Current through September 24, 2024
(1) Driver licenses
are generally valid for five (5) years, expiring on the applicant's nearest
birthdate forward from the date of application evenly divisible by five (5)
except that:
(a) Licenses shall not be issued
for less than three (3) years nor more than seven (7) years;
(b) If the applicant is under eighteen (18)
years of age and is applying for a Class D or M license, then the license shall
expire on the applicant's twenty-first (21st) birthday;
(c) A Class P license is valid for one (1)
year only, calculated as twelve (12) calendar months forward from the date of
application, except that the Class PM shall expire on the applicant's sixteenth
(16th) birthday;
(d) A Class H
license shall expire on the applicant's sixteenth (16th) birthday;
(e) Licenses issued to people who are in or
who enter the military and who arc stationed outside the State of Tennessee are
valid as long as they remain in the service or until they are reassigned to a
duty station within Tennessee. Upon separation, discharge or reassignment back
to Tennessee, the licensee has sixty (60) days to renew the license without
penalty. During this period, the license is valid only when carried with
discharge or separation papers.
(f)
A restricted license shall be issued for one year.
(2) Photo identification licenses are
generally valid for five (5) years, expiring on the applicant's nearest birth
date forward from the date of application evenly divisible by five (5) except
that:
(a) issuance periods for applicants
older than eighteen (18) years of age but less than sixty-five (65) years of
age shall not be shorter than three (3) years nor longer than seven (7)
years;
(b) Issuance periods for
applicants under eighteen (18) years of age shall be for two (2)
years;
(c) Photo identification
licenses issued to those who have attained the age of sixty-five (65) shall not
have an expiration date and will continue to be valid until canceled or
replaced; and
(d) Permanent photo
identification licenses issued to persons qualified under 1340-1-13-.06(2) are
valid for the licensee's lifetime unless canceled or replaced.
(3) Expiration of Temporary Driver
Licenses and Temporary Photo Identification Licenses:
(a) Any temporary driver license, temporary
intermediate driver license, temporary instructional permit or temporary photo
identification license issued to persons whose presence in the United States
has been authorized by the federal government for a specific purpose and
specific period of authorized stay shall be valid only for the period of time
of the individual's authorized stay in the United States or, if there is no
definite end to the period of authorized stay, a period of one (1)
year.
(4) Licenses,
except temporary licenses, shall be renewed twelve months before the expiration
date.
(5) Requirements for renewal
consist of submitting an application designed by the Department; paying
required fees and (if applicable) fines; completing any examination required by
State law or by rules promulgated by the Secretary; and, unless exempt by law,
rule or policy, having one's picture made. Except that the following persons
holding a non-commercial license shall be exempt from examinations and from
appearing for photographs.
(a) Persons in
foreign countries employed by religious organizations or other organizations
qualified by Internal Revenue Service regulations as charitable organizations,
as well as their family members, may renew their licenses by submitting to the
Department a certificate issued by a doctor of medicine certifying they are
physically qualified to drive a motor vehicle, along with a notarized letter of
confirmation from a person of authority in their organization;
(b) Military personnel and their dependents
stationed outside the State of Tennessee may renew their licenses by submitting
to the Department a notarized copy of the front and back of their military
identification, or a notarized copy of a letter from the member's commanding
officer which confirms the status, out of state tour of duty, and, for
dependents, relationship to the applicant;
(c) Those persons deemed by the Department to
have an unavoidable reason preventing them from returning to the State of
Tennessee for their renewal shall submit evidence satisfactory to the
Department; and
(d) Upon the first
renewal of any license issued on or after January 1, 2001 through May 28, 2004,
the license holder shall provide documentation that such person is a United
States citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States.
(6) To renew a license which has
expired, the following requirements must be satisfied:
(a) If a license has expired more than thirty
(30) days and up to six (6) months, an additional five dollar ($5.00) penalty
shall be required unless the Department determines that the delay was caused by
reasons beyond the applicant's control, except that drivers licensed by the
State of Tennessee who are on active duty in the United States Armed Forces
shall have sixty (60) days from the date of separation on the DD-214 or from
the date of reassignment back to the State of Tennessee before the five dollar
($5.00) penalty is charged.
(b) A
ten dollar ($10.00) penalty shall also be required unless the Department
determines the delay was caused by reasons beyond the applicant's control, if a
license has expired longer than six (6) months, but less than five (5) years,
or for military personnel, if the date of separation on the DD-214 or the date
of reassignment back to Tennessee has been longer than six (6) months, but less
than five (5) years.
(c) If a
license has expired more than five (5) years, or for military personnel, if the
date of separation on the DD-214 or the date of reassignment back to Tennessee
has been longer than five (5) years, in addition to paying the ten dollar
($10.00) penalty, renewal applicants must successfully complete all
examinations normally required for original, first time applicants.
(7) Temporary driver licenses,
temporary intermediate driver licenses, temporary instructional permits or
temporary photo identification licenses may be renewed for either one (1) year
or for the period of stay authorized by the federal government. Requirements
for renewal of such temporary licenses or permits shall consist of submitting
an application in person designed by the Department, submitting acceptable
documentation of authorized stay, submitting acceptable document of Tennessee
residency, paying required fees and (if applicable) fines, and completing any
examination required by State law.
(8) The primary obligation to maintain a
valid license or temporary license rests with the license holder.
Authority: T.C.A. §§
4-5-202,
55-50-202,
55-50-321,
55-50-331,
55-50-333,
55-50-337,
55-50-338, Public Chapter No. 194,
2007 and Public Acts of 2004; Chapter 778.
