Tennessee Traffic Tickets

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

A Tennessee traffic citation comes with three options: pay the fine, request a hearing in General Sessions Court, or — for criminal motor vehicle citations — appear and contest in the same court with the right to an attorney. Tennessee's traffic citation system is unified at the county level: every Tennessee county handles traffic citations through General Sessions Court, with city ordinance violations sometimes routed through municipal court. Pre-Trial Diversion and Judicial Diversion are available for many traffic offenses (but not DUI).

The two ticket categories

Civil traffic infraction — most moving-violation citations: speeding, marked-lanes violation, failure to yield, red-light, stop-sign, hands-free phone violation. Resolved in General Sessions Court (or municipal court for city ordinance violations).
Criminal traffic citation — DUI, reckless driving, leaving the scene with injury, vehicular assault, vehicular homicide, third-offense speeding 35+ mph over. These are criminal complaints handled in General Sessions Court (with appeal to Criminal Court) and carry full criminal-procedure rights.

Option 1: Pay the fine

Paying the citation accepts responsibility, and the conviction goes onto your Tennessee MVR with the appropriate point value. Pay within the deadline shown on the citation (typically 10-30 days depending on the issuing jurisdiction):

Online through the issuing court's portal (many counties use the statewide TN Court Pay system).
By mail with a check or money order.
In person at the General Sessions Court clerk's office.

Failure to pay or appear by the deadline triggers a Failure to Appear (FTA), which results in:

A bench warrant issued for the driver.
A TN DSHS license-renewal hold.
Additional fines and court costs.
Possible license suspension for repeat FTAs.

Option 2: Contest in General Sessions Court

To contest the citation, mark the appropriate box on the citation back (or appear at the citation court date listed on the front). The court schedules a hearing — usually within 30-60 days — at the General Sessions Court for the county where the citation was issued. At the hearing:

The judge presides (or, in some counties, a court magistrate).
The issuing officer is required to appear in many counties; some smaller counties allow the officer to submit a written report.
The driver presents their version of events, photos, witness statements, dashcam footage, and any mitigating factors.
The judge decides on the spot.

Possible outcomes:

Not guilty — citation dismissed, no point assessment, no rate effect.
Guilty with reduced fine — the judge reduces the underlying fine but the conviction still attaches.
Pre-Trial Diversion (PRD) — for non-violent first-time offenders, the court can defer the case for 6-12 months; successful completion results in dismissal and expungement.
Defensive Driving dismissal — the court dismisses the citation on completion of an approved defensive-driving course, available once every 12 months for many minor moving violations.
Guilty — full fine plus point assessment.

Option 3: Appeal to Criminal Court

For criminal traffic offenses, the driver convicted at General Sessions can appeal to the Circuit or Criminal Court within 10 days of judgment. The appeal is a de novo trial — completely fresh, with the right to a jury for criminal cases. Filing fee varies by court (typically $50-$200). Appeals from civil traffic infractions follow a separate path through the same courts under T.C.A. § 27-5-108.

Common Tennessee citation fines

Speeding 1-15 mph over: $30-$50 base fine plus court costs (court costs typically $115-$150 in Tennessee).
Speeding 16-25 mph over: $50-$100 base fine plus court costs.
Speeding 26+ mph over: $100-$200 base plus court costs.
Failure to yield: $50 base plus court costs.
Red-light or stop-sign violation: $50 base plus court costs.
Following too closely: $50 base plus court costs.
Hands-free phone violation (first offense): $50 base plus court costs.
Hands-free phone violation (second offense): $100 base.
Hands-free phone violation (third offense, or in a school/work zone): $200 base.

The Tennessee Hands-Free Law (effective July 2019)

Tennessee banned hand-held device use while driving in 2019. The "Hands-Free Law" applies to every driver, with no exception for momentary use. GDL holders (under 18) face a stricter rule that prohibits all phone use, even hands-free — see intermediate license. Violations are processed as civil traffic infractions in General Sessions Court.

School-zone and work-zone enhancements

Tennessee enhances penalties for moving violations in posted school zones and work zones:

Speeding in a posted school zone: doubled fine plus enhanced court costs.
Speeding in a posted work zone: $250-$500 base fine plus court costs.
Hands-free violation in a school or work zone: $200 base.
Reckless driving in a work zone: enhanced criminal liability under T.C.A. § 55-8-103.

Out-of-state drivers

Tennessee citations against out-of-state drivers are processed through the same General Sessions Court system but the conviction is reported back to the driver's home state through the Driver License Compact. Most reciprocity states (including all border states and the entire eastern seaboard) treat the Tennessee conviction as if it were issued at home. Wisconsin, Michigan, Massachusetts, and Georgia are notable Tennessee neighbors with various idiosyncratic compact rules.

What to do right after a citation

Note the issuing court (printed on the citation) and the citation number.
Photograph the location, road conditions, and any signs that contradict the alleged violation.
Note the issuing officer's name, badge, and patrol car number.
Pull a fresh Tennessee MVR to verify the citation hasn't already been entered as a conviction.
Decide before the deadline: pay, request defensive driving, contest in court, or consult counsel for criminal cases.

Most drivers find that contesting at General Sessions Court is worthwhile for any moving-violation citation that would attach 4+ points to the record — a 4-point conviction typically adds a 15-30% insurance surcharge for 2 years, which exceeds the court costs by a wide margin even if the judge ultimately reduces rather than dismisses. See Tennessee insurance for rating mechanics.