June 30, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
Drivers won’t have to have a physical copy of their car registration if they are pulled over by police.
The law will change July 1 to allow the driver to show proof on any electronic device, like your phone or tablet, as long as the document says the car is properly registered and issued to the owner or person driving the car.
“Beginning July 1st, not only can you have proof of your automobile insurance on an electronic device but you are going to be able to have any kind of photo saved in your phone that has your car insurance, your vehicle insurance, your registration for that vehicle, or if you have a hunting and fishing license, you merely just have to have a snapshot of that saved on your device and if you are asked to provide that to an officer you can do that through your electronic device whether it be phone, Ipad, etc,” said County Clerk James L. (Jimmy) Poss.
Tennessee already allows electronic proof of insurance.
The new law states as follows:
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
In addition to the provisions of § 55-12-139 authorizing a person to display evidence of financial responsibility through the use of electronic devices, a person may also display evidence of vehicle registration in electronic format. The electronic images shall state that the vehicle is properly registered and that a certificate of registration has been issued to the owner or operator of the vehicle. For purposes of this section, acceptable electronic formats include display of electronic images on a cellular phone or any other type of portable electronic device. If a person displays the evidence in an electronic format pursuant to this section, the person is not consenting for law enforcement to access any other contents of the electronic device.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018, the public welfare requiring it.