How to Introduce a New Specialty Plate
To establish a specialty license plate in support of your organization:
1. Contact your state legislator to have a bill for the plate introduced.
2. If the bill passes, your organization’s contact person must email the Department of Revenue, at dg_plate&supply.team@tn.gov, the following information:
- Plate Name
- Organization Name
- Contact Name
- Contact Number
- Mailing Address
- E-mail Address
3. Once the above information is received, the Department of Revenue will email a packet to the contact person containing:
- Specifications for the artwork
- Template for license plate
- Template for names collected for the initial order
- General Information
4. Your organization has until close of business on June 30 of the following year to:
- Collect names and addresses for the initial plate order;
- Assign plate numbers to the names collected;
- Design artwork; and
- Mail all of this information and a check payable to the Department of Revenue to:
Department of Revenue
Vehicle Services Division
500 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37242
(If your organization cannot collect the names and money required for the initial order in this amount of time, it must request an extension through the current legislative session before the June 30 deadline. Your organization is responsible for contacting the legislator who initiated the bill to request the extension, which must be approved by the legislature.)
5. Once payment, names and artwork are submitted to the Department of Revenue, it takes approximately four to six months before the plate is produced. Prior to plate production, metal samples will be produced for your organization to sign off on. The plate will also undergo system and road tests.
6. Upon approval and the completion of testing, plates are produced and mailed to county clerk offices. Letters also are mailed to customers to let them know when their assigned plates will be in their local county clerk's office.