The Tennessee road test

By the end of this topic you can

• You can check you are eligible and book the test.
• You can prepare a vehicle that will pass the pre-trip check.
• You can name the skills the examiner scores.
• You can explain what happens if you do not pass.

What you need to know and understand

• Teens must be 16, have held the permit for 180 days and have 50 certified hours (10 at night).
• Road tests are given at Driver Services Centers; book an appointment, as walk-in testing may not be available.
• A permit holder must arrive with a licensed driver aged 21 or older.
• Only you and the examiner ride in the car during the test, and no animals are allowed.
• Any traffic violation, dangerous action or contributing to a crash is an immediate fail.
• You cannot retest on the same day; the wait depends on how many errors you made.
• Tests are not given in severe weather such as heavy rain, thick fog, snow or ice.

Booking and test-day checklist

1. Confirm age, permit time, practice hours and a record with fewer than 6 points in the past 180 days.
2. Book through the Department's online road test scheduler or Driver Services. Applicants under 16 at booking time or from out of state cannot book online.
3. Bring your permit, the signed 50-hour certificate (under 18) and a licensed driver 21 or older.
4. Arrive about 15 minutes early. Being late can cancel your appointment.

The vehicle check

Your car must have valid tags and pass a pre-trip check. You show that the seat belts, foot and parking brakes, high and low beams, tail and brake lights, turn signals, wipers, defroster, mirror and horn work. The manual also expects clear windows, a working muffler and speedometer, and doors that open from inside and outside.

What is scored and what happens next

The examiner counts errors. Under the manual's retest table, 1 to 6 errors is a pass. More errors mean a wait before retesting, from the next day up to 30 days for 16 or more errors or an automatic fail. The examiner will explain what to practice. Our Tennessee road skills test guide covers the full table and booking details.

• Preparing to drive: mirrors, seat belt, lights and wipers.
• Moving off, steering control and smooth stops, including a quick safe stop.
• Intersections, turns, obeying signs and signals, and right of way.
• Backing straight, backing while turning, and into and out of a space.
• Following distance, signaling, speed control and sharing the road.

Common mistakes

• Rolling stops at stop signs. Stop fully behind the line.
• Skipping mirror and blind-spot checks before moving off or changing lanes.
• Bringing a car with a broken brake light or no working horn; it fails the pre-trip check.
• Forgetting the 21-or-older licensed driver, so the test cannot go ahead.

Test yourself: The Tennessee road test

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Tennessee Permit Test
• Tennessee Road Test
• How to Get a Driver’s License in Tennessee