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SB1086 • 2026

Driver Licenses

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 50, relative to driver licenses issued to persons without lawful presence.

Crime
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Johnson, Reeves
Last action
2025-04-28
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 288
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the Department of Safety will identify and list invalid driver license classes.

Driver Licenses for People Without Legal Status

This law makes certain out-of-state driver licenses invalid in Tennessee if they are issued only to people without legal permission and have special markings.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Safety to create a list by December 1, 2025, of out-of-state driver license classes that are not valid in Tennessee because they were given exclusively to illegal aliens.
  • Updates this list as needed to correct mistakes or add/remove licenses.
  • Makes it illegal for someone to drive with an invalid license from another state if that license was made just for illegal aliens and has special markings.
  • Says driving with such an invalid license is a crime punishable by up to six months in jail, a $500 fine, or both.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People from other states who drive in Tennessee with certain types of driver licenses.
  • The Department of Safety which must create and update the list of invalid out-of-state driver license classes.

Terms To Know

illegal aliens
people who are not legally allowed to be in or stay in a country
Class B misdemeanor
a type of crime that is less serious than a felony but more serious than an infraction, punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a fine.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if someone uses a license from another state that is valid for legal residents but also has special markings.
  • It's unclear how the Department of Safety will determine which out-of-state licenses are exclusively issued to illegal aliens.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 288

  2. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/24/2025, 01/01/2026

  3. 2025-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 288

  4. 2025-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  11. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 26, Nays 6

  12. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  13. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/7/2025

  14. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 4/7/2025

  16. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  17. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  18. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 68, Nays 21, PNV 0

  19. 2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025

  21. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar 4/3/2025

  22. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Objected to on Consent Calendar.

  24. 2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/31/2025

  25. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  26. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/27/2025

  27. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  30. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

  33. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Transportation and Safety Committee to 3/26/2025

  34. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/25/2025

  35. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  36. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  37. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  38. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 3/18/2025

  39. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  40. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  41. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee

  42. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Transportation Committee

  43. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  44. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  45. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill provides that not later than
December 1, 2025, the department
of safety must
develop and publish on its website a list of out-of-state classes of driver licenses issued to illegal aliens that ar
e invalid in this state in accordance with
this bill
. The department
must
update the list as necessary in order to correct mistakes and to add or remove an out-of-state class of driver license to keep the list in conformity with the requirements of
this b
ill
.

ILLEGAL ALIENS

This bill provides that if a driver license is of a class of driver licenses issued
by another state exclusively to illegal aliens, then
such
driver license is invalid in this state and does not authorize the holder to operate a mot
or vehicle in this state. For purposes of this
bill
, "driver license" includes a permit purporting to authorize the holder to operate a motor vehicle on public roadways. The class of driver licenses described in th
e above provision
includes driver licens
es that are
(i) issued exclusively to illegal aliens and (ii) contain a marking or designed in such a manner as to be easily distinguishable from driver licenses issued to residents of that state who are United States citizens or lawful permanent residents
of the United States or have temporary legal presence and a specified period of authorized stay in the United States.

This bill provides that it is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by a sentence of imprisonment not greater than six months, a fine not
to exceed $500, or both, for a person to operate a motor vehicle in this state with an invalid driver license as described in this bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 749
By Reeves

SENATE BILL 1086
By Johnson

SB1086
001896
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
Chapter 50, relative to driver licenses issued to
persons without lawful presence.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 50, Part 3, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
55-50-355.
Not later than December 1, 2025, the department shall develop and publish on its
website a list of out-of-state classes of driver licenses issued to illegal aliens that are
invalid in this state in accordance with SECTION 2. The department shall update the list
as necessary in order to correct mistakes and to add or remove an out-of-state class of
driver license to keep the list in conformity with the requirements of SECTION 2.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 50, Part 3, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) If a driver license is of a class of driver licenses issued by another state
exclusively to illegal aliens, then the driver license is invalid in this state and does not
authorize the holder to operate a motor vehicle in this state. For purposes of this
section, "driver license" includes a permit purporting to authorize the holder to operate a
motor vehicle on public roadways. The class of driver licenses described in this
subsection (a) includes driver licenses that are:
(1) Issued exclusively to illegal aliens; and
(2) Contain a marking or are designed in such a manner as to be easily
distinguishable from driver licenses issued to residents of that state who:

- 2 - 001896

(A) Are United States citizens or lawful permanent residents of
the United States; or
(B) Have temporary legal presence and a specified period of
authorized stay in the United States.
(b) It is an offense for a person to operate a motor vehicle in this state with an
invalid driver license described in subsection (a). A violation of this subsection (b) is a
Class B misdemeanor.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-50-304, is amended by adding
the following at the end of subdivisions (3) and (4) immediately preceding the semicolon:
, if the nonresident's license is not invalid under SECTION 2
SECTION 4. Section 1 of this act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare
requiring it. All remaining sections of this act take effect January 1, 2026, the public welfare
requiring it.