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Section A-1 YOUR LICENSE
Who Needs a Tennessee Driver License?
If you live in Tennessee and want to drive a motor vehicle, you
must have a valid Tennessee driver license or Temporary
Driver License (TDL).
A person who moves to Tennessee and has a valid driver
license from another state or country must apply for a
Tennessee driver license (or TDL) if they:
• live in Tennessee longer than 30 days OR
•
are working in Tennessee OR
• would otherwise qualify as a registered Tennessee voter.
In Tennessee, driver licenses and Temporary Driver Licenses
are issued specifically for the
class and
type of vehicle you
operate. The class of license you need depends on the type of
vehicle you operate and why you use your vehicle.
The chart on page A1 and the discussion below should help
determine which class of driver license is needed, as well as
whether or not any special endorsements are needed.
Class D License
Driver license applicants who will be operators of regular
passenger vehicles, pick-up trucks, or vans need a Class D
license. This handbook provides the information you need to
get a Class D license.
• A Class D license is required to operate any vehicle, up to a
maximum weight of 26,000 pounds. Vehicles that are
under 26,000 pounds cannot be operated with a Class D
license if the vehicle is (a) transporting hazardous
materials, (b) transporting sixteen (16 or more passengers
(including the driver), or (c) used as a school bus. (If the
vehicle is used for any of these purposes, a Class C license
is required.)
To qualify for a Class D license, you must be at least sixteen
(16) years of age, and must pass a vision screening, knowledge
test, and driving test. If you are under age 18, you must also
meet special qualifications for the Intermediate Class D license.
(Graduated Driver License Program - See Chapter A3.)
Class D with F (For-Hire Endorsement)
If a person’s main job is to drive or transport persons, or
transport property in a Class D vehicle, a For Hire endorsement
must be added to the Class D license.
The Class D license with a For-Hire endorsement serves as a
bridge between the regular driver license required for private
transportation and the commercial driver license required for
tractor-trailers, large trucks, buses and the like. Examples of
persons whose job requires them to have the For-Hire
endorsement include:
•
Persons
Taxi, shuttle service drivers, ambulance
drivers, etc.
•
Property
Couriers, delivery services (flowers, pizza,
etc.)
The chart on page 1 and the discussion below should help
determine which class of driver license is needed, as well as
whether or not any special endorsements are needed.
Persons hired for some purpose other than driving but drive in
the course of doing their job, generally do not need this
endorsement. Examples of persons that normally do not need a
for-hire endorsement are plumbers, meter readers, and
engineers. While they are driving in the course of their
business, their main job is not to drive or transport people or
property.
NOTE: Although you may not be required by law to have the
For-Hire endorsement, your employer may require you to
obtain this endorsement for insurance or safety requirements.
To add the For-Hire endorsement, drivers must meet the
eligibility requirements, pass the appropriate tests, and pay a
fee of $4.50. Applicants are eligible to apply for this
endorsement if:
• They are at least eighteen years old, or sixteen (16) years
of age if the vehicle the applicant is hired to drive is
owned by the applicant’s family business to conduct
deliveries of goods and products exclusively for the family
business.
• They will be operating a Class D vehicle.
• They have 2 years of unrestricted driving experience.
For-Hire endorsement applicants must pass a vision screening,
and a knowledge test designed specifically for the For-Hire
Endorsement. The knowledge test uses information from
Section B of this manual.
CLASS M (MOTORCYCLE)
The operator of a motorcycle, motor-driven cycle, or motorized
bicycle/scooter will need to apply for a Class M license. These
two and three-wheeled vehicles are categorized by cylinder
capacity and other design features. Generally, if the vehicle is
WHAT CLASS OF LICENSE DO YOU NEED?