Tennessee traffic tickets
Points, traffic school, deadlines and what a ticket does to your insurance in Tennessee.
Point systemYes
License at risk12 ptsin 12 months
Traffic school (court-ordered driver education)Yesavailable, with limits
Insurance after 1 ticket+27%on $2,112 a year
What will my ticket really cost? Check my points
What kind of ticket did you get?
Which court is on your ticket?
The amount is on your ticket or the court’s notice. Pick the court named on your ticket.
Tennessee county courts
Phone, pay-online link and traffic school steps for 5 courts. Tap a county to open it.
Davidson County(615) 862-5222Pays online
Davidson County Traffic Violation Bureau (General Sessions Court). Your notice shows the amount.
- Address
- Justice A.A. Birch Building, 408 Second Ave N, Suite 1160, Nashville, TN 37201
- Phone
- (615) 862-5222
- Hours
- Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:25 p.m., excluding holidays.
- Traffic school
- Traffic School is run by the General Sessions Court at (615) 862-8345. Only moving violations qualify, and eligibility depends on your driving history and past classes. Pay the $50 court cost for each moving violation plus the $90 school fee by your compliance date.
Hamilton County877-728-8945Pays online
Hamilton County General Sessions Court, Criminal Division. Your notice shows the amount.
- Address
- Court of General Sessions, 600 Market St., Room 108, Chattanooga, TN 37402
- Phone
- 877-728-8945
- Traffic school
- The court accepts defensive driving school completion as court-ordered documentation by email or mail to Room 108.
Knox County(865) 215-2375Pays online
Knox County General Sessions Criminal Court. Your notice shows the amount.
- Address
- Knoxville City-County Building, 400 Main Street, Suite 149, Knoxville, TN 37902
- Phone
- (865) 215-2375
- Hours
- Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Rutherford County615-898-7831Pays online
Rutherford County General Sessions Court (Criminal and Traffic). Your notice shows the amount.
- Address
- 116 W. Lytle St., Room 102, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
- Phone
- 615-898-7831
Shelby County901-222-3500
Shelby County General Sessions Criminal Court. Your notice shows the amount.
- Address
- 201 Poplar Avenue, Suite LL-81, Memphis, TN 38103
- Phone
- 901-222-3500
- Hours
- Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
What are your options with a Tennessee ticket?
Paying is the fastest route, and it usually puts the ticket on your record. Traffic school (court-ordered driver education) is the main way to avoid that.
How many points is a speeding ticket in Tennessee?
- Speeding, 1–5 mph over1 pt[3]
- Speeding, 6–15 mph over3 pts[3]
- Speeding, 16–25 mph over4 pts[3]
- Speeding, 26–35 mph over5 pts[3]
- Speeding, 36–45 mph over6 pts[3]
- Speeding 46 mph or more over8 pts[3]
- Speeding, speed not shown on the ticket3 pts[3]
- Construction zone speeding 1-5 mph over2 pts[3]
All 39 point values
- Construction zone speeding 6-15 mph over4 pts[3]
- Construction zone speeding 16-25 mph over5 pts[3]
- Construction zone speeding 26-35 mph over6 pts[3]
- Construction zone speeding 36 mph or more over8 pts[3]
- Too fast for conditions or failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash3 pts[3]
- Reckless driving6 pts[3]
- Careless or negligent driving4 pts[3]
- Running a red light4 pts[3]
- Running a stop sign4 pts[3]
- Improper passing4 pts[3]
- Wrong way, side or direction4 pts[3]
- Following too closely3 pts[3]
- Failure to yield4 pts[3]
- Illegal U-turn3 pts[3]
- Failing to signal3 pts[3]
- Unsafe lane change3 pts[3]
- Inattentive or improper driving, failure to use due care3 pts[3]
- Handheld phone use3 pts[3]
- Texting while driving3 pts[3]
- Using a cell phone while driving6 pts[3]
- Passing a stopped school bus8 pts[3]
- Failing to stop at a railroad crossing8 pts[3]
- Failing to yield to emergency vehicles or move over for vehicles on the roadside6 pts[3]
- Leaving the scene of a crash (no revocation or suspension action)5 pts[3]
- Contributing to a crash with property damage3 pts[3]
- Contributing to a crash with bodily injury4 pts[3]
- Contributing to a crash causing death8 pts[3]
- No driver license in possession2 pts[3]
- Driving without a license3 pts[3]
- Driving on a suspended, revoked or canceled license8 pts[3]
- Miscellaneous moving violations not listed3 pts[3]
How points work in Tennessee
The Department of Safety adds points for each moving violation conviction. Speeding runs from 1 point (1 to 5 over) to 8 points (46 or more over), with higher points in construction zones and for commercial drivers. Reaching 12 points in any 12 months brings a notice of proposed suspension, or 6 points for drivers under 18.[2][3]
Commercial driver? Points and disqualifications work differently. How tickets affect a CDL →
When can you lose your license?
- 12 ptsin 12 monthsNotice of proposed suspension with a chance at an administrative hearing[2]
Full wording of each rule
- 12 points in 12 months: Notice of proposed suspension with a chance at an administrative hearing. If you do not ask for a hearing, the license is suspended for 6 to 12 months. At the hearing most drivers can take a defensive driving class instead of the suspension or to shorten it.
Drivers under 21
Drivers under 18 with 6 or more points in 12 months get a notice of proposed suspension, enter the Driver Improvement Program and must attend a hearing with a parent or guardian.[2]
Can traffic school (court-ordered driver education) keep a ticket off your record in Tennessee?
It can help. When you finish a court-ordered driver education or improvement course, the clerk reports the completion to the Department of Safety instead of a conviction.[6]
Is it worth it for your ticket? Get a yes or no →
Who qualifies, CDL drivers and cost
When you finish a court-ordered driver education or improvement course, the clerk reports the completion to the Department of Safety instead of a conviction. Paying the ticket is reported as a conviction, and points follow.[6]
Cost: Not confirmed: Set by each court. Davidson County charges a $90 school fee plus the $50 court cost for each moving violation.[6]
When is your ticket due?
- Date on noticePay or respondset by the court[6]
Details
Pay, sign up for traffic school or ask for a hearing by the compliance or court date on your ticket. If you miss it: A default judgment raises what you owe and is reported to the Department of Safety, which can suspend your license.
- Date on noticeLast day to appealset by the court
Details
Appeal a general sessions judgment
What happens if you don't respond
If you miss the compliance date, the court enters a default judgment that raises the amount owed and reports it to the Department of Safety, which can suspend your license until you clear it with the court. Unpaid amounts can go to collections, and in Davidson County a bench warrant for contempt is possible.[6][5]
Work out your exact dates → · Already missed it?
Will an out-of-state ticket follow you home?
- Shares convictions with other states (Driver License Compact)Yes[1]
- Can suspend you over unpaid out-of-state tickets (Nonresident Violator Compact)Yes[1]
Tennessee is in the Nonresident Violator Compact. Tennessee license holders with a suspension from another state must clear it in that state and send the court clearance and that state's driving record to Tennessee before reinstatement.[1][5]
How out-of-state tickets work →
How much will it raise your insurance in Tennessee?
One speeding ticket raised a full-coverage premium by about 27% on average in Tennessee[1], from a clean-record average of $2,112 a year.[1] If that increase stays for three years, that's about $1,711 on top of the fine.
Averages from ValuePenguin State of Auto Insurance in 2026, not a quote. Insurers differ, and many look back three to five years.
Where are the official pages?
What else do people ask?
How do points work in Tennessee?
The Department of Safety adds points for each moving violation conviction. Speeding runs from 1 point (1 to 5 over) to 8 points (46 or more over), with higher points in construction zones and for commercial drivers. Reaching 12 points in any 12 months brings a notice of proposed suspension, or 6 points for drivers under 18.
How many points before your license is at risk in Tennessee?
12 points in 12 months: Notice of proposed suspension with a chance at an administrative hearing. If you do not ask for a hearing, the license is suspended for 6 to 12 months. At the hearing most drivers can take a defensive driving class instead of the suspension or to shorten it.
Can traffic school keep a ticket off my record in Tennessee?
Traffic school (court-ordered driver education): When you finish a court-ordered driver education or improvement course, the clerk reports the completion to the Department of Safety instead of a conviction. Paying the ticket is reported as a conviction, and points follow.
Will an out-of-state ticket follow me home to Tennessee?
Tennessee is a member of the Driver License Compact, so convictions in other member states are reported to Tennessee. Tennessee is in the Nonresident Violator Compact. Tennessee license holders with a suspension from another state must clear it in that state and send the court clearance and that state's driving record to Tennessee before reinstatement.
How much does a speeding ticket raise insurance in Tennessee?
About 27% on average for full coverage, according to ValuePenguin State of Auto Insurance in 2026. Your insurer's rate can differ a lot from the average.
Sources
Tennessee law and DMV sources (7)
- AAMVA DLC/NRVC Member Joinder Dates (rev. April 2026), AAMVA.
- TDOSHS: Driver Improvement, Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
- TDOSHS: Schedule of Points Values, Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
- TDOSHS: Defensive Driving Schools (8-hour courses for Driver Improvement referrals), Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
- TDOSHS: Reinstatements, Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
- Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk: Traffic Violation Bureau, Davidson County Circuit Court Clerk.
- Hamilton County: Courts (General Sessions Criminal), Hamilton County Government.
Insurance sources (4)
- State of Auto Insurance in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
- Car Insurance Rate Increases with a Speeding Ticket in 2026, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
- How Does a DUI Affect Your Auto Insurance Rates in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).
- How Much Will My Car Insurance Rates Go Up After a Crash in 2026?, ValuePenguin (LendingTree).