Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission upholds denial of DWD Motors dealer license

The Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission on April 23, 2025, voted to uphold the denial of a dealer license application for DWD Motors, a proposed Knoxville dealership, after staff presented testimony and online evidence suggesting unlicensed sales activity and a confusing public brand tied to salesperson Dylan Trent.

Staff attorney Erica Smith and an investigator showed commission members social-media posts, customer testimonials and other material that, they said, suggested Trent had presented himself publicly as selling cars for multiple dealerships dating back to 2018 while not always holding a salesperson license. The commission heard that Trent received a salesperson license in February 2024 but that his transfer to a different dealer application was denied when staff found inaccuracies; staff said Old Ben Franklin corrected an application only the day before the April 23 meeting.

Why it matters: Commissioners said the materials raised consumer-protection and honesty concerns and recalled earlier guidance from the commission that Trent should gain on-the-floor sales experience before seeking a dealer license. Multiple commissioners said the online branding and…