Is It Legal To Warm Up Your Car In Tennessee?

After last week's cold snap, you're probably looking into how much it would cost to get yourself a remote start. Before it gets cold again, you should know that you could've gotten yourself into some trouble last time it got below freezing, and you should know the laws before it gets cold.

I finally splurged and got my wife a remote start because I got tired of her asking "Can you go start my car?" I get it, it's a nice thing not to have her out in the cold, but hey man, I'm cold too!

If you don't have a remote start, you should know that first off, leaving your car running with the keys inside can get you into trouble, starting with your car getting stolen.

Before it gets cold, make sure you remind everyone that you know it is illegal to warm up your car using the key and leaving it unattended.

A few winters ago, Memphis Police were going around handing out citations, and Metro Council passed a law several years ago prohibiting leaving your car running unattended without a keyless entry or remote start.

Tennessee Code § 55-8-162 lays it all out explicitly.

(a) No person driving or in charge of a motor vehicle shall permit it to stand unattended without first stopping the engine, locking the ignition, and effectively setting the brake thereon and, when standing upon any grade, turning the front wheels to the curb or side of the highway.

There are some exceptions to the rule, which is laid out in section 2 of the code.

(2) As used in subdivision (c)(1), “utility” means any person, municipality, county, metropolitan government, electric cooperative, telephone cooperative, board, commission, district or any entity created or authorized by public act, private act, or general law to provide electricity, natural gas, water, waste water services, telephone services, or any combination thereof, for sale to consumers in any particular service area.

In most places around the state, your first fine will be just about $65. Enough fines, and you might as well have just sprung for the remote start.