How Many Points to Suspend License in TN? What Happens

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

If you searched how many points to suspend license in tn, the answer is 12 or more points in any 12 months for adults, or 6 or more for drivers under 18. Even then, the suspension is not automatic. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) first mails a notice of proposed suspension and gives you a chance at a hearing.

Key Facts

The trigger: 12 or more points in any 12 months for adults, 6 or more under 18. See the point levels.
A warning first: adults with 6 to 11 points get an advisory letter. See what happens next.
The hearing: you ask by email or mail, and some drivers have 30 days. See how to ask for a hearing.
No request: the suspension is 6 to 12 months. See what happens next.
The 8-hour class: it can replace or shorten a suspension, but it removes no points. See the 8-hour class.
Getting it back: serve the time, pay the fee and file proof of insurance. See getting your license back.

How Many Points to Suspend License in TN

Tennessee law lets TDOSHS run a Driver Improvement Program and set point values (TCA 55-50-505). The program rules are in Rule 1340-01-04.

Here are the two numbers that start a suspension case:

Adults (18 and older): 12 or more points in any 12-month period (Rule 1340-01-04-.04(2)).
Drivers under 18: 6 or more points in any 12-month period (Rule 1340-01-04-.04(13)).

The TDOSHS Points Accumulation page says these drivers “are sent a notice of proposed suspension and given an opportunity to attend an administrative hearing.”

There is also an earlier step for adults. Under Rule 1340-01-04-.04(1), TDOSHS mails an advisory letter to an adult with 6 to 11 points in a year. It is a warning, not a suspension.

How Fast Points Add Up

Points come from the TDOSHS Schedule of Points Values. A few values show how quickly a total can climb in a car:

Speeding 46 mph or more over the limit: 8 points.
Reckless driving: 6 points.
Careless or negligent driving: 4 points.
Failing to yield the right-of-way: 4 points.
Speeding 6 to 15 mph over: 3 points.

One 46 mph speeding ticket (8) and one careless driving ticket (4) make 12 points. A reckless driving conviction (6), a failure to yield (4) and a 6 to 15 mph ticket (3) make 13 points.

For a driver under 18, one reckless driving conviction (6) reaches the limit alone. Our Tennessee points chart lists every value.

How TDOSHS Counts the 12 Months

Each time a violation posts to your record, TDOSHS looks back 24 months from the posted date. It checks for 12 or more points inside any 12-month window (Rule 1340-01-04-.04(6)).

Convictions for violations that happened more than 2 years before TDOSHS got the report are not used in the program (Rule 1340-01-04-.02(3)). Our guide on how long points count explains this timing.

What Happens Next: From Letter to Suspension

The path depends on your total and on what you do after the notice. This table shows each step, from Rule 1340-01-04 and the TDOSHS Points Accumulation page.

Your situation	What TDOSHS does	Where it comes from
Adult with 6 to 11 points in a year	Mails an advisory letter	Rule .04(1)
Adult with 12+ points in any 12 months	Mails a notice of proposed suspension and offers a hearing	TDOSHS; Rule .04(2)
Under 18 with 6+ points in 12 months	Sends a notice; a parent or guardian attends the hearing	TDOSHS; Rule .04(13)
You do not ask for a hearing	Suspension of 6 to 12 months	TDOSHS
You ask but miss the hearing	6-month suspension, or 12 months after a program suspension in the last 5 years	Rule .04(4)
You attend the hearing	“In most cases,” an 8-hour class instead of suspension or for less time	TDOSHS
You do not finish the assigned class	6-month suspension (6 or 12 months for repeat offenders)	Rule .04(7)(f), (8)(f)

Five stages of a Tennessee points case, from the advisory letter and notice to the hearing choice, the class and a record check

How to Ask for a Hearing

TDOSHS lists two ways to ask. Send your name, driver license number and date of birth:

By email: [email protected]
By mail: Driver Improvement Section, P.O. Box 25290, Nashville, TN 37202-5290

If you have more than 20 points, or you are a repeat offender, the written request must be received within 30 days of the notice date (Rule 1340-01-04-.04(7)(d), (8)(a)).

A first offender with 12 to 20 points has one more choice. That driver may waive the hearing and go straight into a defensive driving course instead of a 6-month suspension (Rule 1340-01-04-.04(7)(b)-(c)). Our guide to the notice of proposed suspension covers the hearing and the waiver in detail.

The 8-Hour Class After the Hearing

At the hearing, TDOSHS says that “In most cases” the driver may take a defensive driving class “in lieu of suspension or a reduction of suspension time.” This is the 8-hour defensive driving class in the TDOSHS Driver Improvement Program.

These rules apply to that class:

Deadline: finish within 90 days of the letter or the hearing.
Credit: it “can only be completed once every five (5) years to receive credit.”
Extension: a written request is due at least 10 days before the 90 days end.
Warning: TDOSHS mails a warning letter at 75 days.
Probation: you are on probation for 12 months after you finish.

The 8-hour class does not remove points. Violations from before the class still count, and a new violation can count as a probation violation (Rule 1340-01-04-.04(6), (7)(e)).

TDOSHS lists the schools for this class on its Defensive Driving Schools page. That page says “Live-stream classes are now approved for the 8-hour defensive driving course.” Our 8-hour class guide covers it step by step.

How the 4-Hour Course Is Different

Tennessee also has a 4-hour Driver Education Course. Courts use it, and TDOSHS uses it to remove speeding points. It is not the class your suspension notice assigns.

The TDOSHS Remove Speeding Points page and TCA 55-8-207 set its limits. You must finish within 90 days of a speeding conviction.

It removes the points for that one conviction, up to 5 points, and only once in a four-year period. TDOSHS says, “Only the points will be removed, the conviction will remain.” The rule covers speeding only.

First Offenders and Repeat Offenders

The rules treat you as a first offender if you have not been in the program within 5 years (Rule 1340-01-04-.04(7)(a)). First offenders with 12 to 20 points face a proposed 6-month suspension and can contest it.

Some repeat offenders face longer terms. A second-time driver who took the course instead of a suspension, and also had a program suspension within 5 years, faces a 12-month suspension (Rule .04(8)(c)). A second-time driver who has not taken the course in 5 years may be offered the course instead of a suspension (Rule .04(8)(d)).

Record Errors and Appeals

Check your record before the hearing. Under Rule 1340-01-04-.04(5), if you prove a record-keeping error and the fix brings you under 12 points, the suspension action is withdrawn.

Your driving record (MVR) costs $5 from TDOSHS. Our guide to your Tennessee driving record shows how to get it and read it.

If you are suspended, you can appeal. Rule 1340-01-04-.04(11) points to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act for that process. For advice on your own case, talk with a Tennessee attorney.

Getting Your License Back After a Points Suspension

Rule 1340-01-04-.04(12)(a) lists three steps. You must serve the suspension, pay a restoration fee and file proof of financial responsibility. A driver suspended for not attending the assigned course may reinstate early by finishing an approved course (Rule .04(12)(b)).

Some drivers can ask for a restricted license during a points suspension. The TDOSHS Points Accumulation page lists these steps:

Get a Driver Improvement restricted application form from the hearing officer, or download it.
Get SR-22 insurance.
Bring the approved form and the SR-22 form, and pay the fee to the Driver License Examiner.

You must have had a valid license in the last 5 years, or you will need to retest. For fees, payment plans and every reinstatement step, read our Tennessee license reinstatement guide and the TDOSHS Reinstatements page.

Summary card of Tennessee points suspension lengths, from 6 to 12 months with no hearing request to longer terms for some repeat drivers

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the TDOSHS pages and rules we checked on October 27, 2026, the 12-point and 6-point levels matched. Three details stood out.

First, the Points Accumulation page (updated July 20, 2026) does not mention the adult advisory letter. Rule 1340-01-04-.04(1) does.

Second, that page gives no deadline to ask for a hearing. The rule sets 30 days for drivers with more than 20 points and for repeat offenders.

Third, the Schedule of Points Values (updated August 12, 2025) still lists 8 points for driving while suspended. Since July 1, 2025, TCA 55-50-504(k) says “Not more than four (4) points” may be assessed. The law controls.

Common Mistakes

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

Thinking 12 points means an automatic suspension. TDOSHS sends a notice and offers a hearing first.
Ignoring the notice. With no hearing request, the suspension is 6 to 12 months.
Missing the hearing. That brings a 6-month suspension, or 12 months for some drivers.
Expecting the 8-hour class to clear points. It does not remove points, and 12 months of probation follow.
Taking a 4-hour course for a TDOSHS referral. TDOSHS referrals use a school on the TDOSHS 8-hour list.
Letting the 90 days run out. Ask for an extension at least 10 days before the deadline.

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

How many points suspend a license in Tennessee?

For adults, 12 or more points in any 12-month period start a suspension case. For drivers under 18, it is 6 or more. In both cases, TDOSHS sends a notice of proposed suspension first.

Is a points suspension automatic at 12 points?

No. TDOSHS mails a notice of proposed suspension and offers an administrative hearing. A suspension follows if you do not ask for a hearing, miss it, or do not finish the assigned class.

What happens if I do not ask for a hearing?

TDOSHS says your driving privileges are suspended for 6 to 12 months. Drivers with more than 20 points, and repeat offenders, must ask in writing within 30 days of the notice.

Does the 8-hour class remove points?

No. The 8-hour class does not remove points, and violations from before it still count. You are on probation for 12 months after you finish.

Can a 4-hour course help with a points suspension?

The 4-hour course is not the class a suspension notice assigns. It can remove the points for one speeding conviction, up to 5, if finished within 90 days of that conviction, once in four years. The conviction stays.

Can I drive while my license is suspended for points?

Some drivers may apply for a restricted license through the Driver Improvement Program. You need the hearing officer’s form, SR-22 insurance and the fee paid to a Driver License Examiner.

Conclusion

In Tennessee, 12 points in any 12 months for adults, or 6 for drivers under 18, brings a notice and a chance at a hearing, not an automatic suspension. If TDOSHS assigns you the 8-hour class, use a school on the TDOSHS Defensive Driving Schools (8-hour) list.

If a court ordered a 4-hour course, confirm the court will accept an online course before you take the Tennessee Driver Education Course online. For speeding point removal under TCA 55-8-207, check the TDOSHS 4-hour list first: a department-approved course finished within 90 days of the conviction removes up to 5 points, once in four years, and the conviction stays.

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.