Tennessee Code Annotated
Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-301 (2026)
Penalty for violations of chapters 8 and 9 and parts 1-5 of this chapter
✓ current as of May 2026
- (a) Any person violating any of chapters 8 and 9 of this title and parts 1-5 of this chapter where a penalty is not specifically prescribed commits a Class C misdemeanor.
- (b)
- (1) Any person violating any of the provisions of chapters 8 and 9 of this title and parts 1-5 of this chapter may be required, at the discretion of the court, to attend a driver education course approved by the department of safety in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed; provided, that the course is approved by the department, it may be operated and conducted by a:
- (A) County, municipality or other entity of local government;
- (B) Nonprofit organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Code, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) (26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3)); or
- (C) Private entity that:
- (i) Is licensed by the secretary of state to conduct business in this state, if required of the entity by state law;
- (ii) Is registered with the department of revenue for all applicable taxes; and
- (iii) Conducts at least two (2) courses per calendar year, whether in person or online.
- (2) A reasonable fee between fifty dollars ($50.00) and one hundred seventy-five dollars ($175) may be assessed for the driver education or driver improvement course; provided, that no one shall be refused admittance for inability to pay. This fee shall apply only to driver improvement courses that may be required pursuant to this section, and shall not apply to any program offered pursuant to title 49, chapter 1, or to any other driving instruction school.
- (3) By operating a driver education or improvement course pursuant to this subsection (b), the entity operating or conducting the course consents to the inspection of all records concerning the course by the department of safety; provided, that inspection made pursuant to this subdivision (b)(3) shall not preclude inspection of any records pursuant to any other provision of law.
- (4) Each court clerk shall provide a list of approved entities in the county to any person ordered to attend a driver education or improvement course.
- (5) Upon certification to the court clerk that a court ordered driver education or improvement course has been completed, the court clerk shall report the completion to the department of safety. The report shall be accomplished on the abstract of record of the court referenced in § 55-10-306.
- (1) Any person violating any of the provisions of chapters 8 and 9 of this title and parts 1-5 of this chapter may be required, at the discretion of the court, to attend a driver education course approved by the department of safety in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed; provided, that the course is approved by the department, it may be operated and conducted by a:
- (c) Subsection (b) shall not apply to any person who holds a Class A, B, or C license and is charged with any violation, except a parking violation, in any type of motor vehicle.
- (d) Subsection (b) shall not apply to any person who holds any class of driver license and who is charged with any violation, except a parking violation, while operating a commercial motor vehicle.
Amended by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 220, s 1, eff. 4/22/2021.
Acts 1931, ch. 82, § 16; 1937, ch. 245, § 6; C. Supp. 1950, § 2700.17 (Williams, § 2696); Acts 1955, ch. 329, § 103; 1971, ch. 234, § 1; 1975, ch. 162, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 59-1023; Acts 1981, ch. 91, §§ 1, 2; 1989, ch. 591, § 113; 1990, ch. 869, § 1; 1995, ch. 178, § 1; 2001, ch. 186, § 1; 2005, ch. 235, § 1; 2008 , ch. 1181, § 1; 2009 , ch. 321, § 1.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 7
cases, 1989–2020 · leading case: State v. Dusina, 764 S.W.2d 766 (Tenn. 1989).
State v. Dusina, 764 S.W.2d 766 (Tenn. 1989). “00, without costs, and without reporting to the Department of Safety and without any requirement that the offender be directed to attend the driver education courses as may be ordered under the general penalties for speeding in T.C.A. § 55-10-301. Nor does a conviction for such…”
McClenahan v. Cooley, 806 S.W.2d 767 (Tenn. 1991). “Pursuant to T.C.A. § 55-10-301, a person violating any of the provisions of Chapter 8 of Title 55, including T.”
State of Tennessee v. Jason Bradley Walters (Tenn. Crim. App. 2020). “On appeal the State argues it is a Class C misdemeanor pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-10-301(a), and that the trial court’s judgment should be reversed.”
Metro. Gov't of Nashville & Davidson Cnty. v. Daryl K. Stark (Tenn. Ct. App. 2008). “Tenn. Code Ann. §55-10-301 (b) gives the trial court the discretion to order a traffic 1 Commercial Driver’s License.”
State of Tennessee v. Tommy Powell (Tenn. Crim. App. 2002). “” See Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-301 (b)(1). This appeal followed.”
State of Tennessee v. Stephen James Thompson (Tenn. Crim. App. 2010). “See T.C.A. § 55-10-301, -401. According to Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-2-102, except as otherwise provided, “all prosecutions for misdemeanors shall be commenced within the twelve (12) months after the offense has been committed.”
United States v. Simpson (6th Cir. 2008). “3d 8 Although the Gaddis footnote initially appears to conclude that all criminal offenses (other than completed misdemeanors) are governed by the reasonable suspicion standard, which presumably includes at least some traffic violations, the latter part of the footnote…”
— Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-10-301(a) — 3 cases
State v. Dusina, 764 S.W.2d 766 (Tenn. 1989). “00, without costs, and without reporting to the Department of Safety and without any requirement that the offender be directed to attend the driver education courses as may be ordered under the general penalties for speeding in T.C.A. § 55-10-301. Nor does a conviction for such…”
State of Tennessee v. Jason Bradley Walters (Tenn. Crim. App. 2020). “On appeal the State argues it is a Class C misdemeanor pursuant to Tennessee Code Annotated section 55-10-301(a), and that the trial court’s judgment should be reversed.”
United States v. Simpson (6th Cir. 2008). “3d 8 Although the Gaddis footnote initially appears to conclude that all criminal offenses (other than completed misdemeanors) are governed by the reasonable suspicion standard, which presumably includes at least some traffic violations, the latter part of the footnote…”
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