French
DeutschVehicle registration plates of Tennessee
| Current series | |
|---|---|
| Slogan | The Volunteer State Optional: In God We Trust |
| Size | 12 in × 6 in 30 cm × 15 cm |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Serial format | ABC-1234 (Standard) 123-ABCD (Standard- In God We Trust) |
| Introduced | January 3, 2022; revised late 2023 |
| Availability | |
| Issued by | Tennessee Department of Revenue, Vehicle Services Division |
| History | |
| First issued | July 1, 1915 (pre-state plates from 1905 through June 30, 1915) |
The U.S. state of Tennessee first required its residents to register their motor vehicles in 1905. Registrants provided their own license plates for display until 1915, when the state began to issue plates.[1]
As of 2024[update], plates are issued by the Tennessee Department of Revenue through its Vehicle Services Division. Only rear plates have been required since 1977.
Passenger baseplates
[edit]1915 to 1961
[edit]In 1956, the United States, Canada, and Mexico came to an agreement with the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the Automobile Manufacturers Association and the National Safety Council that standardized the size for license plates for vehicles (except those for motorcycles) at 6 inches (15 cm) in height by 12 inches (30 cm) in width, with standardized mounting holes.[2] The 1956 (dated 1957) issue was the first Tennessee license plate that complied with these standards, following a 21-year period where the plates were roughly the shape of the state of Tennessee.
No slogans were used on passenger plates during the period covered by this subsection.
| Image | Dates issued | Design | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1915 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate; vertical "1915" and "TENN" at left and right respectively; "EXPIRES DEC 31, 1915" at bottom | 12345 | 23001 to approximately 27000 | Issued only to new registrants from July 1 through December 31, 1915, with serials following on from those on pre-state-issued plates. |
| | 1916 | Embossed black serial on cream plate; vertical "1916" and "TENN" at left and right respectively; "EXPIRES DEC 31" at bottom | 12345 | 6001 to approximately 37000 | |
| | 1917 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "1917" and "TENN" at left and right respectively | 12345 | 6001 to approximately 54000 | |
| | 1918 | Embossed black serial on light green plate with border line; vertical "TENN" and "1918" at left and right respectively | 12345 | 6001 to approximately 69000 | |
| | 1919 | Embossed white serial on dark blue plate with border line; vertical "TENN" and "1919" at left and right respectively | 12345 | 6001 to approximately 87000 | |
| | 1920 | Embossed black serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "TENN" and "1920" at left and right respectively | 12345 | 6001 to approximately 95000 | |
 | 1921 | Embossed black serial on orange plate with border line; vertical "TENN" and "1921" at left at right respectively | 12345 | 1 to approximately 94000 | |
 | 1922 | Embossed white serial on dark green plate with border line; vertical "TENN" and "1922" at left and right respectively | 123456 | 25001 to approximately 148000 | |
| | 1923 | Embossed dark blue serial on gray plate with border line; vertical "TENN" and "1923" at left and right respectively | 123456 | 25001 to approximately 179000 | |
 | 1924 | Embossed black serial on yellow plate with border line; vertical "TENN" at left and "1924" centered at bottom | 123-456 | 25-001 to approximately 205-000 | |
| | 1925 | Embossed white serial on maroon plate with border line; "TENN. 25" at bottom | 123-456 | 25-001 to approximately 240-000 | |
| | 1926 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" used as separator; "TENN 1926" at bottom | 123-456 | 100-001 to approximately 349-000 | |
| | 1927 | Embossed white serial within state outline on lavender plate; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" used as separator; "TENN" at top right and "27" at bottom right | 123-456 | 50-001 to approximately 326-000 | First base to feature the state shape in any form. |
 | 1928 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "FRONT" or "REAR" used as separator; "TENN 1928" at right | 123-456 | 50-001 to approximately 348-000 | |
| | 1929 | Embossed white serial on green plate with border line; "TENN 1929" at left | 123-456 | 2-001 to approximately 323-000 | |
| | 1930 | Embossed dark blue serial on silver plate with border line; vertical "TENN" used as separator; vertical "1930" at right | 123-456 | 50-001 to approximately 405-000 | |
| | 1931 | Embossed yellow serial on black plate with border line; vertical "1931" used as separator; vertical "TENN" at right | 123-456 | 15-001 to approximately 367-000 | |
| | 1932 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; vertical "TENN" and "32" at right | 123-456 | 10-001 to approximately 347-000 | |
| | 1933 | Embossed cream serial on brown plate with border line; "33" and vertical "TENN" at right | 123-456 | 10-001 to approximately 359-000 | |
| | 1934 | Embossed white serial on medium blue plate with border line; "34" and vertical "TENN" used as separator | 123-456 | 10-001 to approximately 309-000 | |
| | 1935 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "35" and vertical "TENN" at left | 123-456 | 10-001 to approximately 332-000 | |
| | 1936 | Embossed blue serial on silver state-shaped plate with border line; "TENNESSEE 1936" at top | 123-456 | 10-001 to approximately 343-000 | First use of the full state name. |
 | 1937 | Embossed black serial on yellow state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 1937" at bottom | C123-456 | C30-001 to approximately C371-000 | Weight classes introduced, with C used for vehicles weighing 3,500 lb or less, and D for vehicles above 3,500 lb.[3] |
| D12-345 | D4-000 to approximately D11-500 | ||||
 | 1938 | Embossed blue serial on silver state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 38" at bottom | 123 456 | 100 001 to approximately 443 000 | Weight classes same as 1937, but with no letter used for vehicles weighing 3,500 lb or less. |
| D12 345 | D85 001 to approximately D95 000 | ||||
 | 1939 | Embossed red serial on silver state-shaped plate with border line; "1939 TENN." at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | County coding introduced. Weight classes remained in use until 1957, with D continuing to be used for vehicles weighing more than 3,500 lb. |
 | 1940 | Embossed orange serial on black state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 40" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1941 | Embossed white serial on black state-shaped plate with border line; "1941 TENN." at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1942–43 | Embossed black serial on white state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 42" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1943 with black tabs, due to metal conservation for World War II. |
 | 1944 | Embossed white serial on black state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 44" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1945 | Embossed blue serial on silver state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 1945" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1946 | Embossed green serial on silver state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 46" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1947 | Embossed white serial on black state-shaped plate with border line; "1947 TENN." at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1948 | Embossed black serial on yellow state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 48" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1949 | Embossed yellow serial on black state-shaped plate with border line; "1949 TENN." at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1950 | Embossed black serial on silver state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 50" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1951 | Embossed white serial on orange state-shaped plate with border line; "51 TENN." at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Issued in the colors of the University of Tennessee.[4] |
 | 1952 | Embossed black serial on white state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 52" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1953 | Embossed blue serial on silver state-shaped plate with border line; "53 TENN." at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1954 | Embossed yellow serial on black state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 54" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1955 | Embossed red serial on white state-shaped plate with border line; "55 TENN." at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1956 | Embossed white serial on dark blue state-shaped plate with border line; "TENN. 56" at bottom | 1-12345 10-1234 1D-1234 10D-123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1957 | Embossed white serial within state outline on black plate with border line; "TENN. 57" centered at bottom | 1/A 1234 10/ 1234 10/A 1234 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | First 6" x 12" plate. |
 | 1958 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "TENN" within state outline centered at top; "19" at top left and "58" at top right | 1A-12-34 10-A1-23 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1959 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "TENN" within state outline centered at top; "59" at top left | 1A-1234 10-1234 10-A123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1960 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "TENN" within state outline centered at top; "60" at top right | 1A-1234 10-1234 10-A123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
 | 1961 | Embossed white serial on black plate with border line; "TENN" within state outline centered at top; "61" at top left | 1A-1234 10-1234 10-A123 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) |
1962 to present
[edit]| Image | Dates issued | Design | Slogan | Serial format | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 1962–65 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "TENN" within state outline centered at top; "62" at top right | none | 1-1234 1A-1234 1AB-123 10-1234 10-A123 10-AB12 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | Revalidated for 1963, 1964 and 1965 with stickers. |
 | 1966–70 | Embossed black serial on white plate with border line; "TENN" within state outline centered at top; county name on sticker centered at bottom, cutting off border line | none | AB-1234 | AA-0001 to TZ-9999 | |
 | 1971–75 | As 1966–70 base, but with full border line around plate and no county-name sticker | none | 1-A1234 1-AB123 10-A123 10-AB12 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| ABC-123 | AAA-001 to approximately ANA-999[3] | Supplemental plates issued in counties that had exhausted their allocations of county-code plates. | ||||
  | 1976–82 | Embossed dark blue serial on reflective white plate; pale yellow state seal screened in the center behind serial; blue banner graphic screened at top containing "TENNESSEE" in white in the center | "Volunteer State" screened in blue centered at bottom | 1-A1234 1-AB123 10-A123 10-AB12 | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | First base not to feature the state shape since 1935, and first to use the full state name since 1936. Monthly staggered registration introduced. Some plates manufactured in Texas using that state's serial dies (pictured). |
| ABC-123 | AAA-001 to approximately BPA-999[3] | Supplemental plates issued in counties that had exhausted their allocations of county-code plates. | ||||
 | 1983 – December 1987 | Embossed blue serial on reflective white plate; "Tennessee" screened in green centered at top | "Volunteer State" screened in green centered at bottom, surrounded by green state outline | 1-A1B23 1-ABC12 10-1A23 10-12A3 10-123A 10-12AB | Coded by county of issuance (1 or 10) | |
| ABC-123 | BRK-001 to approximately CZS-999[3] | Supplemental plates issued in counties that had exhausted their allocations of county-code plates. | ||||
 | January 1988 – December 1993 | Embossed red serial on reflective white plate; blue circle with three white stars (from the state flag) screened in the center; "Tennessee" screened in blue centered at top; county name on blue sticker centered at bottom | none | ABC 123 | ABB 001 to ZZZ 999 (see right) | Serials began at DBB 001 and ran to ZZZ 999, followed by BBB 001 through CZZ 999; vowels and Y were not used until 1993, when Y and then A were used as the first letter (the last serial issued was in the APP series). |
 | January 1994 – December 1999 | Embossed red serial on reflective white plate; Tennessee State Capitol screened in blue in the center; "BicenTENNial" screened in red and blue at top, offset to left ("TENN" in blue); "1796" and "1996" screened in blue to the right; county name on blue sticker centered at bottom | "VOLUNTEER STATE" screened in red centered between "BicenTENNial" and serial | 123 ABC | 001 ABB to 999 ZZZ (see right) | Commemorated Tennessee's 200 years of statehood. Serials began at 001 BBB and ran to 999 ZZZ; vowels and Y were not used until 1997, when Y, A, E and U were used as the first letter in that order (the last serial issued was in the UKX series). |
 | January 2000 – December 2005 | Embossed black serial on reflective white plate; gold rising sun over green state shape screened in the center; "TENNESSEE" screened in blue centered at top; county name on white sticker centered at bottom | "Sounds good to me" and "Volunteer State" screened in black centered above and below serial respectively | ABC 123 | AAA 001 to approximately TPS 999 | Early plates used a darker shade of green for the state shape; this was changed to a lighter shade in late 2000 in response to visibility concerns. Letters I and O not used in serials. |
|
| January 2006 – February 2011 | Screened black serial with state-shaped separator on reflective graphic plate with white sky and green rolling hills; "Tennessee" screened in black centered above serial; county name on white sticker centered at bottom | "The Volunteer State" screened in dark green above state name, offset to right | 123-ABC | 001-BBB to 999-ZZZ | Vowels not used in the 123-ABC, ABC-123 serial formats. I, O and Q not used in the A12-34B, 1A2-3B4 and 12A-B34 formats.[3] In spring 2020, some plates were manufactured at the Wynne License Plate Plant in Texas using a darker shade of green after a tornado damaged Tennessee's license plate manufacturing facility.[5] |
|
| February 2011 – April 2016 | As above, plus "www.tnvacation.com" screened in black between serial and county sticker | A12-34B | A00-01A to Z99-99Z | ||
|
| April 2016 – June 2021 | 1A2-3B4 | 0A0-0A1 to 9Z9-9Z9 | |||
 | June 2021 – January 2, 2022 | 12A-B34 | 00A-A01 to 56B-T13 | |||
 | July 1, 2017[6] – January 2, 2022 | As above, plus "In God We Trust" screened in green above and below separator | ABC-123 | BBB-001 to DXX-700 | ||
 | January 3, 2022[7] – Late 2023 | Screened white serial on reflective blue plate with flag emblem as separator; "TENNESSEE" screened in white inside an outlined state map, centered at top; county name on white sticker centered at bottom | "THE VOLUNTEER STATE" screened on the top left corner, to the left of the state map; "TNVACATION.COM" screened in white between serial and county sticker | ABC-1234 | BBB-0001 to BRC-2999[8] | Plate design chosen by online vote.[9] |
 | As above, plus "In God We Trust" in the center curved around the state's unofficial logo emblem; "TNVACATION.COM" screened in white between serial and county sticker | 123-ABCD | 001-BBBB to 999-BMDM[8] | |||
 | Late 2023 [10] – present | "THE VOLUNTEER STATE" screened on the top left corner, to the left of the state map | ABC-1234 | BRC-8001 to BSK-2033 (as of August 27, 2024)[8] | The changes remove the words www.tnvacation.com from both the standard and In God We Trust license plates. For the In God We Trust plate option, the words “In God We Trust” is located where www.tnvacation.com previously appeared. | |
 | As above, plus "IN GOD WE TRUST" screened in white between serial and county sticker | 123- ABCD | 001-BMDN to 581-BNPK (as of August 31, 2024)[8] |
County coding
[edit]From 1939 through 1965 and from 1971 through 1988, Tennessee license plates began with a one- or two-digit county code. The order of the codes was based on the respective populations of each county.
The codes remained constant from 1939 through 1965, then were re-allocated according to population shifts in 1971, 1976 and 1983.[11]
| County | 1939–65 | 1971–76 | 1976–83 | 1983–88 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson | 29 | 8 | 10 | 13 |
| Bedford | 25 | 42 | 38 | 44 |
| Benton | 71 | 75 | 71 | 70 |
| Bledsoe | 88 | 84 | 83 | 82 |
| Blount | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 |
| Bradley | 19 | 17 | 13 | 12 |
| Campbell | 31 | 27 | 35 | 28 |
| Cannon | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 |
| Carroll | 35 | 38 | 36 | 43 |
| Carter | 21 | 15 | 17 | 18 |
| Cheatham | 68 | 78 | 66 | 55 |
| Chester | 61 | 77 | 77 | 77 |
| Claiborne | 49 | 51 | 52 | 48 |
| Clay | 92 | 86 | 87 | 86 |
| Cocke | 46 | 40 | 37 | 38 |
| Coffee | 41 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| Crockett | 62 | 62 | 62 | 68 |
| Cumberland | 58 | 50 | 48 | 40 |
| Davidson | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Decatur | 83 | 82 | 78 | 79 |
| DeKalb | 66 | 73 | 75 | 76 |
| Dickson | 39 | 52 | 47 | 37 |
| Dyer | 18 | 22 | 26 | 29 |
| Fayette | 48 | 33 | 44 | 46 |
| Fentress | 72 | 64 | 67 | 71 |
| Franklin | 37 | 31 | 33 | 35 |
| Gibson | 13 | 12 | 14 | 19 |
| Giles | 24 | 44 | 46 | 47 |
| Grainger | 70 | 65 | 63 | 62 |
| Greene | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 |
| Grundy | 82 | 71 | 76 | 73 |
| Hamblen | 27 | 20 | 19 | 20 |
| Hamilton | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Hancock | 87 | 85 | 86 | 89 |
| Hardeman | 52 | 47 | 45 | 52 |
| Hardin | 56 | 54 | 54 | 54 |
| Hawkins | 43 | 21 | 24 | 23 |
| Haywood | 47 | 39 | 51 | 57 |
| Henderson | 57 | 56 | 56 | 56 |
| Henry | 26 | 45 | 42 | 41 |
| Hickman | 67 | 70 | 72 | 67 |
| Houston | 90 | 92 | 89 | 90 |
| Humphreys | 74 | 72 | 65 | 65 |
| Jackson | 81 | 79 | 81 | 83 |
| Jefferson | 44 | 48 | 39 | 36 |
| Johnson | 73 | 74 | 74 | 74 |
| Knox | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Lake | 76 | 76 | 82 | 87 |
| Lauderdale | 42 | 46 | 50 | 49 |
| Lawrence | 36 | 26 | 29 | 30 |
| Lewis | 85 | 87 | 85 | 81 |
| Lincoln | 28 | 36 | 40 | 45 |
| Loudon | 40 | 37 | 41 | 42 |
| Macon | 65 | 66 | 70 | 66 |
| Madison | 7 | 7 | 7 | 11 |
| Marion | 54 | 49 | 49 | 50 |
| Marshall | 32 | 55 | 55 | 58 |
| Maury | 9 | 14 | 16 | 17 |
| McMinn | 23 | 19 | 22 | 24 |
| McNairy | 50 | 53 | 53 | 53 |
| Meigs | 89 | 90 | 91 | 88 |
| Monroe | 51 | 41 | 43 | 39 |
| Montgomery | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Moore | 91 | 95 | 95 | 94 |
| Morgan | 69 | 63 | 64 | 63 |
| Obion | 17 | 30 | 27 | 33 |
| Overton | 77 | 61 | 60 | 61 |
| Perry | 86 | 89 | 90 | 92 |
| Pickett | 94 | 93 | 93 | 95 |
| Polk | 63 | 67 | 73 | 75 |
| Putnam | 34 | 23 | 21 | 22 |
| Rhea | 53 | 57 | 57 | 51 |
| Roane | 33 | 16 | 18 | 21 |
| Robertson | 15 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
| Rutherford | 8 | 11 | 11 | 8 |
| Scott | 75 | 59 | 61 | 60 |
| Sequatchie | 93 | 88 | 88 | 85 |
| Sevier | 38 | 34 | 31 | 25 |
| Shelby | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Smith | 55 | 68 | 68 | 69 |
| Stewart | 79 | 83 | 84 | 84 |
| Sullivan | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Sumner | 14 | 18 | 12 | 7 |
| Tipton | 30 | 25 | 32 | 31 |
| Trousdale | 84 | 91 | 92 | 91 |
| Unicoi | 59 | 60 | 59 | 64 |
| Union | 78 | 81 | 79 | 78 |
| Van Buren | 95 | 94 | 94 | 93 |
| Warren | 45 | 43 | 34 | 34 |
| Washington | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| Wayne | 64 | 69 | 69 | 72 |
| Weakley | 22 | 35 | 30 | 32 |
| White | 60 | 58 | 58 | 59 |
| Williamson | 20 | 32 | 23 | 14 |
| Wilson | 16 | 28 | 20 | 15 |
Optional plates
[edit]Tennessee offers over 200 optional license plates.[12] Most can be personalized for an additional fee.[13]
| Image | Type | First issued | Design | Serial format/s | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Ducks Unlimited | Embossed black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in green at top; green Ducks Unlimited logo at left; green bar at bottom containing "Ducks Unlimited" in white | D/U1234 1234D/U 1D/U234 | |||
 | The Equity Alliance | Fall 2022 | Screened white on black; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "THE EQUITY ALLIANCE" screened in gray at bottom. | A/J1234 | Introduced as Tennessee's first all black specialty plate[14] | |
 | Explore TN | March 2023 | Screened white on black; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "explore tn" screened in white at bottom. Off-road vehicle and mountains screened on left. | A/Q1234 1A/Q234 | ||
 | Freemasonry | Screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in blue at top; blue square containing yellow Square and Compasses at left; blue bar at bottom containing "MASON" in yellow | M/L1234 1M/L234 | M/L0001 to M/L9999 | ||
 | Isaiah 117 House | April 2023 | Screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top; Isaiah 117 house screened on left; "Isaiah 117" screened at bottom. | A/X1234 | ||
 | Millennial Debt Foundation | October 2022[15] | Screened white on black; "TENNESSEE" screened in white inside an outlined state map, centered at top; "IN THE BLACK" screened at bottom in silver | A/I1234 | ||
 | Sons of Confederate Veterans | 2004 | Screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in red at top; Confederate flag screened on left; "SONS OF THE CONFEDERATE VETERANS" screened in red at bottom | C/V1234 1234C/V | ||
| Tennessee Arts Commission[16] | ||||||
 | Cool Cat | 1995 | Originally embossed black serial on white, blue, and lavender background, now screened. "Tennessee" screened in white at top, bespectacled cat playing saxophone at left, with "ARTS" at bottom in blue. | A1234 A/C1234 1234A/C 12A/C34 | Artwork by Norris Hall | |
 | Fish | 1995 | Originally embossed black serial, now screened. "Tennessee" screened in blue at top with fish background. | F1234 A/F1234 1234A/F 12A/F34 | ||
| Environment & Conservation | ||||||
 | Appalachian Trail Conservancy | 2010 | Serial screened black on blue sky background. "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "appalachiantrail.org" screened in green at bottom on mountains screened transparently in background. | A/T1234 1A/T234 | Appalachian Trail Conservancy plates[17] | |
| State Parks | 1993 | Embossed black serial on white plate. "Tennessee State Parks" screened at top in green with purple wildflowers screened in background. | EV12345 | Font used for "Tennessee" script same as the one used on roadside state border sign. Sample at left also carries curious single month-year validation sticker, seen only in 1994 and only on select plates. | ||
 | 2000 | Serial screened black on white/light blue. "TENNESSEE" screened in light blue at top. "STATE PARKS" screened in blue at bottom. Purple flowers screened in background. | E/V1234 12E/V34 E1234V | |||
| Great Smoky Mountains National Park | 1997 | Originally embossed black serial on purple and orange graphic of mountains and sunrise, now screened. "TENNESSEE" screened at top. "Friends of Great Smoky Mountains" screened at left. "Preserve & Protect our National Park" screened at bottom. | 1234 A123 123A N/P1234 1234N/P 1N/P234 12N/P34 123N/P4 N/PA123 | |||
| 2018 | Screened black serial on purple and orange graphic of mountains and sunrise. Silhouette of bear standing on ledge at left. "Tennessee" screened at top. Stylized "FRIENDS OF THE SMOKIES" at bottom. | N/PA123 1N/PA23 12N/PA3 | Updated design introduced in 2018. | |||
| Collegiate | ||||||
 | University of Alabama | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA" screened in white at bottom, Alabama capital A logo screened on left. | A/L1234 1234A/L 12A/L34 | |||
 | University of Arkansas | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "University of Arkansas" screened in red at bottom, Arkansas Razorback logo screened on left. | U/A1234 1234U/A | |||
 | Auburn University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "Auburn University" screened in navy with orange outline at bottom, A/U logo screened on left. | 1234A/U A/U1234 | |||
 | Austin Peay State University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "Austin Peay State University" screened in white at bottom, A/P logo screened on left. | A/P1234 | |||
 | Belmont University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "Belmont University" screened in white at bottom, Belmont University logo screened in black on left. | B/U1234 | |||
 | Carson–Newman University | Serial screened black on orange; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "CARSON-NEWMAN" screened in white at bottom, Carson Newman Eagle logo screened on left. | C/U1234 | |||
 | Christian Brothers University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "CHRISTIAN BROTHERS UNIVERSITY" screened in white at bottom, CBU logo screened on left. | 123C/BU | |||
 | Clemson University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "Clemson University" screened in black at bottom, Clemson Tiger paw screened in orange on left. | C/L1234 | |||
 | East Tennessee State University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY" screened in black at bottom, ETSU logo screened on left. | 1234E/T | |||
 | University of Florida | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "University of Florida" screened in white at bottom, Gator logo screened on left. | U/F1234 1234U/F | |||
 | Florida State University | Serial screened black on gold; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY" screened in white at bottom, Seminole logo screened on left. | F/S1234 | |||
 | Freed–Hardeman University | Serial screened black on sunset sky background, "TENNESSEE" screened in maroon at top, "FREED-HARDEMAN UNIVERSITY" screened in orange at bottom, University logo screened on right. | F/H1234 | |||
 | Georgia Tech | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "Georgia Tech" screened in gold at bottom, G/T logo screened on left. | G/T1234 | |||
| Indiana University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "INDIANA UNIVERSITY" screened in red at bottom, I/U logo screened on left. | 1234I/U | ||||
| Jackson State University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "THEE I LOVE" screened in white at bottom, JSU logo screened on left. | J/S123 | ||||
| University of Kentucky | 1998 | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "University of Kentucky" screened in blue at bottom, UK/Wildcat logo screened on right, and "UK" Memorial Hall logo screened transparently in background. | U/K1234
1234U/K | |||
| Lane College | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "LANE COLLEGE" screened in blue at bottom, logo screened on left. | L/A1234 | ||||
| Lee University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "LEE UNIVERSITY" screened in blue at bottom, logo screened in between serial. | LU1234 | ||||
| LeMoyne–Owen College | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "LeMoyne-Owen College" screened in black at bottom, logo screened on left. | 123L/C | ||||
| Lipscomb University | Serial screened white on purple; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "LIPSCOMB" screened in gold at bottom, Capital L logo screened in gold on left. | L/B1234 | ||||
| Maryville College | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in garnet at top, "MARYVILLE COLLEGE" screened in garnet at bottom, logo screened on left. | M/V1234 | ||||
| University of Memphis | early 1990s | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "University of Memphis" screened in white at bottom, Memphis Tiger logo screened on left, and Memphis skyline screened transparently in background. (2018 redesign) | 1234 T/G1234 1234T/G 1T/G123 | |||
| Middle Tennessee State University | Serial screened black on white; "Tennessee" screened in white at top, "MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY" screened in white at bottom, MTSU logo screened on left. | M/T1234 | ||||
| Milligan University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "MILLIGAN UNIVERSITY" screened in white at bottom, M/U logo screened on left. | ? | ||||
| University of Mississippi | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in blue at top, "Ole Miss" screened in red outlined in blue at bottom, logo screened on left. | U/M1234 1234U/M 12U/M34 | ||||
| Mississippi State University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in maroon at top, "MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY" screened in maroon at bottom, logo screened on left. | M/S1234 1234M/S | ||||
| Penn State University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in blue at top, "PENN STATE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION" screened in blue at bottom, logo screened on left. | PS123 | ||||
| Purdue University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "PURDUE UNIVERSITY" screened in gold at bottom, logo screened on left. | P/U1234 | ||||
| Rhodes College | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "RHODES" screened in white at bottom, logo screened on left. | R/C1234 | ||||
| Sewanee: The University of the South | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "SEWANEE The University of the South" screened on left. | 1S/W23 | ||||
| Tennessee State University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, TSU logo screened on left. | 1234 | ||||
| Tennessee Tech University | Serial screened black on gold, "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "TENNESSEE TECH UNIVERSITY" screened in back on bottom, TTU logo screened on left. | T/K1234 | ||||
| Tennessee Wesleyan University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in gold at top, "TENNESSEE WESLEYAN" screened in gold on bottom, T/W logo screened on left. | T/W1234 | ||||
| Trevecca Nazarene University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "TREVECCA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY" screened in white at bottom, T/U logo screened on left. | T/U1234 | ||||
| Tusculum University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened at top in orange, "TUSCULUM UNIVERSITY" screened in black and white at bottom, T/U logo on left. | T/L123 | ||||
| University of Tennessee at Chattanooga | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "CHATTANOOGA" screened in white at bottom, Capitol C logo screened on left. | 1234T/C T/C1234 12T/C34 | ||||
| University of Tennessee Health Science Center | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER" screened in white at bottom, UT logo above "HSC" screened on left. | 1234H/S | ||||
| UT–Knoxville | Serial screened black on orange and white; "TENNESSEE" screened at top in white, "VOLUNTEERS" screened at bottom in white. Power T logo screened on left. | 1V/O234 | ||||
| UT Knoxville Alumni Program | 2021[18] | Serial screened black on white; "THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "VOLUNTEERS" screened in white at bottom, Power T logo screened on left. | ? | |||
| University of Tennessee at Martin | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened at top in white, "UT MARTIN" screened at bottom in orange and white, Skyhawk logo screened on left. | 1234T/M | ||||
| Union University | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened at top in black, "UNION UNIVERSITY" screened at bottom in black, logo and "RELIGIO ET ERUDITO" written on logo crest screened on left. | U/U1234 | ||||
| University of Tennessee- All Colleges System | Serial screened black on orange/white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE" screened at bottom in black, UT logo screened on left. | A123U/T | ||||
| Vanderbilt University | Serial screened black on gold; "Tennessee" screened in black at top, "VANDERBILT" screened at bottom in white, logo screened on left. | V/U1234 1234V/U 12V/U34 | ||||
| Virginia Tech | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "GO HOKIES" screened at bottom in maroon, logo screened on left. | V/T1234 | ||||
| Professional Sports Teams | ||||||
| Chattanooga FC | 2022 | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in white at top, "CHATTANOOGA FC" screened in white at bottom, Chattanooga FC logo screened on left. | F/C1234 A/V1234 | |||
| Memphis Grizzlies Version 1[19] | 2015 | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened in black at top, "MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES" screened in yellow at bottom, Grizz logo screened on left. | M/G1234 1234M/G | |||
| Memphis Grizzlies Version 2 | 2018 | Serial screened white on navy; "TENNESSEE" screened in Beale Street Blue at top, "MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES" screened in Beale Street Blue at bottom, Grizz logo screened on left. | M/B1234 1234M/B 12M/B34 | |||
Gift-A-Tag specialty plate program
[edit]Beginning March 4, 2015,[20] Tennesseans were granted the ability to purchase gift vouchers to buy state specialty plates for relatives and friends. This program is no longer available, but vouchers previously purchased can be redeemed at county clerk offices.[21]
Non-passenger plates
[edit]| Image | Type | First issued | Design | Serial format/s | Serials issued | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Antique Auto | 2001 | Embossed black on white; "TENNESSEE" and "ANTIQUE AUTO" screened at top and bottom respectively; "PERM" at top right | A/A12345 | A/A00001 to approximately A/A34000 | |
 | 2006 | As above, but with serial screened | A/A34001 to A/A99999 | |||
| 2011 | 12345A/A | 00001A/A to 99999A/A | ||||
| 2018 | 1A/A2345 | 0A/A0001 to present | ||||
 | Disabled Person | January 2, 2023[22] | "THE VOLUNTEER STATE" screened on the top left corner, to the left of the state map | P/D12345 | P/D00001 to P/D99999 | |
| | March 2023 | 12345P/D | 00001P/D to 99999P/D | |||
| | November 2023 | 1P/D2345 | 0P/D0001 to 0P/D1000 (as of December 2, 2023) | |||
| Disabled Person (Confined to Wheelchair) | 2023 | P/C00001 | P/C00001 to P/C03022 (as of July 17, 2023) | |||
 | Disabled Veteran | 2019 | D/V00001 | Unknown to D/V99999 | ||
 | Hearing Impaired | January 3, 2022 | Screened white serial on reflective blue plate with flag emblem as separator; "TENNESSEE" screened in white inside an outlined state map, centered at top; county name on white sticker centered at bottom | ABC-1234 | TTY-0001 to TTY-0275 (as of August 5, 2022) | |
| | Motorcycle | 2001 | Embossed black on white with border line; "TENNESSEE" screened at top; "TN" embossed at bottom | ZB1234 | ZA0001 to approximately ZD9500 | |
| | 2002 | As above, but without embossed "TN" | ZD9501 to ZW9999 | |||
| 2005 | 1234ZB | 0001ZA to 9999ZL | ||||
 | 2007 | Screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened at top | 0001ZM to 9999ZV | |||
| 2008 | 1ZB234 | 0ZA001 to 9ZV999 | ||||
| 2012 | 12ZB34 | 00ZA01 to 99ZV99 | ||||
| 2016 | 123ZB4 | 000ZA1 to 999ZZ9 | ||||
| 2021 | K12345 | K00001 to K99999 | ||||
| 2023 | 12345K | 00001K to 21037K (as of November 13, 2023) | ||||
| Music City Bus | 2001 | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened at top | M/C12345 | M/C00001 to unknown | Used on privately-owned, non apportioned entertainer coaches | |
| Semi-Trailer | 2006 | Serial screened black on white; "TENNESSEE" screened at top in blue; "SEMI" screened in blue at bottom | U123456 | U000001 to U999999 | ||
| 2019 | 123456T | 000001T to 490147T (as of October 9, 2023) |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Old Tennessee License Plates". LeatherLicensePlates.com. Retrieved June 10, 2017.
- ^ Garrish, Christopher (October 2016). "Reconsidering the Standard Plate Size". Plates. Vol. 62, no. 5. Automobile License Plate Collectors Association.
- ^ a b c d e Tanner, Eric N. "Tennessee Passenger License Plates". allaboutlicenseplates.com. Retrieved November 26, 2020.
- ^ Garrish, Christopher (2013). Tales from the Back Bumper: A Century of BC Licence Plates. Victoria, British Columbia: Heritage House. p. 48. ISBN 978-1-927527-03-0.
- ^ "700 Tennessee license plates lost after March tornadoes". WKRN News 2. 2020-07-07. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
- ^ Strayer, Kayla (July 6, 2017). "In God We Trust plates now available in Tennessee". WTVC. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- ^ "New License Plates Coming in 2022". www.tn.gov. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ a b c d "Tennessee License Plates". www.licenseplates.cc. Retrieved 2023-03-11.
- ^ "Gov. Lee Unveils New License Plate Design Picked by Tennesseans". www.tn.gov. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ "Standard Plate FAQ". www.tn.gov. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
- ^ Nicholson, David. "Tennessee County Codes". 15q.net. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ "Specialty License Plate". TN Arts Commission — TN Specialty Plates. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
- ^ "Personalized Plates". personalizedplates.revenue.tn.gov. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
- ^ "The Equity Alliance Introduces Tennessee's First All Black Specialty License Plate". The Tennessee Tribune. 2021-12-05. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
- ^ westonwamp (2022-11-04). "Tennessee's First All-Black License Plate Arrives As Symbol of Fiscal Stewardship". Millennial Debt. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
- ^ "TN Specialty License Plate | Tennesseans for the Arts". Tn4Arts. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ "A.T. License Plates | Appalachian Trail Conservancy". Appalachian Trail Conservancy |. 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2023-03-25.
- ^ Jason (2020-07-02). "New Vol license plates to help fund UT scholarships". TN Arts Commission — TN Specialty Plates. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ Jason (2014-07-28). "Memphis Grizzlies announce official license plate". TN Arts Commission — TN Specialty Plates. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ Jason (2015-03-05). "You can "gift" speciality license plates". TN Arts Commission — TN Specialty Plates. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ "Gift-A-Tag". TN Arts Commission — TN Specialty Plates. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
- ^ "License Plate for Tennesseans with Disabilities to Have New Design in 2023". www.tn.gov. Retrieved 2023-04-06.