Rutherford County Wheel Tax: Disabled Veteran and Active-Duty Exemptions

Rutherford County's wheel tax is about $52.50 a year, the difference between the $85.50 regular plate renewal and the $33.00 active-duty military renewal. An active-duty member whose LES shows Tennessee as home of record is exempt once. A veteran rated one hundred percent permanent and total, or a former prisoner of war, is exempt under state law, though the Clerk's page does not say so.

Also called: wheel tax, motor vehicle privilege tax, County Clerk, license plate, registration, military plate, LES, 5-8-102, Murfreesboro.

For: Veteran or service member.

Where it applies

Written for the jurisdictions listed here.

Rutherford County, TNCounty

Rutherford County levies a motor vehicle privilege tax, the wheel tax, on every vehicle a resident owns, collected by the County Clerk with the annual registration. The Clerk's page does not state the tax on its own, but a regular plate renewal is $85.50 and an active-duty military renewal, which leaves the wheel tax out, is $33.00, so the tax is about $52.50. Active duty. A member on active duty can renew at $33.00 without the wheel tax by sending a copy of current active-duty orders and a current Leave and Earnings Statement showing Tennessee as home of record. The Clerk allows one wheel tax exemption per military member. Disabled veterans. Section 5-8-102 exempts a veteran rated one hundred percent permanent and total from a service-connected cause, any former prisoner of war, and a vehicle bought with a VA adapted-vehicle grant, from every Tennessee county's wheel tax; see the Tennessee entry on the county motor vehicle privilege tax. The Clerk's licence plate page does not mention it, so bring the VA letter and ask. The Clerk is at (615) 898-7800.

Thresholds

Thresholds for Rutherford County Wheel Tax: Disabled Veteran and Active-Duty Exemptions
Gate	Rule
One hundred percent permanent and total, service-connected	Section 5-8-102 exempts a veteran with one hundred percent permanent total disability from a service-connected cause, as VA determines it. It is recorded rather than enforced because a former prisoner of war, and a veteran whose vehicle came with a VA adapted-vehicle grant under 38 U.S.C. 3901, are exempt at any rating.
Permanence is part of the test	The section asks for permanent total disability. A one hundred percent rating VA expects to improve does not meet it.
Or a former prisoner of war, or an adapted-vehicle grant	Any former prisoner of war is exempt, and so is a vehicle bought with a VA grant under 38 U.S.C. 3901, whatever the rating.
Or active duty with Tennessee as home of record	The Clerk exempts one vehicle per active-duty member on current orders and an LES showing Tennessee as home of record.

Sources

Rutherford County Clerk, License PlatesOfficial

Updated

Last updated 2026-10-02.

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Disclaimer

VetTOC is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense. Information is for reference only and is not an eligibility determination. Verify with VA, the relevant state or territory, or an accredited VSO.