ELECTRONIC INSURANCE VERIFICATION SYSTEM (EIVS)

AUTHORITY:

Tenn. Code Ann. 55-12-201 to 55-12-215, Public Chapter 511 (2015)

Tennessee’s Financial Responsibility law, which has been in effect since 1977, is enforced by the following methods:

      1. Verification of insurance by law enforcement officers during traffic stops or accidents (current proof of insurance must be carried in the covered vehicle at all times), and

      2. Verification of insurance by the Department of Revenue’s Electronic Insurance Verification System (EIVS). 

The James Lee Atwood, Jr. Law was passed during the 2015 legislative session in order to help reduce the overall number of uninsured drivers on Tennessee roadways by implementing:

• Increased the fines for failure to show proof of insurance during a traffic stop or accident (Dept. of Safety), and
• A system that will electronically verify whether a registered driver has insurance (Dept. of Revenue)

Customers can now check their insurance status anytime by visiting www.driveinsuredtn.com and click on "Check Insurance Status".  The system will ask them to provide a VIN and plate.

EIVS PROCESS FLOW:

EIVS LETTER PROCESS FLOW:

Breakdown of Letters and Fees

1st Letter: "Request For Information"

Sent to: Registered vehicle owners whose insurance cannot be confirmed by the system

Purpose: This letter informs the registrant that our system cannot confirm insurance for the VIN referenced What the Customer Should Do: 30 days to respond at www.DriveInsuredTN.com

Warning: If information is not updated in our system within 30 days to reflect coverage or exemption, they will receive further notice from the Department.

Second Letter: "First Notice"

Sent to: Registrants who received the Request For Information but did not respond within 30 days and are still unconfirmed in the system

Purpose: This letter informs the customer again that the system cannot confirm coverage for their vehicle.

What the Customer Should Do: 30 days to respond at www.DriveInsuredTN.com

Warning: If information is not updated in our system within 30 days to reflect coverage or exemption, they will be assessed a $25 coverage failure fee.

Third Letter: "Final Notice"

Sent to: Registrants who did not respond to the first two letters and are still unconfirmed in the system

Purpose: This letter informs the customer again that the system cannot confirm coverage for their vehicle and that they have been assessed a $25 coverage failure fee.

What the Customer Should Do: 30 days to respond and pay $25 fee at www.DriveInsuredTN.com

Warning: If information is not updated in our system within 30 days to reflect coverage or exemption, they will be assessed a $100 coverage failure fee and the registration will be suspended.

FEE: $25 coverage failure fee.  For each $25 coverage failure fee paid, $5 will be distributed to the county clerk. 

Fourth Letter: "Vehicle Registration Suspension Notice"

Sent to: Registrants who did not respond to the first three letters and are still unconfirmed in the system

Purpose: This letter informs the customer again that the system cannot confirm coverage for their vehicle and that they have been assessed an additional $100 coverage failure fee as well as registration suspension

What the Customer Should Do: To reinstate their suspended registration, the customer should pay all fees and provide proof of insurance.

FEE: $100 coverage failure fee.  For each $100 coverage failure fee paid, $10 will be distributed to the county clerk. 

EIVS Suspension Stop/Reinstatement Process

Vehicle Services sends the EIVS Registration Suspension Notice to customers who have not responded to previous notices.  For customers who receive this notice, a stop will be placed on the record of the VIN with unconfirmed insurance.

All communication prior to the EIVS Suspension Stop with the customer is handled by the Tennessee Department of Revenue.  County Clerk involvement in the fee payment and registration reinstatement process is applicable only at the time of suspension. PLEASE NOTE: payment of fees/reinstatement must be made at the County Clerks office or online at www.driveinsuredtn.com.  Vehicle Services is not able to process these payments over the phone.

The EIVS Suspension stop consists of two separate stops in the system.   

• 18 Stop -  “EIVS Suspension”.  Once the customer pays applicable fees, this stop will be removed.
• 19 Stop – “EIVS Unconfirmed Insurance”.  Once the insurance information is entered, this stop will be removed.

IN VTRS Web Inquiry, the record of a suspended registration appears as “Registration Status: Suspended”

Customers will have the ability to reinstate their suspended registration either online at www.DriveInsuredTN.com or in person at the county clerk’s office.  ***Vehicle Services is not able to accept payment for fees/reinstatement over the phone***

The reinstatement process requires the customer to:

1. Pay the total amount of fees assessed, and
2. Obtain current insurance and provide* the Insurance Company Name/NAIC # and policy number.

 *Clerks only need to key this information into TNClerk, not verify accuracy or authenticity of the information.  Please see the PowerPoint and Manual provided by BIS regarding the process.

If EIVS cannot verify the insurance information provided by the customer within 45 days, the 19 stop will be placed back on the record and the registration status will be suspended again.

EIVS Reinstatement Fee

When a registrant reinstates an EIVS suspension at the county clerk’s office,  they must also pay a $25 reinstatement fee. The full $25 reinstatement fee goes directly to the county clerk and does not get remitted to the state (BIS has configured the system for this). 

All county revenues from coverage failure fees and reinstatement fees are earmarked for the county clerk's work in administration of the vehicle insurance verification program and shall not revert to the general fund at the end of the budget year if unexpended (Tenn. Code Ann §55-12-211 & 212).   

Customers in your County with questions regarding EIVS

Please direct all customers with questions regarding their Request for Information Letter, First Notice, and Final Notice to our EIVS Support Team within the Vehicle Services Division at:

• www.DriveInsuredTN.com  (sample letters and FAQ’s are available), or
• [e-mail], or
• 615-741-3101, option 2

County Clerk/Staff questions regarding EIVS

• www.DriveInsuredTN.com  (sample letters and FAQ’s are available), or
• [e-mail],
• 615-741-3101, option 2, or
• Jennifer Lanfair (Assistant Director, Vehicle Services) may be reached at 615-253-5162 or [e-mail]
• Shawn Ploss (Manager, EIVS) may be reached at 615-770-6835 or [e-mail]