Tennessee Code Title 55. Motor and Other Vehicles § 55-4-129

(a) Unless lawfully transferred in accordance with this chapter, it is unlawful to willfully cut, clip or otherwise remove the registration decal from a registration plate, or to remove a registration plate from a motor vehicle if either are removed for the purpose of selling the decal or plate, attaching the decal or plate to another registration plate or motor vehicle, or otherwise using the decal or plate to circumvent or avoid the vehicle registration laws of this chapter.

(b) A violation of this section is a Class A misdemeanor.