# Tennessee SB 1068: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 39; Title 47; Title 48; Title 55; Title 56; Title 62; Title 66 and Title 67, relative to motor vehicles. Tennessee SB 1068, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 39; Title 47; Title 48; Title 55; Title 56; Title 62; Title 66 and Title 67, relative to motor vehicles., is a 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2025-05-15 (Effective date(s) 05/09/2025); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB1068-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Tennessee SB 1068 - State: Tennessee - Session: 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) - Title: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 39; Title 47; Title 48; Title 55; Title 56; Title 62; Title 66 and Title 67, relative to motor vehicles. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-02-05 - Last action: 2025-05-15, Effective date(s) 05/09/2025 - Sponsors: no sponsor on record - Cosponsors: 3 - Subjects: Motor Vehicles - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 7 (228 yes, 10 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 22 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Legal remedies protect against towing violations: benefit, medium. Most chapter violations are unfair or deceptive acts enforceable by the state attorney general. Injured people can seek court orders, damages, and reasonable attorney's fees; these remedies exclude the portal section and the chapter's part 3. Separately, storage businesses must sell abandoned or im… - Missed notices limit vehicle storage charges: benefit, medium. A business holding an abandoned or immobile vehicle must verify ownership within three business days after taking possession. It must notify the last known registered owner and recorded lienholders within three business days after verification. These deadlines do not apply when the owner or agent i… - Faster reports help owners locate vehicles: benefit, low. When an owner is absent, tow operators must report vehicle details and tow and storage locations within one hour. Until the portal has been available for 90 days, reports go to local police and remain open to public inspection. During that period, public agencies must check ownership through TIES w… - Firearms secured from stored vehicles: benefit, low. Vehicle storage businesses can remove firearms from stored vehicles when removal causes no vehicle damage. Removal is optional. A business that removes a firearm must tag it to the vehicle and store it securely. It must notify the vehicle owner how to retrieve the firearm. - Limits on drivers' vehicle storage bills: benefit, low. Vehicle storage businesses generally cannot charge beyond 21 days without owner or lienholder consent. An exception applies when that party was told the vehicle was ready for release and refused to collect it. Until the portal has been available for 90 days, extended charges require three-day-deliv… - Parking payment failures protect against penalties: benefit, low. Parking sites requiring on-site payment only by QR code or card machine must offer alternatives when that equipment fails. They must accept cash or check, allow phone payment, or let the customer leave without paying at that time. Penalties and late fees cannot begin until at least seven business d… - Parking penalties capped with clear notices: benefit, low. Commercial parking penalties require visible entrance and exit signs explaining the 72-hour payment period. A penalty is allowed only when fees remain unpaid more than 72 hours after the owner discovers nonpayment. Penalties are capped at $50 for fees unpaid 30 days or less, and $75 after more than… - Vehicle release rights and fee caps: benefit, low. A tow operator must release a vehicle still at its original parking location when the owner or operator pays the release fee. For towing or storage without the owner's written permission, charges cannot exceed the Tennessee Highway Patrol district's approved maximum. Release fees cannot exceed $100… - Written approval rules protect vehicle owners: benefit, low. Towing generally requires written permission from the vehicle owner or agent. Exceptions cover properly posted, authorized private-property tows, vehicles unattended more than 12 hours, hazards, blocked access, illegal parking, and police-requested tows. Police must provide the required authorizati… - Local governments keep stricter vehicle-sale options: benefit, low. Local governments keep the ability to pursue stricter rules for curbstoned vehicle sales, meaning sales that violate dealer-license or title rules. The law does not itself set those local requirements or create a household payment. - Completed repairs exempt from storage limits: cost, low. Repair shops are exempt from the 21-day storage-fee limits and related advance-notice rules for vehicles held for authorized repairs. The exception applies only after the owner has been told the repairs are complete. Owners can owe storage charges outside those limits; this provision sets no fee am… - When vehicles count as abandoned: cost, low. In Tennessee, a vehicle counts as abandoned after more than 10 days unattended on public property. The definition also covers more than 48 hours illegally on public property or without consent on private property. Vehicles left in storage or parking facilities for more than 30 consecutive days also… - Owners get deadlines to contest custody: mixed, high. Vehicle notices must use plain language, identify the vehicle when possible, and explain its location or planned custody date. Owners and lienholders have 20 days after receiving notice to reclaim a held vehicle by paying towing, preservation, and storage charges. Failure to reclaim gives up their… - Vehicle seizure powers include notice safeguard: mixed, high. Police can take abandoned or immobile vehicles into custody or arrange custody through a vehicle storage business. They can also take vehicles used in curbstoning, including selling more than five vehicles yearly without a dealer license or selling without properly endorsed titles. For curbstoning… - Parking vendor licenses and damage claims: mixed, medium. Local governments can license booting operators and parking enforcement vendors. Adopted rules must require annual licenses, complaint procedures, timely investigations, suspension or revocation for good cause, and a public registry. Licensed parking enforcement vendors must file a surety bond of a… - Unclaimed vehicles sold with proceeds safeguards: mixed, medium. Unclaimed abandoned or immobile vehicles must be sold at public auction, ending prior liens and ownership claims. Revenue issues the buyer's title using the sale receipt, which also allows transfer to a demolisher without further titling. Sale proceeds first pay auction, towing, preservation, stora… - Drivers gain boot protections and caps: mixed, low. Booting is prohibited for commercial vehicles clearly identified by the specified transportation numbers or registration plates. Other booting requires a commercial lot or contracted property, self-releasing devices, authorized employees or licensed operators, required signs, and 24-hour phone supp… - Free vehicle searches through statewide portal: mixed, low. The Department of Revenue must begin portal procurement by July 1, 2025, and implement it by October 1, 2026. The portal provides free public searches for vehicle locations, towing, retrieval, fees, and owner and lienholder notices. It centralizes towing records, securely stores reports, and connec… - Old vehicle disposal has limited safeguards: mixed, low. Vehicles more than 10 years old with no engine or otherwise totally inoperable can go to a demolisher without title or the specified notices. Qualifying properly licensed vehicles with engines, towed from public roads at police direction, must be held at least 10 days. They can be disposed of after… - Vehicle demolishers get simpler titles, added duties: mixed, low. Businesses acquiring vehicles for wrecking, dismantling, or demolition do not need titles in their own names. Once a vehicle is no longer physically a motor vehicle, they must notify the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System. They must also turn in the title or auction sale receipt for ca… - Vehicle sellers move sale notices online: mixed, low. Starting 90 days after the motor vehicle portal becomes available, covered public sale notices move from newspapers to the portal. This applies to vehicles and other goods requiring a title under Tennessee's motor vehicle laws. Notices must list the year, make, model, plate number, vehicle identifi… - One state code provision is repealed: mixed, low. The law repeals Tennessee Code section 47-50-120. The supplied text does not explain what that section covered or who it affected. Its effects on household costs and rights cannot be determined from this text. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Cosponsor: Ed Jackson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Powers - Cosponsor: Reeves ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-04-22 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 5 4/22/2025 | pass | 31 | 1 | | | 2025-04-22 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 4 4/22/2025 | pass | 30 | 1 | | | 2025-04-22 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 3 4/22/2025 | pass | 29 | 1 | | | 2025-04-22 | House | FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR 2 AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/22/2025 | pass | 88 | 7 | | | 2025-03-24 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/24/2025 | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2025-03-11 | Senate | SENATE FINANCE, WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE | pass | 11 | 0 | | | 2025-02-25 | Senate | SENATE COMMERCE AND LABOR COMMITTEE | pass | 8 | 0 | | ## Bill text - HA0530, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0530.pdf) - HA0531, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0531.pdf) - HA0532, 2025-04-22: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0532.pdf) - Enrolled / Public Chapter: [PDF](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0457.pdf) - Fiscal Note: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB0972.pdf) - HA0132: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0132.pdf) - HA0133: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0133.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB1068.pdf) - SA0030: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0030.pdf) - SA0082: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0082.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 0855: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 12; Title 13; Title 29; Title 54; Title 64; Title 65; Title 68 and… (signed) - SB 0539: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7; Title 13; Title 48; Title 49; Title 67 and Title 68, relative to low-income housing. (signed) - SB 0254: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Title 55, relative to criminal law. (signed) - SB 0198: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, relative to taxes. (signed) - HB 2670: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 85 of the Private Acts of 2004; and any other acts amendatory thereto, relative t… (signed) - HB 2656: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter 335 of the Private Acts of 1968; Chapter 282 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapte… (signed) ## Sources - [HA0530 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0530.pdf) - [HA0531 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0531.pdf) - [HA0532 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0532.pdf) - [Enrolled / Public Chapter (PDF)](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0457.pdf) - [Fiscal Note (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB0972.pdf) - [HA0132 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0132.pdf) - [HA0133 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0133.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB1068.pdf) - [SA0030 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0030.pdf) - [SA0082 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0082.pdf) ## Related - [SB 0855: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; T…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0855-2025-2026) - [SB 0539: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7; Title 13; Title 48; Title 49…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0539-2025-2026) - [SB 0254: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38; Title 39; Title 40 and Titl…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0254-2025-2026) - [SB 0198: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 67, relative to taxes.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB0198-2025-2026) - [HB 2670: AN ACT to amend Chapter 33 of the Private Acts of 1985; as amended by Chapter 8…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2670-2025-2026) - [HB 2656: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-HB2656-2025-2026) - [Tennessee bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee/bills) - [Tennessee state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB1068-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).