicle's firewall, the driver's side door-jamb, or just below the windshield of the vehicle above the hood.

Why Run a License Plate Search in Tennessee?

Reasons to Run License Plate Search in Tennessee

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 Can You Get Out of a Tennessee License Plate Lookup?

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.

Vehicle Records

Vehicle records available in a Tennessee license plate lookup are typically divided into multiple sections. These sections include sales history, accident history, and title history. Each section provides information unique to the car that may be used to make different decisions by individuals, law enforcement, insurance companies, or other parties.

Title Brands and Problem Checks

Title brands assigned to vehicles indicate major issues identified in the car. Title brands like rebuilt, salvage, flood damage, hail damage, or junk suggest potential safety or unresolved problems. If you are buying a used car, you may want to avoid any car with any title brand besides a clean title. To be sure the brand title claimed by a vehicle seller is true, it is advisable that you run a license plate check.

Tracing a Vehicle’s History for Used Car Purchases with Tennessee Plate Checks

Since performing a license plate lookup lays bare the history of a vehicle, potential used car buyers should make running a license plate lookup before a car purchase, a top priority. This lookup can be done on the GoodCar website. Being an NMVTIS-approved vehicle data provider, you can get reliable, comprehensive historical reports on the vehicle. If there are outstanding loans or liens on the car, you can make an informed decision, allowing you to avoid financial risks. Recall information and stolen vehicle alert data in the history report will enable you to make the appropriate decision before committing funds to buy a car.

Why Choose GoodCar for Tennessee Plate Lookups?

Requesters can benefit from extensive vehicle records and reports as they obtain information from accredited data providers like the NMVTIS. GoodCar also illustrates theft checks, collision records, recalls, flood, hail, or fire damage, and pricing.

Tennessee License Plates

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.

Standard Issue License Plates

Tennessee standard issue license plates became available in January 2024. The state's General Assembly made minor modifications to the previous standard-issue plate to arrive at the new design. The new design has white serials printed on a reflective blue background with a flag emblem separating the first three characters of the serial from the rest characters. "TENNESSEE" is printed in a white font inside an outline state map at the center top. Also, the county name is printed on a white sticker at the bottom center.

The current Tennessee license plate standard design also features the text "THE VOLUNTEER STATE" screened on the top left corner beside the state map.

There is also a second standard-issue design nearly identical to the first design. However, the second design contains an "IN GOD WE TRUST" trust printed in a white font between the plate's serial and county sticker. The "In God We Trust" text is located where the TNVACATION.COM text was placed in the previous standard issue plate design.

Personalized License plates

The state Department of Revenue allows vehicle owners to customize most regular and specialty license plates for an additional annual fee. Customized or personalized plates display character combinations reflecting the interests of the individual issued with the plate

Specialty License Plates

The Tennessee Department of Revenue issues license plates in multiple categories, such as antique (vehicles and motorcycles older than 25 years), clubs and organizations, collegiate, emergency and safety, for children, environment and conservation, fraternity and sorority, hospitals, military and memorial, sports, wildlife and animal, and Tennessee arts commission

How to Get a
License Plate in Tennessee

You can get a Tennessee license plate by titling and registering your vehicle with the Department of Revenue. If you are a current Tennessee resident, you can get a title for a new or used vehicle from your county clerk's office. To complete the process, you must bring the following to the clerk's office:

For a new vehicle:

MSO (Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin)
Proof of identification and proof of residency
Vehicle’s invoice
Copy of current registration (applicable if you are transferring your license plate)

If you are titling a used vehicle, then the following are required:

A valid certificate of title
Copy of current registration (applicable if you are transferring your license plate)
Proof of identification and proof of residency
Odometer disclosure statement
Affidavit of non-dealer transfers (applicable for gift, low selling, or lineal relative vehicle transfers)

Your vehicle registration will also be completed at the local county clerk's office. At the meeting, you will need to provide the vehicle’s MSO, invoice, and copy of your current registration if transferring your license plate. If registering a used vehicle, you must submit a valid certificate of title properly assigned with an Odometer Disclosure Statement (if applicable) and a copy of the current registration (if transferring your license plate) to your resident county clerk.

If you are a new resident or relocating to Tennessee, the Department of Revenue requires separate documents for the titling and registration processes.

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.

TN License Plate Replacement

According to Section 55-4-103(g) of the Tennessee Code Annotated, owners or lessees of a motor vehicle can apply for a replacement plate when their current plate becomes defaced, mutilated, lost, or stolen.

First, you must report the loss or theft of your license plate to a law enforcement agency. You will need the law enforcement agency name, the officer's name, and the date the report was filed. After, bring a completed Application for Replacement License Plate and a $10 fee to your local county clerk's office. Additional county fees may apply.

Frequently Asked Questions about
Tennessee License Plate Lookups

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.
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.
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.