TCA § 55-4-141 — Authority of department of revenue to issue, suspend, or revoke a registration, permit, plate, or certificate of certain motor carriers

The department or its agent is authorized to refuse to issue or transfer a registration, license plate, permit, or a certificate of title on a vehicle that has been assigned to a motor carrier that has been prohibited from operating by the federal motor carrier safety administration; provided, that the department or its agent may allow a motor carrier that has been prohibited from operating by the federal motor carrier safety administration to transfer a title if the motor carrier does not retain an interest, either directly or indirectly, in the vehicle. The department or its agent is authorized to suspend or revoke the registration, license plate, permit, or certificate of title issued to any vehicle assigned to a motor carrier that has been prohibited from operating by the federal motor carrier safety administration. The department shall deny registration for a vehicle assigned to a motor carrier that has been prohibited from operating by the federal motor carrier safety administration for safety reasons or a carrier whose business is operated, managed, or otherwise controlled by or affiliated with a person who is ineligible for registration, including an applicant, owner, corporate officer, or shareholder of the carrier or a relative of any such persons. For purposes of this section, “relative” means husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, father, mother, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law. If a prohibition from operating by the federal motor carrier safety administration is rescinded, the department or its agent may issue a registration, license plate, permit, or certificate of title to the motor carrier; provided, that all other taxes and fees have been paid to the department.