Tennessee Driving School for Speeding Ticket: What to Know

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

If you searched tennessee driving school for speeding ticket, the short answer is yes, a course can matter in two set ways. A court may require an approved course, and a state law removes the points for one speeding conviction after an approved course. No Tennessee law says a course dismisses a ticket.

Key Facts

Court path: a court may require an approved course “in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed.” See the court path.
Point path: after a speeding conviction, an approved course finished within 90 days removes that conviction’s points, up to 5. See the point path.
Pay path: since July 1, 2026, a driver who pays a speeding ticket may also register for an approved course. It leads into the point path. See the pay path.
The conviction stays: only the points come off, once in a four-year period. See what comes off.
CDL holders: Class A, B or C license holders cannot use the court course option. See CDL holders.

Two Ways a Course Can Matter After a Speeding Ticket

Tennessee has two separate rules that tie a course to a speeding ticket. One belongs to the court. The other is a state rule that the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) carries out.

How they differ:

The court path comes from TCA 55-10-301. The court decides whether a course is part of your case.
The point path comes from TCA 55-8-207. It applies after a speeding conviction, and the court does not decide it.
The pay path came from Public Chapter 993. It is a way into the point path for a driver who pays the ticket.

TDOSHS sums up its role on the Driver Improvement – Traffic School page. It says drivers “may be eligible to remove points for a speeding conviction.” It adds a limit:

> “Only the points will be removed, the conviction will remain.”

The Court Path: When a Court Requires a Course

A Tennessee court can make a course part of a traffic case. TCA 55-10-301(b)(1) says a driver “may be required, at the discretion of the court, to attend a driver education course” approved by the department. The course can be “in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed.”

What that means in your case is up to the court. The law does not say the ticket goes away. Read your court order, and ask the court clerk what the court wants.

The law also gives the court clerk two duties:

A list of courses. The clerk must give “a list of approved entities in the county” to anyone ordered to attend a course.
A report to TDOSHS. Once the clerk gets proof that you finished, the clerk reports it to the Department of Safety.

Each county’s clerk offices appear on the Tennessee Courts Clerks List. The TDOSHS Court Ordered Traffic Schools page adds that the certificate of completion goes back to the court that sent you.

For a course a court requires, the law allows a fee between $50 and $175. It also says “no one shall be refused admittance for inability to pay.”

The Point Path: Speeding Point Removal Under TCA 55-8-207

The point path is a state law, not a court choice. TCA 55-8-207 covers a person charged with speeding and then convicted. If that person finishes a department-approved course within 90 days of the conviction, the points for that speeding conviction come off.

The law sets firm limits:

Speeding only. It does not cover any other violation, such as reckless driving.
90 days. The course must be done within 90 days of the conviction.
Up to 5 points. Five points is the cap on what can come off.
One ticket per course. Each course counts for only one speeding offense.
Once in four years. The rule applies “only once in a four-year period.”

The TDOSHS Remove Speeding Points page gives the same rule. It also says course providers must send certificates of completion to TDOSHS within 30 days. The page states, “The 4-hour course must be completed within ninety (90) days from the date of your speeding conviction.”

Tennessee Driving School for Speeding Ticket Points: What Comes Off

The TDOSHS Schedule of Points Values sets speeding points by how far over the limit you were. Because the law caps removal at 5 points, the result depends on the speed.

Speed over the limit	Points charged	Points left after a removal
1 to 5 mph	1	0
26 to 35 mph	5	0
36 to 45 mph	6	1
46 mph or more	8	3

The 6-15 mph and 16-25 mph tickets carry 3 and 4 points, so all of them can come off. When the ticket does not show a speed, the Schedule lists 3 points. Our guide to removing points covers what the rule does not reach.

The Pay Path Since July 1, 2026

Paying a ticket is another route to a conviction. With the court’s approval, TCA 55-10-207(f) lets a driver send the fine and costs to the court clerk instead of appearing. Under TCA 55-50-102(16), “the payment of a fine or court cost” counts as a conviction.

Public Chapter 993 took effect on July 1, 2026. A person charged with speeding who pays instead of appearing may also register for a department-approved driver education course. These courses must be available online through the TDOSHS website.

The same point limits apply: 90 days, a 5-point cap, and the conviction stays.

Five questions that sort out which course path fits a Tennessee speeding ticket, from a court order to a CDL

Which Course: 4-Hour or 8-Hour

Tennessee has two kinds of courses, and they do different jobs. TDOSHS says a court may order “a 4-hour or 8-hour Driver Education Course.” Your court order or TDOSHS letter says which one you need.

The Driver Education Course is at least 4 hours of classroom or online training. It is used for court orders and for speeding point removal.
The 8-hour defensive driving class is part of the TDOSHS Driver Improvement Program. It comes after a notice of proposed suspension.

The 8-hour class does not remove points. Adults get the notice at 12 or more points in any 12 months.

Drivers under 18 get it at 6 or more. Read about the 8-hour class, the notice of proposed suspension and the program for drivers under 18.

Online Courses and Court Acceptance

The 4-hour course may be taken online. The TDOSHS provider page calls for “a minimum of four (4) hours of classroom or on-line driver safety training.” The TDOSHS 4-hour list marks each provider as On-line, Live-stream or In-person.

A court order adds one step. See our guide to court-ordered courses online. TDOSHS says, “prior to registering for an online course, please confirm that the course will be accepted by the court.”

CDL Holders

The court course option has a firm limit for commercial drivers. Under TCA 55-10-301(c), it does not apply to anyone who holds a Class A, B or C license.

The bar reaches every charge other than parking, no matter what the person was driving. Subsection (d) adds anyone at the wheel of a commercial motor vehicle.

Federal law adds a second rule. Under 49 CFR 384.226, a state “must not mask” or defer a CDL holder’s conviction. The conviction must appear on the federal CDL driver record.

Steps After a Tennessee Speeding Ticket

Read the citation. It names the court and the date for your case.
Call the court clerk. Ask whether the court wants a course, which length and by what date.
Check the course list. Use the clerk’s county list for a court order, or the TDOSHS 4-hour list for point removal.
Confirm online use. For a court order, check that the court accepts an online course first.
Finish on time. For point removal, finish within 90 days of the conviction.
Send the certificate. A court-ordered certificate goes to the referring court.

For your own case, talk with the court clerk on your citation, TDOSHS or a Tennessee attorney.

Tennessee Course and Ticket Guides in This Series

Each guide answers one question:

What a course can do for any ticket: the limits for tickets other than speeding.
Notice of proposed suspension: hearings, waivers and the 30-day request.
The 8-hour class: 90 days, probation and the five-year limit.
Drivers under 18: the program for teens and parents.
Court-ordered courses online: when a court accepts an online course.
Missed deadlines: court orders and the 90-day windows.
Failure to appear: what happens if you miss court or do not pay.

Two rules after a Tennessee speeding ticket, the court path and the point path, with the pay path leading into the point path

What We Found on the Official Pages

We checked the TDOSHS pages on October 27, 2026. The Remove Speeding Points page was last updated on October 14, 2026.

It states the 30-day duty for providers to send certificates to TDOSHS. It also says providers must tell students how TDOSHS removes the points.

Drivers contact an approved provider on their own. The Court Ordered Traffic Schools page says, “The Department of Safety and Homeland Security DOES NOT offer a Driver Education Course.”

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Each item comes from a Tennessee rule:

Thinking point removal clears the conviction. Only the points come off, and the conviction stays.
Expecting more than 5 points back. Five is the cap, so 8-point and 6-point tickets leave points behind.
Using the rule twice too soon. It applies once in a four-year period.
Counting from the ticket date. The 90 days run from the conviction.
Registering online before asking the court. For a court order, confirm the court will accept an online course.
Using it for other tickets. Point removal covers speeding only.

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

Does a Tennessee driving school course dismiss a speeding ticket?

No Tennessee law says a course dismisses a ticket. The point rule removes points, but the conviction stays. A court may require a course “in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed.”

How many points can a course remove for speeding?

Up to 5 points for one speeding conviction. A ticket for 36 to 45 mph over carries 6 points, so 1 point would stay. A ticket for 46 mph or more carries 8, so 3 would stay.

When do I have to finish the course for point removal?

You must finish within 90 days of the speeding conviction. The provider then sends the certificate to TDOSHS within 30 days.

Can I take the course if I pay the ticket instead of going to court?

Yes, for speeding, since July 1, 2026. Public Chapter 993 lets a person who pays a speeding ticket also register for a department-approved course.

Paying counts as a conviction. The course must be finished within 90 days of the conviction.

Do I need the 4-hour or 8-hour course?

The 4-hour Driver Education Course is used for court orders and speeding point removal. The 8-hour class follows a TDOSHS notice of proposed suspension. Courts may order either length, so check your order or letter.

Can a CDL holder use a course for a speeding ticket?

The court course option does not apply to Class A, B or C license holders, in any vehicle. Federal law also bars masking a CDL holder’s conviction.

Conclusion

A course can help after a Tennessee speeding ticket as part of a court order, or by removing up to 5 points for one speeding conviction. Under the speeding rule, only the points come off and the conviction stays.

If your court orders a 4-hour course, confirm it accepts online courses first, or check the TDOSHS 4-hour list for point removal. When you are ready, you can take the Tennessee Driver Education Course online.

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.