How to fill out the RV-F1312101 in Tennessee
A field-by-field walkthrough of the Tennessee RV-F1312101 (Certification of Sales Under Special Conditions) for licensed used car dealers — what goes in every section, who signs what, and the documents you attach. Verified against the official form as of October 2026.
Don't waste another second filling out the Tennessee RV-F1312101.
Let DealerVLO fill out every form for you instantly.
Filing these every week? DealerVLO fills the RV-F1312101 from the deal you already entered, $29/month flat. See pricing
Switching from another DMS? Compare DealerVLO to DealerCenter, Frazer, or Lot Wizard.
Filling out the TN RV-F1312101 after a sale:
- What it is
- The lienholder's sworn certification that it foreclosed its lien and sold the vehicle, with the Repossession box checked
- Who completes it
- The lienholder (the repossessor). On a BHPH note, your dealership. Signed under penalties of perjury
- Where to file it
- The purchaser's county clerk, with the purchaser's title and registration application
- Processing time
- None of its own. It travels with the new owner's title application
- Cost
- The form lists no fee. The new owner pays state and county title and registration fees
This guide is informational and does not replace the official Tennessee instructions. Always confirm the current form and procedure with the Tennessee Department of Revenue and your county clerk before you file.
The RV-F1312101 is one car's paperwork. A 20-second read on your lot, and the tax-and-fee math for the whole deal — built for dealers, no signup. Free calculators dealers actually use — no signup, no email.
DealerVLO fills the official Tennessee RV-F1312101 straight from your deal: the Repossession box; your dealership as lienholder, with its address; the buyer and co-buyer as the person owing the debt, with the buyer's address; and the make, VIN, model, body type and year. It prints from the servicing section of a BHPH deal where your dealership carries the note, for when you've taken a car back, not on every deal. The county and date, the purchaser, the price and how it was paid, other liens, the reason line, and your signature, title and date stay blank. $29/month, free to try — cancel any time.
What the RV-F1312101 is and why it matters
RV-F1312101 is the Tennessee Department of Revenue's Certification of Sales Under Special Conditions. After a repossession, the lienholder fills it out and swears that it held the debt, foreclosed its lien, and sold the vehicle to a named purchaser. On a buy-here-pay-here note, the lienholder is your dealership.
The Department of Revenue says the new owner of a repossessed vehicle applies for title at their county clerk, and this form, completed by the repossessor, goes with the application. This guide covers each box and what's attached. It doesn't cover when or how you may repossess.
Tennessee doesn't call it an "affidavit of repossession." The form is the Certification of Sales Under Special Conditions, RV-F1312101 (Rev. 6/26). The Department of Revenue's forms page lists it as F-1312101, and its Repossessed Vehicles page calls it the "Affidavit of Sales Under Special Condition form." Same form. It covers three cases: Repossession, Garage Keepers Lien, and Abandoned Vehicle. A dealer taking back a BHPH car checks Repossession.
Documents to have before you start
Gather these before you complete the RV-F1312101. A missing attachment is the number-one reason the the Tennessee Department of Revenue and your county clerk bounces a title application back.
- An Application for Certificate of Title and Registration — In the new owner's name. See the RV-F1315201 guide.
- The existing certificate of title, showing all liens — From the Department of Revenue's Repossessed Vehicles page.
- A true copy of the lien instrument and of the notice of sale — Listed on the form under (A) Repossession: "not required if lien is noted on title."
- Evidence that sales and use tax was paid, and the title and registration fees — The Revenue page lists both for the new owner.
RV-F1312101, section by section
Check Type: Repossession
The top line has three boxes: Repossession, Garage Keepers Lien, and Abandoned Vehicle. Check Repossession. The other two are for a repair shop or storage lien and for abandoned vehicles, and each has its own attachment list.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Check Type: Repossession | You (dealer) |
State, county, date, and the lienholder
"State of Tennessee, County of" and the Date belong to the oath, so fill them when you sign. Under that, the lienholder's name and address go on the lines marked "(name and address of lienholder)." That's your dealership, by the name on the lien. The sentence that follows reads that the lienholder "makes oath in due form of law that the undersigned was the lawful owner and holder of an indebtedness owed by" the debtor.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
County of, Date When you sign. | You (dealer) |
Name and address of lienholder Your dealership. | You (dealer) |
The debtor and the vehicle
"(name of person owing indebtedness)" is your BHPH buyer, and any co-buyer, with their address on the "of" line. The vehicle description takes Make, VIN, Model, Body Type, and Year Model. Copy them from the title so they match the new owner's title application.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Name of person owing indebtedness, address Your BHPH buyer (and co-buyer). | You (dealer) |
Make, VIN, Model, Body Type, Year Model | You (dealer) |
The sale to the purchaser
The form states: "Default having been made, the undersigned foreclosed the lien in the manner provided by law and by the terms of the lien instrument and sold the vehicle described to" the purchaser. Fill in the name of the purchaser and their address, the price on the "for $" line (the consideration), and how it was paid. This is the person buying the repossessed car from you, not the person you took it back from. Because the form describes a completed sale, fill this part after the car is sold.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Name of purchaser, address Who bought the repossessed car. | You (dealer) |
For $ (consideration), paid as follows | You (dealer) |
Attachments for a repossession
The form lists what's "attached and made a part of the certification." For a repossession, (A) reads: "A true copy of the instrument creating the lien and a true copy of the notice of sale (not required if lien is noted on title)." Items (B) and (C) are for garage keepers liens and abandoned vehicles; skip them on a repo.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
(A) True copy of the lien instrument and of the notice of sale Not required if the lien is noted on the title. | You (dealer) |
Other liens, the reason line, and the signature
The next statement reads that "all necessary legal provisions were complied with and the purchaser has good title to the vehicle which is warranted subject to the following lien." List any other liens on the line marked "(insert other liens existing, if any)." Then: "A transferred certificate of title from the former owner cannot possibly be filed because," followed by a "(state reason)" line. Fill it in when that applies to your file. Last, the lienholder signs under "Under penalties of perjury, I hereby certify this information is correct to the best of my knowledge," with a title and date. The form has no notary block.
| Field | Who fills it |
|---|---|
Other liens existing, if any | You (dealer) |
Reason a transferred title can't be filed When it applies. | You (dealer) |
Signature of lienholder, title, date | You (dealer) |
Common RV-F1312101 mistakes that cause rejections
Check Repossession. The other two boxes carry different attachment lists.
Your BHPH buyer is the "person owing indebtedness." The purchaser is whoever bought the car from you after the repossession.
The form certifies the lienholder sold the vehicle to a named purchaser for a stated price. Complete that part once the sale happens.
Under (A), both copies are attached unless the lien is noted on the title.
The Department of Revenue lists the existing certificate of title, showing all liens, with the new owner's application.
Common questions
What is the Tennessee affidavit of repossession?+
It's Department of Revenue Form RV-F1312101, the Certification of Sales Under Special Conditions, with the Repossession box checked. The Revenue forms page lists it as F-1312101. The lienholder swears it held the debt, foreclosed its lien, and sold the vehicle to a named purchaser. The current revision is Rev. 6/26.
Where do I file RV-F1312101?+
The Department of Revenue says the new owner of a repossessed vehicle applies for title and registration at their local county clerk. The certification, completed by the repossessor, goes with that application, along with the existing title showing all liens, the fees, and evidence that sales and use tax was paid.
Does RV-F1312101 have to be notarized?+
The Rev. 6/26 form has no notary block. The lienholder signs under the line "Under penalties of perjury, I hereby certify this information is correct to the best of my knowledge," with a title and date.
What do I attach for a repossession?+
Under (A) Repossession, the form lists a true copy of the instrument creating the lien and a true copy of the notice of sale. It says neither is required if the lien is noted on the title.
Can I use another state's repossession form in Tennessee?+
The Department of Revenue's Repossessed Vehicles page lists either the Affidavit of Sales Under Special Condition form or an out-of-state repossession form, completed by the repossessor.
Is there software that fills out the RV-F1312101 automatically?+
Yes. Dealer management software like DealerVLO fills the official Tennessee RV-F1312101 from the deal you already entered: the Repossession box; your dealership as lienholder, with its address; the buyer and co-buyer as the person owing the debt, with the buyer's address; and the make, VIN, model, body type and year. It prints from the servicing section of a BHPH deal where your dealership carries the note, for when you've taken a car back, not on every deal. The county and date, the purchaser, the price and how it was paid, other liens, the reason line, and your signature, title and date stay blank. Signatures stay blank for ink. It's $29/month flat with a 14-day free trial, and the same deal also generates your federal documents (Bill of Sale, FTC Buyers Guide) and your state title paperwork.
- Affidavit of repossession forms by state
- Vehicle lien release form by state
- How to fill out Tennessee Form RV-F1315201
- Tennessee used car dealer license
- Tennessee dealer plates
- E-signatures and e-titling for Tennessee dealers
- Tennessee power of attorney (RV-F1311401)
- Tennessee odometer disclosure statement (RV-F1317001)
- Title application forms in every state
- How much is a dealer's license? Cost in every state
Stop filling out the RV-F1312101 by hand.
DealerVLO fills the official TN RV-F1312101 straight from your deal jacket: the Repossession box; your dealership as lienholder, with its address; the buyer and co-buyer as the person owing the debt, with the buyer's address; and the make, VIN, model, body type and year. It prints from the servicing section of a BHPH deal where your dealership carries the note, for when you've taken a car back, not on every deal. The county and date, the purchaser, the price and how it was paid, other liens, the reason line, and your signature, title and date stay blank. $29/month. 14-day free trial, cancel any time.
Curious how it works? See how DealerVLO auto-fills every dealer document — bill of sale, FTC Buyers Guide, odometer disclosure, and state title & registration forms for all 50 states, from one deal.
Bond amounts, fees, and form rules change. Get a short email when your state does. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.