Photo: Doug Kerr, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
For Tennessee permit holders turning 16 and adults booking their first road test. The Tennessee road skills test is the driving test you pass to get an Intermediate Restricted license (under 18) or a Class D license. You can take it at a Driver Services Center or, if you train with an approved program, with a certified instructor.
Key facts
- Teens must be at least 16, have held a learner permit for 180 days, and have 50 hours of certified practice (10 at night) before testing.
- No more than 6 points on your record in the 180 days before you apply.
- A licensed driver aged 21 or older must come with a permit holder to the test.
- Applicants under 16 or from out of state cannot book a road test online.
- If you fail, you cannot retest the same day, and you must practice for a set time before trying again.
Two ways to take the Tennessee road test
| Route | How it works | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Driver Services Center | Book a road skills test appointment online (no login needed for a regular license road test) or through Driver Services | Without an appointment you may not be able to test that day |
| Driver Training and Testing Program (DTTP) | A certified instructor at an approved driving school gives the test | The student must first complete 30 hours of classroom instruction using the current manual and 6 hours behind the wheel (up to 2 of them on a simulator) |
Driver education is optional in Tennessee. The DTTP route only matters if you want to test through a school.
How to book
- Check you meet the age, permit and practice-hour rules. Have the 50 hour certificate signed.
- Use the Department’s online road test scheduler, or the Driver Services request form if you are under 16 at booking time or from out of state.
- To change or cancel, use the online ticketing system’s “My Appointments” and enter the phone number you booked with.
- Arrive 15 minutes early. If you are late, the appointment can be cancelled and you become a walk-in.
What to bring on test day
- Your learner permit.
- A licensed driver aged 21 or older. Without one, a permit holder cannot go ahead with the test.
- The signed 50 hour certificate (under 18).
- A vehicle with valid tags that passes the pre-trip check. You must show you can use the seat belts, foot and parking brakes, high and low beams, tail and brake lights, wipers, defroster, rearview mirror and horn. The manual also requires clear windows (no windshield tint; other car windows must let through at least 35% of light), a muffler, doors that open from inside and outside, legal bumper height and a working speedometer.
What the Tennessee examiner is looking for
Only you and the examiner ride in the car, and no animals. The manual lists what the examiner watches: how you prepare (mirrors, belt, lights, wipers), move off, control the car, handle intersections and turns, obey signals and signs, drive in traffic, stop (including a quick safe stop), back up (straight, turning, and into or out of a space), keep distance, signal, share the road and adjust speed. Any traffic violation, refusing directions, a dangerous action or contributing to a crash is an immediate fail. Tests are not given in heavy rain, thick fog, snow or ice, severe weather warnings, or in the dark in winter. More than 5 minutes late and the appointment is cancelled. Whatever the route, examiners score the basics that cost most learners their test:
- Full stops behind the line at stop signs, and correct right of way at intersections.
- Mirror and blind-spot checks before moving off, changing lanes and turning.
- Speed that suits the limit and the conditions.
- Steady control while backing and parking.
For the national picture on maneuvers and common fails, see US road tests by state and why people fail the driving test.
If you fail the Tennessee road test
- The examiner tells you your errors, how to correct them and which maneuvers to practice.
- You cannot retake the test on the same day.
- Your wait before a retest depends on your errors (manual Table 4.2): 1 to 6 is a pass; 7 to 9 means retest the next day; 10 to 12 means 7 days; 13 to 15 means 14 days; 16 or more, or an automatic fail, means 30 days. The same rule applies to each later attempt.
After you pass
Under 18, you get an Intermediate Restricted license with passenger and night limits. See Tennessee Intermediate Restricted license rules. The full route is in learning to drive in Tennessee.
Common questions
Can I take my Tennessee road test at a driving school?
Yes, if the school is an approved Driver Training and Testing Program and you complete its 30 hours of classroom work and 6 hours behind the wheel first.
Why can’t I book my road test online?
Online booking is not available if you are under 16 or from out of state. Use the Driver Services request form instead.
Who has to come with me to the road test?
If you hold a learner permit, a licensed driver aged 21 or older. Without one you cannot take the test.
Can I retake the road test the same day?
No. You must wait a set practice time based on how many errors you made.
Do I need a vision test at the road test?
Not usually. You passed vision screening for the permit. It is needed again if you are exchanging a permit or license from another state.
Do points stop me taking the road test?
Teens with more than 6 points in the 180 days before applying cannot get the Intermediate Restricted license.
Sources
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual” (information as of July 1, 2022) (tn.gov)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, “Failed Road Test” (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, “E-Services Online Links” (safetysupport.tn.gov)
- Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury, Office of Research and Education Accountability, “Driver Education in Tennessee” (comptroller.tn.gov)