Tennessee License Plates

Starting January 2022, this is the new general use license plate. The current high and all plates after BRC 9999 are a separate series and no longer feature the web address below the serial.

As of January 1, 2024, "TNVACATION.COM" has been removed in accordance with legislation passed in the 2023 legislative session.

Available tax-free to employees of Tennessee automobile manufacturers (currently Volkswagen and Nissan).

This series always employs the letters "OEM" at some position in the serial.

As of January 1, 2024, "TNVACATION.COM" has been removed in accordance with legislation passed in the 2023 legislative session.

Plates after 999 BMDM replace the web address at the bottom with "Iin God We Trust" which has been removed from around the flag separator.

As of January 1, 2024, "TNVACATION.COM" has been removed in accordance with legislation passed in the 2023 legislative session, and "IN GOD WE TRUST" has been moved into its place. (It had previously encircled the Tri-Star.)

Flat

Original series used A/A prefix.

The current Tennessee Apportioned truck license plate series started in 2011 and has always been fully-flat.

Commonly found on for-hire entertainer coaches such as those operated by Roberts Brothers, Nite Train, and Diamond Coach of Nashville. Current all-flat series started in 2011.

Flat

Black on white.

This type is used for Franchised New Car Dealers.

Flat

White on red.

This type is used for Used Car Dealers.

Tennessee Disabled Driver regular black on white passenger license plates 2000-22 featured always-stacked floating-caption letters DD and DP (denoted here by * and ^) plus numbers in the following formats:

2022 01^234

2020-22 0^1234

2017-20 ^01234

2014-17 0123*4

2011-14 012*34

2008-10 01*234

2007-08 0*1234

2000-06 *01234 and 01234* (embossed)

Tennessee Disabled Driver white on blue regular flat passenger vehicle license plates since 2023 feature always-stacked floating-caption letters PD (denoted here by *) plus numbers in the following formats:

2023 3rd-present 0*1234

2023 2nd 01234*

2023 1st *01234

Disabled plates with stacked PC caption are tracked separately on this website.

.

Flat. Formerly used older style embossed plate after other types had switched to flat. Amateur Radio plates with call signs also have the EMERGENCY legend.

Flat

Format reversed after GZ-9999

Also seen - embossed S5-VC69 in the white on green format

Flat, black on white

DP-4267 spotted by Gunther Frostyburger on 2014-05-26.

Series progressed from 9999ZZ to 0ZB000, now 00ZA00

Handicapped Motorcycle: 3A14 2015--04-21 Ken Reager

MC = Music City bus. These plates are used on privately-owned, non-apportioned entertainer coaches such as those operated by Russell Coaches of Knoxville. Only observed on the fully-embossed 2001 "Sounds good to me" base. Current usage appears doubtful.

Valid for ten years.

Embossed

U series follows T series.

T series high: T954712 2014-04-13 Gunther Frostyburger

Flat, white characters on green background.

The plate often matches the color of the squad car.

Some cars have the usual white on green State Gov't. plates, so it is possible they are changing back to using those instead of the special State Trooper plates.

Dealer name/logo appears in the open area at the left.

Temporary license plates, also known as in Tennessee as "Drive-out Tags", have a whole new look. The ID numbers are much larger in a gray Arial printed fonts, and the expiration dates are smaller, following the identification number.

After reaching the end of the Z prefix series, it appears these have rolled over to the A prefix series.

.

This is the "Jazz Cat" plate.

"Art is...A Rainbow" slogan with rainbow graphic

Flat, now with different font

G has moved from the last position to the second position.

Flat

Proceeds help provide emotional and physical support in a loving home for children awaiting foster placement in Tennessee.

Flat

.

Proceeds benefit the Millennial Debt Foundation’s management of educating the public on the need for fiscal stewardship in government.

Original series was R/L nnnn.

Flat

Flat

C/H series has also been used.

S/J prefix was used before suffix.

A suffix is for officers, R suffix is for retired, all-numeric is for regular Guard members.

Earlier format was E/V 1234

"Celebrating Homeownership" in script at bottom.

Flat

Original series had A/L prefix. Following A/L9999, switched to A/L suffix.

Flat

Started with U/K as prefix, then advance to U/K suffix.

Flat

Flat

Flat

.

Flat

Disabled Veteran - Handicapped - D/V 8112

After reaching H9999, "H" now at the 5th position.

Low: H0001 (the lowest possible) 2013-04-11 Ken Reager

Flat - New design has blue bird logo on the left side of the plate.

National Guard plates with a letter suffix are for officers. N/G nnnn format is for enlisted.

Enlisted high: N/G 20815 2013-09-20 Shane Ford

Flat

The last high we had in the previous format was P/H 15 752 in 2007.

Flat

Series ran BBB - ZZZ, then Y, A, E, P, S, and U series in that order, with the letter in the first position only (i.e. no BYY or YYY)

Davidson Co.

New bases have "www.tnvacation.com" added to the area right above the County Sticker.

The current low on the new base is 096-BBB from Wilson Co. Dave Hermanson confirms that vowels are not used on the new base. Vincent Perillo reported 327-NFD in Nashville, which is almost certainly a continuation of the plates issued to members of the Nashville Fire Dept. as on the last base. He also reports 992-MPD, which corresponds to the previous issue for the Metro Nashville Police Dept. for their personal vehicles.

Upon reaching 999-ZZZ in 2011, the current format of A12-34A began.

New format low: A00-06A Knox Co. 2013-07-27 Ken Reager

Numbering Sequence: A00-00A, then A00-01A, etc. through A99-99A then A00-00B, A00-01B, etc. The letter Q is not used.

Some Z series plates are now showing up, but we don't know what they are for yet. If anyone finds out, please let us know. Ken Reager and David Wilson have seen Z series plates with TN FLEET stickers, so our best guess for now is that the Z series is for Fleet plates. These plates have been seen from at least 4 different counties.

Z high: Z58-35Z Williamson Co. 2015-09-16 Joshua Fickett

Ricky Rose reports that Tennessee began issuing just one validation sticker in July 2014, and it has the plate number on it, but Dave Hermanson updates that it is for selected counties only and is machine printed with the plate number and if necessary "Local Tax" also noted.

From Dave Hermanson: Additional counties are adopting new machine printed validation stickers along with registration cards. Knox County came on-line around the end of September. Exp. 15 stickers look nearly identical to the earlier serial-numbered style with the plate number centered at the bottom. TN is stacked in small letters on the right side and if local-tax has been paid TP is noted. This change will probably eliminate the additional Local Tax Stickers. Still issuing separate month stickers.