Tennessee Driver License: Your License, the GDL and the Examinations

30 questions with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Topic: Your License, the GDL and the Examinations. Free, no account needed.

1. A delivery truck weighs 20,000 pounds but carries placarded hazardous materials. What is the minimum license class required to drive it?

Class B
Class A
Class D
Class C

Answer: D — Class C

Even under the 26,000-pound Class D threshold, a vehicle carrying placarded hazardous materials still needs a Class C commercial license. Class A and B commercial licenses also cover smaller hazmat vehicles, so Class C is the minimum.

2. A driver's main job is shuttling airport passengers in a Class D van. What must be added to their license?

A Class DM license
A Temporary Driver License prefix
A Class C commercial license
A For-Hire (F) endorsement

Answer: D — A For-Hire (F) endorsement

Transporting people for hire in a Class D vehicle, such as a shuttle, requires a For-Hire endorsement.

3. What is the minimum age to obtain a For-Hire endorsement, outside of a family delivery business?

Answer: A — 18

The For-Hire endorsement generally requires age 18, with an exception down to 16 in a family delivery business.

4. A driver wants a single license permitting both a passenger car and a motorcycle over 125 cc. Which license class fits?

Class D
Class DM
Limited Class M
Class M

Answer: B — Class DM

Class DM combines the passenger vehicle privileges of Class D with the motorcycle privileges of Class M.

5. A new arrival to Tennessee holds a valid out-of-state license, does not work locally, and would not qualify as a registered voter. After how many days of living there must they get a Tennessee license?

30 days
90 days
60 days
6 months

Answer: A — 30 days

Residency of more than 30 days triggers the requirement to apply for a Tennessee license, even without working or voting.

6. A foreign company temporarily transfers a managerial employee to Tennessee. How long may they drive on their home country's license before needing a Tennessee license?

Six months
90 days
30 days
One year

Answer: A — Six months

Foreign managerial or technical employees are exempt from needing a Tennessee license for six months.

7. A driver is caught operating a vehicle while their license is suspended. What is the maximum penalty?

Class A misdemeanor, up to $2,500
Class B misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and six months in jail
Class C misdemeanor, $50 fine and 6 points
Class D misdemeanor, fine of $2 to $50

Answer: B — Class B misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and six months in jail

Driving while suspended, revoked, or canceled is a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to $1,000 and six months in jail.

8. Since May 7, 2025, boarding a domestic flight or entering certain federal facilities requires a valid passport, other TSA-acceptable identification, or which driver-license credential?

An International Driving Permit
A REAL ID credential
A standard driver license
A Temporary Driver License

Answer: B — A REAL ID credential

The document gives three alternatives: a REAL ID credential, a valid passport, or other TSA-acceptable identification. A standard credential is not among them.

9. A driver whose license is suspended wants to use an International Driving Permit to keep driving legally. Does this work?

Yes, if it was issued by a Tennessee service center
Yes, but only for 30 days
No, an IDP never allows driving while suspended
Yes, an IDP overrides a state suspension

Answer: C — No, an IDP never allows driving while suspended

An International Driving Permit is only a translation of a home license and never allows driving while suspended.

10. What is the youngest age at which a minor may register for the Donate Life Tennessee organ donor registry?

Answer: D — 13

The document states minors 13 to 17 may register, making 13 the youngest age.

11. An applicant submits a utility bill dated seven months ago as one of the two required proofs of residency. Does this satisfy the requirement?

Yes, any dated document works
Yes, as long as it shows a street address
No, it must be dated within the last four months
No, it must be dated within the last 30 days

Answer: C — No, it must be dated within the last four months

Proofs of residency must show a street address and be dated within the last four months.

12. How long does a driver license remain valid for someone who obtains it at age 25?

Eight years
Four years
Ten years
Six years

Answer: A — Eight years

Licenses issued to people over 21 are valid for eight years.

13. An applicant has never been issued a Social Security number. What must they provide instead when applying for a license?

A sworn affidavit that none was issued
Proof of citizenship only
Nothing further is required
A passport

Answer: A — A sworn affidavit that none was issued

An applicant without a Social Security number must instead submit a sworn affidavit that none was issued.

14. A driver renews a license 45 days after it expired. What late fee applies?

$5
$20
No fee at all
$10

Answer: A — $5

Renewing more than 30 days late, but before six months have passed, costs a $5 fee.

15. A driver renews a license eight months after it expired. What late fee applies, and is full retesting required?

$10 fee, plus full retesting
$5 fee, plus full retesting
$10 fee, no retesting required yet
$5 fee, no retesting

Answer: C — $10 fee, no retesting required yet

After six months the late fee doubles to $10, but the vision, knowledge and skills tests are only required after five years.

16. A driver moves to a new address within Tennessee. Within how many days must the change be reported?

60 days
10 days
30 days
90 days

Answer: B — 10 days

Any address change, even one imposed by the postal service, must be reported within ten days.

17. A 15-year-old learner permit holder wants to practice driving at 11 p.m. with a licensed adult beside them. Is this allowed?

Yes, as long as a licensed driver 21 or older is present
No, permit holders may never drive between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Yes, but only on weekends
No, permit holders may never drive after 9 p.m.

Answer: B — No, permit holders may never drive between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Learner permit holders are barred from driving between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. regardless of supervision.

18. A 16-year-old with an Intermediate Restricted license wants to drive with two 16- and 17-year-old friends who are not siblings. Is this allowed?

No, no passengers are allowed at all
Yes, up to three passengers are allowed
Yes, as long as everyone wears a seatbelt
No, only one passenger is allowed unless the others are 21 or older with a valid license, or qualifying siblings

Answer: D — No, only one passenger is allowed unless the others are 21 or older with a valid license, or qualifying siblings

The Intermediate Restricted license limits the driver to one passenger unless the extra passengers are 21-or-older licensed drivers or qualifying siblings.

19. Before taking the road test for an Intermediate Restricted license, how many certified practice hours are required, and how many of those must be at night?

50 hours total, including 20 at night
30 hours total, with no night requirement
50 hours total, including 10 at night
40 hours total, including 5 at night

Answer: C — 50 hours total, including 10 at night

The Intermediate Restricted stage requires 50 certified practice hours, 10 of them at night.

20. A 17-year-old on an Intermediate Restricted license has held it for a year with no at-fault crash, but has accumulated seven points. Can they move to Intermediate Unrestricted?

No, only an at-fault crash disqualifies them
Yes, since a year has passed
No, six or more points disqualifies them
Yes, points don't matter for this step

Answer: C — No, six or more points disqualifies them

Moving to Intermediate Unrestricted requires fewer than six points on the record, in addition to no at-fault crash.

21. An Intermediate license holder is caught talking on a hand-held cell phone while driving. What penalty applies?

Class B misdemeanor, up to $1,000 and six months in jail
$50 fine and court costs up to $10, no points
Automatic license revocation
Class C misdemeanor, $50 fine, 6 points, and a 90-day delay in eligibility

Answer: D — Class C misdemeanor, $50 fine, 6 points, and a 90-day delay in eligibility

Cell phone use by a permit or Intermediate holder is a Class C misdemeanor with a $50 fine, 6 points, and a 90-day delay.

22. A teen driver on a Restricted license presents a forged parental permission letter to justify late-night driving. What happens to their license?

A certified driver education course is required
90 days are added to the required year
Nothing, since the letter was only for driving hours
It is revoked, leaving only a permit until 18

Answer: D — It is revoked, leaving only a permit until 18

A forged parental letter revokes the license and drops the teen back to a permit until age 18.

23. A Restricted license holder receives a second moving violation. What must they do as a result?

Lose the license until age 18
Complete a certified driver education course
Pay a $20 reinstatement fee
Wait 90 additional days with no other requirement

Answer: B — Complete a certified driver education course

A second moving violation on a Restricted license triggers a mandatory certified driver education course.

24. A 16-year-old drops out of school for the first time, losing driving privileges. What restores them?

Paying a $50 fine and going 180 days without points
Returning to school and paying a $20 reinstatement fee
Completing a certified driver education course
Waiting until age 18

Answer: B — Returning to school and paying a $20 reinstatement fee

The first dropout can be reversed by returning to school and paying a $20 reinstatement fee; only a second dropout forces a wait until 18.

25. What is the minimum vision standard, with or without corrective lenses, required to pass the license examination?

20/20 in each eye
20/30 with lenses only
20/60 in each eye
20/40 in each eye and both together

Answer: D — 20/40 in each eye and both together

The vision screening standard is 20/40 in each eye and both eyes together, with or without lenses.

26. An applicant is caught cheating on the knowledge test. What is the consequence?

Automatic failure only, retest allowed the next day
Automatic failure and no retest for 30 days
Automatic failure and no retest for one year
A $2 fine and immediate retest

Answer: B — Automatic failure and no retest for 30 days

Cheating on the knowledge test results in automatic failure and a 30-day bar on retesting.

27. An applicant arrives for a scheduled road test 6 minutes late. What happens?

They wait for the next available slot the same day
The test is canceled, since being 5 minutes late cancels it
The test proceeds as scheduled
A 15-minute grace period applies

Answer: B — The test is canceled, since being 5 minutes late cancels it

Arriving even slightly more than 5 minutes late cancels the scheduled road test.

28. An applicant makes 8 errors during the road test. What happens?

They must wait 30 days to retest
They must wait 7 days to retest
They must retest the next day
They pass

Answer: C — They must retest the next day

Eight errors falls in the 7-to-9 range, which requires retesting the next day.

29. A driver wants to check a GPS map on their phone while stopped at a red light. Is holding the phone to do this allowed?

No, the driver must pull over and stop first before touching the phone
Yes, if using a hands-free app
Yes, but only for 5 seconds
Yes, since the vehicle is stopped

Answer: A — No, the driver must pull over and stop first before touching the phone

Touching the phone for GPS is not allowed while driving; the driver must pull over and stop first.

30. An adult driver wants to talk on a hand-held phone while driving through a marked school zone with its flashers operating. Is this legal?

Yes, hand-held use is always fine for adults
Yes, since only drivers under 18 are restricted there
No, hands-free use is required in that situation
No phone use of any kind is allowed for adults anywhere

Answer: C — No, hands-free use is required in that situation

Adults must use hands-free devices in a marked school zone while its flashers are operating.