House Bill 1793 establishes the "Tennessee Uniform Real Property Transfer on Death Act," which enables individuals to transfer property to designated beneficiaries upon their death through a transfer on death deed. The bill introduces a new chapter in the Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 31, defining key terms such as "beneficiary," "designated beneficiary," and "transferor." It outlines the requirements for creating, revoking, and recording a transfer on death deed, emphasizing that these deeds are revocable, nontestamentary, and do not impact the transferor's rights during their lifetime. The transfer becomes effective without the need for notice or acceptance by the beneficiary while the transferor is alive.

Additionally, the bill amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated to incorporate provisions related to transfer on death deeds and motor vehicle title transfers. It adds a new subdivision to Section 31-7-112(a) to include TOD deeds and modifies Section 66-24-101(a)(12) to clarify property descriptions. A new subsection in Section 55-3-118 allows vehicle owners to designate a beneficiary for title transfer upon death, with specific requirements for joint ownership. The bill also updates Section 55-6-101(a)(4) to replace "destroyed certificate" with "destroyed certificate or a subsequent transfer on death certificate of title." Furthermore, it adds a subdivision to Section 67-4-409(a)(1)(C) to include TOD deed transfers under certain tax provisions. The act will take effect upon becoming law for preparatory purposes, with full provisions effective from July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 31-7-112(a), 31-7-112, 66-24-101(a)(12), 66-24-101, 55-3-118, 55-6-101(a)(4), 55-6-101, 67-4-409(a)(1)(C), 67-4-409