Tennessee DMV Registration for Custom Built, Kit Cars, & More at DMV.org: The Unofficial DMV Guide

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Custom Built Car Registration in Tennessee

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- Out-of-state Custom Vehicles
- In-state Custom Vehicles
In order to register a custom-built car in Tennessee, you must comply with the regulations set forth by the Criminal Investigations Division (CID). The process can be the same as registering any other vehicle, or it can be more involved―it all depends on where the car was built.

Out-of-state Custom Vehicles

If your car was custom-built out of state―good news. You'll only need to follow the same registration process as you would for any other vehicle brought to Tennessee.

In-state Custom Vehicles

If you custom-built the car in Tennessee, you'll need to take the following steps in order to get your vehicle registered:

Visit the local county clerk's office to apply for a Reconstructed Title. You'll need to take your car's documentation with you, including all receipts for parts, whether used or new.
The clerk will send the information to the Vehicle Services Section in Nashville.
Once in Nashville, your documents will undergo a "paper inspection" to verify that standards are met.
After your documents are verified, they'll be sent to a field investigator who'll inspect your vehicle to make sure all Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) match.
If everything matches, you'll be issued a Reconstructed Title.

The fee for a reconstructed title is $90 to be paid when you first visit the county clerk's office.

For more information about reconstructed titles, contact any of the special agents listed at the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) website.

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