Temp tag expiring, no title, or a surprise lien? What to do
As of Oct. 16, 2026
Short answer: Getting your title and plates is the dealer's job. In Tennessee a dealer temp tag lasts 60 days, and the law says no one may drive more than 60 days on one. Not delivering a title is a misdemeanor there, and a dealer must pay off your trade-in loan within 30 days after it gets paid on your new loan. A surprise lien usually means the state's record and your paper title don't match. Pull the state record before you argue with anyone. Check your dates.
Pick the state that issued your tag and type your dates. Nothing you type leaves your phone.
Best move: written request to the dealer + county clerk check
Put it in writing and call the county clerk. Send the dealer a short, dated letter asking for the reason and a date. Then call the county clerk with your VIN to see what's on file. If the tag runs out first, park the car. Driving on an expired tag is on you, not the dealer.
The math:
Tennessee example: drive-out tag issued Sept. 1, 2026 + 60 days = Oct. 31, 2026. That's the last day you may drive on it.
Georgia example: bought Sept. 1, 2026 → the dealer's 45-day permit ends Oct. 16, 2026. One 30-day county permit can carry you to about Nov. 15 if the dealer hasn't gotten your title.
Trade-in example: deal signed Oct. 1 → call the old lender around Oct. 8 (CFPB's one-week check). If the lender funded the dealer Oct. 5, Tennessee's 30-day payoff limit runs to Nov. 4.
A best fit for the situation described, not financial advice or a buy/sell recommendation. Partner links never change a pick.
Your roadmap
Find your problem in the picker below.
Gather paper: buyer's order, retail installment contract, the temp tag (photo of the expiration date), and any payoff letter for your trade-in.
Call the county clerk with the VIN: has the dealer submitted the title application? Is a lien on record?
Send the letter below by email so there's a time stamp.
No fix? Tennessee: Motor Vehicle Commission complaint (dealer surety bond). Lender problems: CFPB. Dealer problems: ReportFraud.ftc.gov and your state attorney general (CFPB guidance).
A letter you can send the dealer
Short and dated works best. Fill in the brackets:
To: [dealer name], [general manager or title clerk email]
Re: [year make model], VIN [VIN], purchased [date]
My temporary tag expires on [date]. I have not received my title or registration [or: the loan on my trade-in, account [number] with [lender], has not been paid off].
Please tell me in writing by [date, 2-3 business days out]:
1) the current status and the exact reason for the delay,
2) the date you submitted (or will submit) the title paperwork to the county clerk, and
3) [the date you sent the trade-in payoff and the amount].
If this isn't resolved, I will file complaints with the state motor vehicle commission and attorney general.
[Your name, phone]
This letter doesn't create a right you don't have. It gives you a record and a date to hold the dealer to.
Temp tag and title rules by state
States we verified on primary sources on Oct. 16, 2026. Others: the date printed on your tag controls; check your state DMV.
State
Temp tag lasts
If it runs out
Title / payoff rules
Source
Tennessee
60 days from the day the dealer issues the drive-out tag
Tennessee law says no one may drive more than 60 days on a temporary plate (Tenn. Code § 55-4-226(c)(4)). We could not confirm a consumer extension; ask your county clerk before day 60.
Not delivering a title is a Class C misdemeanor (§ 55-3-127(a)); trade-in payoff within 30 days of funding (§ 55-17-114(b)(3)).
Once you file a completed Kentucky title application, the county clerk may issue a 60-day temporary tag for a vehicle not yet titled and registered in Kentucky (KRS 186A.100(5)).
The dealer can't extend or reissue the 45-day permit. If the dealer hasn't gotten your title, your County Tag Office can issue one 30-day permit with Form T-226, the original permit, your dealer invoice and your Georgia license or ID.
Georgia DOR says dealers normally apply for the title within 30 days of the sale.
If a temporary plate is damaged, lost or stolen, go back to the selling dealer for a reprint (CHP). Put the permanent plates on as soon as they arrive and destroy the paper ones.
No paper buyer tag since July 1, 2025: metal plates at the sale (out-of-state buyer plate: 60 days)
Since July 1, 2025, Texas dealers put metal plates on the car at the sale instead of paper buyer tags. Keep the Buyer's Receipt in the car until your registration sticker arrives.
TxDMV says a Texas dealer must process your title and registration within 30 days of purchase, or 45 days if the dealer financed the car.
Temp tags: Revenue issues dealer temporary plates for 60 days ($6.50 state fee). No person may drive more than 60 days with the temporary plate (§ 55-4-226(c)(4)). Dealers print them through Revenue's EZ Tag system, and the clerk guide says the system allows only one EZ drive-out tag per vehicle.
Title: anyone who fails to properly endorse or deliver a certificate of title to the person entitled to it commits a Class C misdemeanor (§ 55-3-127(a)).
Trade-in payoff: a dealer must pay off the agreed loan on your trade-in within 30 days after it receives payment on your new financing contract (§ 55-17-114(b)(3)). On a conditional (spot) delivery, the dealer must give you the written conditional delivery agreement, keep your trade-in until funding, let you void the deal if terms change, and pay the trade-in loan within 30 days of funding. You can't waive these (§ 55-17-114(b)(4)).
Closed titles: the Commission can act against a dealer that holds a title that isn't a closed title without a consignment form (§ 55-17-114(b)(1)(M)), or that issues more temporary plates than the law allows (§ 55-17-114(b)(1)(N)).
Lien release: when a loan is paid, the lender discharges the lien (title tear-off, signed title copy, or a letterhead release with the full VIN), reports it within 72 hours by registered mail, and delivers the title to the owner within 7 business days of the owner's request (County Clerk Guide; § 55-3-127(b)–(c)).
How a 'surprise' lien happens: dealers usually record the first lien with the clerk, but a lender can also record a lien after the title is issued (noting of lien), and the title stays the same. So a title in your hand can be older than the state's record.
Tennessee: Revenue's Vehicle Information Request (RV-F1313801): computer printout $1, certified printout $1.50, copies of the current record $5, complete vehicle history $15. Mail to Vehicle Services Division, 500 Deaderick Street, Nashville, TN 37242. The form makes you pick a permitted use under the federal Driver's Privacy Protection Act. We couldn't confirm which box an owner should check for their own car, so ask your county clerk or Vehicle Services.
NMVTIS reports (from DOJ-approved providers, about $8–$12.99 as of May 2020 per DOJ) show title, brand, odometer, theft and salvage history. Liens aren't on the DOJ's list of contents, so use the state record for liens.
Other states: the DOJ says to contact the state titling agency for a complete title record.
Lender or buy-here-pay-here dealer: CFPB. Dealership: the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov). Either: your state attorney general (CFPB).
Tennessee dealers: the Motor Vehicle Commission licenses dealers and can act on title and temp-plate violations (§ 55-17-114).
Texas: TxDMV's online dealer complaint system. TxDMV can take administrative action but can't pursue a private claim for damages for you.
Georgia: the Department of Revenue can't order the dealer to apply for your title or refund your money. It points to an attorney, a civil suit or the dealer's surety bond.
Not legal advice. Your contract, your state's law and, if it comes to it, a court decide what you're owed. Legal aid or a consumer attorney can read your paperwork.
We verified Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida, Texas and California only. Other states aren't covered yet.
Tennessee: we found no consumer extension for an expiring dealer tag in the statute, and no statewide deadline for a dealer to deliver the title. If you know of an official source, tell us at /contact.
The checker counts calendar days from the date you type. The expiration printed on your tag is what police go by.
Why trust this: VaultRubric's owner spent 11 years in dealership sales and management. Every rule here links to the statute or agency page it comes from; the dates in examples are examples.
Not legal advice. We republish state and federal rules with dates and do date math on what you type. Don't drive on an expired tag. Call your county clerk or DMV if you're unsure.
Note: the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission help page blocked our automated reader on Oct. 16, 2026. The surety-bond step is from that page as shown by a search engine copy (last updated June 11, 2026). Please confirm it on the page.
How long is a dealer temporary tag good for in Tennessee?
60 days. Tennessee Code 55-4-226(c)(4) says temporary plates may be issued for 60 days and no person may operate a vehicle for more than 60 days with the temporary plate. The change from 30 to 60 days took effect July 1, 2022.
What do I do if my temp tag expires and the dealer still hasn't sent my title?
Don't drive the car on the expired tag. Ask the dealer in writing for the reason and a date, and call your county clerk with the VIN to see if anything was filed. In Tennessee, failing to deliver a title is a Class C misdemeanor and you can complain to the Motor Vehicle Commission. Georgia lets the County Tag Office issue one 30-day permit; Florida allows up to two 30-day temporary tags.
How long does a Tennessee dealer have to pay off my trade-in loan?
30 days after the dealer receives payment on your new financing contract, under Tennessee Code 55-17-114(b)(3) and (b)(4)(A)(iv). The CFPB suggests calling your old lender about a week after the deal to confirm the payoff.
Why does a lien show up when my title is clean?
The state's record can be newer than your paper title. In Tennessee a lender can record a lien after the title is issued (noting of lien), and a paid loan stays on record until the lender discharges it. Pull the state's record (in Tennessee, form RV-F1313801) and compare. NMVTIS history reports don't list liens.
How long does a lender have to release my title after payoff in Tennessee?
The lender must report the lien discharge to the state within 72 hours, and deliver the title within 7 business days of your request, per the Tennessee County Clerk Guide and Tennessee Code 55-3-127.
Do Texas dealers still give paper temp tags?
No. Since July 1, 2025 (House Bill 718), Texas dealers put metal plates on the car at the sale. TxDMV says the dealer must process title and registration within 30 days, or 45 days if the dealer financed the car.
Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.