Reviewed and updated October 21, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every fact on this page was read that day from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security's own pages and location data and, for titles and registration, the Department of Revenue's, and the official page each fact came from is linked where it appears.
Tennessee driver and vehicle services in one place: who does what, license and permit fees, registration and plates at the county clerk, the 186 driver services locations with their hours and holidays, and all 53 guides.
In this guide: Who does what in Tennessee, Driver licenses, permits and ID cards, Vehicle registration, titles and plates, Offices, hours and holidays, Every Tennessee DMV guide on SearchSystems, Questions people ask about the Tennessee DMV
Who does what in Tennessee
Tennessee splits driver and vehicle work between two departments. The Department of Safety and Homeland Security's Driver Services division issues licenses, permits and ID cards and gives the tests at its own driver services centers, with express centers, county clerk partners and kiosks for the simpler transactions. The Department of Revenue titles and registers vehicles through the county clerks, one per county, and runs the plate programs.
Start with the driver services location list for a license, an ID or a test, the county clerk guide for a title or a plate, and the online services guide for the renewals and duplicates that need neither.
Driver licenses, permits and ID cards
The department's fee page, read October 21, 2026, lists a regular Class D license at $28 for eight years, a $26 license charge and a $2 application charge, an ID card at $12 for eight years, a learner permit at $5.50 at 18 or older and $10.50 under 18, an intermediate license at $24.50, and a first duplicate at $8 with $12 for the next. A motorcycle only license is $29, the combined credential $55, a Class A CDL $70 and a Class B or C $62.
A REAL ID is the standard card once the documents on the department's REAL ID page are shown, in person at a full service center for a first Tennessee credential. The driver license guide, the REAL ID guide and the fee guide take those apart.
Vehicle registration, titles and plates
The Department of Revenue's registration fee guidance, read October 21, 2026, lists $26.50 for a passenger vehicle and $19.50 for a motorcycle, before county fees, and its electric and hybrid fee guidance adds $200 to an all-electric renewal in 2026, $274 from January 1, 2027, and $100 to a hybrid or plug-in hybrid through 2027.
All of it is paid at the county clerk, never at a driver services center. The registration guide, the title guide, the plate guide and the special plate guide set out the paperwork.
Offices, hours and holidays
The department's location data, read October 21, 2026, carries 186 locations: full service and express driver services centers, county clerk partners and self-service kiosks, 185 with a published week, 36 open on Saturday and 185 with their own telephone number; Driver Services answers on (866) 903-7357.
Appointments are made through the department's online ticketing system, and the 2026 state holidays close every center. Every location is on the Tennessee driver services location list.
Every Tennessee DMV guide on SearchSystems
Each guide below is written from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security's and Department of Revenue's own pages and names the date its facts were read. There are 53 of them.
Licenses and IDs 12 guides
- Getting and Managing a Tennessee Driver's LicenseA Tennessee license application depends on your driving experience, age, citizenship or immigration documents, and the kind of identification you need.
- Apply for a Tennessee Driver's LicensePrepare a Tennessee application by matching your licensing history to the correct process, then organizing identity, residence, examination, and payment requirements.
- Renew a Tennessee Driver's LicenseCheck your expiration, photograph cycle, credential category, and document requirements before choosing a Tennessee renewal method.
- Replace a Lost or Damaged Tennessee Driver's LicenseTennessee replacement choices depend on your credential category, access to the card's DD number, and how close the license is to expiration.
- Get a Tennessee Identification-Only LicenseTennessee provides identification-only credentials for people who need official identification without authority to drive, including children and qualifying people with disabilities.
- Apply for a Tennessee REAL IDTennessee REAL ID is an optional feature on a qualifying driver license or identification credential, with an in-person document review for the first issuance.
- Tennessee Mobile ID and Digital Driver ServicesTennessee says it does not currently offer a mobile driver's license, although several official apps and online services can help with licensing tasks.
- Update Your Name or Address with Tennessee Driver ServicesTennessee offers several ways to update an address, while a legal name change requires a center visit with the documents establishing the change.
- Prove Identity, Lawful Presence, and Tennessee ResidenceTennessee reviews federal identity or immigration evidence separately from proof that you live in the state, and its regular-credential rules changed in 2026.
- Understand Tennessee Temporary Driver LicensesTennessee temporary driving and identification credentials use a distinct state category with validity tied to qualifying federal evidence, including permanent resident cards under the 2026 law.
- Tennessee Driver and Vehicle Services for Military Members and VeteransTennessee offers different procedures for active-duty license protection, veteran identification, commercial skills waivers, and military vehicle credentials.
- Applying for a Tennessee Motorcycle License or Motorcycle PermitTennessee licenses motorcycle operation through Class M privileges, with different paths for full motorcycle licensing, limited cycles, and the permit available to 15-year-olds.
Teens, seniors and testing 6 guides
- Get a Tennessee Learner's PermitA Tennessee learner permit allows practice with the required licensed supervisor while you complete the experience and examination steps for a driver's license.
- Tennessee Graduated Licensing for Teen DriversTennessee's graduated licensing stages add driving privileges as teenagers meet age, experience, testing, and driving-record requirements.
- Prepare for Tennessee Driver Knowledge and Road TestsTennessee tests assess driving knowledge, vision, and practical vehicle control, with a separate online knowledge option for eligible teenagers.
- Choose a Tennessee Driving School or Required CourseTennessee distinguishes paid beginner driving instruction from traffic-school and driver-improvement courses required for particular record or court situations.
- Tennessee Licensing and Mobility Options for Senior DriversOlder Tennessee drivers can manage renewal, address a change in driving ability, and arrange transportation support through several distinct state processes.
- Tennessee Medical Reviews, Vision Standards, and Driving ApprovalTennessee reviews how a medical condition affects driving, using reports, examinations, and restrictions when appropriate to determine the person's licensing status.
Vehicles, titles and plates 12 guides
- Tennessee Vehicle Title GuideThe Tennessee title identifies the vehicle owner and any recorded lien.
- Register a Vehicle in TennesseeRegistering a Tennessee vehicle starts with the reason for the transaction: a move, a purchase, a lease, or a return to road use.
- Tennessee License Plate GuideA Tennessee plate is tied to a particular registration, owner, and vehicle class.
- Tennessee License Plate ProgramsTennessee plate programs include ordinary passenger designs, restricted credentials, personalized configurations, and specialty plates that distribute funds.
- How to Sell a Vehicle in TennesseeA Tennessee vehicle sale should leave the buyer with usable ownership documents and the seller with a clear record of the transfer.
- Tennessee inherited vehicles, surviving spouses, and estate title documentsTennessee vehicle inheritance paperwork depends on who receives the vehicle, whether an estate representative has authority, and whether the surviving-spouse procedure applies.
- Tennessee Bonded Titles, Ownership Certification, and Registration OptionsChoose the Tennessee ownership process that fits the vehicle before buying a bond or asking for plates.
- Tennessee Garagekeeper Liens, Vehicle Auctions, and Lien-Sale TitlesIdentify the legal sale process and build the required notice record before disposing of a Tennessee vehicle for unpaid charges.
- Tennessee Salvage Certificates, Rebuilt Titles, and Nonrepairable VehiclesDetermine whether a damaged Tennessee vehicle can return to the road before investing in repairs or a salvage purchase.
- Tennessee Titles and Registration for Imported VehiclesResolve federal entry eligibility and Tennessee ownership requirements before shipping a vehicle from another country.
- Tennessee Titles for Kit Cars, Homemade Vehicles, and ReplicasPlan the Tennessee classification, component records, and identification review before assembling a road vehicle.
- Tennessee Motorcycle Titles, Registration, and License PlatesPrepare the motorcycle ownership and insurance records your Tennessee county clerk needs before issuing or renewing a plate.
Registration, fees and inspections 7 guides
- Renew a Tennessee Vehicle RegistrationA Tennessee renewal extends an existing vehicle registration when its record is eligible.
- Tennessee Plate, Decal and Registration ReplacementA missing Tennessee plate, lost expiration decal, damaged registration card, and absent title are different problems.
- Tennessee Driver Services and Vehicle Fee GuideTennessee charges different amounts for licenses, permits, records, titles, and registration.
- Tennessee DMV Payment and Refund ProceduresA Tennessee driver-service payment, county vehicle payment, and court payment can resolve different obligations.
- Tennessee Vehicle Insurance RequirementsTennessee verifies liability coverage against vehicle records throughout the year.
- Tennessee disability parking applications, renewals, and veteran placardsTennessee county clerks issue disability parking credentials, with different application, fee, renewal, and vehicle requirements for placards, plates, and decals.
- Tennessee Vehicle Storage and Nonuse GuideTaking a Tennessee vehicle off the road raises separate ownership, registration, and insurance questions.
Suspensions, DUI and records 6 guides
- Tennessee License Consequences After DUI or Test RefusalA Tennessee DUI case can produce a court judgment, a refusal-related license action, and continuing ignition-interlock requirements.
- Choosing the Correct Tennessee DUI or Interlock Review ProcedureTennessee has several ways to contest a license-related decision after a DUI arrest, but they do not share one application or deadline.
- Restoring a Suspended or Revoked Tennessee Driver LicenseTennessee reinstatement depends on the reasons recorded against your driving privilege.
- Tennessee Points and Driver Improvement ProceduresTennessee evaluates accumulated points through its Driver Improvement program.
- Ordering and Checking a Tennessee Driving RecordA Tennessee Motor Vehicle Record can help document a license history, investigate an unexpected entry, or satisfy another agency.
- Tennessee owner/operator filings, police crash reports, and records requestsTennessee requires certain owners and drivers to file a personal report after a crash, while copies of the police investigation and insurance-related records use separate services.
Commercial, trucks and special vehicles 7 guides
- Getting and Keeping a Tennessee Commercial Driver's LicenseTennessee commercial licensing combines vehicle classification, documented eligibility, training, testing, and continuing qualification through the Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
- Tennessee Commercial License Endorsements for Passengers, Cargo, and School BusesThe letters on a Tennessee CDL must authorize both the vehicle and its use, with added training and documentation for certain passenger and hazardous materials assignments.
- Managing Tennessee Commercial Driver Medical CertificationTennessee CDL medical compliance requires an accurate operating-category declaration, an appropriate medical examination, and a qualification record that reaches Driver Services correctly.
- Tennessee Trucking Credentials, Carrier Accounts, and Road RequirementsA Tennessee truck trip can require driver qualifications, carrier registration, fuel-tax credentials, and route permission that come from different state and federal offices.
- Tennessee Commercial Vehicle and Trailer Titles and RegistrationMatch Tennessee title, plate, carrier, and tax requirements to the vehicle's weight, ownership, and actual operation.
- Tennessee Boats and VesselsA Tennessee boat transaction involves TWRA registration, county-clerk tax certification, and the operator's boating qualification.
- Tennessee Off-Highway VehiclesTennessee separates an off-highway vehicle's ownership record, eligibility for limited road operation, and permission to enter a riding area.
Offices, online services and new residents 3 guides
- Find the Right Tennessee Driver Services CenterTennessee uses full-service centers, express locations, partner offices, kiosks, and mobile units, so the service you need should determine where you go.
- Using a Tennessee County Clerk for Vehicle ServicesTennessee county clerks handle the local paperwork for vehicle titles, plates, and registrations.
- Transfer Your License and Vehicle After Moving to TennesseeA move to Tennessee starts separate driver-license and vehicle-registration transactions, with different offices reviewing the documents for each.
Public records beside the Tennessee DMV
The Tennessee DMV holds licenses and titles, not court cases, arrests or deeds; those are public records kept by other offices, and SearchSystems covers them for the whole state: Tennessee court records, Tennessee arrest records, deeds and property in Tennessee, Tennessee people searches, running a background check in Tennessee and Tennessee records requests, all from the Tennessee public records index.
Court cases, jail bookings and deeds are kept county by county. The largest in Tennessee: Shelby, Davidson, Knox, Hamilton, Rutherford, Williamson, Montgomery and Sumner.
Questions people ask about the Tennessee DMV
Who runs the DMV in Tennessee?
Two departments: Safety and Homeland Security's Driver Services for licenses, permits, ID cards and tests at its driver services centers, and Revenue through the county clerks for titles, registration and plates.
How much is a Tennessee driver license in 2026?
The fee page lists $28 for a regular eight year Class D license, a $26 license charge plus a $2 application charge, and $12 for an eight year ID card.
What is the registration fee in Tennessee?
$26.50 for a passenger vehicle and $19.50 for a motorcycle before county fees, with $200 added to an all-electric renewal in 2026 and $100 to a hybrid.
Do I need an appointment at a Tennessee driver services center?
The department takes appointments through its online ticketing system and says to arrive 15 minutes early; a late arrival is treated as a walk-in. Clerk partners and kiosks are walk-ins.
Where do I get a title in Tennessee?
At the county clerk for the county where you live, under the Department of Revenue; a driver services center does no title or registration work.
When are Tennessee driver services centers closed?
On the 2026 state holidays Tennessee lists, from New Year's Day and January 2 to December 31, Christmas Eve and the Friday after Thanksgiving included.