Free · 24 short lessons · Quoted from the manual
Tennessee Driver Handbook, Chapter by Chapter
Start with lesson 1Every chapter of the Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual that matters for the written test, cut down to the rules and exact numbers you need. Each point links to the manual text it comes from, with the page, and ends with questions from our free Tennessee practice test.
24 lessons in handbook order
Read one lesson, answer its 3 check questions, then drill that topic in the practice test. Most lessons take about 5 minutes.
- Lesson 1Section A-1 and A-4: Your License and The ExaminationsLaws and paperwork
Getting a license and taking the tests
Tennessee issues licenses by vehicle class, and new residents who live here more than 30 days or work here must get a Tennessee license. The tests cover vision, knowledge and road skills, with waiting periods and a $2 fee after a failed test.
10 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 2 to 23
- Lesson 2Section A-3: Intermediate Licenses for Drivers Under 18Laws and paperwork
The learner permit
Drivers under 18 start the Graduated Driver License program with a learner permit at 15. The permit limits when you drive and who rides with you, and you must hold it at least 180 days before moving up.
10 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 14 to 19
- Lesson 3Section A-3: Intermediate Licenses for Drivers Under 18Laws and paperwork
Intermediate Restricted and Unrestricted licenses
The Intermediate Restricted License comes at 16 after a road test and 50 certified hours, and it limits passengers and late night driving. After holding it at least 1 year, you can apply at 17 for the Intermediate Unrestricted License for a $2 fee.
10 key points · 10 numbers · Handbook pp. 14 to 19
- Lesson 4Section A-3: Intermediate Licenses for Drivers Under 18Laws and paperwork
Teen penalties, phones and school rules
Points, a crash you contributed to or a second seat belt conviction can add 90 days before a teen moves up a license level. Teens with a permit or intermediate license may not use a cell phone while driving, and dropping out of school can cost the privilege to drive.
10 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 17 to 19
- Lesson 5Section B-1: Getting Familiar With Your VehicleSafe driving
Seat, mirrors, steering and the hands free law
Sit about 10 to 12 inches back from the wheel with the seat upright and the head restraint level with the back of your head, and hold the wheel at 9 and 3 o'clock. Tennessee's hands free law bans holding a phone, texting and video while driving.
10 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 27 to 30
- Lesson 6Section B-2: Tennessee Safety Belt LawsSafe driving
Safety belts, child seats and air bags
Tennessee requires belts for all drivers and front seat passengers and for back seat passengers under 17, and officers can stop you for that alone. Young children need a rear facing seat, a forward facing seat or a booster seat depending on age, weight and height.
10 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 31 to 33
- Lesson 7Section B-3: Traffic Signs and SignalsRoad signs
Sign colors, shapes and regulatory signs
A sign's shape and color tell you its purpose, so even a damaged or covered stop sign is known by its red octagon. Regulatory signs are rectangles, yellow signs warn, orange marks construction and maintenance, and blue points to motorist services.
10 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 35 to 37
- Lesson 8Section B-3: Traffic Signs and SignalsRoad signs
Warning, railroad, work zone and guide signs
Railroad signs, turn and curve signs and advisory speed plates tell you to slow down for what is ahead. Flashing arrow panels warn of lane closures, and urban interstate reference markers help you identify your location.
10 key points · 4 numbers · Handbook pp. 36 to 41
- Lesson 9Section B-3: Traffic Signs and SignalsSignals and markings
Traffic signals and pavement markings
Signal colors and arrows tell you when to stop, go and yield, and a signal that is not working means an all way stop. Solid yellow lines limit crossing and passing, and a solid white line between lanes means stay in your lane.
10 key points · 1 numbers · Handbook pp. 41 to 43
- Lesson 10Section B-4: Rules of the RoadSpeed limits
Speed limits and the Basic Speed Rule
Tennessee sets default limits for highways and interstates, and minimum speeds apply on interstates too. School zones and active work zones carry heavy penalties for speeding.
10 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 46 to 47
- Lesson 11Section B-4: Rules of the RoadEmergencies
Braking, following distance and required stops
Use firm, steady pressure with antilock brakes, keep at least 2 seconds behind the vehicle ahead and know how far you need to stop. Tennessee law requires full stops at stop signs, at railroad crossings when a train is coming and for stopped school buses.
10 key points · 6 numbers · Handbook pp. 48 to 51
- Lesson 12Section B-4: Rules of the RoadRight of way
Right of way, turns and emergency vehicles
More crashes happen at intersections than anywhere else, so treat the right of way as something to give, not take. Yield at all way stops, left turns and roundabouts, and pull right and stop for emergency vehicles.
10 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 46 to 59
- Lesson 13Section B-4: Rules of the RoadSignals and markings
Lane use, passing and parking
Give oncoming traffic half of an unmarked road, use center, reversible and HOV lanes only as marked and pass only when you can finish safely. Parking is illegal within 15 feet of a fire hydrant and 30 feet of a traffic signal or stop sign.
10 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 59 to 65
- Lesson 14Section B-5: Interstate DrivingSafe driving
Interstate driving
On the interstate you speed up on the ramp to merge, keep the left lane for passing and never back up or make a U turn. Take a break at least every 2 hours or 100 miles and yield the lane next to vehicles stopped on the shoulder.
10 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 68 to 72
- Lesson 15Section B-6: Driving at Night and in Inclement Weather ConditionsSafe driving
Headlights, night driving and bad weather
Tennessee law says when headlights must be on and when high beams must be dimmed. At night never outrun your headlights, and in rain, fog and floods slow down and remember that moving water can sweep a car away.
10 key points · 4 numbers · Handbook pp. 45 to 76
- Lesson 16Section B-7: Alcohol, Other Drugs and DrivingAlcohol and DUI
How alcohol and drugs affect driving
Your liver removes only about 1 drink per hour, and only time can sober you. Even low BAC levels hurt vision, reaction and coordination, and a prescription is no defense for driving under the influence of a drug.
10 key points · 7 numbers · Handbook pp. 79 to 83
- Lesson 17Section B-7: Alcohol, Other Drugs and DrivingAlcohol and DUI
DUI law, implied consent and penalties
Driving with a BAC of 0.08 or higher is always illegal, and a driver with a BAC of 0.00 can still be convicted of DUI. Refusing a test will likely cost 12 months of driving, and DUI convictions bring jail, fines and revocation that grow with each offense.
10 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 79 to 82
- Lesson 18Section B-7: Alcohol, Other Drugs and DrivingAlcohol and DUI
Alcohol laws for drivers under 21
Tennessee's under 21 alcohol laws can cost you your license, even for a conviction when you were not driving. Young drivers face much higher crash risk at low BAC levels because of low tolerance and limited driving experience.
10 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook p. 83
- Lesson 19Section B-8: Driving ResponsibilitiesLaws and paperwork
Points, suspensions and keeping your license
Adults with 12 or more points and drivers under 18 with 6 or more points in 12 months get a notice of proposed suspension. Some offenses can cost your license directly, and a suspended or revoked license must be turned in within 20 days.
10 key points · 8 numbers · Handbook pp. 85 to 88
- Lesson 20Section B-8: Driving ResponsibilitiesEmergencies
What to do after a crash
After a crash you must stop, turn off the ignition, notify the police and leave injured people in place unless you are trained or there is immediate danger. Reportable crashes must be reported, and the operator or owner files an Owner/Driver Report within 20 days.
10 key points · 3 numbers · Handbook pp. 85 to 90
- Lesson 21Chapter C-1: Defensive Driving and Other PrecautionsSafe driving
Defensive driving and road rage
Defensive driving means staying aware, planning ahead and anticipating dangers so you do not hit anything. Move right or slow down gradually for tailgaters, and give angry drivers plenty of space without joining in.
10 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 93 to 95
- Lesson 22Chapter C-2: Special Driving Conditions and Your VehicleSafe driving
Avoiding collisions and keeping your vehicle safe
When a crash looks likely you can stop, turn or speed up, and the right braking method depends on whether you have antilock brakes. Fall is the peak season for deer crashes, a tire with less than 2/32 inch of tread is illegal, and epilepsy limits when you may drive.
10 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 96 to 100
- Lesson 23Chapter C-3: Sharing the Road SafelySafe driving
Pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles and slow vehicles
Yield to blind pedestrians, never share a lane with a motorcycle and remember that drivers turning in front of motorcycles cause most car and motorcycle collisions. Pass bicycles slowly with at least 3 feet, and pass horses and slow farm equipment with care.
10 key points · 2 numbers · Handbook pp. 63 to 111
- Lesson 24Chapter C-3: Sharing the Road SafelyEmergencies
Trucks, school buses, work zones and trains
Large trucks need far more room to stop and may not see you, and a train at 55 mph takes a full mile to stop. Work zone speeding can cost up to $500, children should stay 10 feet from a school bus and everyone should leave a vehicle stalled on the tracks.
10 key points · 5 numbers · Handbook pp. 109 to 114
Read, check, then practice
- Read a lesson. Open any point's source to see the exact manual wording and page.
- Answer the 3 check questions at the end without looking back.
- Drill that topic in the free Tennessee practice test, then take a full test when every lesson feels easy.
- Keep the Tennessee cheat sheet for a last look before test day.
Source: the Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual (July 2022). Lessons are plain English summaries, not the law itself; where they differ, the manual and the statute govern. Every quote on these pages is checked against our saved copy of the manual. Last checked 2026-09-27.