Tennessee Notice of Proposed Suspension: What to Do

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

A tennessee notice of proposed suspension means the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) plans to suspend your license because of points. It is not final yet, and you can respond. What you can do depends on your points, your past record and the deadline in the notice.

Key Facts

Who gets it: adults with 12 or more points in any 12 months, and drivers under 18 with 6 or more. See what the notice means.
First offenders, 12 to 20 points: the notice sets a hearing date, and you may waive it to take a class instead. See first offenders.
Over 20 points or a repeat offender: TDOSHS must receive your written hearing request within 30 days. See the 30-day request.
Doing nothing: with no hearing request, the suspension is 6 to 12 months. See if you do nothing.
The class: an 8-hour class may replace a suspension or shorten it, and it must be done within 90 days. See the 8-hour class.

What a Tennessee Notice of Proposed Suspension Means

The notice is part of the TDOSHS Driver Improvement Program. It goes to drivers with 12 or more points within any 12-month period. TDOSHS says these drivers are “sent a notice of proposed suspension and given an opportunity to attend an administrative hearing.”

The word “proposed” matters. The notice is not an automatic suspension. Under Rule 1340-01-04-.04(2), it states the grounds and gives you a hearing before a hearing officer.

Drivers under 18 reach the program sooner. TDOSHS places them in it at 6 or more points, and a parent or guardian attends the hearing. See our guide to the program for drivers under 18.

The Letter That Comes Before the Notice

For adults, an advisory letter comes first. Rule 1340-01-04-.04(1) says an advisory letter goes to each driver with 6 or more, but fewer than 12, points in one year.

Points come from the TDOSHS Schedule of Points Values. For example, a reckless driving conviction (6) and a 16-25 mph speeding ticket (4) total 10 points. That total would bring an advisory letter, not a notice.

TDOSHS counts in a set way. Each time a violation posts, it scans back 24 months. It looks for 12 or more points within a 12-month period.

One more rule limits old tickets. Under Rule .02(3), a conviction for a violation that happened more than 2 years before TDOSHS got the report is not used in the program. Our guide to points and suspension covers each level.

Which Response Path Fits Your Notice

Your path depends on your points and your past record. Under the rule, a first offender is a driver who has not been in the program within a five-year period.

If your notice is for…	What the rule sets	Your next move
A first offender with 12 to 20 points	A hearing date in the notice	Attend, or waive the hearing and take the class
A first offender with more than 20 points	No waiver option	Request a hearing in writing within 30 days
A repeat offender with 12 or more points	A possible 6- or 12-month suspension	Request a hearing in writing within 30 days

Read your own notice closely. It states the grounds and any date that applies to you.

First Offenders With 12 to 20 Points

The notice sets a date and time for an administrative hearing. The proposed suspension is 6 months.

You also have a second choice under Rule .04(7)(b). A first offender in this range may “waive the right to a hearing.” The driver “may be assigned directly into a defensive driving course in lieu of suspension.”

More Than 20 Points or a Repeat Offender

These drivers cannot waive the hearing. Rule .04(7)(d) says, “The driver’s written request for a hearing must be received within thirty (30) days from the date of the notice.”

Repeat offenders face the same 30-day rule under Rule .04(8)(a). Their notice says the suspension may be 6 or 12 months. The class may be offered only if the driver has not taken a defensive driving course within the last five years.

How to Request a Hearing

TDOSHS lists two ways to ask for a hearing on its Driver Improvement (Points Accumulation) page:

Email: [email protected]
Mail: your name, driver license number and date of birth to Driver Improvement Section, P.O. Box 25290, Nashville, TN 37202-5290

The 30-day rule counts from the date of the notice. The request must be received in that time, so leave room for mail.

How to respond to a Tennessee notice of proposed suspension in five steps, from reading the notice to the 90-day class

What Happens If You Do Nothing or Miss the Hearing

Silence has a set result. TDOSHS says, “If they fail to request a hearing, their driving privileges are suspended for a period of six to 12 months.”

Missing a hearing also leads to a suspension. Under Rule .04(4), it is 6 months. It is 12 months if the driver was in a Driver Improvement Program suspension action within the last five years.

What Happens at the Hearing

A hearing officer runs the hearing. Under Rule .04(9), the officer will “explain the Driver Improvement Program, review the driver’s driving record, and advise the driver of the options.”

TDOSHS says that “In most cases,” the driver may attend a defensive driving class. The class can stand “in lieu of suspension or a reduction of suspension time.”

Two more rules protect drivers:

Record errors. If you prove a record-keeping error that drops your total below 12, the suspension action is withdrawn (Rule .04(5)).
Appeals. A suspended driver may appeal under the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act (Rule .04(11)).

You can also talk with a Tennessee attorney about your own notice.

If You Are Assigned the 8-Hour Class

You can find the class list on the TDOSHS Defensive Driving Schools page. Its title is “8-Hour TDOSHS-Approved Defensive Driving Courses for Driver Improvement Referrals.”

This is not the same as the 4-hour Driver Education Course. That course is used for court orders and for speeding point removal under TCA 55-8-207. Your notice or the hearing officer tells you which class the program needs.

The key rules are short:

90 days. Finish within 90 days of the letter or the hearing.
Once every five years. TDOSHS says it “can only be completed once every five (5) years to receive credit.”
Probation. After the class, the driver is on probation for 12 months.
No point removal. The 8-hour class does not remove points from the record.

Our guide to the 8-hour class covers extensions, the 75-day warning letter and what happens if you do not finish.

Restricted License and Reinstatement

A points suspension may allow a restricted license. TDOSHS lists three steps:

Get the form. Obtain a Driver Improvement Restricted Application Form from the hearing officer.
Get SR-22 insurance. Your insurance company files it.
Pay the fee. Present the approved form and SR-22 form, and pay the fee.

You must have had a valid license within the last five years to apply. If not, you must retest.

After a points suspension, reinstatement has its own steps under Rule .04(12)(a). You serve the suspension, pay a restoration fee and file proof of financial responsibility. A driver suspended for skipping the assigned class may reinstate early by finishing an approved class.

Your options after a Tennessee notice of proposed suspension, from the waiver to an appeal

Other Notices That Mention Suspension

Not every suspension letter is about points. TDOSHS may also suspend a license when a driver fails to appear in court or does not satisfy a traffic citation (TCA 55-50-502).

That process has its own rules:

Written notice. TDOSHS must notify the driver in writing of the proposed suspension.
A narrow hearing. The driver may ask within 30 days for a hearing to show an error in the records.
Parking tickets. These are left out of this rule.

Read your letter to see which kind you have. Our guide to failure to appear covers the court side.

What We Found on the Official Pages

We checked the TDOSHS pages on October 27, 2026. The Driver Improvement (Points Accumulation) page was last changed on July 20, 2026, and it still uses the 12-point and 6-point levels.

The rule behind the program is Rule 1340-01-04. Its cover says “August, 2014 (Revised).” The web page gives a short summary. The rule sets the waiver, the 30-day request and the 90-day class deadline.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Each item below comes from TDOSHS or Rule 1340-01-04:

Treating the notice as final. It is a proposed suspension with a chance at a hearing.
Counting 30 days from the day it arrived. The rule counts from the date of the notice.
Missing the hearing. That leads to a 6-month suspension, or 12 months for some drivers.
Ignoring a record error. A proven error that drops the total below 12 ends the action.
Expecting the class to clear points. It does not remove points, and probation follows.
Taking the class twice in five years. Credit comes only once every five years.

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

Is a Tennessee notice of proposed suspension final?

No. It is a proposed suspension, and it gives you a chance at an administrative hearing. If you do not request a hearing when one is required, the suspension is 6 to 12 months.

How many days do I have to request a hearing?

First offenders with more than 20 points, and repeat offenders, have 30 days from the date of the notice. TDOSHS must receive the written request in that time. First offenders with 12 to 20 points get a hearing date in the notice.

Can I skip the hearing and take the class?

Only first offenders with 12 to 20 points have this choice. They may waive the hearing and go straight into a defensive driving course instead of a 6-month suspension.

What if I miss my hearing?

Missing the hearing leads to a 6-month suspension. It is 12 months if you had a Driver Improvement Program suspension action in the last five years.

Will the class remove my points?

No. Points from before the class still count, and you are on probation for 12 months after it. A new violation can count as a probation violation.

Can I drive while my license is suspended for points?

You may apply for a restricted license. You need the application form from the hearing officer, SR-22 insurance and the fee. You must have had a valid license within the last five years, or you must retest.

Does the notice work the same way for drivers under 18?

No. Drivers under 18 enter the program at 6 or more points with a parent or guardian at the hearing. A first offense with 6 to 9 points can bring a 3- to 6-month suspension and/or a class to finish within 90 days.

What if my record has an error?

If you prove a record-keeping error that drops your total below 12 points, the suspension action is withdrawn.

Conclusion

A Tennessee notice of proposed suspension is a proposed suspension with a deadline, not a final suspension. Check your notice for your points, any hearing date and whether you must request a hearing within 30 days.

If the 8-hour class is offered, use the TDOSHS Defensive Driving Schools list and finish within 90 days. For questions, contact the TDOSHS Driver Improvement Section at [email protected].

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.