Motor Vehicle Dealers - Used Vehicles Only
Required for used motor vehicle dealers in Tennessee to obtain and maintain their dealer license from the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission.
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About This Bond
The Director of Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission - Motor Vehicle Dealer Bond is a surety bond required for used motor vehicle dealers operating in Tennessee. This bond ensures compliance with state regulations governing the sale of used vehicles and protects consumers from fraudulent or unethical business practices.
Used motor vehicle dealers in Tennessee must obtain this bond as part of their licensing requirements with the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission. The bond applies specifically to dealers who sell used vehicles only, as opposed to new vehicle franchised dealers who have different bonding requirements.
The bond protects the Director of Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission and the general public by providing financial recourse if the dealer violates state motor vehicle laws, engages in fraudulent practices, or fails to fulfill contractual obligations to customers. Claims against the bond may arise from issues such as failure to transfer titles properly, misrepresentation of vehicle condition, or violation of consumer protection laws.
This bond is issued in the amount of $50,000 and has a term length of 2 years. The bond is renewable, allowing dealers to maintain continuous coverage as required for license renewal and ongoing compliance with Tennessee motor vehicle dealer regulations.
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At a glance
Tennessee Auto Dealer Bond Key Facts
Governed by Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-3-103; Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1320-08-09-.02.
The basics
What Is an Auto Dealer Bond in Tennessee?
A bonded title in Tennessee is a regular certificate of title the state issues on the strength of a surety bond. You use it when you cannot prove you own a vehicle the normal way — for example, you never got a title from the seller — and the vehicle’s fair market value is more than $3,000 and it is less than 30 years old. Tennessee runs this through the Department of Revenue’s “surety bond process.”
Good to know - A surety bond is required only when the vehicle’s fair market value is more than $3,000 and it was manufactured less than 30 years ago. If the vehicle is worth $3,000 or less, or is 30 years old or older, you do not need a bond — you use Tennessee’s Certification of Ownership process instead.
The bond protects the State of Tennessee and anyone with a prior claim — a former owner, a lienholder, or a later buyer — if it turns out someone else had a right to the vehicle. You file it as part of your title application; it does not replace the application.
Tennessee sets the bond at 1.5 times your vehicle’s value and keeps it in force for three years, with no renewals. If no valid claim is made in that time, the bond is released and you hold a clear title that is no longer subject to challenge.
Only Tennessee residents can use the surety bond process. You can post either a personal surety bond, signed by two Tennessee landowners at no premium, or a corporate surety bond from a licensed bonding or insurance company that charges a premium.
Qualification
What You Need to Qualify for a Tennessee Auto Dealer Bond
Approval depends on your dealer license type, required coverage amount, and underwriting factors such as credit.
- You are a Tennessee resident with a valid Tennessee address (surety bonds are limited to Tennessee residents).
- You cannot supply the normal proof of ownership for the vehicle — for example, you have no title or no assignment from the last owner.
- The vehicle’s fair market value is more than $3,000 and it was manufactured less than 30 years ago. (At $3,000 or less, or 30 years old or older, you use the Certification of Ownership process instead — no bond.)
- The vehicle is a type Tennessee can title this way, such as a car, truck, manufactured home, trailer, ATV, or golf cart.
- You can secure the bond: either a corporate surety bond from a bonding or insurance company licensed in Tennessee, or a personal surety bond signed by two Tennessee landowners (at different addresses, none the same as yours).
Step by step
How to Get an Auto Dealer Bond in Tennessee: Step by Step
Confirm you need a surety bond
Tennessee requires a surety bond only when you cannot prove ownership the normal way, you are a Tennessee resident, and the vehicle’s fair market value is more than $3,000 and it was made less than 30 years ago. If the vehicle is worth $3,000 or less, or is 30 years or older, you do not need a bond — use the Certification of Ownership process instead.
Application for Certification of Ownership (RV-F1310401)Complete the Surety Bond Application
Fill out the Surety Bond Application (RV-F1313201). On it, choose a personal surety bond — two Tennessee landowners sign with you — or a corporate surety bond, which a licensed bonding or insurance company backs for a premium.
Surety Bond Application (RV-F1313201)Submit your application to Special Investigations
Send the completed application and supporting documents to the Department of Revenue’s Special Investigations Section. Email it to suretybond.title@tn.gov, or mail it to Special Investigations (ATTN: Surety Bonds), Andrew Jackson Building, 500 Deaderick Street, Suite 11.125, Nashville, TN 37242. The Department determines your vehicle’s value and sets the bond at 1.5 times that value.
Get your bond and approval letter
For a corporate bond, your licensed bonding or insurance company completes and seals the Tennessee Corporate Surety Bond (RV-F1313501) for 1.5 times the value, with a power of attorney attached. For a personal bond, your two Tennessee-landowner sureties sign. The Department then sends you an approval letter once everything is in order.
Motor Vehicle Corporate Surety Bond (RV-F1313501)Title and register at your county clerk
Take the Department’s approval letter and your supporting documents to your local county clerk to apply for the certificate of title and register the vehicle. Pay the standard state title and registration fees there.
Paperwork
Tennessee Dealer Bond Forms & Documents
Filed with the Department’s Special Investigations Section to start the process.
View formFor a corporate bond; the Department provides this form on request (no public download).
The no-bond path for vehicles worth $3,000 or less, or 30 years old or older.
View formThe main title application, furnished by your county clerk when you title the vehicle.
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Cost
How Tennessee Auto Dealer Bond Pricing Works
You do not pay the full bond amount. Tennessee sets the surety bond at 1.5 times your vehicle’s fair market value, as determined by the Department of Revenue. The bond amount is the coverage, not a fee you hand over.
Tennessee allows two kinds of bond. A personal surety bond is written by the State at no premium if two Tennessee landowners agree to sign with you. A corporate surety bond comes from a licensed bonding or insurance company that charges a premium — a small percentage of the bond amount. Use the calculator above to estimate a corporate bond premium; your final price depends on the bond amount and underwriting.
Standard state title and registration fees are paid to your county clerk and are separate from any bond premium.
Worked example
If your vehicle’s fair market value is $6,000, the surety bond amount is 1.5 times that, or $9,000. With a corporate bond you pay only the premium on the $9,000 bond, not the full $9,000.
Filing
Filing Information
Tennessee Department of Revenue
We prepare the issued bond and send you a copy for your records. Filing requirements vary by state, license type, carrier, and bond form.
(888) 871-3171FAQ
Tennessee Auto Dealer Bond FAQ
Yes, conditionally. When you cannot provide normal proof of ownership and the vehicle’s fair market value is more than $3,000 and it is less than 30 years old, Tennessee requires a surety bond to issue the title (Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-3-103). For vehicles worth $3,000 or less, or 30 years old or older, you use the Certification of Ownership process instead — no bond.
The bond amount equals 1.5 times your vehicle’s fair market value, as determined by the Department of Revenue. For a corporate surety bond you pay a premium — a percentage of that amount — not the full bond amount. Use the calculator above to estimate it.
Three years, with no renewals. After three years the bond is released and you hold a title that is no longer subject to challenge. It can be released sooner if the vehicle is no longer registered in Tennessee and the title is surrendered.
Only Tennessee residents with a valid Tennessee address. You also need a vehicle you cannot title with normal ownership documents, with a fair market value over $3,000 and a manufacture year less than 30 years ago.
A personal surety bond is written by the State at no premium but needs two Tennessee landowners (other than you, at different addresses) to sign as sureties. A corporate surety bond is backed by a licensed bonding or insurance company that charges a premium and needs no personal sureties, but it must be approved by the State.
Start with the Department of Revenue’s Special Investigations Section: complete the Surety Bond Application (RV-F1313201) and email it to suretybond.title@tn.gov, or mail it to the Andrew Jackson Building in Nashville. After you receive the approval letter, take it to your local county clerk to title and register the vehicle.
You do not need a surety bond. Use Tennessee’s Certification of Ownership process with the Application for Certification of Ownership (RV-F1310401) instead.
Sources
Last verified 2026-06-23. Requirements change - confirm current details with Tennessee Department of Revenue before you file. This page is informational and not legal advice.
FAQ
Tennessee Auto Dealer Bond Questions
The cost of a Tennessee auto dealer bond is usually a small percentage of the state-required bond amount. Your exact premium depends on the bond amount, license type, business details, and underwriting factors such as credit.
Many auto dealer bonds can be issued the same day after you complete the application. Larger bond amounts or applications that need underwriting review may take longer.
Requirements vary by license type, but most Tennessee auto dealers need to complete a short application and purchase the bond amount required by the state before their license can be issued or renewed.
Often, yes. Many states have separate bond requirements for wholesale, retail, broker, or other dealer license types. Choose the bond that matches your Tennessee license instructions.
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AutoDealersBond.com is operated by Insurance Services by Shield, a California and Texas licensed insurance agency (CA License #6018195, TX License #3446536). Insurance Services by Shield is not an insurance carrier and does not underwrite bonds or insurance policies. Bond and coverage availability, pricing, and issuance are subject to carrier underwriting approval, eligibility, applicable state requirements, and policy or bond terms. Availability varies by state.
