Reckless Driving vs Speeding Ticket Tennessee: Differences

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

If you are comparing reckless driving vs speeding ticket tennessee rules, the biggest difference is the offense class: speeding is a Class C misdemeanor by default, while reckless driving is a Class B misdemeanor with an extra $50 fine the court must add. Speeding carries 1 to 8 points depending on the mph over, and reckless driving carries 6 points in a car. Only a speeding conviction can use the course rule that removes up to 5 points.

Key Facts

Offense class: speeding is Class C by default, and reckless driving is Class B. Both are crimes. See the comparison table.
Maximum penalties: up to 30 days and $50 for Class C, and up to 6 months and $500 plus a $50 fine for reckless driving. See penalties.
Points: 1 to 8 for speeding by mph over, and 6 for reckless driving. See points compared.
15 over: the law has no mph number for reckless driving except the school-zone rule. See is 15 over reckless.
Point removal and CDL rules: the course rule covers speeding only, and both can be serious CDL violations. See point removal and CDL rules.

Reckless Driving vs Speeding Ticket Tennessee Side-by-Side

The two charges come from different laws and lead to different results. This table puts the main rules next to each other:

Rule	Speeding ticket	Reckless driving
Main law	TCA 55-8-152 (speed limits)	TCA 55-10-205
What it covers	Driving over the speed limit or speed zone	Driving “in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property”
Offense class	Class C misdemeanor by default (TCA 55-10-301(a))	Class B misdemeanor (TCA 55-10-205(d))
Maximum jail	Up to 30 days	Up to 6 months
Maximum fine	Up to $50	Up to $500, plus a $50 fine the court must add
Points in a car	1 to 8, by mph over	6
Speeding point removal (TCA 55-8-207)	Up to 5 points with a course finished within 90 days of the conviction, once in four years; the conviction stays	Not covered
Pay and register for a course (since July 1, 2026)	Yes, for speeding	Not covered
CDL serious violation (49 CFR 383.51)	Only at 15 mph or more over	Yes
Court costs	Set by each court	Set by each court

Two zones change the speeding class or fine under TCA 55-8-152. With workers present, work zone speeding becomes a Class B misdemeanor with a $250 to $500 fine. In a special municipal residential zone, the fine is $200 and the class stays C.

Offense Class and Maximum Penalties

Both charges are criminal offenses with a set class. Neither one is a minor non-criminal matter under Tennessee law.

TCA 55-10-301(a) says a traffic violation with no other penalty set is a Class C misdemeanor. That covers a standard speeding ticket. TCA 55-10-205(d)(1) makes reckless driving a Class B misdemeanor.

TCA 40-35-111 sets the maximums for each class:

Class C: up to 30 days in jail, up to a $50 fine, or both.
Class B: up to 6 months in jail, up to a $500 fine, or both.

Reckless driving adds one more item. TCA 55-10-205(d)(2) says “the court shall assess a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00)” in addition to the Class B penalty. The statute has no first-offense or injury tier.

These are limits, not set amounts. Court costs are added by each court. Our reckless driving penalties guide covers what a court can order in more depth.

Points: 1 to 8 vs a Flat 6

Points come from the TDOSHS Schedule of Points Values. Speeding points rise with the mph over the speed zone:

1-5 mph over: 1 point.
6-15 mph over: 3 points.
16-25 mph over: 4 points.
26-35 mph over: 5 points.
36-45 mph over: 6 points.
46 mph or more over: 8 points.
Speed not shown on the ticket: 3 points.

Reckless driving is a flat 6 points in a car, whatever the speed. In a commercial vehicle it is 7.

The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS) acts on the total. Its Points Accumulation page says adults with 12 or more points in any 12 months get a notice of proposed suspension and a chance at a hearing. Adults with 6 to 11 points in a year get an advisory letter.

Point totals for common reckless driving and speeding combinations compared with the adult 12-point level

How Fast Each Charge Reaches 12 Points

The adult 12-point level is reached faster with reckless driving than with a 6-15 mph speeding ticket. Simple math shows it:

Two reckless driving convictions: 6 + 6 = 12 points.
Four speeding tickets at 6-15 mph over: 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 12 points.
One reckless driving and one 6-15 mph speeding ticket: 6 + 3 = 9 points.

The notice at 12 points is not an automatic suspension. It gives the driver a chance at an administrative hearing. Drivers under 18 reach the program at 6 points, so one reckless driving conviction is enough.

Is 15 Over Reckless Driving in TN?

Not by any number in the reckless driving law. TCA 55-10-205 has no mph threshold at all.

The only speed rule tied to reckless driving is in TCA 55-8-152(d). It covers places with no local school-zone limit. There, a driver going over 15 mph while passing a school is “prima facie” guilty of reckless driving during recess with flashers on, or at set periods while children are going to or leaving school.

On other roads, 15 mph over is speeding. It falls in the 6-15 mph band, which is 3 points in a car. Whether any driving was reckless depends on the facts the court finds under the “willful or wanton disregard” standard.

The number 15 also shows up in a federal CDL rule, covered below. That rule lists speeding at 15 mph or more over as a serious violation for commercial drivers.

It does not define reckless driving. Our guide to reckless driving and speed covers the school-zone rule in detail.

Speeding Point Removal Applies Only to Speeding

This is one of the biggest practical gaps between the two charges. TCA 55-8-207 lets a driver remove the points for one speeding conviction by finishing a department-approved course within 90 days of the conviction.

The rule has firm limits:

Up to 5 points come off for that one speeding conviction.
Once in a four-year period, and one speeding offense per course.
The conviction stays. The TDOSHS Remove Speeding Points page says, “Only the points will be removed, the conviction will remain.”
Speeding only. It does not apply to reckless driving or any other violation.

Since July 1, 2026, Public Chapter 993 opened a second route for speeding. Drivers who pay a speeding fine and costs in lieu of appearing may also sign up for a department-approved course. Those courses must be offered online through the TDOSHS website.

A court may order a course for either charge. TCA 55-10-301(b)(1) allows one “in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed” by the court.

No Tennessee law says a course dismisses a ticket. Our guide on courses and points explains the removal rule step by step.

CDL Rules: Both Can Be Serious Violations

Commercial drivers face federal rules on top of state ones. 49 CFR 383.51 lists both speeding 15 mph or more over and reckless driving as serious traffic violations.

The disqualification periods are the same for both:

Second serious violation in 3 years: 60-day disqualification.
Third serious violation: 120 days.
Personal vehicle: a conviction counts only if it leads to a license suspension, revocation or cancellation.

Under 49 CFR 384.226, a state “must not mask” a CDL holder’s conviction from the federal driver record. Tennessee’s court course option also does not apply to Class A, B or C license holders or anyone driving a commercial motor vehicle (TCA 55-10-301(c)-(d)).

Four steps that show how a speeding or reckless driving conviction counts against a commercial driver

Paying Either Ticket Counts as a Conviction

With the court’s approval, a person may pay the fine and costs to the court clerk instead of appearing (TCA 55-10-207(f)). That works the same way for both charges.

Under TCA 55-50-102(16), “the payment of a fine or court cost” counts as a conviction. TDOSHS then adds the points for that charge. Our guide to ticket options explains paying, going to court and asking about a course.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the official pages we checked on October 27, 2026, the two charges were listed separately everywhere. The TDOSHS Schedule, last updated August 12, 2025, gives speeding six mph bands plus a “speed not indicated” line. Reckless driving has a single 6-point line for cars.

TDOSHS last updated its Remove Speeding Points page on October 14, 2026, and its course rule names only speeding convictions. The federal serious-violation table lists speeding only at 15 mph or more over, but lists reckless driving with no speed.

Common Mistakes When Comparing the Two

Each point below is checked against a statute or official page:

Calling speeding non-criminal. It is a Class C misdemeanor by default.
Using an mph line for reckless driving. The only speed rule is the school-zone rule.
Forgetting the $50 reckless driving fine. The court must add it.
Using 7 points for a car. Reckless driving is 6 in a car and 7 in a commercial vehicle.
Expecting a course to remove reckless driving points. TCA 55-8-207 covers speeding only.
Assuming paying avoids a conviction. Payment counts as a conviction.

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

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 reckless driving worse than a speeding ticket in Tennessee?

By class, yes. Reckless driving is a Class B misdemeanor with up to 6 months and a $500 fine, plus a $50 fine the court must add. A standard speeding ticket is a Class C misdemeanor with up to 30 days and a $50 fine.

Is 15 over reckless driving in Tennessee?

Not by itself. The reckless driving law has no mph number. The one exception is the school-zone rule in TCA 55-8-152(d), which applies only where no local school-zone limit is set.

Which carries more points, reckless driving or speeding?

Reckless driving is 6 points in a car. Speeding is 1 to 8 points by mph over, so 36-45 mph over ties it and 46 or more over is higher.

Can I remove reckless driving points with a course?

No. TCA 55-8-207 removes up to 5 points only for one speeding conviction, once in a four-year period. The conviction stays.

Do both charges affect a CDL?

Yes. Under 49 CFR 383.51, reckless driving and speeding 15 mph or more over are serious violations. Two in 3 years bring a 60-day disqualification.

Is speeding a criminal offense in Tennessee?

Yes. A traffic violation with no other penalty set is a Class C misdemeanor under TCA 55-10-301(a). That includes a standard speeding ticket.

Conclusion

Speeding and reckless driving differ in class, maximum penalties, points and course options. Reckless driving is a Class B misdemeanor with a flat 6 points, while speeding is Class C by default with 1 to 8 points.

A course helps only on the speeding side or when a court orders one. Check the TDOSHS 4-hour list for speeding point removal, or ask the court whether it accepts an online course, before you 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.