Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte
A Tennessee state approved driving school, for a defensive driving course, is a provider whose course is approved by the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (TDOSHS). The law asks for a course “approved by the department of safety,” and TDOSHS shows approved courses on two separate lists. Which list you check depends on why you need the course.
Key Facts
- Who approves: TDOSHS, the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. See what approved means.
- Two lists: a 4-hour Driver Education Course list and an 8-hour Driver Improvement list. See the two lists.
- Court clerk list: the clerk must give a list of approved entities in the county to anyone ordered to attend. See the clerk’s list.
- TDOSHS does not teach: the department “DOES NOT offer a Driver Education Course.” See approval vs. teaching.
- Match the list to your need: court order or speeding points uses the 4-hour list, and a Driver Improvement letter uses the 8-hour list. See how to check.
What a Tennessee State Approved Driving School Means
In Tennessee law, “approved” means approved by TDOSHS. Two laws use that word for courses:
- Court-ordered courses. TCA 55-10-301(b)(1) lets a court require a course “approved by the department of safety.”
- Speeding point removal. TCA 55-8-207 removes points only after a “department-approved” course.
So the approval comes from the department, not from a court or the provider itself. A court still decides whether it will accept a given course for your case.
Tennessee law says “approved by the department of safety,” so this guide says “approved by TDOSHS.”
The Two TDOSHS Lists
TDOSHS shows the two kinds of course on different pages, and each serves different drivers.
The 4-Hour Driver Education Course List
This list is on the TDOSHS Remove Speeding Points page. It covers the Driver Education Course, which gives at least 4 hours of classroom or online training. Drivers use it for two reasons:
- A court ordered a driver education course.
- A driver wants the points for one speeding conviction removed under TCA 55-8-207.
The table on that page marks each provider as On-line, Live-stream or In-person.
The 8-Hour Driver Improvement List
This list is on the TDOSHS Defensive Driving Schools page. Its heading reads “8-Hour TDOSHS-Approved Defensive Driving Courses for Driver Improvement Referrals.”
Drivers use this list after TDOSHS refers them to the Driver Improvement Program. That referral follows a notice of proposed suspension at 12 or more points in 12 months for adults, or 6 or more under 18. The same page says “Live-stream classes are now approved for the 8-hour defensive driving course.”
How to Check the Right List
Start with your paperwork, then pick the list. These steps keep you on the right page:
- Find the reason you need a course. Look at your court order, your speeding conviction or your TDOSHS letter.
- Match the reason to a list. A court order or a speeding conviction leads to the 4-hour list. A Driver Improvement hearing or letter leads to the 8-hour list.
- Find the provider on that list. Use the provider’s name as the list shows it.
- Check the format label. The 4-hour list shows On-line, Live-stream or In-person.
- Ask the court if a court ordered it. Confirm the court will accept the course, including an online one.
A court order can also name the 8-hour length. TDOSHS says courts may order “a 4-hour or 8-hour Driver Education Course.” In that case, read the order and ask the court clerk which courses it accepts.
The Court Clerk’s List
A court order brings a third list. Under TCA 55-10-301(b)(4), each court clerk “shall provide a list of approved entities in the county” to anyone ordered to attend a course.
Use the clerk’s list together with the TDOSHS list. Ask the clerk whether the court will accept the course. TDOSHS also says, “prior to registering for an online course, please confirm that the course will be accepted by the court.”
You can find your clerk on the Tennessee Courts Clerks List. It sorts clerks by county and court type.
Approval vs. Teaching
TDOSHS approves courses, but it does not run them. The Court Ordered Traffic Schools page says the department “DOES NOT offer a Driver Education Course.”
The same page tells drivers to “see the list of all approved courses below and contact them directly.” So you sign up with a provider, not with TDOSHS. For questions about a Financial Responsibility Division notice or certificate, TDOSHS lists (866) 903-7357.
How 8-Hour Providers Get Approved
Rule 1340-01-04-.05 sets the rules for 8-hour defensive driving course providers. Under it, a provider must:
- Submit an application supplied by the department to its Driver Improvement Unit.
- “Provide an eight (8) hour defensive driving class.”
- Issue a certificate of completion on a form supplied by the department.
- Keep at least one instructor per 50 students, with no more than 50 students in a class.
After the class, TDOSHS says to “Email certificates to [email protected].” The rule does not cover online or live-stream delivery. The TDOSHS page is where the live-stream approval appears.
How 4-Hour Providers Get Approved
The TDOSHS provider page covers the 4-hour Driver Education Course. It says these courses “must provide a minimum of four (4) hours of classroom or on-line driver safety training” to count. It also says the information “pertains only to courses allowed under TCA 55-10-301.”
The law adds a few duties:
- A private provider must hold at least two courses per calendar year, “whether in person or online” (TCA 55-10-301(b)(1)).
- For speeding point removal, providers must send certificates to TDOSHS within 30 days of completion.
- Providers must also tell students how TDOSHS removes the points.
Why Approval Matters for Speeding Points
Speeding point removal works only with an approved course. The law, TCA 55-8-207, uses the words “department-approved” for it. Finish such a course within 90 days of a speeding conviction, and the points for that conviction come off.
The rule has set limits:
- Up to 5 points can be removed.
- One speeding offense counts per course, once in a four-year period.
- Speeding only. No other violation qualifies.
- The conviction stays. TDOSHS says, “Only the points will be removed, the conviction will remain.”
Since July 1, 2026, Public Chapter 993 also lets a person who pays a speeding ticket instead of appearing register for a department-approved course. Those courses must be available online through the TDOSHS website.
Why Approval Matters for the 8-Hour Class
A Driver Improvement referral needs a school from the 8-hour list. Per the TDOSHS points accumulation page, “In most cases” a driver at the hearing may take this class “in lieu of suspension or a reduction of suspension time.”
That class must be finished within 90 days of the letter or hearing. TDOSHS says it “can only be completed once every five (5) years to receive credit.” Match the list to the letter you received.
Which List for Which Reason
| Your reason | List to check | Page that holds it |
|---|---|---|
| Court order for a driver education course | 4-hour list, plus the clerk’s county list | Remove Speeding Points |
| Removing points for one speeding conviction | 4-hour Driver Education Course list | Remove Speeding Points |
| Driver Improvement hearing or letter | 8-hour defensive driving list | Defensive Driving Schools |
| Financial Responsibility Division letter that requires a course | 4-hour Driver Education list | Court Ordered Traffic Schools |
Questions to Ask Before You Sign Up
Each question below ties to an official rule:
- Is the course on the TDOSHS list for my reason? The 4-hour and 8-hour lists are separate.
- Which format does the list show? The 4-hour list marks On-line, Live-stream or In-person.
- Will my court accept it? For a court-ordered course, ask the court before you register online.
- Who sends the certificate? For point removal, the provider sends it to TDOSHS within 30 days. For a court order, you send it to the referring court.
- What is the full price? For a court-required course, the law allows a fee between $50 and $175, and no one shall be refused admittance for inability to pay.
What Approval Does Not Tell You
An approved course still has limits. Approval alone does not settle these points:
- Court acceptance. A court-ordered course still needs the court’s OK for online delivery.
- Ticket outcome. No Tennessee law says a course dismisses a ticket.
- Point removal limits. TCA 55-8-207 removes up to 5 points from one speeding conviction, once in a four-year period. The course must be done within 90 days of the conviction, and the conviction stays.
- The 8-hour result. The 8-hour class does not remove points, and 12 months of probation follow.
- Commercial licenses. The court course option does not apply to Class A, B or C license holders (TCA 55-10-301(c)).
What We Found on the Official Pages
On the TDOSHS pages we checked on October 27, 2026, the 4-hour table on the Remove Speeding Points page listed 75 providers. The 8-hour page listed 25 schools. Lists change, so check the live page before you sign up.
The 8-hour page did not mention the 4-hour course or court orders. The Court Ordered Traffic Schools page pointed drivers with either a court order or a TDOSHS letter to its list of approved courses.
Common Mistakes
Each item below comes from a TDOSHS page or Tennessee law:
- Checking the wrong list. A Driver Improvement referral needs the 8-hour list, not the 4-hour one.
- Treating a court as the approver. TDOSHS approves courses, and the court decides what it accepts.
- Trying to sign up with TDOSHS. The department does not offer the course.
- Skipping the clerk’s list. The clerk must give a county list to anyone ordered to attend.
- Assuming an approved online course fits every court. Confirm with the court before you register.
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 does TDOSHS-approved mean?
It means the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security approved the course. Tennessee law asks for a course approved by the department for court orders and for speeding point removal.
Where is the list of approved 4-hour courses?
It is on the TDOSHS Remove Speeding Points page. The table marks each provider as On-line, Live-stream or In-person.
Where is the list of 8-hour schools?
It is on the TDOSHS Defensive Driving Schools page. The heading reads “8-Hour TDOSHS-Approved Defensive Driving Courses for Driver Improvement Referrals” on that page. Use it if TDOSHS referred you after a notice of proposed suspension.
Can I use a 4-hour course for a TDOSHS letter?
It depends on the letter. A Driver Improvement referral points to the 8-hour list, while a Financial Responsibility Division letter that requires a course uses the 4-hour Driver Education list. Read your letter, and ask TDOSHS if it is unclear.
Does TDOSHS teach the course?
No. TDOSHS says it “DOES NOT offer a Driver Education Course.” You contact an approved provider directly.
Does the court clerk have a list too?
Yes. Under TCA 55-10-301(b)(4), the clerk must give a list of approved entities in the county to anyone ordered to attend a course. Ask the clerk for it.
Is an approved course accepted by every court?
Approval comes from TDOSHS, but the court that ordered your course decides what it accepts. TDOSHS asks you to confirm the court will accept an online course before you register.
Conclusion
An approved course in Tennessee is one approved by TDOSHS, and the right list depends on why you need it. If a court ordered a 4-hour course, ask the court whether it accepts online courses before you register.
For speeding point removal, look for the course on the TDOSHS 4-hour list first. You can then take the Tennessee Driver Education Course online.
Related Articles
- Defensive Driving Course TN: The Complete Tennessee Guide
- How to Take the Tennessee Defensive Driving Course Online
- Tennessee 4-Hour vs. 8-Hour Defensive Driving Course: Which One Do You Need?
- Tennessee Defensive Driving Course Certificate: What It Is and What to Do With It
Sources
- TDOSHS — Traffic School: How to Remove Points (4-Hour)
- TDOSHS — Defensive Driving Schools (8-Hour Driver Improvement)
- TDOSHS — Court Ordered Traffic Schools
- TDOSHS — Driver Improvement – Traffic School
- TDOSHS — Becoming a Court Ordered Driver Education Course Provider and/or Instructor
- TDOSHS — Driver Improvement (Points Accumulation)
- TDOSHS — Driver Improvement
- Tennessee Rule Chapter 1340-01-04 — Tennessee Driver Improvement Program (PDF)
- Tennessee Courts — Clerks List
- Tennessee Public Chapter No. 993 (2026) — Driver courses for speeding (PDF)
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.