Tennessee Reckless Driving Speed Limit: What the Law Says

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

There is no tennessee reckless driving speed limit written into the law, because TCA 55-10-205 does not name any mph number that turns speeding into reckless driving. The only speed rule tied to reckless driving is a school-zone rule in TCA 55-8-152(d). Outside that rule, the law names no speed that is reckless driving, and whether driving was reckless depends on the facts the court finds.

Key Facts

No mph number: the reckless driving statute sets a conduct standard, not a speed. See the statute.
One speed rule: over 15 mph past a school at set times, where no local limit is set, is “prima facie” reckless driving. See the school-zone rule.
Road limits: 65 mph in general, and 70 mph on controlled-access state highways with 4 or more lanes. See speed limits.
Points by speed: 36-45 mph over is 6 points and 46 or more over is 8, while reckless driving is 6. See high-speed points.
Different classes: speeding is a Class C misdemeanor by default, and reckless driving is Class B. See offense class.

Is There a Tennessee Reckless Driving Speed Limit?

No. TCA 55-10-205 defines reckless driving as driving “in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property.” The law does not name any number of mph over the limit as reckless.

That means the statute does not turn on a speed. Your citation names the charge. The court then looks at the facts and applies the “willful or wanton disregard” standard.

No TDOSHS page we read gives a reckless driving speed either. If you see a rule of thumb online, it does not come from the Tennessee Code or the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS).

For the full legal definition, including the motorcycle and flooded-road forms, read what reckless driving means in Tennessee.

The School-Zone Rule: The One Speed Tied to Reckless Driving

TCA 55-8-152(d) is the only place where a speed is linked to reckless driving. It applies in a county or city where the local legislative body has not set special school-zone limits.

In those places, a driver is “prima facie” guilty of reckless driving when all of these are true:

Speed: the driver goes over 15 mph.
Place: the driver is passing a school.
Time: it is a recess period with a warning flasher on, or a set period before or after school while children are going to or leaving school.

The statute uses the term “prima facie” for this one setting only. It does not create a general reckless driving speed for other roads.

Local school-zone limits change the picture. Where a county or city has set its own limits, this fallback rule does not apply by its terms. Your citation will name the law you are charged under.

Four conditions in the Tennessee school-zone rule that make over 15 mph past a school prima facie reckless driving

Tennessee Speed Limits on the Open Road

Reckless driving has no speed number, but speeding does have limits. TCA 55-8-152 sets the general limits:

65 mph is the general maximum under subsection (a).
70 mph applies on controlled-access state highways with 4 or more lanes under subsection (c).
Speed zones on other roads are the base that speeding points are counted from, by mph over the zone.

Two special zones carry their own penalties in the same law. Speeding in a work zone when workers are present is a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of $250 to $500. Speeding in a special municipal residential zone is a Class C misdemeanor with a $200 fine.

Our fines guide explains how those limits fit with court costs.

Tennessee speed limits and the one school-zone speed rule tied to reckless driving

High Speed Means More Speeding Points

The law names no speed that is reckless driving. Speed itself is scored in the speeding point bands.

Whether driving was reckless depends on the facts the court finds. The TDOSHS Schedule of Points Values sets these values for a car:

Conviction in a car	Points
Speeding 36 through 45 mph over the zone	6
Speeding 46 mph or more over the zone	8
Reckless driving (TCA 55-10-205)	6
Work zone speeding 36 mph or more over	8

Look at the second row. A speeding conviction at 46 mph or more over carries 8 points, which is more than a reckless driving conviction. Points follow the charge you are convicted of, not the speed alone.

Lower speeds carry fewer points. Our guide to speeding ticket points lists every mph band.

Speeding vs Reckless Driving: Offense Class

Both charges are crimes, but they sit in different classes. Speeding is a Class C misdemeanor by default under TCA 55-10-301(a). Reckless driving is a Class B misdemeanor under TCA 55-10-205(d).

Under TCA 40-35-111, the maximums are:

Class C misdemeanor: up to 30 days in jail, up to a $50 fine, or both.
Class B misdemeanor: up to 6 months in jail, up to a $500 fine, or both.
Reckless driving extra: the court “shall assess a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00)” on top of the Class B penalty.

Court costs are separate and are set by each court. For a full side-by-side view, read reckless driving vs a speeding ticket.

Read the Charge on Your Citation

Your ticket tells you which law you are charged under. By law, every Tennessee citation must show the time, date, location and court where the case will be heard (TCA 55-10-207(i)). It also names the offense charged (TCA 55-10-207(c)(1)).

That line matters more than the speed written on the ticket. A speeding charge follows the speeding point bands and the Class C default. A reckless driving charge follows TCA 55-10-205, with its Class B class and 6 points.

Contact the clerk of the court named on the citation with questions about the charge or your court date. Our ticket options guide explains paying, going to court and asking about a course.

What the Court Decides

The court decides whether driving was reckless. It does so under the “willful or wanton disregard” standard in TCA 55-10-205, applied to the facts it finds.

Because the statute names no speed, this article cannot tell you how a court will view a given speed. That depends on your case. The clerk of the court named on your citation can explain dates and options, and a Tennessee attorney can advise on your facts.

One rule applies either way. Under TCA 55-50-102(16), “the payment of a fine or court cost” counts as a conviction. Paying a reckless driving or speeding ticket puts that conviction on your record.

How Speed-Related Points Add Up

TDOSHS acts when points build. Its Driver Improvement (Points Accumulation) page sets these levels:

Adults, 6 to 11 points in one year: an advisory letter.
Adults, 12 or more points in any 12 months: a notice of proposed suspension and a chance at a hearing.
Under 18, 6 or more points in 12 months: a notice and the Driver Improvement Program.

The notice is not an automatic suspension. Still, high-speed convictions reach those levels quickly:

A 46 mph-over speeding conviction (8) plus a 6-15 mph speeding conviction (3) totals 11 points.
A reckless driving conviction (6) plus a 36-45 mph speeding conviction (6) totals 12 points.

Speeding Point Removal Does Not Cover Reckless Driving

The charge also decides which course rules apply. TCA 55-8-207 removes the points for one speeding conviction, up to 5, when a department-approved course is finished within 90 days of the conviction. It works once in a four-year period, and the conviction stays.

The rule covers speeding only. A reckless driving conviction is not a speeding conviction, so its 6 points are not removed this way. The TDOSHS Remove Speeding Points page uses the 4-hour Driver Education Course for this rule.

Since July 1, 2026, Public Chapter 993 adds one more path. A person who pays a speeding ticket instead of appearing may also register for a department-approved course, available online through the TDOSHS website.

A court may also order a course in either kind of case. TCA 55-10-301(b)(1) allows one “in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed” by the court. The TDOSHS Court Ordered Traffic Schools page asks drivers to confirm the court will accept an online course before registering.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the TDOSHS pages we checked on October 27, 2026, no page gave a speed that makes driving reckless. The Schedule of Points Values, last updated August 12, 2025, lists speeding by mph bands and reckless driving as its own line.

The top car speeding band, 46 mph and above, is 8 points. The reckless driving line is 6 points in a car and 7 in a commercial vehicle.

The Remove Speeding Points page, updated October 14, 2026, speaks only of a speeding conviction. It sets a 90-day window from that conviction and allows one speeding conviction in a four-year period.

Common Mistakes About Speed and Reckless Driving

Each point below is checked against a Tennessee statute or TDOSHS page:

Using an mph rule of thumb. The statute has no mph number for reckless driving.
Missing the school-zone rule. Over 15 mph past a school at set times can be prima facie reckless driving where no local limit is set.
Mixing up the point values. Speeding 46 mph or more over is 8 points in a car, while reckless driving is 6.
Using the commercial value. Reckless driving is 6 points in a car, not 7.
Calling speeding a non-criminal ticket. Speeding is a Class C misdemeanor by default.
Expecting speeding point removal to cover reckless driving. TCA 55-8-207 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

What speed is reckless driving in Tennessee?

Tennessee law sets no speed for reckless driving. TCA 55-10-205 uses a “willful or wanton disregard” standard instead. The only speed rule is the school-zone rule in TCA 55-8-152(d).

Is going over 15 mph in a school zone reckless driving?

It can be. Where no local school-zone limit is set, over 15 mph past a school during recess with flashers on, or during set periods before or after school while children are going to or leaving school, is “prima facie” reckless driving.

What is the highest speed limit in Tennessee?

The general limit is 65 mph. On controlled-access state highways with 4 or more lanes, it is 70 mph (TCA 55-8-152).

Does the 70 mph limit apply on every highway?

No. TCA 55-8-152(c) sets 70 mph only on controlled-access state highways with 4 or more lanes. The general limit under subsection (a) is 65 mph.

How many points is a very high speeding ticket?

In a car, 36-45 mph over is 6 points and 46 mph or more over is 8 points. Those values come from the TDOSHS Schedule of Points Values.

Is reckless driving more points than speeding?

Not always. Reckless driving is 6 points in a car. A speeding conviction at 46 mph or more over is 8 points.

Can a course remove reckless driving points?

No. TCA 55-8-207 removes points only for one speeding conviction, up to 5, once in a four-year period. A court may still order a course in a reckless driving case.

Conclusion

Tennessee law has no reckless driving speed number, and the school-zone rule is the only speed tied to the charge. A high speed raises speeding points, while reckless driving is a separate Class B misdemeanor with 6 points.

If you have a speeding conviction, or a court has ordered a course, check the TDOSHS 4-hour list or confirm the court will accept an online course. Then 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.