Tennessee Learner Permit

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

A Tennessee learner permit is the first step in the state's Graduated Driver License (GDL) program. The TN DSHS issues the permit at age 15 with parental or guardian consent and lets a teen behind the wheel only when a properly licensed adult is in the front passenger seat. The permit must be held for at least 180 days before the teen is eligible to road-test for an Intermediate Restricted License.

Eligibility

You can apply for a Tennessee learner permit at age 15. A parent or legal guardian must:

Appear in person at the TN DSHS Driver Services Center to sign the consent block on Form DL-401, OR
Provide a notarized parental consent if the parent cannot make the appointment.

Tennessee requires the parent or guardian to also sign a Minor / Teenage Affidavit and Cancellation Form acknowledging that they can later cancel the permit (and the eventual intermediate license) if the teen is unsafe — that's a Tennessee-specific provision under T.C.A. § 55-50-312.

Documents to bring

Bring originals or certified copies of:

Proof of citizenship or legal presence — valid U.S. passport or certified U.S. birth certificate.
Proof of full Social Security number — SSN card, W-2, or recent pay stub showing the full SSN.
Two proofs of Tennessee residency from two different sources, dated within four months — for a teen still living at home, the parent's documents work if the parent comes along and signs an affidavit of residency.
Proof of school enrollment — TN DSHS verifies the teen is enrolled in or recently graduated from a Tennessee public, private, or home school program. Teens with five unexcused absences in a semester risk losing eligibility under T.C.A. § 49-6-3017.

Knowledge test and vision screening

The Tennessee knowledge test is 30 multiple-choice questions from the Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual. The pass mark is 80% (24 correct). The vision screening is given at the same visit; the standard is 20/40 in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses. Topics emphasized at the Tennessee permit stage: stop-sign and right-of-way rules, school-zone speed limits, work-zone speed reduction, school-bus stops on divided versus undivided highways, and the Hands-Free Law (in effect since July 2019).

Permit fee

The Tennessee learner permit fee is $10.50, valid for 1 year from the date of issue. The permit can be renewed once for another year if the holder doesn't road-test for the intermediate license within the first year.

Permit restrictions

Tennessee learner permit holders are subject to a focused set of restrictions:

The permit holder may drive only when a licensed Tennessee driver age 21 or older with at least one year of driving experience is in the front passenger seat.
The supervising driver must be physically and mentally capable of taking control of the vehicle if needed.
No driving between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. for any reason.
No use of any cellular telephone, even hands-free, while driving — Tennessee's GDL phone rule is stricter than the rule for adult drivers.
Every occupant must wear a seatbelt regardless of seating position.
No more than one passenger in the vehicle besides the supervising adult during the permit phase.

The 180-day holding period

The learner permit must be held for a minimum of 180 days (six months) before the holder is eligible to road-test for an Intermediate Restricted License. During the 180-day period, the teen must accumulate:

50 hours of supervised driving, of which at least 10 hours must be at night.
The hours are documented on a TN DSHS-issued log signed by the parent or guardian and submitted at the road test.

Any moving-violation conviction during the permit period restarts the 180-day clock. Two convictions during the permit period can lead to permit cancellation.

Common reasons applications get bounced

Birth certificate is a hospital "memento" copy without a raised seal — only certified copies count.
Parent doesn't attend the appointment and arrives without a notarized consent form.
School verification is missing or shows recent unexcused absences exceeding the T.C.A. § 49-6-3017 limit.
Social Security card is laminated — TN DSHS does not accept laminated SSN cards.
Residency documents are addressed to the parent only and the teen is not also listed (which is normal — the parent's affidavit handles this).

Most TN DSHS Driver Services Centers schedule learner-permit appointments through the QLess online system up to 30 days in advance. Walk-ins are accepted at all centers but typically wait 60-90 minutes after school. The Hart Lane (Nashville), Summer Avenue (Memphis), Bonny Oaks (Chattanooga), and Strawberry Plains (Knoxville) centers handle the highest volume; smaller-county centers are typically much faster.