Starting January 10, 2025, if you’re moving to Tennessee from one of the following states—California, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada, Oklahoma, Vermont, or West Virginia—you’ll need to provide a Motor Vehicle Record MVR from your previous state when applying for a Tennessee driver’s license.
This requirement was announced by the Department of Safety & Homeland Security.
For residents from all other states, Tennessee participates in the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators’ State-to-State S2S Verification Service, which allows for digital sharing of driving records.
This means Tennessee can quickly access your full driving history, and you won’t need to provide an MVR.
The new rule for residents of the nine states is meant to fill in a gap in the S2S system. The S2S system helps ensure that individuals with poor driving records aren’t overlooked, improving road safety and reducing fraud.
So, if you’re moving to Tennessee from one of these nine states, make sure to get your MVR it must be issued within the last 30 days before visiting a Driver Services Center with your other required documents to apply for a license or ID.