Vehicle Ownership in Tennessee — Car Alpha

Complete guide to vehicle ownership in Tennessee: insurance requirements (25/50/15), lemon law protections, emissions testing, registration fees, and EV incentives.

Tennessee Overview

Southeast · Capital: Nashville

Tennessee requires liability insurance and has emissions testing in select metro counties. The state has a lemon law for new vehicles and charges no state income tax on wages.

Insurance Requirements

Minimum Coverage

25/50/15

Average Annual Cost

$1,370

$25,000 bodily injury per person / $50,000 bodily injury per accident / $15,000 property damage

Full insurance guide Compare Tennessee rates

Tennessee Lemon Law

Tennessee's Motor Vehicle Warranty Enforcement Act covers new vehicles within the warranty period. After four repair attempts or 30 days out of service, the consumer can seek a replacement or refund.

Full lemon law guide Talk to a lemon law attorney

Emissions Testing

Emissions testing is required in Davidson, Hamilton, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson counties for vehicles 3-25 model years old. Annual OBD-II testing costs $9.

EV Incentives

Tennessee offers incentives through TVA partnerships and local utility programs for EV charging station installation. The state is home to several EV manufacturing facilities and offers related tax incentives.

Full EV incentives guide

Registration & Title

Registration Fee

$26.50 for most vehicles

Title Fee

$11

Plate Fee

Tennessee charges a flat $26.50 annual registration fee for most passenger vehicles. A state and local sales tax (typically 7-9.75%) applies to vehicle purchases. Title fee is $11.

Full registration guide