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HB2612 • 2026

Driver Licenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 50, relative to application procedures for driver licenses.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Hulsey, Johnson
Last action
2026-05-27
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1094
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

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

Driver Licenses

Present law provides the application requirements for a driver license, instruction permit, intermediate driver license, and photo identification card.

What This Bill Does

  • Present law provides the application requirements for a driver license, instruction permit, intermediate driver license, and photo identification card.
  • This bill requires the staff at a driver license station to inquire whether an applicant for a driver license would like to be issued a REAL ID compliant driver license or a non-REAL ID compliant license.
  • The applicant must be provided a printed document to sign making such selection.
  • The printed document must include all of the following information:  A list of the documents that the applicant must provide to obtain a REAL ID compliant driver license and a non-REAL ID compliant license.

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.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB2612

Plain English: House Transportation 1 Amendment No.

  • House Transportation 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB2612 Howell Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1783* House Bill No.
  • 2612 HA0706 012871 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB1783

Plain English: Senate Transportation and Safety 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Transportation and Safety 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB1783 Massey Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 1783* House Bill No.
  • 2612 SA0523 012871 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1094

  2. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

  3. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 1094

  4. 2026-05-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-05-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-05-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  11. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 73, Nays 18, PNV 4

  12. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0706)

  13. 2026-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  14. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026

  15. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026

  16. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  17. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026

  18. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  19. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/15/2026

  20. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  21. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  22. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  23. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  24. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  25. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/17/2026

  26. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee

  27. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  28. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/10/2026

  29. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  30. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  31. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 30, Nays 2

  32. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0523)

  33. 2026-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/2/2026

  34. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 0

  35. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 2/25/2026

  36. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee

  37. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Transportation Committee

  38. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  39. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  40. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee

  41. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  42. 2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law provides the application requirements for a driver license, instruction permit, intermediate driver license, and photo identification card. This bill requires the staff at a driver license station to inquire whether an applicant for a driver
license would like to be issued a REAL ID compliant driver license or a non-REAL ID compliant license. The applicant must be provided a printed document to sign making such selection. The printed document must include all of the following information:



A list of the documents that the applicant must provide to obtain a REAL ID compliant driver license and a non-REAL ID compliant license.


A description of the purposes for which a REAL ID compliant and non-REAL ID compliant license may be utilized.


A list of the alternative forms of identification that may be used in lieu of a REAL ID compliant driver license to fly domestically within the United States or to enter a military base, nuclear facility, or certain federal buildings.


Information regarding the electronic technology incorporated into a REAL ID compliant and non-REAL ID compliant driver license.

This bill requires the department of safety's website to contain a statement that indicates obtaining a REAL ID compliant driver license is optional. If an applicant elects not to apply for a REAL ID compliant driver license, then the staff of a driver
license station must complete the processing of the application for a non-REAL ID compliant driver license.

ON MARCH 2, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1783, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes:



Eliminates the requirement that the printed document provided to an applicant for a driver license contain information about the alternative forms of identification that will be accepted to fly domestically in the United States or to seek entry to a military base, nuclear facility, or certain federal buildings.



Clarifies that the bill does not apply to an applicant seeking a renewal of a REAL ID compliant driver license.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1783
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 2612
By Hulsey
HB2612
011726
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
Chapter 50, relative to application procedures for
driver licenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-50-321, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
(j)
(1) At the time of application or renewal of a driver license by an
applicant who appears at a driver license station, staff shall inquire of the
applicant whether the applicant would like to be issued a REAL ID compliant
driver license or a non-REAL ID compliant license. The applicant must be
provided a printed document that the applicant shall sign and on which the
applicant shall check a box stating whether the applicant is applying for a REAL
ID compliant driver license or a non-REAL ID compliant driver license and that
the applicant was provided the printed document as required pursuant to
subdivision (j)(2).
(2) The applicant must be provided a printed document that includes the
following information:
(A) The documents that are required to be provided by the
applicant to obtain a REAL ID compliant driver license, and the
documents that are required to be provided by the applicant to obtain a
non-REAL ID compliant driver license;

- 2 - 011726

(B) The purposes for which a REAL ID compliant driver license
may be utilized, and the purposes for which a non-REAL ID compliant
driver license may be utilized;
(C) The alternative forms of identification in lieu of a REAL ID
compliant driver license, including a U.S. passport, that will be accepted
to fly domestically within the United States or to seek entry to a military
base, nuclear facility, or certain federal buildings; and
(D) The electronic technology incorporated into a REAL ID
compliant driver license, and the electronic technology incorporated into a
non-REAL ID compliant driver license.
(3) If the applicant elects not to apply for a REAL ID compliant driver
license, then staff shall facilitate and complete the processing of the application
for a non-REAL ID compliant driver license.
(4) The department's website must contain a prominently displayed
statement that indicates obtaining a REAL ID compliant driver license is optional.
(5) As used in this subsection (j):
(A) "Driver license" includes a photo identification license issued
under § 55-50-336 and a learner's permit;
(B) "Non-REAL ID compliant driver license" means a driver
license that is not compliant with the standards of the REAL ID Act of
2005 (49 U.S.C. §§ 30301, et seq.) and 6 CFR Part 37; and
(C) "REAL ID compliant driver license" means a driver license
that complies with the standards of the REAL ID Act of 2005 (49 U.S.C.
§§ 30301, et seq.) and 6 CFR Part 37.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.