§ 12.08.080. State registration plates—Required—Mounting and maintenance.

A.

Except as otherwise provided in the Tennessee Code Annotated, no person shall operate any vehicle within the metropolitan government area unless such vehicle shall have affixed thereto current registration plates issued for the operation of the vehicle. Registration plates issued for passenger motor vehicles shall be attached one on the front and one on the rear. The registration plate issued for a truck shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle. The registration plate issued for a truck tractor shall be attached to the front of the vehicle. The registration plate issued for a motorcycle, trailer, semi-trailer or dealer's plate shall be attached to the rear of the vehicle.

B.

Every registration plate shall at all times be securely fastened in a horizontal position to the vehicle for which it is issued, so as to prevent the plate from swinging and in a place and position to be clearly visible, and shall be maintained free from foreign materials and in a condition to be clearly legible.

C.

Every certificate of registration shall at all times be carried in the vehicle to which it refers or shall be carried by the person driving or in control of such vehicle. The owner of the vehicle may, in order to ensure its safekeeping, provide a duplicate or facsimile of the certificate of registration to be kept in the vehicle.

The requirement that a certificate of registration be carried in the vehicle to which it refers, or by the person driving the same, shall not apply when such certificate of registration is used for the purpose of making application for renewal of registration or upon a transfer of the vehicle.

D.

No person may drive a vehicle when that vehicle has an expired registration.

E.

Section 12.84.010 sets out the penalty for violation of this section.

(§ 4 (part) of Amdt. 2 to Ord. 90-1255, 7/17/90; § 2 (part) of Amdt. 1 to Ord. 90-1255, 6/19/90; Ord. 90-1255 § 4 (10), 1990; prior code § 27-1-10)