Section 1340-01-13-.17 - EXPIRATIONS AND RENEWALS(1) Driver licenses are generally valid for five (5) years, expiring on the applicant's nearest birthdate forward from the date of application evenly divisible by five (5) except that:(a) Licenses shall not be issued for less than three (3) years nor more than seven (7) years;(b) If the applicant is under eighteen (18) years of age and is applying for a Class D or M license, then the license shall expire on the applicant's twenty-first (21st) birthday;(c) A Class P license is valid for one (1) year only, calculated as twelve (12) calendar months forward from the date of application, except that the Class PM shall expire on the applicant's sixteenth (16th) birthday;(d) A Class H license shall expire on the applicant's sixteenth (16th) birthday;(e) Licenses issued to people who are in or who enter the military and who arc stationed outside the State of Tennessee are valid as long as they remain in the service or until they are reassigned to a duty station within Tennessee. Upon separation, discharge or reassignment back to Tennessee, the licensee has sixty (60) days to renew the license without penalty. During this period, the license is valid only when carried with discharge or separation papers.(f) A restricted license shall be issued for one year.(2) Photo identification licenses are generally valid for five (5) years, expiring on the applicant's nearest birth date forward from the date of application evenly divisible by five (5) except that:(a) issuance periods for applicants older than eighteen (18) years of age but less than sixty-five (65) years of age shall not be shorter than three (3) years nor longer than seven (7) years;(b) Issuance periods for applicants under eighteen (18) years of age shall be for two (2) years;(c) Photo identification licenses issued to those who have attained the age of sixty-five (65) shall not have an expiration date and will continue to be valid until canceled or replaced; and(d) Permanent photo identification licenses issued to persons qualified under 1340-1-13-.06(2) are valid for the licensee's lifetime unless canceled or replaced.(3) Expiration of Temporary Driver Licenses and Temporary Photo Identification Licenses: (a) Any temporary driver license, temporary intermediate driver license, temporary instructional permit or temporary photo identification license issued to persons whose presence in the United States has been authorized by the federal government for a specific purpose and specific period of authorized stay shall be valid only for the period of time of the individual's authorized stay in the United States or, if there is no definite end to the period of authorized stay, a period of one (1) year.(4) Licenses, except temporary licenses, shall be renewed twelve months before the expiration date.(5) Requirements for renewal consist of submitting an application designed by the Department; paying required fees and (if applicable) fines; completing any examination required by State law or by rules promulgated by the Secretary; and, unless exempt by law, rule or policy, having one's picture made. Except that the following persons holding a non-commercial license shall be exempt from examinations and from appearing for photographs.(a) Persons in foreign countries employed by religious organizations or other organizations qualified by Internal Revenue Service regulations as charitable organizations, as well as their family members, may renew their licenses by submitting to the Department a certificate issued by a doctor of medicine certifying they are physically qualified to drive a motor vehicle, along with a notarized letter of confirmation from a person of authority in their organization;(b) Military personnel and their dependents stationed outside the State of Tennessee may renew their licenses by submitting to the Department a notarized copy of the front and back of their military identification, or a notarized copy of a letter from the member's commanding officer which confirms the status, out of state tour of duty, and, for dependents, relationship to the applicant;(c) Those persons deemed by the Department to have an unavoidable reason preventing them from returning to the State of Tennessee for their renewal shall submit evidence satisfactory to the Department; and(d) Upon the first renewal of any license issued on or after January 1, 2001 through May 28, 2004, the license holder shall provide documentation that such person is a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States.(6) To renew a license which has expired, the following requirements must be satisfied: (a) If a license has expired more than thirty (30) days and up to six (6) months, an additional five dollar ($5.00) penalty shall be required unless the Department determines that the delay was caused by reasons beyond the applicant's control, except that drivers licensed by the State of Tennessee who are on active duty in the United States Armed Forces shall have sixty (60) days from the date of separation on the DD-214 or from the date of reassignment back to the State of Tennessee before the five dollar ($5.00) penalty is charged.(b) A ten dollar ($10.00) penalty shall also be required unless the Department determines the delay was caused by reasons beyond the applicant's control, if a license has expired longer than six (6) months, but less than five (5) years, or for military personnel, if the date of separation on the DD-214 or the date of reassignment back to Tennessee has been longer than six (6) months, but less than five (5) years.(c) If a license has expired more than five (5) years, or for military personnel, if the date of separation on the DD-214 or the date of reassignment back to Tennessee has been longer than five (5) years, in addition to paying the ten dollar ($10.00) penalty, renewal applicants must successfully complete all examinations normally required for original, first time applicants.(7) Temporary driver licenses, temporary intermediate driver licenses, temporary instructional permits or temporary photo identification licenses may be renewed for either one (1) year or for the period of stay authorized by the federal government. Requirements for renewal of such temporary licenses or permits shall consist of submitting an application in person designed by the Department, submitting acceptable documentation of authorized stay, submitting acceptable document of Tennessee residency, paying required fees and (if applicable) fines, and completing any examination required by State law.(8) The primary obligation to maintain a valid license or temporary license rests with the license holder.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 1340-01-13-.17
Original rule filed April 8, 1996; effective August 28, 1996. Amendment filed July 27, 2004; effective November 26, 2004. Emergency rule filed March 22, 2006; effective through September 3, 2006. Amendment filed March 31, 2006; effective July 28, 2006. Public necessity rule filed September 24, 2007, effective through March 7, 2008. Public necessity rule filed September 24, 2007, expired March 8, 2008. Public necessity rule filed March 11, 2008, effective through August 23, 2008. Amendments filed December 3, 2007; effective April 29, 2008.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-202, 55-50-202, 55-50-321, 55-50-331, 55-50-333, 55-50-337, 55-50-338, Public Chapter No. 194, 2007 and Public Acts of 2004; Chapter 778.