How to Check Points on License TN: Get Your TDOSHS MVR

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

Here is how to check points on license tn: order your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) from TDOSHS for $5 online, in person or by mail, then match each violation to the TDOSHS Schedule of Points Values. TDOSHS acts at 12 or more points in any 12 months for adults and 6 or more for drivers under 18. The MVR page does not say whether points are printed, so adding them up yourself is the safe way to know.

Key Facts

Where to look: your MVR from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS). See where your points are kept.
Cost: $5 online, in person or by mail. See three ways to order.
What you need online: your name, date of birth, license number, Social Security number and the last 5 digits of the DD number. See ordering online.
Doing the math: match each conviction to its Schedule value, then add the ones in any 12 months. See adding up your points.
Errors: a proven record error that brings you under 12 points ends a suspension action. See if you find an error.

Where Your Points Are Kept

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) keeps your driving record and runs the Driver Improvement Program. If you searched for the Tennessee DMV, the agency to contact is TDOSHS.

Your record is called the Motor Vehicle Record, or MVR. The TDOSHS MVR page says it “will show the past 3 or 10 years of your driving history.” It also says, “To protect your privacy, the MVR does not display your address.”

The page does not say whether points appear on the record. So the steps below show how to work out your own total from the convictions listed.

Three Ways to Order

TDOSHS offers the MVR three ways. Each one costs $5.

Ordering Online

Online orders are for Tennessee residents only. You order through TDOSHS e-Services, linked from the MVR page.

Have these ready before you start:

Driver name
Date of birth
Tennessee driver license number
Social Security number
Last 5 digits of the DD number on your license

Ordering in Person

You can get your MVR at any Driver Services Center for $5. Use the TDOSHS Locations page to find one near you.

Someone else can pick it up for you. TDOSHS says that person needs “a notarized statement authorizing that person to obtain the record.”

Ordering by Mail

Mail is the only way to get a certified copy. The cost is $5, paid by cashier’s check or money order to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.

Send the request to MVR Request, PO Box 945, Nashville, TN 37202. TDOSHS says to “Allow two weeks from the mailing date to receive the MVR.”

How to Check Points on License TN, Step by Step

Once you have the MVR, follow these steps to find your total:

List each conviction. Write down each conviction listed on the record, with its date.
Find the Schedule line. Look up each one on the Schedule of Points Values.
Use the right values. Car, work zone and commercial vehicle values differ. When the ticket or court report does not show the speed, the Schedule lists 3 points in a car.
Group by 12 months. Find the 12-month stretch with the most points.
Compare to the limit. Adults reach a notice at 12 points, and drivers under 18 at 6.

Our Tennessee points chart lists every value in one place. Step 4 matters because TDOSHS does not use a calendar year.

Five steps to find your Tennessee point total from your MVR, from listing convictions to comparing with the limit

Adding Up Your Points

TDOSHS counts points in a set way. Under Rule 1340-01-04-.04(6), each time a violation posts, TDOSHS scans back 24 months from the posted date. It looks for 12 or more points within any 12-month period.

A second rule limits old convictions. Under Rule .02(3), convictions for violations more than 2 years before TDOSHS got the report are not used in the program.

Here is simple math with Schedule values. Following improperly (3), failing to yield the right-of-way (4) and a 16-25 mph speeding conviction (4) total 11 points. One more 1-point speeding conviction in the same 12 months would bring the total to 12.

Two Values to Watch

One Schedule line is out of date. The Schedule lists 8 points for driving while suspended or revoked. Since July 1, 2025, TCA 55-50-504(k) says “Not more than four (4) points shall be assessed” for that offense, and the statute controls.

Also check the vehicle. Commercial vehicles have higher values, such as 7 points for reckless driving instead of 6 in a car.

Which Date to Use

The rule ties the 24-month scan to the “posted date,” when the violation reached your record. It does not say the 12-month window runs from the violation date or the court date. If your total is close to a limit, ask TDOSHS how it counted your dates.

Paying a ticket counts here too. Under TCA 55-50-102(16), “the payment of a fine or court cost” is a conviction, so its points apply.

What Your Total Means

For adults, Rule 1340-01-04-.04(1) calls for an advisory letter at 6 to 11 points in one year. At 12 or more in any 12 months, the Points Accumulation page says drivers “are sent a notice of proposed suspension and given an opportunity to attend an administrative hearing.”

For drivers under 18, the notice comes at 6 or more points. With fewer than 6, TDOSHS sends a warning letter, and a copy goes to a parent or guardian.

A notice is not an automatic suspension. Our guide to license suspension for points explains the hearing and each outcome.

If a Notice Arrives

Your check may show 12 or more points, or a notice may come first. The notice gives you a chance at an administrative hearing before any suspension.

To ask for a hearing, TDOSHS says to email [email protected]. A mailed request goes to the Driver Improvement Section, P.O. Box 25290, Nashville, TN 37202-5290, with your name, date of birth and license number.

With more than 20 points, or as a repeat offender, the written request must arrive within 30 days of the notice date. TDOSHS says a driver who does not request a hearing is suspended for six to 12 months.

Checking Points for a Teen Driver

Parents can use the same steps for a driver under 18. The limit is lower, at 6 or more points in any 12 months. A parent or guardian gets a copy of any warning letter and must attend the teen’s hearing.

The intermediate license adds a rule. Under TCA 55-50-311, 6 or more points after it is issued means 90 more days before the teen can apply for an unrestricted license. Our guide to minor driver license points covers the details.

If You Find an Error

Check every line on your MVR against your own tickets and court papers. A wrong entry can change your total.

Rule 1340-01-04-.04(5) covers this. It says that when a driver “offers valid proof that an error in record keeping has occurred,” and the fix “would lower his or her point accumulation to less than twelve (12),” then “the suspension action shall be withdrawn.”

For help with your own record, contact TDOSHS or the court that handled the ticket. A Tennessee attorney can advise you on your case.

Reading the Record With Care

The MVR page gives only a few details about what the record holds. It shows 3 or 10 years of history, and it leaves out your address. Keep your copy with your tickets and court papers so you can compare them line by line.

The federal Driver Privacy Protection Act limits the release of personal information from driver records.

Our guide to your Tennessee driving record covers the MVR in more depth. For how points and courses fit together, see our Tennessee points system guide.

Courses After You Check

Your total may raise questions about courses. Two official rules apply:

Speeding point removal: TCA 55-8-207 takes off the points from one speeding conviction, to a limit of 5, when an approved course is done in the 90 days after it. You can use it once every four years, and the conviction stays.
The 8-hour class: at a points hearing, TDOSHS says that “In most cases” a driver may take a defensive driving class instead of a suspension or for less time. The 8-hour class does not remove points.

The TDOSHS Traffic School page says, “Only the points will be removed, the conviction will remain.” Point removal covers speeding only.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the TDOSHS MVR page we checked on October 27, 2026, the page was last modified on August 14, 2026. It lists the $5 cost for all three methods.

The page never uses the word “points.” It also does not say what an MVR lists beyond the 3 or 10 years of history. That is why matching your convictions to the Schedule is the reliable way to find your total.

What you need for each way to order a Tennessee MVR, from online e-Services to a certified copy by mail

Common Mistakes

Each item below is checked against a TDOSHS page or Rule 1340-01-04:

Expecting a point total on the record. The MVR page does not say points are listed, so add them yourself.
Using a calendar year. TDOSHS checks any 12-month period.
Ordering online as a nonresident. Online orders are for Tennessee residents only.
Sending someone without a notarized statement. TDOSHS requires one for in-person pickup by another person.
Expecting a certified copy online. Certified copies come by mail only.
Ignoring a record error. A proven error that brings you under 12 points ends the suspension action.

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 I check my Tennessee points online?

Yes, if you are a Tennessee resident. Order your MVR through TDOSHS e-Services for $5. Then match each violation to the Schedule of Points Values to find your total.

How much does a Tennessee driving record cost?

The MVR costs $5 online, in person or by mail. By mail, pay by cashier’s check or money order.

How long does a mailed MVR take?

TDOSHS says to allow two weeks from the mailing date. Mail is also the only way to get a certified copy.

Does the MVR show my point total?

The TDOSHS MVR page does not say whether points are listed. To be safe, match each conviction to its value on the TDOSHS Schedule and add them up.

Can someone else get my record for me?

Yes, in person at a Driver Services Center. That person needs a notarized statement from you authorizing them to get the record.

What if my record has a mistake?

Contact TDOSHS with proof of the error. Under Rule 1340-01-04-.04(5), if fixing it brings your total under 12 points, the suspension action is withdrawn.

Conclusion

To check your Tennessee points, order your $5 MVR and match each conviction to the TDOSHS Schedule. Compare your total in any 12 months with the limit of 12 for adults or 6 for drivers under 18. When your MVR shows a speeding conviction less than 90 days old, the TDOSHS 4-hour list is where point removal under TCA 55-8-207 starts, and a court-ordered course needs the court’s OK for online first. Take the Tennessee Driver Education Course online when it fits your case.

Sources

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.