The Tennessee permit test has 30 questions, and you need 24 correct (80%) to pass. Official source. Page updated 2026-10-16.
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Key Tennessee DMV rules and numbers
These are key rules and numbers from the Tennessee handbook, a few per topic so they fit on one printed page. We favor rules that state a specific number. Every fact below comes from our free Tennessee DMV practice test question bank, which has 500 questions across 9 topics, checked against the Tennessee handbook (last verified 2026-09-07).
Speed limits
- Tennessee law permits a maximum interstate speed of 70 mph. (Handbook, p. 47)
- The manual identifies 45 mph as the minimum speed limit in the right interstate lane or lanes under normal driving conditions. (Handbook, p. 47)
- The manual considers a vehicle slow-moving when it travels 10 mph or more below the lawful maximum speed. (Handbook, p. 46)
- It is unlawful to drive below 55 mph in the leftmost lane of an interstate unless traffic congestion and flow prevent safe driving at that speed. (Handbook, p. 47)
- Within a roundabout, proceed at a slower speed, usually posted at 15 to 25 mph. (Handbook, p. 59)
Right of way
- The Tennessee manual lists a train horn as one sign that a train is near, and it states that trains must signal with the horn when they are roughly 1,500 feet from the crossing. (Handbook, p. 50)
- When a blind or visually impaired pedestrian with a guide dog or a white cane, including one with a red tip, crosses any part of the roadway, stop at least 10 feet away until the person is off the roadway. (Handbook, p. 53)
- When two vehicles arrive together at an intersection with no stop signs or signals, Tennessee assigns the yield duty to the driver on the left, who yields to the vehicle coming at the same time on the right. (Handbook, p. 54)
- At an all-way stop, every vehicle must stop, and the first vehicle to reach the intersection gets to go first. (Handbook, p. 54)
- A driver making a left turn must yield to an oncoming vehicle that is proceeding straight or turning right, unless a protected green arrow authorizes the turn. (Handbook, p. 54)
Alcohol and DUI
- Tennessee identifies an alcohol concentration of .08 percent or higher in an operator's blood or breath as unlawful for the general DUI rule. (Handbook, p. 81)
- The manual states that a person at least 16 but not yet 21 can be convicted of underage driving while impaired when found driving with a BAC of .02 percent. (Handbook, p. 83)
- For the under-21 impaired driving conviction described in the manual, the listed license consequence is loss of the license for one year. (Handbook, p. 83)
- The Tennessee Department of Safety lists a one-year license revocation, 365 days, for a first DUI. (Handbook, p. 82)
- The manual gives two conditions for this vehicle seizure rule: there must be two DUI convictions within five years, and both events must have happened after January 1997. (Handbook, p. 82)
Signals and markings
- The manual gives a specific night-use period: headlights must be on from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise. (Handbook, p. 45)
- Use your turn signal at least 50 feet before a turn or lane change. (Handbook, p. 56)
- A green protected arrow gives permission to drive only in the arrow’s direction, but the driver must first yield to vehicles and pedestrians already in the intersection. (Handbook, p. 41)
- A flashing yellow left arrow is permissive. (Handbook, p. 41)
- A broken yellow center line allows a driver to cross for passing when the opposing lane is clear and the maneuver can be completed safely. (Handbook, p. 42)
Parking
- Tennessee lists parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant as illegal, and parking within a fire lane is banned as well. (Handbook, p. 65)
- Tennessee bars parking in a marked crosswalk area and within 20 feet of a crosswalk. (Handbook, p. 65)
- Tennessee lists parking within 50 feet of a railroad crossing as illegal. (Handbook, p. 65)
- When parallel parking is complete, the vehicle should be no farther than 18 inches from the curb. (Handbook, p. 29)
- On the same side of the street, do not park within 20 feet of a fire station driveway. (Handbook, p. 65)
Safe driving
- The manual gives 55 miles per hour as the default limit for primary and secondary state and federal highways unless a different limit is posted. (Handbook, p. 47)
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 3,142 people were killed by distracted driving in 2019, and cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes every year. (Handbook, PDF page 6)
- Tennessee law mandates a fine of at least $250 and no more than $500 for violating the posted speed limit in an active work zone. (Handbook, p. 47)
- According to Tennessee's integrated traffic analysis network, known as Titan, a crash involving a distracted driver in Tennessee occurs every 26 minutes and 13 seconds. (Handbook, PDF page 6)
- Cell phone use while driving leads to 1.6 million crashes every year, and distracted driving killed 3,142 people in 2019. (Handbook, PDF page 6)
Road signs
- The curve sign identifies a bend to the right and is used for curves with recommended speeds from 30 to 55 mph. (Handbook, p. 38)
- The turn sign is used for a sharper change in direction than an ordinary curve and carries a recommended speed of 30 mph or less. (Handbook, p. 38)
- On busy urban stretches of interstate, Tennessee added reference markers every 1,000 feet so a stranded driver can tell a dispatcher exactly where the vehicle is. (Handbook, p. 41)
- The manual assigns the octagon shape to the stop message. (Handbook, p. 35)
- The triangular shape identifies a yield sign. (Handbook, p. 36)
Laws and paperwork
- Tennessee requires high beams to be lowered when an oncoming vehicle is within 500 feet. (Handbook, p. 45)
- A Tennessee learner permit must be held for 180 days before the driver can advance to the Intermediate Restricted License step. (Handbook, p. 14)
- The first intermediate level requires the applicant to be 16 years old and pass the driving skills test, also called the road test. (Handbook, p. 14)
- The Tennessee application requires verification of 50 hours of driving experience, with 10 of those hours completed at night. (Handbook, p. 14)
- A Tennessee learner permit holder under 18 may not drive between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. (Handbook, p. 19)
Emergencies
- When a train is coming, the vehicle must stop 15 to 50 feet from the railroad tracks and wait until it has passed and it is safe to cross. (Handbook, p. 50)
- Tennessee prohibits parking within 30 feet of a traffic signal, stop sign, or other traffic control device. (Handbook, p. 65)
- The manual requires immediate notice to local police for a crash within a municipality, or to the county sheriff or nearest Tennessee Highway Patrol otherwise, if it involves death, injury, or property damage over $50. (Handbook, p. 89)
- The operator and/or owner of a vehicle involved in a reportable crash must file an Owner/Driver Report with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security within 20 days, regardless of fault. (Handbook, p. 89)
- A train traveling at 55 mph takes a full mile to stop. (Handbook, p. 113)
Want the reasoning behind these rules? Study the handbook, chapter by chapter, in 24 short lessons quoted from the Tennessee manual.
Signs
Sign shape and color carry meaning before you even read the words. A red octagon always means stop, a red-bordered triangle pointing down means yield, and yellow diamonds warn of a hazard ahead. For every sign image used in our practice test, with the exact meaning and explanation, see the full road sign glossary.
Keep studying
This cheat sheet is a summary, not a substitute for practice. Test yourself with the free Tennessee DMV practice test, which explains the reasoning behind every answer, or see Tennessee DMV facts and fees before test day.