How to get your license reinstated in Tennessee
Checked against official Tennessee sources · Last reviewed October 5, 2026
Getting a suspended or revoked Tennessee license back means meeting every requirement on your record and paying every fee. Many cases also need SR-22 insurance. The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security handles reinstatement, and its e-Services site lists the exact requirements for your record. [1]
- SR-22 required?
- Yes
- Base reinstatement fee
- $65
- Keep SR-22 for
- Varies
Step by step
-
Check what you need to reinstate
Look up your reinstatement requirements on the Department's e-Services site. The list is based on your own suspension or revocation. If SR-22 is not on the list, you don't need it. [1][2]
-
Serve the suspension, or ask about a restricted license
Some people can get a restricted license during a suspension or revocation, including for DUI, implied consent, and failure to establish financial responsibility for an accident claim or unsatisfied judgment. You need a certified court order for a restricted license from the court, SR-22 insurance, and a visit to a Driver Services Center within 10 days of the order being signed. [3]
-
Have your insurer file an SR-22, if required
Your insurer files the SR-22 electronically with the Department. You keep it for the length of your suspension or revocation. If the policy is cancelled before the requirement ends, your license can be suspended again. [1][2][4]
-
Pay every reinstatement fee
The restoration fee is $65 for each offense, and DUI reinstatement is $103. If an SR-22 is a condition of reinstatement, you also pay a one-time $50 SR-22 fee to the state, and a $75 fee may apply if you didn't surrender your license. Pay online through e-Services, by mail, or at any Driver Services Center. [1][5]
-
Ask for a payment plan if you need one
If you owe more than $75 in reinstatement fees and meet all other requirements, you can set up a payment plan by mail or at a Driver Services Center. You pay a $25 down payment, then $75 every three months until the balance is paid. [6]
-
Send any documents on your list
You can upload the documents your requirements page asks for through e-Services. Allow up to 5 business days for review, and don't send the same document twice, because that slows things down. [1]
-
Reinstate, then confirm your status
Once you meet every requirement, reinstate online through e-Services or in person at a Driver Services Center. Check your requirements page first to make sure nothing is still listed. [1][2]
After a DUI conviction
-
Serve the DUI revocation
A DUI revocation lasts 1 year for a first offense, 2 years for a second, 6 years for a third, and 8 years for a fourth. You must keep an SR-22 for the whole revocation period. [7]
-
Get a restricted license with an interlock, if you qualify
Ask the judge to sign an Order for Restricted Driver License. Bring it to a Driver Services Center with proof of SR-22 insurance and proof of ignition interlock installation, if required. You may get a 90-day temporary restricted license while your case is reviewed. [8]
-
Meet the DUI reinstatement requirements
You generally need an ignition interlock for at least 365 days. You also need court certification, SR-22 insurance, and you must surrender your license. If you have a second or later DUI conviction, you also need proof that you finished an alcohol or drug education course. [7][8]
-
Pay the DUI fees
A DUI reinstatement costs $103, plus the $50 SR-22 fee and a $75 fee if you didn't surrender your license. A refusal (implied consent) suspension has a $100 reinstatement fee, plus the same $50 and $75 fees. [7]
Not legal advice. Rules change; confirm your own requirements with The Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security (Driver Services, Financial Responsibility Division). Insurers licensed by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance file the SR-22 electronically. before you drive.
SR-22 rules in Tennessee · If your SR-22 lapses · Reinstatement in other states
Sources
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security - Reinstatements (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security Support - Do I need SR-22 Insurance? (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security - Restricted License Information (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Tenn. Code Ann. 55-12-126 - Minimum duration of proof requirement; suspension for premature cancellation (FindLaw, current as of Jan 2, 2024) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- Tenn. Code Ann. 55-12-129 - Fees for reinstatement of license and registration (FindLaw, current as of Jan 2, 2024) (statute, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security - Installment Payment Plan (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security - Financial Responsibility Laws (official agency page, accessed Oct 5, 2026)
- Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security - Ignition Interlock (official agency page, accessed Oct 6, 2026)