Tennessee License Plate Lookup

Type the TN plate exactly as it reads on the car and keep Tennessee selected. The plate is only the way in: we match it to the car's VIN, and the VIN carries the history. A Tennessee tag lookup works the same way.

1. 1. Enter the plate

   Type the Tennessee plate and pick the state. Spaces and dashes don't matter.

2. 2. We find the car's VIN

   The plate turns into the car's 17-character VIN in seconds, and you see the decoded year, make and model before you pay.

3. 3. Open the full history report

   One payment of $9.99, no account. The report opens at once, with records from all states.

What the report includes

One report for the VIN behind the plate, searched across all states:

• Odometer readings in miles

  Dated readings from state safety and emissions inspections and auction sales, with a rollback check.

  All states

• Police-reported crashes

  Crashes involving this VIN, with the year, plus the damage recorded when the car was sold at auction.

  All states

• Salvage and auction history, with photos

  Insurance and salvage auction sales of this VIN: sale date, damage type, title, odometer at sale and the auction photos.

  All states

• Title brands

  Salvage, rebuilt, flood and junk brands, so you know what the title says before the seller tells you.

• Recalls and owner complaints

  Safety recalls and owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the model and model year.

  Model-level

• Factory specs

  Model year, make, model, trim, engine, transmission, drivetrain and assembly plant, decoded from the VIN.

  Every VIN

What TN Department of Revenue and its offices charge for titles, registration and plates, as published. Each row links its source.

Buying used in Tennessee runs through the county clerk. The seller signs the title over, and if two owners are joined by AND, both must sign. You bring the title, ID and proof of residency to the clerk, because Tennessee will not issue a title alone: the car must be registered when you apply. You pay 7 percent state sales tax on the price after trade-in, local tax of 1.5 to 2.75 percent on the first $1,600, and a 2.75 percent single article tax on the part from $1,600.01 to $3,200. From January 1, 2027, TCA 55-4-144 also requires proof of U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residency or federally authorized presence for an initial registration. You will not need an emissions test. Testing ended on January 14, 2022 in Hamilton, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson counties, and Davidson County dropped it on February 5, 2022. Damage history is the real risk. A salvage certificate applies when an insurer totals a car under 10 years old at more than 75 percent of retail value, and a repaired car is titled Rebuilt Vehicle Anti-Theft Inspected only after the state anti-theft inspection. Licensed dealers must disclose rebuilt history on a Motor Vehicle Commission form. Run the plate before you go to the clerk.

Private sale

The seller signs the title over to you; if two owners are joined by AND, both must sign. You take the title, ID and proof of residency to your county clerk and title and register at the same time, since Tennessee does not issue a title alone. You pay sales tax, the title fee and the registration fee there.

Dealer sale

The dealer usually handles title and registration, filing in the county where you bought the car or sending it to your county clerk. Licensed dealers must give you a written history disclosure on a Motor Vehicle Commission form when they sell a rebuilt salvage vehicle.

Source: Tennessee Department of Revenue, Vehicle Services Division (titles and registrations through county clerks)

Tennessee follows the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act (18 U.S.C. 2721) and adds its own law:

Uniform Motor Vehicle Records Disclosure Act, TCA 55-25-101 to 55-25-112

Personal information in Tennessee motor vehicle records is confidential: photo, Social Security number, driver license number, name, address (except the five-digit ZIP), phone number and medical or disability information. It is released only for listed uses, such as government and courts, insurers, recalls and safety, legal proceedings, or with the subject's written consent. Misrepresenting identity on a request is a Class C misdemeanor. Crash, violation and registration status data are not personal information under the act.

Source: TN Department of Revenue