Utility Trailer registration
Utility Trailer registration in Tennessee: the agency, the required documents, and the exact steps, sourced from Tennessee Department of Revenue / Department of Safety.
Who to contact
Tennessee Department of Revenue / Department of Safety
Visit the official Tennessee pageStep by step
No registration required for a privately used utility trailer
If used in furtherance of a business or rented, register through the local county clerk
Fees & renewal
Fees
Not published on the official page as of September 2, 2026 — confirm the exact fee with Tennessee Department of Revenue / Department of Safety.
Renewal
Renewal cadence not yet confirmed.
Good to know
General utility trailers ('any other trailer drawn by an automobile or truck') are exempt from registration, along with farm, boat and pop-up/fold-down trailers. Exemption does not apply to trailers used in furtherance of a business or to rented trailers.
More for Tennessee
General guidance
A small open utility trailer is the vehicle most likely to be exempt from registration in some states — but that exemption usually has a weight cutoff, and it is easy to assume you are covered when you are not. Pick your state below to see the real rule.
This is the single most common source of confusion with utility trailers. A state may exempt trailers under roughly 1,500–3,000 lb gross weight (the exact number varies by state) while requiring registration above that line. The state guide below states the actual rule where it has been sourced from the agency.
Some states that exempt light trailers from annual registration still require the trailer to carry a permanent, state-issued serial number or a one-time title. Do not assume "no registration" means "no paperwork at all" without checking the state page.
A used utility trailer needs the title or registration transferred into your name, which is a different (usually simpler) process than a first-time registration. The agency contact in the state guide handles both.
Common questions
Not as a mandatory requirement — Tennessee's own page for this vehicle type describes it as optional or not required. See the notes above for the specifics from Tennessee Department of Revenue / Department of Safety.
Tennessee's renewal cadence for this vehicle type has not yet been confirmed against an official source — check with Tennessee Department of Revenue / Department of Safety directly.
In several states, yes — but the exact weight and whether it is empty weight or gross weight varies by state. The state guide below states the sourced rule where it has been verified; never assume your trailer is exempt without checking.
That also varies by state and sometimes by weight class — some states title every trailer, others only title trailers above a weight threshold, and some never title light utility trailers at all. Check the state guide below for the sourced answer.