How to Get Your Permit in Tennessee: Documents, Tests, and Fees

To get your permit in Tennessee, you have to be at least 15 years old, bring proof of who you are and where you live to a Driver Services Center, pass a vision screening and a 30-question knowledge test with a score of 80% or better, and pay the fee. If you’re under 18, a parent or legal guardian has to come with you and sign for you. The total out-of-pocket cost is $14.50 for applicants under 18 and $9.50 for adults, once the county clerk’s administrative fee is added to the state fee.¹

Who Can Apply

You must be at least 15 and a Tennessee resident. Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian present at the Driver Services Center to sign a minor/teenage affidavit and a financial responsibility form, which makes the adult legally and financially responsible for the teen driver. If no parent, stepparent, grandparent, or legal guardian is available, another responsible adult can sign, but that person has to provide an SR-22 insurance policy covering the applicant until they turn 18.²

Adults 18 and older apply on their own. No co-signer required.

Documents to Bring

Bring originals or certified copies. Photocopies won’t be accepted. You’ll need:

One proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence: a certified U.S. birth certificate, a valid unexpired U.S. passport, a certificate of naturalization, or another qualifying immigration document.³
Two proofs of Tennessee residency dated within the last four months: a utility bill (electric, water, gas, landline phone, or cable), a bank statement, a mortgage or lease, a Tennessee voter registration card, or a school enrollment record showing your name and address.⁴
One proof of your full Social Security number: your Social Security card, a W-2 or 1099 from the last 12 months, or a recent payroll check stub showing the full number. If you’ve never been issued a Social Security number, you’ll sign a sworn affidavit in front of a driver license examiner or notary.⁴
For minors, Form SF-1010, the school attendance form, signed and dated by a school official. It’s valid for 30 days during the school year, so don’t get it signed too far in advance.⁵
If your current legal name doesn’t match the name on your birth certificate or citizenship document, bring every document connecting the names: marriage certificates, divorce decrees, or court orders for each change.

The Knowledge Test

The test has 30 questions drawn from the Tennessee Comprehensive Driver Manual, covering traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices. You have 60 minutes and need at least 24 correct answers (80%) to pass. It’s available in English and Spanish, and the manual is free online through the Department of Safety and Homeland Security.⁶

Online Testing for Ages 15–17

If you’re 15 to 17, you can take the knowledge test from home. A parent or legal guardian proctors using the Tennessee Proctor ID App on their phone or tablet while you take the test on a computer, laptop, or tablet. Cell phones can’t be used for the test itself. Halfway through the 60 minutes, your proctor has to scan a QR code on your screen to re-authenticate; miss that step and you fail automatically.⁶

You get two online attempts, with a 24-hour wait between them. After two failures online, you have to take the test in person.⁶

Vision Screening

Every applicant has to pass a vision screening at the Driver Services Center, whether the knowledge test was done at home or in person. If you don’t meet the standard, the examiner will give you an eye specialist form to take to an ophthalmologist or optometrist of your choice. Applicants who meet corrected vision standards with a completed form can still get their permit, though it may carry a restriction requiring both left and right outside rearview mirrors on any vehicle they drive.⁷

Cost and Where to Go

The state fee is $10.50 for applicants under 18 and $5.50 for applicants 18 and older, and each permit is valid for one year. County clerks add a $4.00 administrative fee, which brings the actual total to $14.50 for minors or $9.50 for adults.¹

Some Driver Services Centers let you book an appointment; others don’t. Check the Department of Safety and Homeland Security website to see whether your nearest center offers scheduling. Walk-ins are accepted, but the wait is longer, and if you’re late for a scheduled appointment it may be cancelled and you’ll be treated as a walk-in.⁸ At the center, the examiner verifies your documents, you take the knowledge test if you haven’t already passed it online, you complete the vision screening, and then you pay and receive your permit.

What You Can and Can’t Do on the Permit

A Tennessee learner’s permit comes with three firm rules:

You can only drive when a licensed driver 21 or older is in the front passenger seat.²
No driving between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.⁹
No handheld cell phone use while driving, for any reason.⁹

Penalties That Can Delay Your Next License

A general violation of the permit rules, like driving after curfew or without a qualifying supervisor, carries a $10 fine on top of any other court penalty. Using a handheld cell phone while driving on a permit is a Class C misdemeanor with a $50 fine, and a conviction makes you ineligible to apply for an intermediate or unrestricted license for an additional 90 days beyond the date you’d otherwise qualify. That’s on top of the standard 180-day holding period, not in place of it.⁹

Moving to the Next Step

The learner’s permit is step one of Tennessee’s Graduated Driver License program. To move up to a Level 2 Intermediate Restricted License, you must hold the permit for at least 180 days,⁹ log at least 50 hours of supervised driving with at least 10 of them at night (certified by a parent, guardian, or licensed driving instructor on the state form),¹⁰ and pass the road skills test.

If You Have an Out-of-State Permit

If you’re under 18 and moving to Tennessee with a valid permit from another state, you can’t just convert it. Bring the same documents listed above to a Driver Services Center and plan to start the Tennessee GDL process from the beginning.¹¹

1
TN.gov. Driver License Fees
2
TN.gov. Teen/Graduated Driver License
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TN.gov. Adult First-Time Drivers
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TN.gov. REAL ID
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TN.gov. School Attendance Form SF-1010
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TN.gov. Driver License Knowledge Permit Test Online
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Cornell Law School. Tennessee Comp. R. and Regs. 1340-01-13-.10 – Vision Standards
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State of Tennessee Driver Services Assistance FAQs. How Do I Make, View, or Cancel an Appointment at a Driver Service Center
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Justia. Tennessee Code 55-50-311
10
Cornell Law School. Tennessee Comp. R. and Regs. 1340-01-13-.13
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TN.gov. New Residents