The Tennessee Department of Revenue issued guidance Wednesday regarding an upcoming change requiring Tennesseans to provide proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence when applying for the initial registration of motor vehicles beginning January 1, 2027.
The requirement stems from a bill (HB1708/SB1889) which passed the Tennessee General Assembly earlier this year and subsequently signed into law by Governor Bill Lee.
The law prohibits the Department of Revenue or county clerks from processing an application for the initial issuance of a vehicle registration with a license plate unless the applicant provides documentation showing that they are a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or “a person whose presence in the U.S. has been authorized by the federal government for a specific purpose and for a specified period of authorized stay.”
The Department of Revenue published a list of documents on its website that will satisfy the requirement.
A REAL ID-compliant license, Tennessee driver license, temporary Tennessee driver license, Tennessee photo identification license, or temporary photo identification license will be accepted as proof.
Applicants may also provide documents including a valid U.S. passport, birth certificate, Certificate of Citizenship, Certificate of Naturalization, Permanent Resident Alien Card, or qualifying immigration documents.
The department said documentation may be provided either in paper or electronic form, including an electronic image displayed on a cellphone or other portable device.
The new requirement applies to initial registrations and does not require applicants to repeatedly submit the documentation once the required information has been recorded by the Department of Revenue or county clerk.
Furthermore, the law also requires every vehicle registration and renewal to include a notice stating that the vehicle owner or operator is required to be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or temporary lawful resident under Tennessee law.
For more information, visit the Department of Revenue’s website.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “Waiting in line at DMV” by Jay Cross CC2.0.
