Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-4-108 (2026)
Registration certificate to be carried in vehicle or on driver's person - Display - Exception
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) Every certificate of registration shall at all times be carried in the vehicle to which it refers or shall be carried by the person driving, or in control of the vehicle, who shall display the certificate upon demand of any officer or employee of the department. The owner may, in order to ensure its safekeeping, provide a duplicate or facsimile of the certificate of registration to be kept in the vehicle for display by any person who may legally operate the vehicle under the owner's registration.
- (b) The provision of subsection (a) requiring that a certificate of registration be carried in the vehicle to which it refers, or by the person driving the vehicle, shall not apply when the certificate of registration is used for the purpose of making application for renewal of registration or upon a transfer of the vehicle.
- (c) For purposes of any vehicle operating as part of a platoon, as defined by § 55-8-101, the requirements of subsection (a) are satisfied if the certificate of registration is at all times carried in the first or lead vehicle in the platoon.
- (d) For purposes of an ADS-operated vehicle, as defined by § 55-30-102, the requirements of subsection (a) are satisfied if the certificate of registration is at all times carried in or available electronically through, the vehicle to which it refers.
- (e) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 474,s 1, eff. 6/6/2017.
Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 171,s 1, eff. 4/24/2017.
Acts 1951, ch. 70, § 44 (Williams, § 5538.144); Acts 1961, ch. 292, § 1; 1972, ch. 540, § 10; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 59-408; Acts 2003, ch. 2, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9
cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1985–2023 · leading case: Franklin v. Swift Transp. Co., 210 S.W.3d 521 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006).
Franklin v. Swift Transp. Co., 210 S.W.3d 521 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006). “T.C.A. § 55-4-108(a) (1998). The requirement for proof of registration is narrowed, however, by a regulation issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety.”
Hedgepeth v. Tennessee, 215 F.3d 608 (6th Cir. 2000). “00 reflectorization fee provided by Tenn.Code Ann. § 55-4-108(f)(1) is allocated to the General Fund.”
Anthony Franklin v. Swift Transp. Co., Inc. - Dissenting (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006). “T.C.A. § 55-4-108 (a) states that a certificate of registration must be carried in the vehicle, but the statute also provides that the owner of the vehicle have either the original certificate of registration or a copy of it.”
State of Tennessee v. Kathy Bell Noble (Tenn. Crim. App. 2016). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-4-108 requires that a certificate of registration be carried in the vehicle and that it must be displayed on demand of any officer.”
State of Tennessee v. Duane R. Doxtater (Tenn. Crim. App. 2023). “See Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 55-4-108 , -4-129, -9- 1 The plea agreement noted that the escape conviction required mandatory service of sixty days.”
State of Tennessee v. Tony A. Pitts (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-4-108 requires that a certificate of registration be carried in the vehicle and that it must be displayed on demand of any officer.”
State of Tennessee v. Paul Williams aka Paul Williams EL (Tenn. Crim. App. 2015). “The defendant was convicted of a violation of Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-4-108(a), which makes it a Class C misdemeanor not to carry and display on demand a vehicle‟s certificate of registration, and of a violation of Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-50-504, which…”
State of Tennessee v. Dennis Haughton Webber (Tenn. Crim. App. 2015). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-4-108(a) mandates that “[e]very certificate of registration shall at all times be carried in the vehicle to which it refers or shall be carried by the person driving, or in control of the vehicle, who shall display the certificate upon demand…”
State v. Forero, 700 S.W.2d 190 (Tenn. Crim. App. 1985). “Next, the appellants, with reliance on T.C.A. § 55-4-108, contend that Officer Ballentine, not being a State Highway Patrol officer, had no right to demand the registration papers on the van from Forero.”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-4-108(a) — 3 cases
Franklin v. Swift Transp. Co., 210 S.W.3d 521 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2006). “T.C.A. § 55-4-108(a) (1998). The requirement for proof of registration is narrowed, however, by a regulation issued by the Tennessee Department of Safety.”
State of Tennessee v. Paul Williams aka Paul Williams EL (Tenn. Crim. App. 2015). “The defendant was convicted of a violation of Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-4-108(a), which makes it a Class C misdemeanor not to carry and display on demand a vehicle‟s certificate of registration, and of a violation of Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-50-504, which…”
State of Tennessee v. Dennis Haughton Webber (Tenn. Crim. App. 2015). “Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-4-108(a) mandates that “[e]very certificate of registration shall at all times be carried in the vehicle to which it refers or shall be carried by the person driving, or in control of the vehicle, who shall display the certificate upon demand…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-4-108(f)(1) — 1 case
Hedgepeth v. Tennessee, 215 F.3d 608 (6th Cir. 2000). “00 reflectorization fee provided by Tenn.Code Ann. § 55-4-108(f)(1) is allocated to the General Fund.”
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