In Tennessee your license class depends on what you drive and why you drive it. Most new drivers need a Class D, which covers cars, pickups and vans. Heavier or commercial vehicles, motorcycles and paid driving jobs each need something extra.
Tennessee license classes
| Class | What it covers |
|---|---|
| A | Combination vehicles over 26,000 lbs GCWR (commercial) |
| B | Trucks or buses over 26,000 lbs GVWR (commercial) |
| C | 26,000 lbs or less: hazmat, 16+ riders, or school bus |
| D | Passenger vehicles, pickups and vans (non-commercial) |
| M | Motorcycles and motor-driven cycles |
| H | Hardship license, ages 14–16, special hardship cases |
| P | Instructional permit for Class A, B, C, D or M |
Know the rule
A Class D covers any vehicle up to 26,000 pounds — unless it hauls hazardous materials, carries 16 or more people (counting the driver) or is used as a school bus. Those need a Class C.
Handbook p. 16 ↗Minimum age for a Class D (pass vision, knowledge and driving tests)
Handbook p. 16 ↗You must get a Tennessee license (or TDL) after moving here with another state's license if you:
- Live in Tennessee longer than 30 days
- Work in Tennessee
- Would otherwise qualify as a registered Tennessee voter
For-Hire endorsement (F)
Added to a Class D when your main job is driving people or property: taxi, shuttle and ambulance drivers, couriers, flower or pizza delivery.
Handbook p. 16 ↗To get the For-Hire endorsement you must:
- Be 18, or 16 if driving deliveries only for your family's business
- Be operating a Class D vehicle
- Have 2 years of unrestricted driving experience
- Pass a vision screening and a For-Hire knowledge test
- Pay a $4.50 fee
Know the rule
People whose main job isn't driving — plumbers, meter readers, engineers — generally don't need For-Hire, though an employer may still require it.
Handbook p. 16 ↗Know the rule
Motorcycles over 125 cc need a Class M; under 125 cc needs a Class M limited. To drive both a car and a motorcycle you need a Class DM.
Handbook p. 17 ↗Know the rule
A CDL (Class A, B or C) is needed for vehicles of 26,001 pounds or more, and for smaller vehicles that carry hazardous materials, 16 or more people including the driver, or serve as a school bus.
Handbook p. 17 ↗Know the rule
A valid CDL also lets you drive Class D vehicles — no separate Class D needed. A commercial driver still needs an M added to ride a motorcycle (for example, Class AM).
Handbook p. 17 ↗Know the rule
Off-road vehicles and ATVs may not be driven on Tennessee or federal highways or interstates, can't be used for the road test, and may cross a roadway only at a 90-degree angle.
Handbook p. 17 ↗Put it into practice
Your church asks you to drive its 12,000-pound bus that seats 16 people including you. It's well under 26,000 pounds, but because it carries 16 or more people, a Class D isn't enough — you need a Class C.