Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This guide is for Tennessee teens, their parents and adult first-time drivers who want the full route from learner permit to an unrestricted Class D driver license. In Tennessee you can get a learner permit at 15, an Intermediate Restricted license at 16 after holding the permit for 180 days, an Intermediate Unrestricted license at 17, and the regular Class D license at 18.
Key facts: Tennessee’s graduated driver license at a glance
- Agency: Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Driver Services. Licenses are issued at Driver Services Centers.
- Handbook: the Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual (in print at Driver Services Centers and online from the Department).
- Driver education: not required in Tennessee. Teens instead need 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night, certified by a parent, legal guardian or driving instructor.
- Vision standard: 20/40. If either eye tests worse, you need a vision statement from an optometrist or ophthalmologist.
- Under 18: you must prove school attendance and progress, and a parent or guardian signs a minor affidavit.
The four stages of a Tennessee driver license
| Stage | Minimum age | What you need | Main limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learner permit | 15 | Vision screening and knowledge test; school attendance proof; parent affidavit | Licensed driver 21 or older in the front seat; no driving 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. |
| Intermediate Restricted | 16 | Permit held 180 days; 50 hours (10 at night) certified; road skills test; fewer than 6 points in the 180 days before you apply | One passenger (with exceptions); no driving 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. |
| Intermediate Unrestricted | 17 | Intermediate Restricted held 1 year; fewer than 6 points, no at-fault crash and no second seat belt violation (any of these adds 90 days) | No time or passenger limits, but the license still says “Intermediate” |
| Regular Class D | 18 | At 18, or earlier if you graduate high school or get a GED | None from the GDL program |
Stage details: Tennessee Intermediate Restricted license rules. Tennessee’s teen phone rule is covered in the hands free law and driver points.
Step by step: from no license to a Tennessee Class D
- Get your documents together. Proof of identity and Social Security number, proof of US citizenship or lawful status, and (under 18) the school attendance form and the Minor/Teenage Affidavit. If you want a REAL ID, you can book a Driver Services appointment for it. See REAL ID and your first US driver’s license.
- Prove school attendance (under 18). Tennessee will not license anyone under 18 without a diploma, GED or proof of enrollment and satisfactory progress. Guide: Tennessee school attendance rules for teen drivers.
- Pass the vision screening and knowledge test. Teens aged 15 to 17 can take the knowledge test online at home with a parent or guardian as proctor, or at a Driver Services Center. Guide: Tennessee learner permit test guide.
- Practice for at least 180 days. Log 50 hours, including 10 at night. Guide: Tennessee 50 hour driving certificate.
- Pass the road skills test at 16. Take it at a Driver Services Center or through an approved driver training and testing program. Guide: Tennessee road skills test explained.
- Upgrade at 17 and 18. The Department’s e-Services site has online links to upgrade an Intermediate Restricted and an Intermediate Unrestricted license.
Adult first-time drivers in Tennessee
The GDL stages apply to drivers under 18. Adults still take the vision screening, knowledge test and road skills test. Adults can fill in the driver license application in e-Services before visiting a center. Adults do not need the 50 hour certificate or school form.
Moving from another state or country? See transferring your license to another state and driving in the US on a foreign license. Under Tennessee law (T.C.A. 55-50-304), a nonresident aged 16 or older with a valid home license can drive in Tennessee only as a Class D driver. Once you become a resident, you need a Tennessee license. You will have to test unless Tennessee has testing reciprocity with your country.
Fees
Tennessee sets fees for each permit and license class. The under-18 learner permit, for example, combines a license cost and an application fee. Check the current figure on the Tennessee Department of Safety’s Driver License Fees page before you go.
The July 2022 manual listed these GDL fees: learner permit $10.50 at any age under 18; Intermediate Restricted $24.50 at 16 or $21.00 at 17; Intermediate Unrestricted $2.00. Swapping an Intermediate license for one without the word at 18 is an $8 duplicate. Each failed test also costs a $2 application fee.
Keeping your license: points, suspension and reinstatement
- Moving violations add points to your record. Under 18, 6 points can lead to a hearing and possible suspension. Adults face proposed suspension at 12 points within 12 months.
- Completing an approved 4-hour traffic school within 90 days of a speeding conviction can remove the points for that offense, up to a maximum of 5 points.
- A suspended license needs a reinstatement fee. A court-reported failure to appear, for example, leads to a $65 reinstatement fee once it becomes a suspension (as of November 2026).
- Some violations, including DUI, implied consent refusal, underage driving while impaired and two reckless driving violations in 12 months, can require SR-22 proof of insurance for the length of the suspension.
More: Tennessee hands free law and driver points and how US points systems work.
Tennessee figures from the manual
The Tennessee-specific numbers in the Comprehensive Driver License Manual (July 2022 edition) that the knowledge test and new drivers most often need:
| Topic | Tennessee rule |
|---|---|
| Seat belts | Permit and intermediate holders: the driver and every passenger buckle up. The driver is responsible for every child under 16 being restrained ($50 fine). |
| Child seats | Under 1 or under 20 pounds: rear-facing. Ages 1 to 3 over 20 pounds: forward-facing. Ages 4 to 8 under 4 feet 9 inches: booster seat with the seat belt. Use the rear seat where possible. |
| Pickup beds | No child under 6 in a pickup bed; no child 6 to 12 in one on state or interstate highways (parade and farm work exceptions). |
| Unattended children | Leaving a child under 7 alone in a vehicle in a public place is an offense. |
| Headlights | On from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise, whenever you cannot see 200 feet ahead, and whenever the wipers are needed. |
| Dimming | Dim high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle or a vehicle you are following. |
| Speed | Interstates up to 70 mph where posted. Follow the posted limit everywhere else and slow for conditions. |
| Following distance | At least the two-second rule; more in bad conditions. |
| Turn signals | Signal at least 50 feet before the turn. |
| Railroad crossings | When a train is coming, stop between 15 and 50 feet from the tracks. |
| School and church buses | Stop for a bus with flashing red lights and stop arm out, whether you meet it or come up behind it. Never pass on the right. |
| No parking | Not within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, 20 feet of a crosswalk, 30 feet of a signal or stop sign, or 50 feet of a railroad crossing; not within 20 feet of a fire station driveway (75 feet across the street); not on interstate ramps or shoulders except in an emergency. |
| Bicycles | Pass with at least 3 feet of space until safely past. |
| Move Over law | On roads with two or more lanes your way, move out of the lane next to a stopped emergency, highway maintenance, tow or utility vehicle with flashing lights, or slow down. |
| Funerals | Do not pass a funeral procession on a two-lane road or drive between its vehicles unless an officer directs you. |
| Littering | Fines from $50 up to $3,000, plus litter-pickup public service. Loads likely to blow off must be enclosed or covered. |
| Carrying your license | You must have your license with you when driving and show it to an officer on request. |
Tennessee alcohol laws for drivers under 21
- Ages 16 to 20: driving with a BAC of 0.02 or more, or under the influence of alcohol or any intoxicant, is underage driving while impaired. Penalty: 1-year loss of license and a $250 fine, sometimes with public service.
- Ages 18 to 20: a conviction for buying, trying to buy or possessing alcohol costs your license for 1 year (2 years for a second), even if no car was involved.
- Ages 13 to 17: possessing, consuming or selling alcohol or drugs means a suspension of 1 year or until 17, whichever is longer (second time: 2 years or until 18), even if you have never been licensed.
More: zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21.
What the Tennessee manual covers on the road (Part B)
The knowledge test draws on the driving chapters of the manual. Most of these rules are shared across US states, so use these guides alongside the Tennessee manual:
| Manual topic | Study with |
|---|---|
| Signs, signals and pavement markings | road signs by shape and color, traffic signals, pavement markings |
| Rules of the road | four-way stops, right on red, speed limits, parking rules, roundabouts |
| Safe driving and freeways | freeway driving, seat belt and car seat laws |
| Sharing the road | motorcycles, bicycles and trucks, pedestrians, school buses, railroad crossings, move over laws, emergency vehicles |
| Special conditions and emergencies | snow, fog and rain, what to do after a crash |
| Alcohol and drugs | implied consent and DUI, zero tolerance under 21, drugged driving |
| Financial responsibility | car insurance for new drivers |
For how Tennessee compares with other states, see getting a driver’s license in the US and GDL laws by state.
Common questions
How old do you have to be to get a permit in Tennessee?
15. You must pass the vision screening and the knowledge test, and if you are under 18 you must show proof of school attendance.
Do you have to take driver’s ed in Tennessee?
No. Tennessee does not require a driver education course. Teens need 50 hours of certified practice, including 10 at night. Approved driver training programs are optional, and some can give the road test.
How long do you have to hold a learner permit in Tennessee?
180 days before you can move up to the Intermediate Restricted license, and you must be at least 16.
When can a Tennessee teen drive with no passenger or time limits?
At 17, after holding the Intermediate Restricted license for one year with fewer than 6 points, no at-fault crash and no second seat belt violation.
My learner permit expired. What now?
Try renewing it online through Driver Services e-Services. If that does not work, visit a Driver Services Center, ideally with an appointment.
Can I drive in Tennessee on another state’s permit?
Rules for out-of-state permits vary. See driving with a learner’s permit in another state and check with Tennessee Driver Services.
Sources
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual” (information as of July 1, 2022) (tn.gov)
- Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Office of Research and Education Accountability, “Driver Education in Tennessee” (comptroller.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Office of Research and Education Accountability, “Tennessee’s Graduated Driver Licensing Law” (comptroller.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “What if I cannot pass the vision screening?” (safetysupport.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “E-Services Online Links” (safetysupport.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “My Learner’s Permit is expired now what?” (safetysupport.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “How do I make, view, or cancel an appointment at a Driver Service Center?” (safetysupport.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “I am visiting from another country; can I drive in TN with my overseas license?” (safetysupport.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “International Driver License” (safetysupport.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “Temporary restricted license-paper copy” (safetysupport.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “Do I need SR-22 Insurance?” (safetysupport.tn.gov)