Motor Vehicles, Titling and Registration

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact financial impact or provide details on how many military members will be affected by this change.

Exemption for Military Personnel from Electric Vehicle Registration Fee

This bill removes an additional registration fee for military personnel stationed outside of Tennessee who are renewing the registration of an all-electric vehicle.

What This Bill Does

• Removes a requirement that certain military members pay extra fees when they renew their electric car registrations in Tennessee.
• Requires these military members to show proof from their service about where they're stationed.
• Limits this exemption to vehicles owned by the military member or jointly with family members.

Who It Names or Affects

• Military personnel stationed outside of Tennessee on orders and renewing electric vehicle registrations in Tennessee.

Terms To Know

Uniformed service

Members of the U.S. Army, Navy (including Marine Corps), Air Force, or Coast Guard who are serving full-time.

All-electric vehicle

A car that runs only on electricity and does not have a gasoline engine.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill applies to military personnel stationed outside of Tennessee, but not those at bases shared with another state.
• It is unclear how many military members will be affected by this change.
• The bill only affects renewals starting July 1, 2026.

Official Summary Text

I
n addition to all other motor vehicle registration fees prescribed by law,
present law requires an additional registration fee to
be paid to the department
of revenue
at the time the vehicle registration
for certain all-electric, hybrid electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles
is renewed
.

For registrations renewed on or after July 1, 2026, this bill exempts
from paying
such
additional registration fee
a
member of a uniformed service in
full-time duty in the army, navy (including marine corps), air force
,
or coast guard of the United States
, who is stationed outside of this state and not at a military reservation located partially within the boundary of this state and that of another state under orders of the member's branch of service and who is seeking to renew a registration for an all-e
l
ectric vehicle.

In order to qualify for
such
exemption,
this bill requires
the service member
to
provide to the county clerk a copy of the official orders related to the stationing of the service member. The copy of the orders must be submitted at the time the vehicle registration is renewed.
Additionally, such exemption only applies
when the vehicle is titled and registered in the name of the service member, either alone or jointly with a spouse or lineal relative.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 1522
By Stevens

SENATE BILL 1738
By White
SB1738
010143
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section
55-4-116 and Section 55-6-107, relative to military
personnel.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-4-116, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection (c) and redesignating the existing subsections accordingly:
(c)
(1) Notwithstanding this section, a member of a uniformed service in
active military service of the United States, as defined in § 58-1-102, who is
stationed outside of this state and not at a military reservation located partially
within the boundary of this state and that of another state under orders of the
member's branch of service and who is seeking to renew a registration for an all-
electric vehicle is exempt from paying any additional registration fee required
under this section.
(2) In order to qualify for the exemption provided in this subsection (c),
the service member shall provide to the county clerk a copy of the official orders
related to the stationing of the service member. The copy of the orders must be
submitted at the time the vehicle registration is renewed.
(3) The exemption provided in this subsection (c) applies only when the
vehicle is titled and registered in the name of the service member, either alone or
jointly with a spouse or lineal relative.
SECTION 2. The Tennessee Code Commission is requested to make an appropriate
update to the cross-reference to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-4-116(c), found in

- 2 - 010143

Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-6-107, to reflect the updated subsection designations
resulting from Section 1.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to registrations renewed on or after that date.