The learner permit

Key points

1. To get a learner permit you must be 15 and pass the written exams and vision screening.

   Source: Handbook p. 14

   “You must be 15 years old and pass the standard written exams and vision screening.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 14

2. With a permit you may drive only with a licensed driver 21 or older riding in the front seat.

   Source: Handbook p. 14

   “You may drive a car only when accompanied by a licensed driver 21 years or older who is riding in the front seat of the vehicle.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 14

3. Permit holders may not drive between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

   Source: Handbook p. 14

   “You may not drive between the hours of 10 P.M. and 6 A.M.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 14

4. The driver and all passengers must wear a safety belt.

   Source: Handbook p. 14

   “Driver and passengers must wear a safety belt.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 14

5. Permit holders may not use a handheld device while driving.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “The driver may not use a handheld device while operating the vehicle.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 19

6. You must hold the permit for 180 days before moving to the Intermediate Restricted License.

   Source: Handbook p. 14

   “You must hold a learner permit for 180 days in order to move to the Intermediate Restricted License step.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 14

7. With 6 or more points in the 180 days before applying, you keep the permit until your record stays under 6 points for 180 days in a row.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “If someone with a learner permit has driving offenses adding up to 6 or more points on their driving record during the 180 days before applying for the Intermediate Restricted license, the applicant has to continue to hold the learner permit until his/her record has less than 6 points for a full 180 consecutive days.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 19

8. A 15 year old new resident with a permit from another state can only get a Tennessee learner permit.

   Source: Handbook p. 14

   “If you are fifteen years old and have a valid permit from the state you previously lived in, you will only qualify for issuance of a Tennessee learner permit.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 14

9. A new resident must hold a permit for 180 days in total and turn 16 before the Intermediate Restricted License.

   Source: Handbook p. 14

   “You must hold a valid learner permit for a total of 180 days and turn sixteen (16) years old before being eligible for the Intermediate Restricted License Class D.”
   Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 14

10. Motor vehicle crashes are the major cause of death for young people aged 15 to 20.

    Source: Handbook p. 14

    “Motor vehicle crashes are the major cause of death for young people between the ages of 15 and 20.”
    Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Handbook p. 14

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Tennessee practice test

1. 1. What is the minimum age for a Tennessee learner permit?

   1. 14
   2. 15 and a half
   3. 16
   4. 15
   Show answer

   15. A Tennessee learner permit requires the applicant to be 15 years old and pass the written exams and a vision screening. Fourteen is the minimum age for a Class H hardship license, which is a different license. Sixteen is the age for the Intermediate Restricted License, and 15 and a half is not a Tennessee threshold. The permit must then be held for 180 days before moving up.

2. 2. How long must a Tennessee learner permit be held before moving to the intermediate restricted license step?

   1. 180 days
   2. 90 days
   3. One year
   4. 30 days
   Show answer

   180 days. A Tennessee learner permit must be held for 180 days before the driver can advance to the Intermediate Restricted License step. The 30-day choice relates to other administrative timing in the manual, not this advancement requirement. Ninety days and one year are also different periods that do not replace the permit holding interval. Treat the 180 days as a minimum experience period, not as permission to skip the required supervised driving conditions. Keep the permit valid and complete the other licensing requirements before seeking the next level.

3. 3. During which hours may a Tennessee driver under 18 with a learner permit not drive?

   1. 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
   2. Midnight to 5 a.m.
   3. 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
   4. 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
   Show answer

   10 p.m. to 6 a.m.. A Tennessee learner permit holder under 18 may not drive between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. window belongs to the next step, the Intermediate Restricted License, so it is a common mix-up. Midnight and 9 p.m. start times are not Tennessee rules. When driving, the permit holder needs a licensed driver 21 or older in the front seat, everyone must be belted, and handheld devices are banned.

Source: the Tennessee Comprehensive Driver License Manual, Section A-3: Intermediate Licenses for Drivers Under 18. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.