Owning A Military Tank Is Legal In All 50 States (But It Will Cost You)

If you've ever seen James Garner's movie "Tank" (unlikely; it's not great), you might have thought that it was just Hollywood straining credulity again. Surely, even a former U.S. Army command sergeant major couldn't drive around an old M4 Sherman tank on the streets, even if it's just for parades, right? (Still, though, which would terrify you more: a Nissan Altima tailgating you or a Sherman? Be honest.)

Well, just as there's a non-zero chance of getting wounded by an exploding toilet, you may, depending on your neighbors' income level and brazenness (not to mention homeowners' association rules), see a running, working tank getting a hose wash. Lest you believe this is something that could only happen in the wild west of Florida or the "don't mess with Texas" state of, uh, Texas, nope. You can get a tank in all 50 states. You think exotic car owners with Montana plates get the side-eye? Tell people you just bought an M26 Pershing with a 90 mm main gun.

As you probably guessed, tanks are expensive. In 2020, a 1972 Alvis Sabre sold on Bring a Trailer for $55,000 (yes, Bring a Trailer sells tanks), and that's a stupendous bargain compared to pretty much every other tank sold on the site. A Soviet T-54 Main Battle Tank sold this year for $221,207, and a 1943 M4A1 Grizzly variant of the Sherman didn't meet reserve at $480,000. 

But the tank's purchase price isn't the only financial (or legal) obstacle to tank ownership. You may have to have to get rubber tracks to prevent tearing up asphalt, among other modifications (we'll elaborate), and a Form SF-97 to title the tank. Even after all that, you'll still need to check with local law enforcement about using it on public roads.

While Howe & Howe's Ripsaw F4 datasheet reads that it was "Built for extreme off-road enthusiasts," some extreme on-road enthusiasts apparently read the marketing materials that claim it's the "world's fastest dual-tracked vehicle on the market," took a good look at its rubber tracks, and started Googling "how to make Ripsaw road legal." First, it'll have to pass emissions tests, then receive safety stuff like a horn, mirrors, lights, and turn signals, and go through an inspection before being driven on the street. And yes, people have done exactly this, as Cleetus MacFarland drove a Ripsaw through a McDonald's drive-through.

And if you're rushing to your keyboard to complain that the Ripsaw is not a tank, fine. The Howe & Howe Ripsaw is techically a high-speed "tracked vehicle." But the FV101 Scorpion is definitely a tank — a light reconnaissance tank from the United Kingdom — and Savage Garage got to drive one on-road after meeting its owner at a Cars and Coffee. It can hit 50 mph and has the required lights, turn signals, etc.

If the tank in question still has an operational gun, that makes it a "destructive device," as if a 55-ton M1 Abrams tank isn't destructive as-is. That's when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the coolest U.S. government agency, has to get involved. The chance of the average civilian getting a federal destructive-device permit to own and operate a working tank cannon or other artillery is slim in some states, and totally impossible in others. You might get a permit if you can prove the tank will be used for historical re-enactments in controlled environments, but not if you publicly have sworn vague vengeance against your local coffee shop in a one-star Yelp review.

Those of you who now have the itch to buy a tank, but don't have the scratch to scratch that itch, the U.S. Army has your back. Thanks to Tank-automotive and Armaments Command (TACOM), you can become the custodian of a real, honest-to-goodness Army tank. Notice that's "custodian" and not "owner," because that tank will technically be on extended loan. You'll also have to have a concrete pad that can support said tank for display. 

Also, the tank can't just sit in your driveway with a "Five bucks to sit on it for pictures" sign out front. The location has to be a museum, memorial, Veterans of Foreign Wars post, or similar place. You'll also have to care for and maintain the tank, and the Army Donations Program is going to expect yearly reports and pictures of it to make sure you're keeping it in good condition.

For people who just want to preserve military tanks as pieces of history, going the TACOM route will probably be enough. But if you have some pent-up aggression you want to get out by driving over cars and firing cannons without inciting a police chase like that guy in San Diego who stole an M60 Patton back in 1995, then you can just spend a day with the Drive Tanks folks. 

Drive Tanks is located in Texas, which feels right, and for a few thousand dollars you can drive a tank and shoot its main gun. But if you want to feel bad to the bone, you could get a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy like the one in "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" (base price $22,599) or fire over 4,500 rounds through Drive Tanks' M134 minigun ($500 per 100 rounds). Who needs a college fund, anyway?