55-4-230. Street rods. —





(a) If any modified antique automobile manufactured prior to 1949, hereinafter referred to as a “street rod,” is duly registered in this state, the owner of the street rod may apply to the county clerk of the county in which the applicant resides on special application forms prescribed by the commissioner, for a street rod motor vehicle registration plate, to be displayed on the street rod, instead of the standard motor vehicle registration plate. The applicant shall furnish proof that the street rod is registered in a Tennessee street rod club that is fully affiliated with the National Street Rod Association, Inc.




(b) Upon receipt of an application for a street rod motor vehicle registration plate on a form prescribed by the commissioner, the county clerk shall issue to the applicant a cultural street rod motor vehicle registration plate on a permanent basis. There shall be inscribed thereon letters, numbers or words as are determined by the commissioner to be appropriate and distinctive to identify the recipient as a street rod owner.




(c) Upon approval of the application, the county clerk shall assess the applicant an initial fee of fifty dollars ($50.00), in addition to the annual license tax levied under this chapter. Thereafter, the registration plate shall be renewed on an annual basis in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. The applicants shall, in addition to the prescribed annual registration, be required to display a valid National Street Rod Association safety inspection sticker in the lower right-hand corner of the windshield of the vehicle.




(d) The registration plates shall bear the word “Tennessee” across the top, the words “Street Rod” across the bottom and the identifying letters and individual registration numbers across the middle in sequence “ROD- _________ .”


[Acts 1998, ch. 1063, § 1.]