ATV/UTV registration: Question

[Knothead]

Can't get a consistent answer on this: if you own and operate a 4 wheeler or side by side, (not for highway use, just for hunting and farm work, etc) are you required, BY LAW, to have it registered with TN State Dept of Revenue, and have a registration sticker on the vehicle or risk a hefty fine for not complying? I've asked several people and get a different answer every time. Just trying to settle a debate with some coworkers. Thanks.

 

[KPH]

I was told at the county clerks office it had to be registered. Mine was registered by the dealer when I bought it.

 

[Remington700]

It's my understanding they all have to be registered. It is to show you paid taxes on it.

 

[MUP]

Hmmm, I've never registered any of the ones that I've owned, but then again, they were all used when I bought them. I've learned tho, from watching North Woods Law, that all OHRV's have to be registered and require the sticker to be on the vehicle, in plain view, up in New Hampsha that is.

 

[Andy S.]

 

[mike243]

At 1 time TWRA would write you a ticket if you didn't have a sticker on it at Royal Blue, pissed a lot of folks off so they stopped cking, said it wasn't part of their job description, not sure how true that is but thats what I was told, lot of $$$ ruining the hunting up there and a little stock atv cant get thru a lot of the trails , If you look in the hunting rag it may have the regs for atv and sxs still in it.

 

[Andy S.]

I've bought one new in '97, registered it, have the title and have the white sticker on the frame. Rode it everywhere I desired over several States and never been checked for anything. I've also bought one used one over the years, and have the title in hand, but never registered it per se. It may or may not have the sticker on it as it was purchased new in TN, but I bought it from a guy that lives out of State. The likelihood of you facing a fine seems extraordinarily low from my experiences over the last 25 years.

 

[BLC]

Haven't read all the replies…
I bought a new Honda in 2013 from Sloan's in M'boro.
As far as I know it is not / was not registered.
Who would one register it with? And why, pray tell?
If I recall correctly, no tax was paid either (farm exemption).
Your mileage may vary….

 

[Gravey]

Haven't read all the replies…
I bought a new Honda in 2013 from Sloan's in M'boro.
As far as I know it is not / was not registered.
Who would one register it with? And why, pray tell?
If I recall correctly, no tax was paid either (farm exemption).
Your mileage may vary….

I have a 4-wheeler I bought at Sloan's in 99 and a Talon in 2020. Both were registered and came with the TDR sticker. Have no idea if the 99 still has the sticker but the Talon does. I've never been checked.

 

[jlanecr500]

The sticker shows you paid TN taxes on the sale. That's really all it's about. TWRA stopped enforcing it because out of staters should not be forced to pay TN tax on their atv in order to ride it on a wma. Most had paid tax in their home state.

 

[Snake]

I've never registered any I've bought , like MUP all been used . With that said I've never had mine on anything but privite property. Thinking about registering the SxS Can am commander because I installed a signal/horn kit to be able to ride it on roadways but that's only if the wife decides to drive it as well.

 

[BlackBelt]

If I remember correctly, the TDR sticker is required for any off-road vehicle with a motor larger than 50cc.
Years ago I bought a used atv and did not get a title with it. The atv came out of an estate and the original titled owner had died years before.

A deputy in Hardeman county pulled me over one time and wanted to see the title to that atv, which was in the back of my truck. I told him I didnt have a title, but I did have a copy of the bill of sale. He told me I needed that TDR sticker, but didnt write me any citations and let me go. (He was looking for an atv that had been stolen the night before).

I went to the county clerks office and they said I needed the title and bill of sale to get a TDR sticker. They said there is no mechanism for me to get a title since the original title holder had died. (At this point the executor of the estate had also passed).

Fast forward a few years and I bought a 200cc off-road mini-bike. I modded it for hunting. I went back to the county clerks office with title and bill of sale. It took them a few minutes to actually find the TDR applications and stickers. The clerk said they rarely if ever had anyone ask for one.
I think it was 5 dollars, or some amount really low like that.

No law enforcement officer has ever asked to see it, and I dont personally know any other off-roaders that have a TDR sticker on their vehicles.

 

[FTG-05]

I bought a used RTV-900 from a tractor dealer about 5 years ago; nothing was said about a registration or registration sticker. None was on the vehicle.

I bought a brand new RTV-XG850 last May from a TN Kubota dealer. Nothing was said about a registration or registration sticker. There is no sticker on the machine.

I didn't pay taxes on the new one because I have a farm tax exemption number.

 

[TnKen]

I bought my Honda new in Mississippi and paid no tax at the time of sale. A few months later I received a letter from the state that I owed sales tax on it. I paid it, buy didn't get any stickers or anymore correspondence from the state.

 

[JArender]

Haven't read all the replies…
I bought a new Honda in 2013 from Sloan's in M'boro.
As far as I know it is not / was not registered.
Who would one register it with? And why, pray tell?
If I recall correctly, no tax was paid either (farm exemption).
Your mileage may vary….

bought atv from sloan's in 2014. received a title in the mail a few weeks later from state but never a sticker. I bought a used atv once where the guy had stilled owed money on it. we went to the bank and paid it off and they gave a form showing leon had been satisfied. I decided to got register it to have title in my name. county gave me a sticker and said put it in frame under seat. that was in 06. I have never been stopped or checked for it. but have been stopped and checked for hunting lic while riding with my gun down the road to a neighbors place

 

[BlackBelt]

Yes, as mentioned in previous replies above, nobody sends you a sticker because you bought an atv/utv, or any other off-road vehicle with an engine size over 50cc.
(Edited to add: Some dealers may do this as a service to customers).
It is up to the owner to go to their county clerks office with their atv/utv title and receipt and fill out a form, pay a small fee, and the clerk will issue a sticker to be applied somewhere on the frame. The sticker says "TDR" and has a number on it.
TDR stands for Tennessee Department of Revenue, and the number is tied to your form you filled out so they can look it up if they ever have too.

As for the practical side of it, you will find very few off road vehicles that have the sticker. If you get pulled over it is not going to be for an officer checking for your TDR sticker. Although maybe on federal land they may be more diligent about checking everything, like your sticker and spark arresting devices.
At the edge of my farm is a choke point dirt road entrance into the Wolf River bottoms where atv/utv's pass through 365 days a year, 24 hours a day (I got used to the noise long ago, lol).
Every now and then law enforcement will set up there and do a check-point for atv/utv riders coming and going. They arrest tons of people for DUI, weapons and drug posession, and impound those vehicles when they make an arrest. But I have NEVER seen them check for the TDR sticker.

I would say that if you have been riding for years and never had a problem about not having a TDR sticker, you can keep riding and it is very unlikely to ever be an issue.

As mentioned in my previous reply, my atv was bought from an deceased persons estate and there wasnt a title available, and no way to get a title in TN, so no way to apply for the sticker. I had an officer who was looking for a stolen atv pull me over. He mentioned the sticker in passing, but that was not anything he was concerned about and released me without any citations.

But if you like to "cross the T's and dot the I's" you can run down to your county clerks office and get your sticker.
Personally, I wouldnt worry about it.

 

[PalsPal]

Yes, as mentioned in previous replies above, nobody sends you a sticker because you bought an atv/utv, or any other off-road vehicle with an engine size over 50cc.
It is up to the owner to go to their county clerks office with their atv/utv title and receipt and fill out a form, pay a small fee, and the clerk will issue a sticker to be applied somewhere on the frame. The sticker says "TDR" and has a number on it.
TDR stands for Tennessee Department of Revenue, and the number is tied to your form you filled out so they can look it up if they ever have too.

As for the practical side of it, you will find very few off road vehicles that have the sticker. If you get pulled over it is not going to be for an officer checking for your TDR sticker.
At the edge of my farm is a choke point dirt road entrance into the Wolf River bottoms where atv/utv's pass through 365 days a year, 24 hours a day (I got used to the noise long ago, lol).
Every now and then law enforcement will set up there and do a check-point for atv/utv riders coming and going. They arrest tons of people for DUI, weapons and drug posession, and impound those vehicles when they make an arrest. But I have NEVER seen them check for the TDR sticker.

I would say that if you have been riding for years and never had a problem about not having a TDR sticker, you can keep riding and it is very unlikely to ever be an issue.

As mentioned in my previous reply, my atv was bought from an deceased persons estate and there wasnt a title available, and no way to get a title in TN. I had an officer who was looking for a stolen atv pull me over. He mentioned the sticker in passing, but that was not anything he was concerned about and released me without any citations.

But if you like to "cross the T's and dot the I's" you can run down to your county clerks office and get your sticker.
Personally, I wouldnt worry about it.

Great advice!

 

[Wrangler95]

I was told at the county clerks office it had to be registered. Mine was registered by the dealer when I bought it.

Same here!!

 

[KPH]

Yes, as mentioned in previous replies above, nobody sends you a sticker because you bought an atv/utv, or any other off-road vehicle with an engine size over 50cc.
It is up to the owner to go to their county clerks office with their atv/utv title and receipt and fill out a form, pay a small fee, and the clerk will issue a sticker to be applied somewhere on the frame. The sticker says "TDR" and has a number on it.
TDR stands for Tennessee Department of Revenue, and the number is tied to your form you filled out so they can look it up if they ever have too.

As for the practical side of it, you will find very few off road vehicles that have the sticker. If you get pulled over it is not going to be for an officer checking for your TDR sticker.
At the edge of my farm is a choke point dirt road entrance into the Wolf River bottoms where atv/utv's pass through 365 days a year, 24 hours a day (I got used to the noise long ago, lol).
Every now and then law enforcement will set up there and do a check-point for atv/utv riders coming and going. They arrest tons of people for DUI, weapons and drug posession, and impound those vehicles when they make an arrest. But I have NEVER seen them check for the TDR sticker.

I would say that if you have been riding for years and never had a problem about not having a TDR sticker, you can keep riding and it is very unlikely to ever be an issue.

As mentioned in my previous reply, my atv was bought from an deceased persons estate and there wasnt a title available, and no way to get a title in TN, so no way to apply for the sticker. I had an officer who was looking for a stolen atv pull me over. He mentioned the sticker in passing, but that was not anything he was concerned about and released me without any citations.

But if you like to "cross the T's and dot the I's" you can run down to your county clerks office and get your sticker.
Personally, I wouldnt worry about it.

I did get my sticker in the mail when I bought mine the dealer sent the paper work to the County Court Clerk and they sent me the title and the sticker. Was told that was they way it was suppose to be. I have had my sticker checked once on a trail ride.

 

[BlackBelt]

I did get my sticker in the mail when I bought mine the dealer sent the paper work to the County Court Clerk and they sent me the title and the sticker. Was told that was they way it was suppose to be. I have had my sticker checked once on a trail ride.

First Ive heard of that, and glad that at least one county clerks office in TN is on top of things!
BTW, was this on a utv or side by side? Or another vehicle that could be street legal?