Tennessee dealer bond requirements and cost
Tennessee requires a $50,000 motor vehicle dealer bond under T.C.A. § 55-17-111, filed with the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission (Department of Commerce and Insurance) before it issues a dealer license.
Fixed $50,000 corporate surety bond required of all motor vehicle and recreational vehicle dealers licensed by the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission.
Run this through the calculator to see the premium on your credit tier.
What it actually costs
Premium on a $50,000 bond. You pay this once a year. You do not pay the bond amount.
| Credit | Rate | Annual premium |
|---|---|---|
| Good credit Roughly 700 and up, no recent bankruptcies or open liens | 0.5% to 3% | $250 to $1,500 |
| Fair credit Roughly 620 to 699, or a thin file with limited history | 3% to 6% | $1,500 to $3,000 |
| Challenged credit Below roughly 620, or a bankruptcy, judgment, or tax lien on file | 6% to 10% | $3,000 to $5,000 |
These are typical industry rates, not quotes. Your actual premium comes from a licensed surety after it reviews your credit, financials, and experience.
For how these rates are set and where broker markup hides inside them, read what a dealer bond actually costs.
Who requires it, and why
The obligee is Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission (Department of Commerce and Insurance). They are the party the bond is written to, and the party a claim gets filed with. The requirement comes from T.C.A. § 55-17-111.
A dealer bond is not insurance for you. It is a guarantee to everyone you sell to that if you break the rules, there is money to make them whole. Claims usually come from one of four places:
- You failed to deliver a clean title, or delivered it late.
- You rolled back or misrepresented an odometer reading.
- You took a deposit or a trade-in and never delivered the vehicle.
- You failed to pay off a lien on a trade-in you accepted.
If the surety pays a claim, you pay the surety back. The bond buys the customer protection. It does not buy you any.
How to get your dealer license in Tennessee
The bond is one step of several. The usual path:
- Register the business entity and get your state tax registration.
- Secure a lot or place of business that meets the state's zoning, signage, and office requirements. This is where most first-time applications stall.
- Complete any required pre-licensing education or dealer training.
- Get your surety bond and have the surety issue the original bond form.
- Carry the required liability coverage on the lot and on any dealer-plated vehicles.
- Submit the application with fees, and pass the site inspection if your state runs one.
Apply through Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission (Department of Commerce and Insurance). That is the authoritative source. This page summarizes it.
How to file the bond
Applicants submit the Initial Motor Vehicle Dealer Application through the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance online portal at core.tn.gov, attaching the executed $50,000 corporate surety bond (MVC form IN-1316) signed by the principal owner(s) along with the surety Power of Attorney. The bond and all supporting documentation are filed with the application package to the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission, 500 James Robertson Parkway, Davy Crockett Building, 10th Floor, Nashville, TN 37243; the bond must remain continuously in force for the two-year license term and be renewed/replaced before expiration to maintain licensure.
Tennessee publishes the bond form here: official bond form. Hand it to whoever writes your bond. Sureties fill in their own details, but it has to be the state's current version.
Renewal
Tennessee runs a 2 years cycle. The bond amount is fixed by statute, so it rarely moves. Your premium moves anyway, because the surety re-rates you every term.
Three things drive it: your credit since the last renewal, any claim activity, and how long you have been licensed. Time in business works in your favor. A dealer at year five with clean claims and improved credit often pays less than they did at year one on the same bond.
Renewing? Most dealers also carry garage liability. It covers the lot, the inventory, and customer vehicles in your care, none of which the bond touches. Here is how the two fit together. There is a checkbox on the quote form if you want both quoted at once.
Common questions
How much is a dealer bond in Tennessee?
The bond amount is $50,000. That is the coverage the state requires, not what you pay. Your annual premium is a percentage of it, typically 0.5% to 3% on good credit, so a $50,000 bond runs about $250 to $1,500 a year.
Who requires the bond in Tennessee?
Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission (Department of Commerce and Insurance) requires it as a condition of your dealer license, under T.C.A. § 55-17-111. The bond protects your customers and the state, not you.
Do I pay the full bond amount up front?
No. You pay an annual premium, which is a small percentage of the bond amount. The bond amount is the maximum a claim can recover, not a deposit. If a claim is paid, you reimburse the surety for it.
What happens if a claim is filed against my bond?
The surety investigates. If the claim is valid, it pays the claimant up to the bond amount, then comes to you for reimbursement. A paid claim also makes your next renewal more expensive and can make some sureties decline you outright.
Does my credit affect what I pay in Tennessee?
Yes, more than anything else. The bond amount is fixed by the state. The rate applied to it is set by underwriting, and credit is the largest single input. That is the whole spread between the 0.5% and 10% ends of the table above.
How often do I renew?
Tennessee runs on a 2 years cycle. Your premium is re-rated at each renewal, so it can move even when the bond amount does not.
Know your number before anyone quotes you
The bond amount is set by statute. The premium is set by your credit. Neither is set by whoever answers the phone first.
Licensed in more than one state?
Dealer bond requirements do not travel. Each state writes its own amount and its own form.
Requirements last verified against Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission (Department of Commerce and Insurance) on May 20, 2026. Statutes change. Confirm with the agency before you file.