To check the points on your Tennessee driver’s license, order a copy of your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The record costs $5 and lists your violations along with the points assigned to each one.1Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driving Record (MVR) Tennessee has no separate points lookup; the MVR is the official source. You can request it online, in person, or by mail.
Order Your MVR Online
The quickest route is the department’s e-Services portal at dl.safety.tn.gov. Choose “Order a Motor Vehicle Report” under Driver Services. You will need your full name, date of birth, Tennessee driver’s license number, Social Security number, and the last five digits of the DD number printed on the front of your license.1Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driving Record (MVR) The fee is $5.2Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driver License Fees
Order in Person
You or someone you authorize can request your MVR at any Driver Services Center. Bring your name, date of birth, and Tennessee driver’s license number. The fee is $5.1Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driving Record (MVR)
Order by Mail
Mail is the only way to get a certified copy, which carries more weight if you need to present the record in court or to an employer. Send a written request to the department’s Financial Responsibility Division with your full name, date of birth, Tennessee driver’s license number, and the mailing address for the record. Include a $5 cashier’s check or money order payable to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.1Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driving Record (MVR) The department also publishes a Request for Record form you can download and complete.3Tennessee Department of Safety. Request for Record – Individual Authorization
How to Read the Points on Your Record
Each moving violation on your MVR carries a point value set by state schedule. Points stay on your driving record for two years from the date of the violation, though insurers may look further back when pricing your policy.
Point values for common violations:4Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Schedule of Points Values
- Speeding 1–5 mph over the limit: 1 point
- Speeding 6–15 mph over: 3 points
- Speeding 16–25 mph over: 4 points
- Speeding 26–35 mph over: 5 points
- Speeding 36–45 mph over: 6 points
- Speeding 46 mph or more over: 8 points
- Texting while driving: 3 points
- Using a handheld device: 3 points
- Reckless driving: 6 points
Speeding in a construction zone carries more. For example, 6–15 mph over in a work zone is 4 points instead of 3.4Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Schedule of Points Values
One boundary worth knowing: DUI is not on the points schedule. It triggers a mandatory license revocation through a separate process rather than running up points.
When Your Point Total Becomes a Problem
For drivers 18 and older, 12 or more points in any 12-month period prompts the Department of Safety and Homeland Security to send a notice of proposed suspension and offer an administrative hearing. Drivers who request the hearing are typically allowed to take a defensive driving course in place of a suspension. Ignoring the notice means an automatic suspension of 6 to 12 months.5Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driver Improvement Points Accumulation
Drivers under 18 face action at a much lower threshold. At 6 to 9 points in a 12-month period, the license may be suspended for 3 to 6 months. At 10 or more points, the suspension is 6 months. A second accumulation of 6 or more points in a later 12-month window brings a 6- to 12-month suspension.5Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driver Improvement Points Accumulation
Removing Points With a Driving Course
Tennessee lets you remove up to 5 points from a speeding conviction by finishing an approved 4-hour Driver Education Course within 90 days of the conviction date.6Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Remove Speeding Points You can use this option once every four years, and it applies only to speeding convictions. The underlying conviction stays on your record even after the points come off, so your insurer may still see it.7Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Traffic School
After the course, mail or fax your certificate of completion to the Financial Responsibility Division at P.O. Box 945, Nashville, TN 37202-0945. The points are not deducted automatically; the paperwork has to reach the division before anything changes on your record.6Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Remove Speeding Points