Tennessee Code Title 55. Motor and Other Vehicles § 55-4-127

(a) No person shall be required to obtain an annual registration certificate and license plates or to pay the fee prescribed therefor pursuant to this chapter for vehicles owned or used exclusively by volunteer lifesaving or first-aid crews or rescue squads; provided, that:

(b) The equipment must be painted a distinguishing color and conspicuously display in letters and figures, not less than three inches (3") in height, the identity of the volunteer lifesaving or first-aid crew or rescue squad having control of its operation; provided, that the equipment be used exclusively for lifesaving, first-aid, or rescue activities.

(c) Before the equipment may be operated upon the highways of this state without license plates, there must be filed with the department a certification by the county clerk of the county in which the equipment is based, certifying a description of the equipment and the name of the lifesaving or first-aid crew, or rescue squad.

(d) “Rescue squad,” as used in this section, means only those persons or organizations who are members of the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads, except that in counties having a population of six hundred thousand (600,000) or more, according to the 1970 federal census or any subsequent federal census, “rescue squad” includes persons and organizations which meet the requirements of this section but who are not members of the Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads.