Tennessee Address & Name Change

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

Tennessee requires drivers to notify TN DSHS of an address change within 10 days under T.C.A. § 55-50-333. The same rule applies after a name change. The driver license update flows through TN DSHS; the vehicle registration and title updates flow through the county clerk's office in your county of residence — Tennessee's split agency model means there are typically two updates to make. Missing the 10-day window is rarely enforced as a standalone citation, but the practical consequence is missed renewal notices and missed citation notices that can default into license-renewal holds.

Address change — moving within Tennessee

If you've moved from one Tennessee city or town to another (or just changed apartments within the same city), update through e-Services:

Log into the TN DSHS e-Services portal with your Tennessee license number, date of birth, and last four of SSN.
Select "Change Address" and enter the new address. The system verifies against the USPS address-validation database.
Receive an email confirmation. The e-Services system updates the address on file immediately.
Print the temporary update receipt — it serves as proof of the new address until your next license renewal.

Tennessee does not mail a new driver license after an address change. The old card is still valid; the address printed on the card may not match the address on file with TN DSHS. You can request a duplicate license with the updated address printed on it for $8 if you need a card that matches.

Cross-county moves and registration

If you've moved from one Tennessee county to another, you also need to:

Visit the new county clerk's office to update your vehicle registration to the new county.
Pay the new county's wheel tax (if higher than your previous county's; if lower, no refund is issued).
Receive a new registration certificate showing the new county.

The county clerk visit is required because Tennessee counties levy independent wheel taxes, which means your county of registration affects the fees you pay at registration renewal. Davidson, Hamilton, Williamson, Knox, and Shelby County clerks all process cross-county changes routinely.

Address change — moving from out of state into Tennessee

New Tennessee residents have 30 days to convert their license and register their vehicles. The license conversion is in person at any TN DSHS Driver Services Center. Bring:

Your current out-of-state license — surrendered in exchange for the Tennessee license.
Proof of citizenship or legal presence (passport or birth certificate).
Proof of full Social Security number (SSN card, W-2, or pay stub).
Two proofs of Tennessee residency from two different sources, dated within 4 months.

The conversion fee is $28 for an 8-year Class D license. New residents with a clean out-of-state driving record skip the road test, but a knowledge test and vision screening are still required. See driver license for the full conversion process.

Vehicle registration is separate — visit your new county's clerk within 30 days to title and register the vehicle. See vehicle registration for that flow.

Name change — after marriage or divorce

Tennessee requires the new legal name to appear on the driver license, registration, and title. Documentation depends on the source of the change:

Marriage: bring the certified marriage certificate (raised seal) to a TN DSHS Driver Services Center.
Divorce: bring the certified divorce decree showing the legal name restoration, plus any prior marriage certificates if there's a chain of name changes.
Court name change: bring the certified court order under T.C.A. § 29-8-101 et seq.
Federal naturalization: bring the Certificate of Naturalization showing the new legal name.

TN DSHS updates the name on the driver license at the counter and prints a new card on the spot. Fee for the new license card: $8. The Driver Services Center then transmits the name update to the Department of Revenue's vehicle records, but the title-and-registration name update should still be confirmed at the county clerk to ensure the new name flows through to all vehicles you own.

Updating a vehicle title to a new name

If a name change occurs after a vehicle is titled in Tennessee, the title can be amended at the county clerk:

Submit the multi-purpose application (Form RV-F1311201) at the county clerk's counter.
Attach a certified copy of the legal-name-change document (marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order).
Include the original or duplicate title.
Pay the $11 title amendment fee.

The amended title is mailed by TDOR Vehicle Services in 4-6 weeks. The registration is updated in real time at the county clerk counter. You don't need to update the title before selling the vehicle, but a buyer's bank may require the title be in the seller's current legal name before completing financing.

Voter registration, SNAP, and other state agencies

Tennessee allows voter-registration updates concurrently with TN DSHS transactions through the National Voter Registration Act (Motor Voter) flow. Updating your address through TN DSHS triggers a prompt to also update voter registration with the Tennessee Secretary of State. SNAP, TennCare, and unemployment-insurance records are not automatically updated; those agencies maintain separate records and require their own change-of-address notification.

Selective Service for males 18-25

TN DSHS transactions for male applicants between the ages of 18 and 25 automatically transmit a Selective Service registration update to the federal Selective Service System. This is a federal requirement that runs through any state DMV. The e-Services change-of-address flow includes a single-line consent that fulfills the federal notification.

What if you missed the 10-day window

The 10-day deadline under T.C.A. § 55-50-333 is rarely enforced as a standalone citation, but it becomes relevant when:

A citation issued at the old address defaults because you never received the notice — TN DSHS places a renewal hold and you discover the missed citation only at the next renewal.
An insurance verification under the James Lee Atwood Jr. Law fails because the IVP database shows an old address that doesn't match the carrier record — see Tennessee insurance.
Your registration renewal reminder doesn't reach you, and the registration expires.
A jury-duty summons or court notice goes undelivered, leading to a contempt finding in some counties.

The fix is the same regardless of how late you are: log into e-Services and update the address. TN DSHS does not impose a back-fee for late updates, but you'll need to clear any defaulted citations or held renewals separately. See the Tennessee DMV hub for current contact details.