To check the points on your Tennessee driver’s license, order a copy of your Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) from the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The record costs $5 and lists your violations along with the points assigned to each. You can request it online, in person at a Driver Services Center, or by mail.1Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driving Record (MVR) Tennessee has no separate points-lookup tool; the MVR is the record.
Order Your MVR Online
The fastest route is the department’s e-Services portal at dl.safety.tn.gov. Open the site, find the Driver Services section, and click “Order a Motor Vehicle Report.” Have the following ready before you start:
- Your full name and date of birth
- Your Tennessee driver’s license number
- Your Social Security number
- The last five digits of your DD number, which is the long string printed on the front of your license
The fee is $5, paid by card at checkout.1Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driving Record (MVR)2Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driver License Fees The record is delivered electronically.
Order Your MVR in Person
Any Driver Services Center in Tennessee can pull your record while you wait. Bring your name, date of birth, and driver’s license number, and pay the $5 fee. Someone you authorize can request it on your behalf.1Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driving Record (MVR)
Order Your MVR by Mail
Mail is the only way to get a certified copy, which is the version to request if you need to show your record in court or to an employer. Send a written request to the department’s Financial Responsibility Division with your full name, date of birth, Tennessee driver’s license number, and the mailing address for the record. Enclose a $5 cashier’s check or money order made out to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.1Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driving Record (MVR) The department also publishes an official Request for Record form you can download and use.3Tennessee Department of Safety. Request for Record – Individual Authorization Turnaround is slower than the other two options.
Reading Your Record
Every moving violation on your MVR carries a point value tied to its severity. A few common ones: speeding 1–5 mph over the limit is 1 point, speeding 16–25 mph over is 4 points, texting while driving is 3 points, and reckless driving is 6 points. Speeding in a construction zone bumps the point value up a tier.4Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Schedule of Points Values Points stay on the record for two years from the violation date.
The threshold that matters for drivers 18 and older is 12 points in any 12-month period. Hitting that number triggers a notice of proposed suspension and the offer of an administrative hearing, where most drivers can opt into a defensive driving course rather than lose the license. Ignoring the notice means an automatic suspension of 6 to 12 months.5Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driver Improvement Points Accumulation
Drivers under 18 face action at just 6 points in a 12-month period, with a parent or guardian required at the hearing.5Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Driver Improvement Points Accumulation
One boundary worth knowing: DUI does not run through the points system. A DUI conviction triggers a separate mandatory revocation, so its absence from your point total does not mean it is absent from your record.
Reducing Points After You Check
If your MVR shows a recent speeding conviction, Tennessee lets you remove up to 5 points by completing an approved 4-hour Driver Education Course. You have to finish the course within 90 days of the conviction date, and you can only use this option once every four years. It applies to speeding convictions only, and the conviction itself stays on your record even after the points come off.6Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Remove Speeding Points7Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Traffic School
Points are not removed automatically. After finishing the course, mail or fax your certificate of completion to the Financial Responsibility Division at P.O. Box 945, Nashville, TN 37202-0945. Without that submission, the points stay.6Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Remove Speeding Points