Tennessee Code Title 55. Motor and Other Vehicles § 55-4-141

(b) The department shall deny registration for a vehicle assigned to a motor carrier that has been prohibited from operating by the federal motor carrier safety administration for safety reasons or a carrier whose business is operated, managed, or otherwise controlled by or affiliated with a person who is ineligible for registration, including an applicant, owner, corporate officer, or shareholder of the carrier or a relative of any such persons. For purposes of this section, “relative” means husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, father, mother, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law.

(c) If a prohibition from operating by the federal motor carrier safety administration is rescinded, the department or its agent may issue a registration, license plate, permit, or certificate of title to the motor carrier; provided, that all other taxes and fees have been paid to the department.