Motor Vehicles

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Motor Vehicles

The Uniform Classified and Commercial Driver License Act of 1988 requires the department of safety to examine every applicant for a driver license, intermediate driver license, learner permit, temporary driver license, temporary learner permit, and tempo rary intermediate driver license.

What This Bill Does

• The Uniform Classified and Commercial Driver License Act of 1988 requires the department of safety to examine every applicant for a driver license, intermediate driver license, learner permit, temporary driver license, temporary learner permit, and tempo rary intermediate driver license.
• Such examination may include a written examination.
• WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS If an applicant for a driver license or intermediate driver license is unable to speak and read in English, then this bill authorizes the written examination required for licensure to be administered in a language other than English.
• However, if the exa mination is provided in a language other than English, then any issued license must be restricted, non-renewable, and valid only for one year.

Limits and Unknowns

• This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Official Summary Text

The Uniform Classified and Commercial Driver License Act of 1988 requires the department of safety to examine every applicant for a driver license, intermediate driver license, learner permit, temporary driver license, temporary learner permit, and tempo
rary intermediate driver license. Such examination may include a written examination.

WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS

If an applicant for a driver license or intermediate driver license is unable to speak and read in English, then this bill authorizes the written examination required for licensure to be administered in a language other than English. However, if the exa
mination is provided in a language other than English, then any issued license must be restricted, non-renewable, and valid only for one year. Additionally, such restricted license is only valid for the limited purpose of driving to and from work, medica
l
appointments, or an educational institution.

Once such restricted license has expired, this bill requires the applicant to retake and pass the written examination in English without using a translation dictionary, electronic device, or interpreter to complete the re-examination.

This bill clarifies that the provisions above do not apply to an applicant who is unable to speak the English language sufficiently due to a hearing impairment, but is otherwise capable of reading and writing in the English language.

REQUIREMENTS FOR MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION

Present law requires any motor vehicle operating on the streets or highways of this state to be registered. This bill prohibits the commissioner of revenue or a county clerk from processing an initial issuance or renewal registration of a motor vehicle
until the application provides documentation that the applicant is (i) a citizen of the United States, (ii) a lawful permanent resident of the United States, or (iii) a person whose temporary presence has been authorized by the federal government. A Tenn
es
see driver license, Tennessee temporary driver license, Tennessee photo identification license, or Tennessee temporary photo identification license satisfies this documentation requirement. Providing electronic images of such licenses on a cellphone or o
ther portable device is acceptable.

This bill also requires every registration or renewal of registration to be accompanied with a notice, as described in the bill, that the owner or operator is required to be a United States citizen, lawful permanent resident, or temporary lawful resident.

ON APRIL 20, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENTS #1 AND 4, AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1708, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes:



Clarifies that the department of safety ("department") is only required to administer a written examination in a language other than English that was offered by the department on January 1, 2026.


Provide that a restricted license issued to a driver that takes a written examination other than English is valid for 18 months, rather than for one year.


Requires that an applicant who is issued a restricted license pursuant to this bill is generally authorized to operate a motor vehicle only from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm. However, such an applicant may operate a motor vehicle outside of those times if traveling to and from (i) an educational institution, if the driver or the driver's child is enrolled in an educational institution and the driver has documentation of the driver or the driver's child's enrollment on institutional letterhead; (ii) the driver's regular place of employment, if the driver has documentation of employment and the hours of employment on the employer's letterhead; (iii) a place for religious worship; (iv) a child care provider or child care agency, if the driver has documentation on the provider or agency's letterhead that the driver's child is enrolled; or (v) medical treatment of the applicant or an immediate family member.


Clarifies that the restricted license provisions do not apply to an applicant for a commercial driver license.


Provides that a person under 18 who is issued a restricted intermediate driver license is also subject to the requirements and restrictions of such intermediate driver license.


Adds a REAL-ID compliant license to the list of acceptable documentation for satisfactory proof of lawful status for the purposes of motor vehicle registration.


Requires the department to publish on its website a list of acceptable forms of documentation and identification that may be submitted to provide proof of lawful status for the purposes of motor vehicle registration.


Requires a dealer that is appointed by a person to manage a registration transaction to submit a copy of documentation of lawful status as part of the application.


Requires an applicant applying for an initial issuance, renewal, duplicate, or reinstatement of a driver license, instruction permit, intermediate driver license, or photo identification license to provide documentation that the applicant is a citizen of the United States.


Changes the effective date of the bill from July 1, 2026, to January 1, 2027. For the purposes of establishing or coordinating data sharing between a department and county clerks and for promulgating rules, this amendment takes effect upon becoming a law.

AMENDMENT #4 specifies that the department of safety is authorized to ensure that each driver services center in this state prominently displays a list of local entities or individuals that provide English as a second language (ESL) programs or instructi
on to assist persons who are seeking a driver license or intermediate driver license and are unable to speak and read the English language proficiently.

ON APRIL 22, 2026, THE SENATE SUBSTITUTED HOUSE BILL 1708 FOR SENATE BILL 1889, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1889, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #2 makes the following changes:



Removes provisions requiring a restricted license to be issued to a driver who completed the written examination in a language other than English and eliminates the restrictions prohibiting such a driver from operating a motor vehicle only from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. while traveling to an educational institution, a place of employment, a place for religious worship, a child care provider, or for medical treatment.


Provides that a driver license or intermediate driver license issued to a driver who completed the written examination in a language other than English be valid for 36 months, instead of 18 months.


Removes the provision authorizing the department of safety to ensure that each driver services center prominently display a list of local entities or individuals that provide English as a second language programs or instruction.

ON APRIL 22, 2026, THE HOUSE NON-CONCURRED IN SENATE AMENDMENT #2.

ON APRIL 23, 2026, THE SENATE REFUSED TO RECEDE FROM ITS ADOPTION OF SENATE AMENDMENT #2.

ON APRIL 23, 2026, THE HOUSE REFUSED TO RECEDE IN ITS ACTION IN NON-CONCURRING IN SENATE AMENDMENT #2 AND APPOINTED A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.

ON APRIL 23, 2026, THE SENATE APPOINTED A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.

ON APRIL 23, 2026, THE
HOUSE
ADOPTED THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT AND MADE IT THE ACTION OF THE
HOUSE
.

ON APRIL 23, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT AND MADE IT THE ACTION OF THE SENATE.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1889
By Taylor

HOUSE BILL 1708
By Capley
HB1708
011205
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
Chapter 4; Title 55, Chapter 50 and Title 65,
Chapter 15, relative to motor vehicles.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-50-322, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection (k) and redesignating the existing subsection (k) as
subsection (l):
(k)
(1)
(A) If an applicant for a driver license or intermediate driver
license is unable to speak and read the English language, then the
applicant may be administered the written examination in a language
other than English pursuant to this subdivision (k)(1).
(B) If the department issues a driver license or intermediate driver
license pursuant to subdivision (k)(1)(A), the license must be a restricted
license that is non-renewable, valid for only one (1) year, and granted for
the limited purposes of travelling to and from an educational institution
during the institution's regular hours, if the applicant is enrolled at an
educational institution; to and from and working at the applicant's regular
place of employment; and to and from the applicant's medical
appointments.
(C) Upon expiration of the restricted license issued pursuant to
this subdivision (k)(1), to obtain a driver license or intermediate driver

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license, the applicant shall retake only the written examination and it must
be administered to the applicant in English only. The applicant shall not
use a translation dictionary, an electronic device, or an interpreter to
assist with the administration of the re-examination.
(2) Subdivision (k)(1) does not apply to an applicant who is unable to
speak the English language sufficiently, is capable of reading and writing in the
English language, and presents a written statement from a physician that the
applicant has a hearing impairment that impacts the applicant's ability to speak
the English language sufficiently.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 4, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
55-4-144.
(a) The commissioner of revenue or a county clerk shall not process an
application for initial issuance or renewal of registration of a motor vehicle until the
applicant provides documentation, whether in paper or electronic format, that the
applicant is:
(1) A citizen of the United States;
(2) A lawful permanent resident of the United States; or
(3) A person whose presence in the United States has been authorized
by the federal government for a specific purpose and for a specified period of
authorized stay.
(b) A Tennessee driver license or Tennessee photo identification license
constitutes satisfactory proof of subdivision (a)(1), and a Tennessee temporary driver
license or Tennessee temporary photo identification license constitutes satisfactory proof
of subdivision (a)(2) or (a)(3).

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(c) For purposes of this section, acceptable electronic formats include display of
electronic images on a cell phone or any other type of portable electronic device.
(d) Every registration or renewal of registration must be accompanied by the
following notice:
THE OWNER AND/OR OPERATOR OF THIS VEHICLE IS REQUIRED
TO BE A UNITED STATES CITIZEN, LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT, OR
TEMPORARY LAWFUL RESIDENT PURSUANT TO TENNESSEE CODE
ANNOTATED, § 55-4-144.
SECTION 3. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance
is held invalid, then the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that
can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of
this act are severable.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.