State guide
Tennessee
Tennessee’s abandoned-vehicle process is run through the Department of Revenue and is aimed at authorized users such as law enforcement, tow companies, title services, and salvage yards. Tennessee’s state page is unusually explicit that private individuals may not use the abandoned, immobile, or unattended vehicle procedure themselves.
Checked against official sources on October 4, 2026. Rules and links change; confirm with the office listed before you act.
- When a vehicle counts as abandoned
- Under Tennessee’s state page, an abandoned vehicle includes one left on private property without consent for more than 48 hours, one illegally on public property for more than 48 hours, one in obvious disrepair on public property for more than three days, or one more than four years old on public property for more than 10 days.
- Removing one from private property
- For a vehicle on private property, Tennessee requires an authorized user to obtain written tow authorization and follow the state verification and notice procedure; private individuals may not use the procedure themselves.
- Getting title to an abandoned vehicle
- Tennessee’s state instructions provide for owner/lienholder notice and, if unclaimed, sale at auction; title for the transferred vehicle is then obtained through the county clerk.
- State agency
- Tennessee Department of Revenue, Vehicle Services Division
- Official forms or instructions
- Official page →
Official resources in Tennessee
State overview of definitions, who may use the process, and links to the required procedure and form.
Step-by-step state instructions for verification, notice, storage limits, and auction timing.
Official Tennessee form used to request ownership and lienholder information and place an abandoned-vehicle stop on the record.
Directory for county clerk offices where Tennessee titles are issued after a lawful transfer or auction.
State page noting the Tennessee Abandoned Vehicle Portal for centralized processing.
Key facts for Tennessee
- A vehicle is abandoned on private property if it remains there without consent for more than 48 hours.
- A vehicle more than four years old left unattended on public property for more than 10 days is abandoned.
- A vehicle in obvious disrepair left unattended on public property for more than three days is abandoned.
- Private individuals are not allowed to use Tennessee’s abandoned, immobile or unattended vehicle procedure.
- The verification form must be mailed to Vehicle Services within three business days after taking the vehicle into custody.
- If notice fails and payment is not received, the vehicle may be advertised for auction no less than 15 days after first publication.
City abandoned-vehicle reporting in Tennessee
| City | city | phone | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee Department of Revenue - Vehicle Services Division Davidson | Nashville | Not published* | State program page for abandoned, immobile, or unattended vehicles, including forms and procedure links. |
| Metro Codes Hotline / hubNashville Davidson | Nashville | 615-862-6590 | Reports codes violations; Nashville’s codes page says violations can be reported online through hubNashville or by phone, including abandoned vehicles on public property. |
| Memphis 311 / Department of Housing Code Enforcement Shelby | Memphis | Not published* | Official complaint route for abandoned vehicles and other code issues in Memphis. |
| Department of Housing Code Enforcement Shelby | Memphis | Not published* | Memphis code enforcement page explains inoperable or abandoned vehicle enforcement on private property and reclamation from the City storage lot. |
| City of Knoxville 311 Center for Service Innovation Knox | Knoxville | 865-215-4311 | Official Knoxville reporting route for abandoned vehicles and related neighborhood code complaints. |
| City of Chattanooga 311 Help Center Hamilton | Chattanooga | Not published* | Official Chattanooga reporting route for code violations, including abandoned or inoperable vehicles. |
* Not published: the official page doesn't list it. Call the office to confirm before you rely on it.
What to do next
- If the vehicle is on your private property, use a licensed tow company or other authorized user; the state says private individuals cannot run the abandoned-vehicle process themselves.
- Ask the tow company or authorized user to complete the ownership-verification request within three business days so storage charges are not limited.
- If you buy the vehicle at a lawful auction, take the auction paperwork to your county clerk to apply for title.
Not seeing your city or county?
Not every city publishes its rules online. Try these, in order:
- General Start with the statewide information above.
- Closest verified Nearest places where we have verified local data outside this state (distance from Tennessee's population center, for comparison only):
- eSuite Request for Action, Kentucky · about 79 miles
- Communications Center, Kentucky · about 79 miles
- Huntsville Connect / Community Development Code Enforcement, Alabama · about 81 miles
- Call to confirm Ask the official office.Tennessee Department of Revenue - Abandoned, Immobile or Unattended Vehicles
Website →Phone not shown: use the contact page on the official website above.Your city or county office: Local governments →Not sure who handles it locally? USAGov's free help line, 1-844-872-4681, or the Tennessee page on USA.gov can point you to the right office. - Know the current info? Tell us with a link to the official page.