Rutherford Commissioners Consider Change in Car Tag Law

By seeking to change a single word in Tennessee law, Rutherford county officials hope to reclaim car registration revenue they feel is rightfully theirs.

The county’s commissioners assert that for years, residents have been trying to escape both emissions testing and a wheel tax by registering their vehicles in nearby counties that may not require either.

The current Tennessee law states that county clerks “may” require proof of residency for car tags. Rutherford officials want the word “may” changed to “shall”.

Senator Bill Ketron says there’s no way of measuring exactly how many residents are avoiding registration in their home county, but he believes the problem has been brewing long enough:

“When I served on the county commission back in the nineties it was pretty widespread. There’s one, two counties away from here that will issue tags to anybody that walks in, the clerk will issue tags to anyone who walks in without requiring any proof of where you live or anything else. He just likes bringing the revenue in.”

Fifty-seven of Tennessee’s ninety-five counties levy wheel taxes, and seven require auto emissions testing, leaving Tennesseans with a number of ways to avoid both.

At its meeting this Thursday the Rutherford County Commission will decide whether to ask the state to change the law. If it votes to do so, Senator Ketron has said he will sponsor the bill.