Where do I get a tag in Tennessee?

At your county clerk’s office. The Department of Revenue runs the system, but the county clerk issues plates and registrations.

Does Tennessee require a front license plate?

No. Tennessee issues one plate for the rear of passenger vehicles.

How long is a Tennessee drive-out tag good for?

Sixty days from the date of sale.

Do Tennessee plates stay with the car?

No. They follow the owner, who can transfer them to another vehicle at the county clerk.

Can I get a VIN from a Tennessee tag?

Yes. Enter the tag number with Tennessee selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.

Can I find the owner of a Tennessee tag?

Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Tennessee vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.

Tennessee License Plate & Tag Lookup

Enter a Tennessee tag number to get the vehicle’s VIN, year, make, model and trim.

In Tennessee you get plates from the county clerk, and the system is run by the Department of Revenue rather than a DMV. The blue standard plate was chosen by a public online vote and replaced the old green plates at renewal from 2022.

Tennessee tag to VIN

A Tennessee tagnumber points to one current registration, and the registration records the vehicle’s 17-character VIN. Enter the tag above to get the VIN with the year, make, model, trim, body and engine. It is the quickest way to get the VIN of a car you are not standing next to: one in a listing, one you are quoting a repair for, or your own when the title is in a drawer somewhere.

Tennessee license plate formats

Standard passenger plates use these formats. Personalized, specialty, commercial and motorcycle plates follow their own rules, and every format works in the lookup.

Format	What it is
ABC-1234	Three letters and four numbers on the blue standard plate, issued since 2022.
123-ABCD	The In God We Trust version of the standard plate.

Tennessee issues one plate, for the rear of the vehicle.

Who issues plates in Tennessee

Plates and registrations in Tennessee come from the Tennessee Department of Revenue, and people go in person to county clerk offices. Plate Decoder is an independent service and is not affiliated with the Department of Revenue or any other government agency.

Temporary tags in Tennessee

Tennessee dealers issue drive-out tags through the state’s EZ Dealer Tag system. Since July 2022 they are valid for 60 days, up from 30. County clerks can also issue a 30-day temporary operation permit.

Personalized and specialty plates

Personalized plates can be applied for online through the Department of Revenue, and the application shows straight away whether your combination is available.

Plates follow the owner

In Tennessee the plate belongs to you, not the car. Keep it when you sell and transfer it to your next vehicle at the county clerk for a small fee.

What a Tennessee plate lookup can and can’t show

You get the vehicle: VIN, year, make, model, trim, body and engine. You do not get the person. See what a plate lookup shows for the full list.

What we don’t show, and why

No owner names, addresses, phone numbers or photos. Owner details in DMV records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act, and looking someone up out of curiosity is not a purpose it allows. Any site that promises the owner of a plate for a few dollars is either breaking that law or not going to deliver.

Who can get owner records, and what to do instead

FAQ

Tennessee plate lookup questions

Where do I get a tag in Tennessee?: At your county clerk’s office. The Department of Revenue runs the system, but the county clerk issues plates and registrations.
Does Tennessee require a front license plate?: No. Tennessee issues one plate for the rear of passenger vehicles.
How long is a Tennessee drive-out tag good for?: Sixty days from the date of sale.
Do Tennessee plates stay with the car?: No. They follow the owner, who can transfer them to another vehicle at the county clerk.
Can I get a VIN from a Tennessee tag?: Yes. Enter the tag number with Tennessee selected and the lookup returns the VIN of the vehicle it is registered to, with the year, make, model and trim.
Can I find the owner of a Tennessee tag?: Not through a public lookup. Owner details in Tennessee vehicle records are protected by the federal Driver’s Privacy Protection Act and released only for purposes the law allows, such as by court order or to an insurer handling a claim.