Tennessee Intermediate Driver License

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

Tennessee runs a three-stage Graduated Driver License (GDL) program for new teen drivers. The Intermediate Restricted License is issued at age 16 after a 180-day permit and 50 supervised hours. The Intermediate Unrestricted License is issued at age 17 after a year of clean driving on the restricted license. The full Class D adult license is issued at age 18. Each stage relaxes a different set of restrictions, with the goal of giving teen drivers experience under controlled conditions before unrestricted operation.

Stage 1: Intermediate Restricted License (age 16)

To road-test for the Intermediate Restricted License the applicant must:

Be at least 16 years old on the date of the road-skills test.
Have held a Tennessee learner permit for at least 180 days with no moving-violation convictions.
Have completed 50 hours of supervised driving, with at least 10 hours at night, documented on the parent-signed TN DSHS log.
Pass the road-skills test in their own vehicle.
Have parent or guardian sign the Minor/Teenage Affidavit at issuance.

Restrictions on the Intermediate Restricted License

No driving between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or licensed driver age 21+, or for documented work, school, or religious activity, or in case of family emergency.
No more than one passenger in the vehicle other than immediate family — the GDL passenger rule is a firm limit, with no peer-passenger exception.
No use of cell phones at all, including hands-free — same as the permit phase.
Every occupant must wear a seatbelt regardless of seating position.

Stage 2: Intermediate Unrestricted License (age 17)

The Intermediate Unrestricted License is issued at age 17 after the holder has spent at least one year on the Intermediate Restricted License with no moving-violation convictions. No additional road test is required — TN DSHS issues the new license at the counter on payment of the $10 amendment fee. The holder must visit a Driver Services Center; this stage is not available through the e-Services portal.

What changes at the Intermediate Unrestricted stage

The 11:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m. curfew lifts.
The one-passenger restriction lifts.
The phone restriction stays in place — Tennessee's GDL phone rule applies until the holder turns 18.
All other adult driving privileges apply.

Stage 3: Full Class D License (age 18)

The full Class D license is issued automatically at age 18, without any additional test. The Intermediate Unrestricted License converts in TN DSHS systems on the holder's 18th birthday; the holder can request a new card with the updated class for the standard $8 duplicate fee, or simply continue with the existing card until the next renewal cycle. The phone restriction lifts at 18 — adult drivers are still subject to Tennessee's hands-free phone law (no hand-held use), but hands-free is permitted.

GDL violation penalties

Tennessee applies enhanced penalties for any moving violation by an Intermediate Restricted or Intermediate Unrestricted license holder:

First moving-violation conviction: warning letter from TN DSHS plus enrollment in a state-approved teen-driver intervention program.
Second moving-violation conviction: 90-day license suspension plus reinstatement fee of $65.
Third moving-violation conviction: 1-year license suspension; the GDL holder may not be eligible for an Intermediate Unrestricted upgrade until 18.
DUI conviction under T.C.A. § 55-10-401 at any age under 21: automatic 1-year license loss plus standard DUI penalties; the under-21 BAC threshold is 0.02% (zero tolerance).
Drag racing or reckless operation: 1-year license suspension on the first offense.
Curfew violation: warning on first offense; 30-day suspension on second.
Phone-use violation: $200 fine plus mandatory completion of a distracted-driving program.

The school-attendance link

Under T.C.A. § 49-6-3017, Tennessee requires teen drivers to maintain school attendance and academic progress as a condition of holding a learner permit, intermediate license, or any restricted license under age 18. Five unexcused absences or a failing grade in two subjects in a semester triggers a school-attendance referral to TN DSHS, which can result in the license being suspended until the next reporting period. Reinstatement requires a Certificate of Compliance from the school principal.

Reinstatement fees common to GDL holders

Reinstatement after suspension: $65.
Reinstatement after FTA (failure to appear): $25 plus the underlying fine.
Reinstatement after school-attendance suspension: $0 (waived; a Certificate of Compliance is required).
Reinstatement after DUI: $103 base reinstatement fee plus completion of all required programs.

Most parents find the timing easier when planned around two practical realities. First, the Intermediate Restricted road test must be scheduled through TN DSHS QLess at least two weeks in advance; slots fill quickly during summer and December school breaks. Second, the parent needs to bring the signed 50-hour supervised log to the test — without it, the road-skills exam will not be administered, regardless of the actual driving skill demonstrated. See the Class D license page for what changes when the GDL graduates at 18.