TCA § 55-4-104 — Expiration of certificates and plates — Renewal — Decals — Fees — Renewal of special plates

All certificates of registration and registration plates issued under chapters 1-6 of this title shall expire at twelve o'clock (12:00) midnight on March 31 of each year. These certificates of registration and registration plates shall be available for renewal and purchase commencing on March 1 of each year. There is excepted from application of subsection (a) all of the registration classes for private passenger motor vehicles, motorcycles registered after March 23, 1994, under Class (A) of § 55-4-111, and Class 1 registrations only of the combined farm and limited private trucks classification. The application of the provisions contained in subsection (a) do not apply to registration plates for handicapped drivers, and this subsection (b) for registration renewals at alternative intervals apply to registration plates for handicapped drivers. With respect to these motor vehicles, the commissioner shall establish a system of registration renewals at alternative intervals which will allow for the distribution of the registration workload as uniformly as is practicable throughout the calendar year. Registrations issued under the alternative method are valid for twelve (12) months, and expire on the last day of the last month of the registration period. However, during a transition period, or at any time thereafter when the commissioner shall determine that the volume of work for any given interval is unduly burdensome or costly, either registrations or renewals, or both of them, may be issued for terms of not less than six (6) nor more than eighteen (18) months; provided further, however, that if a motor vehicle or motorcycle owner attests that the owner will be absent from the state during the owner’s annual registration renewal month and all other requirements for registration have been met, then during the ninety-day period immediately preceding the annual registration renewal month, the registration may be renewed for the original registration period. The commissioner shall provide all registration plates, tabs, stickers and other required devices to county clerks at least ninety (90) days prior to each registration period to facilitate such early renewal. The fee imposed for registration of any vehicle under the alternative interval method for a period of other than twelve (12) months shall be proportionate to the annual fee fixed for the vehicle and modified in no other manner, except that the proportional fee shall be rounded off to the nearest quarter of a dollar (25¢). For purposes of this subsection (c): “Business” means any business that registers not less than fifteen thousand (15,000) vehicles annually and is engaged in the rental of motor vehicles, trucks, and trailers for periods of thirty-one (31) days or less when the vehicle is delivered to the lessee in this state; “Trailers” has the same meaning as defined in § 55-1-105; and “Trucks” means vehicles with a manufacturer's ton rating not exceeding three-quarter (¾) ton and having a panel or pickup body style or any freight motor vehicles with a gross weight of twenty-six thousand pounds (26,000 lbs.) or less. Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), the department may issue any business under this subsection (c) registrations that are valid for twenty-four (24) months, and expire on the last day of the last month of the registration period. With respect to vehicles registered by such business, the commissioner may establish a system of registration renewals at alternate intervals that will allow for the distribution of the registration workload as uniformly as is practicable throughout the registration period. The department shall set twenty-four-month registration fees in an amount that offsets revenue that would otherwise be generated by twelve-month registration fees in effect prior to July 1, 2017. Notwithstanding subsection (a) to the contrary, the commissioner shall establish a system of registration and registration renewals for vehicles registered pursuant to § 55-4-113, whereby these registration and registration renewals expire one (1) year after the purchase or lease for vehicles that are purchased or leased after July 1, 1996. If registration plates are transferred to these vehicles from a vehicle previously registered pursuant to § 55-4-113, then the fee for the registration plate shall be prorated accordingly. Certificates of registration, registration plates and renewals of registrations and plates registered pursuant to § 55-4-113, that expire February 28, 1997, are extended until twelve o'clock (12:00) midnight on March 31, 1997. Thereafter renewals of the registration and registration plates shall be in accordance with subsection (a). Upon proof of the payment of all fees accruing therefor, the commissioner shall have continuing authority to revalidate motor vehicle registration plates for a period of one (1) year at a time, or one (1) or more quarters of a year, and is authorized to supply the county clerks of the several counties with tabs, stickers, or other devices, that shall be affixed to the registration plates revalidated to indicate the period for which these revalidated registration plates shall be valid. The tab, sticker, or other device for the revalidated registration plate so affixed to the registration plate shall be evidence that all state fees accruing therefor and applicable local wheel or road taxes have been paid, unless the local legislative body requires a separate tab, sticker, or other device evidencing payment of the local wheel or road tax be affixed, pursuant to § 5-8-102(d)(3). The commissioner shall not issue a registration renewal for a vehicle based in a county that has been designated by the Tennessee air pollution control board to have a motor vehicle inspection and maintenance program in order to attain or maintain compliance with national ambient air quality standards, except in accordance with terms and conditions as are established in rules of the board. Any county that ceases to have an inspection and maintenance program pursuant to § 68-201-119(b)(1) may, by action of its governing body, increase the amount of any clerk's fee imposed on any initial registration, or at the time of renewal, by an amount up to four dollars ($4.00). Of any increase up to four dollars ($4.00), the clerk shall retain one dollar ($1.00) and remit, as directed by the county governing body, the balance of any funds to the county general fund.