2010 Tennessee Code
Title 55 - Motor and Other Vehicles
Chapter 4 - Registration and Licensing of Motor Vehicles
Part 2 - Special License Plates
55-4-202 - Issuance Category Supplemental registration Eligibility. [Amended effective January 1, 2010. See the Compiler's Notes.]

55-4-202. Issuance Category Supplemental registration Eligibility. [Amended effective January 1, 2010. See the Compiler's Notes.]

(a)  All registration plates issued under this part shall be issued in one (1) of the following categories:

     (1)  Antique motor vehicle;

     (2)  Cultural;

     (3)  Dealer;

     (4)  Disabled;

     (5)  Emergency;

     (6)  Firefighter;

     (7)  General assembly;

     (8)  Government service;

     (9)  Judiciary;

     (10)  Memorial;

     (11)  National Guard;

     (12)  New specialty earmarked; [Effective January 1, 2010. See the Compiler’s Notes.]

     (13)  OEM headquarters company;

     (14)  Sheriff;

     (15)  Specialty earmarked;

     (16)  United States house of representatives;

     (17)  United States judge; and

     (18)  United States senate. (b)  [Amended effective January 1, 2010. See the Compiler’s Notes.]

(1)  Registration plates currently provided under the “dealer”, “government service”, “disabled”, “national guard”, and “OEM headquarters company” 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)  Tennessee state guard; and

          (L)  United States coast guard auxiliary;

     (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; and

          (J)  Municipal court judges;

     (3)  National Guard:

          (A)  Enlisted;

          (B)  Honorably discharged members;

          (C)  Officers; and

          (D)  Retirees;

     (4)  Memorial:

          (A)  Air Force Cross recipient;

          (B)  Disabled veteran;

          (C)  Distinguished Service Cross recipient;

          (D)  Former prisoner of war;

          (E)  Gold star family;

          (F)  Holder of the Purple Heart;

          (G)  Medal of honor recipient; and

          (H)  Navy Cross recipient;

     (5)  Cultural:

          (A)  Arts, as provided for in § 55-4-218 and § 55-4-264;

          (B)  Collegiate, as defined in § 55-4-209:

                (i)  (a)  Bryan College;

                     (b)  Section 55-4-201(f) shall not apply to subdivision (c)(5)(B)(i)(a);

                (ii)  Ohio State University [Obsolete];

                (iii)  Penn State University;

                (iv)  University of Arkansas;

                (v)  University of Florida;

                (vi)  University of Illinois;

                (vii)  University of Mississippi;

                (viii)  All collegiate plates issued as cultural motor vehicle registration plates prior to July 1, 1998; and

                (ix)  All collegiate plates administratively issued by the department on or after July 1, 1998, pursuant to § 55-4-210;

          (C)  [Deleted by 2009 amendment.]

          (D)  Honorary consular;

          (E)  Metropolitan council;

          (F)  Military:

                (i)  Bronze Star recipients;

                (ii)  Combat veterans;

                (iii)  “Enemy Evadees” as certified by the department of veterans' affairs;

                (iv)  Handicapped Veteran;

                (v)  Honorably discharged veterans of the United States Armed Forces;

                (vi)  Marine Corps League;

                (vii)  Pearl Harbor survivors;

                (viii)  Silver Star recipients;

                (ix)  Tennessee woman veteran, pursuant to § 55-4-292;

                (x)  United States military, active forces, pursuant to § 55-4-244;

                (xi)  United States military, honorably discharged members, pursuant to § 55-4-244;

                (xii)  United States military, retired forces, pursuant to § 55-4-244;

                (xiii)  United States reserve forces pursuant to § 55-4-242;

                (xiv)  United States reserve forces, honorably discharged members, pursuant to § 55-4-244; and

                (xv)  United States reserve forces, retired, pursuant to § 55-4-244;

          (G)  Personalized, pursuant to §§ 55-4-210 and 55-4-211;

          (H)  Police Benevolent Association; and

          (I)  [Deleted by 2009 amendment.]

          (J)  Tennessee Walking Horse;

     (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)  Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD);

          (L)  Non-game and endangered wildlife species or “Watchable Wildlife”;

          (M)  Omega Psi Phi;

          (N)  Phi Beta Sigma;

          (O)  Sigma Gamma Rho;

          (P)  Supporters of Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital; and

          (Q)  Zeta Phi Beta; and

     (7)  New specialty earmarked plates, as defined in § 55-4-209:

          (A)  101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) [Obsolete];

          (B)  Alpha Omnicron Sorority [Obsolete];

          (C)  Animal Friendly;

          (D)  Appalachian Bear Rescue [Obsolete];

          (E)  Appalachian quilt trail;

          (F)  Appalachian Trail;

          (G)  Autism awareness [Obsolete];

          (H)  Cherohala Skyway;

          (I)  [Deleted by 2009 amendment.]

          (J)  Choose Life;

          (K)  Civil War Preservation;

          (L)  Colon cancer awareness;

          (M)  Diabetes Awareness [Obsolete];

          (N)  “Driving To A Cure” (Pink Ribbon);

          (O)  Eagle Foundation;

          (P)  Fish and wildlife species;

          (Q)  For a Lifetime [Obsolete];

          (R)  Ford Foundation [Obsolete];

          (S)  Friends of the Natchez Trace Parkway [Obsolete];

          (T)  Green McAdoo Cultural Center [Obsolete];

          (U)  Historic Franklin;

          (V)  I RECYCLE;

          (W)  In God We Trust;

          (X)  International Association of Firefighters;

          (Y)  Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center;

          (Z)  Masons;

          (AA)  Memphis Grizzlies;

          (BB)  Military family assistance;

          (CC)  Mitochondrial disorder [Obsolete];

          (DD)  Mothers Against Methamphetamine (MAMA) [Obsolete];

          (EE)  Music City Inc. Foundation;

          (FF)  NASCAR [Obsolete];

          (GG)  Nashville Predators;

          (HH)  National Fraternal Order of Police;

          (II)  National Rifle Association;

          (JJ)  Niswonger Children's Hospital;

          (KK)  Nurses;

          (LL)  Pi Kappa Alpha;

          (MM)  Radnor Lake;

          (NN)  Recreational vehicle [Obsolete];

          (OO)  Regional Medical Center at Memphis (The MED);

          (PP)  Rotary International;

          (QQ)  Sandhill Crane [Obsolete];

          (RR)  Share the Road;

          (SS)  Shriners;

          (TT)  Small mouth bass;

          (UU)  Sons of Confederate Veterans;

          (VV)  Sons of the American Revolution [Obsolete];

          (WW)  Sportsman;

          (XX)  Street rod;

          (YY)  Support Our Troops;

          (ZZ)  Teachers;

          (AAA)  Tennessee Association of Realtors;

          (BBB)  Tennessee Councils of the Boy Scouts of America [Obsolete];

          (CCC)  Tennessee Emergency Medical Services Education Association (TEMSA);

          (DDD)  Tennessee Off-Highway Vehicle Association;

          (EEE)  Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) [Obsolete];

          (FFF)  Tennessee Titans;

          (GGG)  Tennessee urban forestry council;

          (HHH)  Tennessee Wildlife Federation;

          (III)  Tennessee wildlife federation non-game and education programs;

          (JJJ)  TN SOLAR POWER!;

          (KKK)  Trout Unlimited;

          (LLL)  United Way;

          (MMM)  University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers' NCAA National Championships;

          (NNN)  University of Tennessee National Championship;

          (OOO)  Vanderbilt Children's Hospital;

          (PPP)  Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW); and

          (QQQ)  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 1-3, this chapter and chapters 5 and 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)(1) and (a)(15)-(17) 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)  (1)  Registration plates issued to honorary consulars pursuant to subdivision (c)(5)(E) shall be of a distinctive design approved by the department and shall bear, as applicable, the words “Honorary Consul” and an appropriate number.

     (2)  The revised honorary consular plates issued pursuant to this section shall be delivered to qualified persons upon renewal of registration of the vehicle to which the plates are issued. No person with honorary consular plates shall be required to exchange the plates until the renewal of registration of the vehicle to which the plates are issued.

[Acts 1998, ch. 1063, § 1; 1998 ch. 1113, § 1; 1998, ch. 1114, § 1; 1998, ch. 1115, § 1; 1998, ch. 1116, § 1; 1998, ch. 1117, § 1; 1998, ch. 1118, § 1; 1998, ch. 1119, § 1; 1998, ch. 1120, § 1; 1998, ch. 1121, § 1; 1998, ch. 1122, § 1; 1998, ch. 1123, § 1; 1998, ch. 1124, § 1; 1998, ch. 1130, § 1; 1998, ch. 1132, § 1; 1998, ch. 1133, § 1; 1999, ch. 3, § 1; 1999, ch. 9, §§ 4, 5; 1999, ch. 42, § 1; 1999, ch. 46, § 1; 1999, ch. 71, § 1; 1999, ch. 132, § 1; 1999, ch. 281, § 1; 1999, ch. 290, § 1; 1999, ch. 292, § 1; 1999, ch. 316, § 1; 1999, ch. 400, § 1; 1999, ch. 416, § 1; 1999, ch. 449, §§ 1, 3; 1999, ch. 529, § 1; 2002, ch. 633, §§ 1, 4; 2002, ch. 876, §§ 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43, 45, 47, 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59, 61; 2003, ch. 130, § 1; 2003, ch. 135, § 1; 2003, ch. 140, § 1; 2003, ch. 147, § 1; 2003, ch. 151, § 1; 2003, ch. 165, § 1; 2003, ch. 265, § 1; 2003, ch. 280, § 4; 2003, ch. 372, § 1; 2003, ch. 417, §§ 1, 4; 2004, ch. 787, § 2; 2004, ch. 788, § 1; 2004, ch. 789, § 1; 2004, ch. 790, § 1; 2004, ch. 791, § 1; 2004, ch. 792, § 1; 2004, ch. 793, § 1; 2004, ch. 794, § 1; 2004, ch. 795, § 1; 2004, ch. 933, § 1; 2004, ch. 934, § 1; 2004, ch. 935, § 1; 2004, ch. 936, §§ 1, 3, 5; 2004, ch. 937, § 1; 2004, ch. 938, § 1; 2005, ch. 506, §§ 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 21; 2006, ch. 911, §§ 1, 2; 2006, ch. 964, §§ 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 15, 19, 21, 26; 2007, ch. 17, §§ 1, 2; 2007, ch. 63, § 1; 2007, ch. 484, § 43; 2007, ch. 604, §§ 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 39, 41, 42; 2008, ch. 1165, §§ 1, 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 20, 22, 25, 27, 30, 32, 34, 36, 41, 43, 48, 50, 52, 54, 57, 59, 62; 2009, ch. 530, §§ 117, 118; 2009, ch. 589, §§ 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 36, 38, 39.]