Driver Licenses

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Driver License Changes for For-Hire Endorsements

This bill changes Tennessee's rules to allow younger drivers and those with certain criminal backgrounds to get endorsements for driving Class D vehicles for family businesses or after completing a sentence.

What This Bill Does

• Allows the Department of Safety to issue for-hire endorsements to people who are at least 16 years old, if they don't have any license problems and their vehicle is owned by their family business.
• Permits endorsements for those who would normally need two years of driving experience but instead have completed a sentence in jail and are paying off fines.
• Requires the Department of Safety to update its software system to handle these new rules.

Who It Names or Affects

• Drivers applying for for-hire endorsements
• The Tennessee Department of Safety

Terms To Know

endorsement

An addition to a driver's license that allows them to drive certain types of vehicles or do specific jobs.

Class D vehicle

A type of vehicle classification in Tennessee, usually referring to passenger cars and small trucks.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how many additional costs might be incurred by the Department of Safety if other similar laws are passed.
• It is unclear who will pay for any software updates needed beyond what current contracts cover.

Official Summary Text

Present law requires the department of safety ("department") to indicate the class of vehicles a driver may operate on a driver license. However, the department is prohibited from issuing a for-hire endorsement for a Class D vehicle unless the applicant
has at least two years of unrestricted driving experience and is at least 18.

This bill allows the department to issue a for-hire endorsement to operate a Class D vehicle if an applicant is at least 16 and does not currently have a driver license suspension, cancellation, or revocation if the vehicle is owned by the applicant's fa
mily business to conduct deliveries of goods and products exclusively for the family's business.

Further, this bill allows the department to issue a for-hire endorsement to an applicant that would otherwise qualify but for the requirement of at least two years of unrestricted driving experience if the applicant has completed a sentence of incarcerat
ion and currently has a restricted license for unpaid fines and court costs, and is making payments on those costs in accordance with a payment plan.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1950
By Lowe

HOUSE BILL 1832
By Russell
HB1832
011075
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
relative to driver licenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-50-302(f), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting instead the following:
The department shall not issue a for-hire endorsement unless the applicant has
had at least two (2) years of unrestricted driving experience prior to the date of
application, and the department is fully satisfied as to the applicant's good character,
competency, and fitness to be so employed, and the applicant is eighteen (18) years of
age and will be operating a Class D vehicle. Nothing in this subsection (f) authorizes
anyone under nineteen (19) years of age to operate a commercial motor vehicle as
defined in 49 CFR Part 390. Notwithstanding this subsection (f), the department is
authorized to issue a for-hire endorsement to operate a Class D vehicle to an applicant
who:
(1) Is at least sixteen (16) years of age and who is not currently under
any driver license suspension, cancellation, or revocation in this or any other
state, and the vehicle is owned by the applicant's family business to conduct
deliveries of goods and products exclusively for family business; or
(2) Would otherwise qualify for a for-hire endorsement but for the
requirement of at least two (2) years of unrestricted driving experience prior to
the date of application if the applicant has completed a sentence of incarceration
after conviction for an offense and currently has a restricted license for unpaid

- 2 - 011075

fines and court costs and is making payments in accordance with a payment
plan.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.