Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte
If you want to know how to remove points from license in tn, the only way is a department-approved course finished within 90 days of a speeding conviction. It removes up to 5 points for that conviction, once in a four-year period, and the conviction stays. The 8-hour defensive driving class at a points hearing does not remove points.
Key Facts
- The one rule: TCA 55-8-207 removes the points for one speeding conviction, up to 5 points. See the one rule.
- The limits: the course must be done within 90 days of the conviction, and it works once in a four-year period. See the limits.
- Paying and registering: since July 1, 2026, a person who pays a speeding ticket may also register for a department-approved course. See paying and registering.
- Not covered: reckless driving, careless driving and every other violation. See what point removal does not cover.
- The 8-hour class: it can replace or shorten a suspension, but it removes no points. See the 8-hour class.
How to Remove Points From License in TN: The One Rule
Tennessee has one rule that takes points off a driving record. It is TCA 55-8-207, titled “Removal of points charged for speeding conviction upon completion of defensive driving course.”
The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) carries out the rule. It covers a person convicted of speeding who finishes “a department-approved defensive driving course” within 90 days of the conviction. That person “shall have the points charged to the person’s driving record for the speeding conviction removed.”
This is a state rule, not a court decision. If you meet its limits, the points for that speeding conviction come off.
The Limits
The law and the TDOSHS Traffic School page set these limits:
| Limit | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Which violation | Speeding only |
| Deadline | Course done within 90 days of the speeding conviction |
| Most points removed | 5 points |
| How many tickets | One speeding offense per course |
| How often | Once in a four-year period |
| The conviction | Stays on your record |
TDOSHS puts it plainly: “Only the points will be removed, the conviction will remain.”
Which Course Counts
TDOSHS calls this course a Driver Education Course. Its Traffic School page says, “The 4-hour course must be completed within ninety (90) days from the date of your speeding conviction.”
A Driver Education Course is at least 4 hours of classroom or online driver safety training approved by TDOSHS (Rule 1340-03-07-.02(3)). TDOSHS lists the approved 4-hour courses on its Remove Speeding Points page. The list shows each provider as On-line, Live-stream or In-person.
How the Points Come Off
You do not file the paperwork yourself. TDOSHS says course providers “are required to submit certificates of completion to the Department within 30 days” of completion.
Providers must also give you information on how TDOSHS removes the points. Keep your own copy of the certificate in case questions come up. You can later order your MVR from TDOSHS for $5 to review your record.
Here is how the 5-point cap works with Schedule values. A 26-35 mph speeding conviction is 5 points, so all 5 can come off. A conviction for 46 mph or more over is 8 points, and no more than 5 of those can come off.
Paying and Registering Since July 1, 2026
Public Chapter 993 took effect on July 1, 2026. It lets a person charged with speeding who pays the fine and costs instead of appearing also register for a department-approved driver education course.
The new law requires TDOSHS to post these courses online. Point removal still follows TCA 55-8-207: up to 5 points, with the course done within 90 days of the conviction.
Paying still counts as a conviction under TCA 55-50-102(16). The course removes the points, not the conviction.
What Point Removal Does Not Cover
The rule is narrow. It does not apply to any violation other than speeding. That leaves out, for example:
- Reckless driving: 6 points in a car on the TDOSHS Schedule
- Careless or negligent driving: 4 points
- Failing to yield the right-of-way: 4 points
- Passing a stopped school bus: 8 points
It also does not help with a second speeding conviction in the same four-year period. A course finished more than 90 days after the conviction does not qualify either.
Tennessee Defensive Driving Points: The 8-Hour Class Is Different
The second course people search for is the 8-hour defensive driving class. It belongs to the TDOSHS Driver Improvement Program.
It comes after a notice of proposed suspension. Adults get that notice at 12 or more points in any 12 months, and drivers under 18 get it at 6 or more.
At a hearing, TDOSHS says that “In most cases” the driver may take a defensive driving class. The Points Accumulation page says the class comes “in lieu of suspension or a reduction of suspension time” for that driver.
It must be done within 90 days of the letter or hearing. It “can only be completed once every five (5) years to receive credit.”
The 8-hour class does not remove points. Under Rule 1340-01-04-.04(6), violations before the class still count toward 12 points. After the class, the driver is on probation for 12 months under Rule .04(7)(e), and a new violation can count as a probation violation.
A first offender with 12 to 20 points may waive the hearing and go straight into the course instead of a 6-month suspension. Not finishing an assigned course leads to a 6-month suspension (6 or 12 months for repeat offenders). For this class, the Defensive Driving Schools page says “Live-stream classes are now approved.”
Our guide on how often you can take defensive driving covers the four-year and five-year limits side by side.
Court-Ordered Courses
Courts have their own power here. Under TCA 55-10-301(b)(1), a judge may require an approved driver education course “in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed” in the case. The judge decides what that means, and no Tennessee law says a course dismisses a ticket.
If a court orders a course, read the order and ask the court clerk. The clerk must give a list of approved entities in the county (TCA 55-10-301(b)(4)). The Court Ordered Traffic Schools page says, “prior to registering for an online course, please confirm that the course will be accepted by the court.”
TCA 55-10-301(b)(2) allows “a reasonable fee between fifty dollars ($50.00) and one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175)” for a court-required course. The same law says “no one shall be refused admittance for inability to pay” for such a course.
After the course, TDOSHS says to send your certificate of completion to the referring court. The court option does not apply to Class A, B or C license holders (TCA 55-10-301(c)). For a speeding ticket after a court date, see our guide to driving school for a speeding ticket.
Questions to Check Before You Enroll
Each question below comes straight from the rule’s limits:
- Was it a speeding conviction? No other violation qualifies.
- Is the conviction date within the last 90 days? The course must be done inside that window.
- Have you used the rule in the last four years? It works once in a four-year period.
- Is the course on the TDOSHS 4-hour list? The rule needs a department-approved course.
- Did a court order the course? If so, confirm the court will accept an online course first.
If any answer is unclear, ask TDOSHS, the court clerk on your citation or a Tennessee attorney. They can speak to your own record and case.
Waiting Is Not Removal
Time changes which points count, but it does not remove them. Under Rule 1340-01-04-.04(6), each new posting starts a 24-month look back for 12 or more points within any 12-month period.
Under Rule .02(3), convictions for violations more than 2 years before TDOSHS got the report are not used in the program. Neither rule takes points off your record. Our Tennessee points system guide explains both rules.
What We Found on the Official Pages
On the TDOSHS pages we checked on October 27, 2026, the Traffic School page was last modified on October 14, 2026. Its menu label reads “Remove Speeding Points (4-hour traffic school).”
That page says the rule “may be applied to only one (1) speeding conviction in a four-year period,” which matches the law. It also tells court-ordered drivers to check that the court will accept the course before they register online. The Points Accumulation page, updated July 20, 2026, describes the 8-hour class but says nothing about removing points with it.
Common Mistakes
Each item below is checked against Tennessee law or a TDOSHS page:
- Taking a course for a non-speeding ticket to remove points. Point removal covers speeding only.
- Starting after 90 days. The course must be done within 90 days of the conviction.
- Expecting 8 points off an 8-point ticket. The law caps removal at 5.
- Expecting the conviction to go away. Only the points are removed.
- Counting on the 8-hour class to clear points. It does not remove points, and 12 months of probation follow.
- Using a second course in four years. The rule works once in a four-year period.
How Requirements Can Vary
Tennessee point values, the Driver Improvement Program and the speeding point-removal rule come from state law and TDOSHS rules (TCA 55-50-505, TCA 55-8-207 and Rule 1340-01-04) and apply statewide. Whether a court orders a course for your ticket, which course it orders, and how your case is handled are up to the court on your ticket or the TDOSHS letter you received. Fines and court costs depend on the court and the charge.
Laws, rules and court practice can change. Check your ticket, any court order or TDOSHS letter, the TDOSHS website and the Tennessee Code before you enroll or pay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you remove points from your license in Tennessee?
Yes, for one speeding conviction. Finish a department-approved course within 90 days of the conviction, and up to 5 points come off, once in a four-year period. The conviction stays on your record.
Does defensive driving remove points in Tennessee?
The 4-hour Driver Education Course can remove speeding points under TCA 55-8-207. The 8-hour defensive driving class in the TDOSHS Driver Improvement Program does not remove points.
Can I remove points for reckless driving?
No. The point removal rule applies to speeding only. Reckless driving stays at 6 points in a car on the TDOSHS Schedule.
Who sends my certificate to TDOSHS?
For speeding point removal, the course provider must send it to TDOSHS within 30 days of completion. For a court-ordered course, TDOSHS says to submit your certificate to the referring court.
Can I take the course if I paid my speeding ticket?
Yes. Since July 1, 2026, a person who pays a speeding ticket instead of appearing may also register for a department-approved course. Finish it within 90 days of the conviction to have the points removed, up to 5.
Does a court-ordered course remove points?
The court decides what a court-ordered course does in your case under TCA 55-10-301(b). Point removal comes only from the speeding rule in TCA 55-8-207. Ask the court clerk on your citation about your own case.
How often can I remove speeding points?
Once in a four-year period, and for one speeding offense per course. The 8-hour class has a separate limit of once every 5 years for credit.
Conclusion
Tennessee lets you remove points only for one speeding conviction, up to 5 points, with a course done within 90 days of the conviction and once in four years. The 8-hour class and waiting do not remove points.
With a speeding conviction in the last 90 days, start with the TDOSHS 4-hour list; with a court order, get the court’s OK before an online course. You can take the Tennessee Driver Education Course online if it fits your case.
Related Articles
- Tennessee Points on License: How the System Works
- How Often Can You Take Defensive Driving in Tennessee?
- Tennessee Driving School for a Speeding Ticket: What You Need to Know
- How Many Points Is a Speeding Ticket in TN? By MPH Over
Sources
- TDOSHS — Traffic School: How to Remove Points (4-Hour)
- Tennessee Public Chapter No. 993 (2026) — Driver courses for speeding (PDF)
- TDOSHS — Driver Improvement (Points Accumulation)
- TDOSHS — Defensive Driving Schools (8-Hour Driver Improvement)
- TDOSHS — Court Ordered Traffic Schools
- Tennessee Rule Chapter 1340-01-04 — Tennessee Driver Improvement Program (PDF)
- TDOSHS — Schedule of Points Values
Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, an online driver education course provider serving Tennessee and other U.S. states.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Tennessee course rules, point values, fines and penalties depend on your ticket, court, TDOSHS notice and case facts, and they can change. Use official TDOSHS, Tennessee Code and court sources, and consult a qualified Tennessee attorney for advice about your own case.