Tennessee Car Dealer Forms
These are the TN Dept. of Revenue forms a licensed dealer needs to buy, sell, and title vehicles in Tennessee. From the Tennessee title and registration application to the bill of sale, odometer disclosure, title reassignment, and temporary tag paperwork, each links to the official source where available. Download the current version straight from the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) or the federal agency, never a copy that's gone stale.
Which Tennessee form goes with which deal
A form list on its own does not tell you what to grab on a Saturday afternoon. Here is the same set arranged by the deal in front of you.
- Retail sale to a customer in state
- Application for Certificate of Title (Form RV-F1310101), Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form RV-F1317001), the FTC Buyers Guide, and a bill of sale. This is the stack behind almost every deal jacket you build.
- Retail sale to an out-of-state buyer
- Same paperwork, but the buyer titles in their home state, so the Tennessee title has to be assigned cleanly and the odometer reading has to match on every document. A correction later means a duplicate title and a delayed deal.
- Wholesale to another licensed dealer
- No Buyers Guide is required on a dealer-to-dealer sale, but the title assignment and odometer disclosure still are. Keep the invoice with the jacket, it is what proves the unit left your inventory.
- Taking a trade-in
- You need the customer's signed title assignment and odometer disclosure, plus a lien payoff quote in writing if the trade is financed. Take the trade in your books at actual cash value, not at the number you allowed on the deal.
- Title is not in hand at signing
- Power of Attorney for Vehicle Transactions (Form RV-F1311401) covers the assignment and mileage disclosure until the title arrives. Track the promise: an unresolved title is the single most common reason a deal unwinds.
- Customer pays more than $10,000 in cash
- IRS Form 8300 is federal and applies in Tennessee like everywhere else. It covers cash and cash equivalents in one transaction or in related transactions, and it is due within 15 days.
Tennessee state forms
| Form | What it's for | When |
|---|---|---|
| Application for Certificate of Title (Form RV-F1310101) ↗ | Applies for a Tennessee certificate of title on each vehicle transferred at sale. | Every deal |
| Temporary Plate Application (Form RV-F1320301) ↗ | Issues a temporary drive-out tag to a buyer through the county clerk. | As needed |
| Power of Attorney for Vehicle Transactions (Form RV-F1311401) ↗ | Title assignment and odometer/POA handling when the buyer or title isn't present at signing. | As needed |
| Disclosure of Rebuilt or Salvage Vehicle ↗ | Signed disclosure required before selling any rebuilt or salvage-titled vehicle. | As needed |
| Tennessee sales and use tax (collected at titling) ↗ | Motor-vehicle sales-and-use tax handled through the Department of Revenue / county clerk at titling. | As needed |
Federal forms (every state)
| Form | What it's for | When |
|---|---|---|
| Odometer Disclosure Statement (Form RV-F1317001) ↗ | Federally required mileage disclosure at transfer, on Tennessee's form. | Every deal |
| Buyers Guide (FTC) ↗ | As-is vs. warranty window sticker required on every used vehicle offered for sale. | Every deal |
| IRS Form 8300 ↗ | Report cash payments over $10,000 in a single transaction. | As needed |
Temporary tags and dealer plates in Tennessee
Dealers issue temporary drive-out tags to buyers using the Temporary Plate Application (RV-F1320301), processed through the county clerk; an Application for Temporary Operation Permit (RV-F1314401) covers other short-term operation. Temporary tags are valid for a limited window (commonly around 30 days), confirm the current term with the Department of Revenue.
Where Tennessee dealer forms come from
Most dealers search for Tennessee DMV forms, and in Tennessee there is no DMV. The forms come from the TN Dept. of Revenue, part of the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC), while the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission handles the licensing side. Same paperwork, different letterhead, which is worth knowing before you spend an afternoon on the wrong website.
- Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission ↗
- MVC, How to Get a Dealer License ↗
- TN Dept. of Revenue, Title & Registration ↗
Paperwork mistakes that cost dealers money
None of these are exotic. They are the four that turn up again and again in audits and in unwound deals.
- Assuming an older car is odometer exempt. The federal rule changed for model year 2011 and newer: those vehicles carry a 20 year disclosure window, not 10. Dealers who learned the old rule skip disclosures they still owe.
- A Buyers Guide that is not on the car. The Used Car Rule wants it displayed on the vehicle while it is offered for sale, not produced at signing. It also has to match what you actually agreed to sell, and the copy the buyer takes home governs over the contract if the two disagree.
- A title assigned in the wrong hand. Reassignments are limited, the signature has to match the name printed on the title, and a correction fluid fix voids it. That is a duplicate title application and weeks of delay.
- Paperwork that lives in a drawer. A form you filed but cannot find is a form you did not file, as far as an auditor is concerned. Store documents against the VIN, not in a filing cabinet by month.
Tennessee dealer forms FAQ
What forms do car dealers need in Tennessee?+
Tennessee dealers use Application for Certificate of Title (Form RV-F1310101), Temporary Plate Application (Form RV-F1320301), Power of Attorney for Vehicle Transactions (Form RV-F1311401), Disclosure of Rebuilt or Salvage Vehicle and more, plus federal forms every dealer needs like the FTC Buyers Guide and the odometer disclosure. Each is listed below with its purpose and official link.
Where do I get official Tennessee dealer forms?+
Download current forms directly from the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). Third-party copies go out of date, always pull the latest version from the official source linked on this page.
Is it the Tennessee DMV that handles dealer forms?+
Not exactly, and this trips up new dealers. Tennessee does not call it the DMV: the agency is the TN Dept. of Revenue. Searching for "Tennessee DMV forms" is how most dealers look for them, but the official source is the TN Dept. of Revenue, with the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission handling the licensing side.
Do I need an FTC Buyers Guide on every used car in Tennessee?+
Yes. The federal Used Car Rule requires an as-is/warranty Buyers Guide displayed on every used vehicle offered for sale, in Tennessee and every other state.
Does an old car still need an odometer disclosure?+
Usually, yes. The federal exemption changed for model year 2011 and newer vehicles, which now require disclosure for 20 model years instead of 10. A 2011 model still needs a disclosure through 2031, so treat "it's an old car" as a reason to check, not to skip.
How long should I keep Tennessee deal paperwork?+
Keep the complete deal jacket, not just the forms you filed. State record-retention rules run for years and an audit or a customer dispute can land long after the sale. Loturn stores every document against the VIN so the jacket rebuilds itself.
Let the paperwork build itself
Loturn fills and stores your deal documents against each vehicle and customer, a complete, audit-ready deal jacket without the filing cabinet.
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