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Does my teen need drivers ed to get a license in Tennessee?

We found no driver education course among the steps on Tennessee's teen license page for drivers under 18. Those steps are built on driving experience. Before the Intermediate Restricted License, your teen needs, among other things, a learner permit held for 180 days and 50 hours of behind the wheel driving, 10 of them at night.

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The rule, fact by fact

Who needs it
Drivers under 18 go through graduated steps of driving experienceThe steps lead to full, unrestricted Driver License status.
Verified. www.tn.gov (opens state website) · checked Nov 13, 2026
Course hours
50 hours of behind the wheel driving, including 10 at nightA parent, guardian or driving instructor signs a form confirming the experience.
Same source and date as above
Permit hold time
A learner permit held for 180 daysYour teen must be 15 and pass the standard written exams and vision screening.
Same source and date as above
Who rides along
A licensed driver 21 or older rides in the front seat while your teen drivesA learner permit also bars driving between 10 P.M. and 6 A.M.
Same source and date as above

How to get it done

  1. Step 1. Check the steps. Drivers under 18 go through graduated steps of driving experience to reach full, unrestricted Driver License status. The first is a learner permit, which your teen must hold for 180 days to move to the Intermediate Restricted License step.

  2. Step 2. Log the driving practice. Your teen needs 50 hours of behind the wheel driving, including 10 hours of night driving, and a parent, guardian or driving instructor signs the 50-Hour Certification form. With a learner permit, your teen may drive only with a licensed driver 21 years or older in the front seat. Your teen must also be at least 16 to apply for the Intermediate Restricted License.

  3. Step 3. Take the road skills test. For the Intermediate Restricted License, your teen must pass a Road Skills Test at a local Driver Services Center.

Before you pay

Compare any course you are offered with the steps on the state's teen license page before you pay.

Ask what the price covers, since the 50 hours of driving are signed off by a parent, guardian or driving instructor.

If a school says its course counts toward the road skills test, ask it to show where the state says so.

Questions

Can my teen take the knowledge test online?

Yes. Tennesseans aged 15 to 17 can take the knowledge test online via e-Services, or at a Driver Services Center.

Who has to ride along for the road test?

An individual 21 years or older with a valid driver license must accompany a learner permit holder to the Driver Services Center. If the permit holder arrives without a licensed driver, the test cannot go ahead.

What changes at 17?

To apply for the Intermediate Unrestricted License, your teen must be 17 and have held the Intermediate Restricted License for 1 year. Your teen cannot have more than 6 points on the driving record, or must hold the restricted license an additional 90 days, and cannot have had a traffic accident that was their fault or 2 safety belt violations.

Does a teen in a driver training course need a license to drive with the instructor?

Tennessee lists students pursuing an approved driver training course in a public or private secondary school, or in a licensed commercial driver training school, as not required to have a Regular Driver License when accompanied by a certified instructor.

What to do next

Start with Tennessee's teen license page, then plan the driving hours your teen will log.

www.tn.gov

Sources we read