If you're traveling to, or live in Tennessee and you plan on riding your vintage moped or noped, here are the laws and TCA code numbers you can reference if you are stopped.
The short and long of it is:
- You must be riding something 50cc or less
- You must have an automatic transmission
- You must have working tail and head lights
- You must have a class D driver's license
- You do not need insurance
- You do not need registration
- You cannot ride on highways
- You are not supposed to exceed 30mph
Have fun, and be sure to hit up a Deadped if you are riding in Nashville, TN!
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Exemption:
55-3-101. Motor vehicles subject to registration and certificate of title provisions —
Exceptions. — Definition of off-highway motor vehicle. —
(a)
Every motor vehicle or motorized bicycle, as defined in chapter 8 of this title,
and every trailer, semi-trailer, and pole trailer, when driven or moved
upon a highway, and every mobile home or house trailer, when occupied,
shall
be subject to the registration and certificate of title provisions of
chapters 1, 2, this chapter and chapters 4-6 of this title, except:
(1) Vehicles driven or moved upon a highway in conformance with
the provisions of chapters 1, 2, this chapter and chapters 4-6 of this
title relating to manufacturers, transporters, dealers, lienholders, or
nonresidents;
(2) Vehicles that are driven or moved upon a
highway only for the purpose of crossing the highway from one (1)
property to another;
(3) Any implement of husbandry;
(4) Any special mobile equipment;
(5) No certificate of title need be obtained for any vehicle of a
type subject to registration owned by the government of the United
States;
(6) No certificate of title need be obtained for a
foreign vehicle that is subject to the registration provisions of this
state, if the nonresident owner has a valid foreign certificate of title
and certificate of registration and if the vehicle is to remain
registered in the foreign state as well as in this state;
(7) Subject to the approval of the commissioner, no certificate of
title need be obtained for a vehicle that is part of a proportionally
registered fleet in this state if the owner has a valid certificate of
title in another state and the vehicle is engaged in interstate
commerce;
(8) Motorized bicycles, except when voluntarily registered under § 55-4-101; and
(9) No certificate of title need be obtained or maintained where
the manufactured home is affixed to real property in accordance with §
55-3-138.
(b) The owner of a vehicle excepted in subsection
(a) from the requirement for titling and registering may, subject to the
approval of the commissioner, apply for a certificate of title without
applying for its registration. The commissioner shall by regulation
provide for the manner in which single applications are to be made and
the conditions under which they may be allowed; however, this subsection
(b) shall not be construed as granting authority to issue certificates
of ownership on any basis other than upon documentation or summary of
ownership as required in this chapter.
(c) (1)
Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, off-highway motor
vehicles purchased after June 1, 1983, shall be subject to the
certificate of title and special identification device provisions of
this chapter and § 55-6-101, when the off-highway motor vehicles are
operated on lands, other than a highway, in this state.
(2)
For the purposes of this title, an off-highway motor vehicle is a
vehicle that is not driven or moved on the public highway and is limited
to:
(A) Any motorcycle commonly referred to as a dirt bike;
(B) Any snowmobile or other vehicle designed to travel exclusively over snow or ice;
(C) Any motor vehicle commonly referred to as a sand buggy, dune buggy, or all terrain vehicle; or
(D) Similar types of motor vehicles designed primarily for off-highway use.
(3) The department shall issue to the owner of an off-highway
motor vehicle purchased after June 1, 1983, if not registered under
chapter 4 of this title, a special identification device to be affixed
to the vehicle as evidence that a certificate of title has been issued
for the vehicle. The device may be either a plate or a sticker,
whichever is determined by the department to be the most appropriate.
The device shall be nonrenewable and nontransferable and shall become
invalid when the vehicle for which it was issued is sold, or the
ownership of the vehicle is transferred or the vehicle is dismantled.
(4)
Off-highway motor vehicles purchased prior to July 1, 1982, may also
be issued a certificate of title and special identification device upon
application of the owner, if evidence of ownership is properly provided
to the department. Off-highway motor vehicles purchased after June 30,
1982, and prior to June 1, 1983, may be issued a special identification
device upon application of the owner and presentation of the certificate
of title previously issued for the vehicle.
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Definitions for Laws concerning Mopeds
55-8-101. Chapter and part definitions. —
As used in this chapter and chapter 10, parts 1-5, of this title, unless the context otherwise requires:
(33) “Motorcycle” means every motor vehicle having a seat or
saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than
three (3) wheels in contact with the ground, including a vehicle that is
fully enclosed, has three (3) wheels in contact with the ground, weighs
less than one thousand five hundred pounds (1,500 lbs.), and has the
capacity to maintain posted highway speed limits, excluding a tractor or
motorized bicycle;
(34) “Motor-driven cycle” means
every motorcycle, including every motor scooter, with a motor that
produces not to exceed five (5) brake horsepower, or with a motor with a
cylinder capacity not exceeding one hundred twenty-five cubic
centimeters (125cc);
THESE TWO ARE DIFFERENT!!! NO WONDER EVERYONE IS CONFUSED!!!
(35) “Motorized bicycle” means a vehicle with two (2) or three (3)
wheels, an automatic transmission, and a motor with a cylinder capacity
not exceeding fifty cubic centimeters (50cc) which produces no more than
two (2) brake horsepower and is capable of propelling the vehicle at a
maximum design speed of no more than thirty miles per hour (30 mph) on
level ground. The operator of a motorized bicycle must be in possession
of a valid operator's or chauffeur's license, and shall be subject to
all applicable and practical rules of the road. A motorized bicycle may
not be operated on a highway of the interstate and defense highway
system, any similar limited access multilane divided highway, or upon
sidewalks;
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Can apply for registration but don't have to.
55-4-101
(k)
The owner of a motorized bicycle may, subject to the approval of the
commissioner, apply for registration and registration plates for the
motorized bicycle. The commissioner shall by regulation provide for the
manner in which single applications are to be made and the conditions
under which they may be allowed; however, this subsection (k) shall not
be construed as granting the commissioner authority to issue
registration and plates for motorized bicycles on any basis other than
as is required in this chapter. Each applicant for registration under
this provision shall be charged the same registration taxes imposed on
Class (A) motor vehicles by § 55-4-111.
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