Tennessee Driving Guide

It’s important to understand the different driving rules in Tennessee before you start exploring the Volunteer State. From road signs to toll roads, read on to discover everything there is to know about driving in Tennessee.

Jump to a section:

• Quick rules of the road
• Speed limits
• Toll roads
• Driving ages
• Essential equipment
• Speed violations
• Driving with children
• Gas prices
• Electric car charging
• Driving between Tennessee and other states
• Driving conditions.

Quick rules of the road

• If you want to join a road from your driveway, a parking lot, alley or the roadside, you must give way to traffic on the road you’re merging on to.
• Drivers turning left must always yield to those turning right and to oncoming traffic.
• At an intersection or traffic circle, you must yield to existing traffic – even at a green light.
• You must always yield to emergency vehicles, or slow down if it is not safe to pull over.
• You must use a turn signal for every turn you make, as well as for any lane changes.
• You must use your headlights until 30 minutes before sunrise and turn them on 30 minutes after sunset.

Speed limits in Tennessee

Speed limits in Tennessee can vary from highway to highway, depending on whether you’re driving in a residential or rural area. Here are the speed limits you should be aware of.

Toll roads in Tennessee

There are currently no toll roads in Tennessee. However, if you are planning on crossing over into other states, it’s likely that you will have to pay a toll to enter the surrounding territories.

Driving ages and license requirements in Tennessee

• The minimum driving age in Tennessee is 16.
• You can apply for a learner’s permit from the age of 15.
• The minimum age to rent a car in Tennessee with Hertz is 21.

If you’re under 25, you can read our guide for young drivers to find out more information on what vehicles you can rent with Hertz.

Essential equipment and documents to carry in your car in Tennessee

In your vehicle, you must have:

• Your driver’s license
• Any registration documents, including your rental agreement
• Proof of insurance
• An emergency kit.

The Tennessee Government suggests that you carry an emergency kit in your car in case of emergencies, such as extreme weather. This should include things like a first aid kit, blanket, non-perishable, high-energy food and a shovel.

To find out more about what items you can’t carry in your Hertz rental car, check your rental agreement.

Tennessee speed violations, infractions and penalties

There are two types of speeding laws in Tennessee – absolute limits and basic speeding laws.

• Absolute limits – these set speed limits in Tennessee cannot be broken. Any mph you go over an ‘absolute limit’ is classed as breaking the law.
• Basic speeding law – in most areas, you are required to drive at a safe speed. But what is classed as a safe speed will depend on the circumstances. For example, driving at 60mph in dangerous conditions (even though the road speed limit is 70mph) may be violating the law. However, driving at this speed in safe conditions would be fine.

When can you receive a driving ticket in Tennessee?

You can receive a driving ticket for breaking any of the speed limits in Tennessee. Even going just 1mph over the absolute limit could result in a ticket and a fine of around $40-$150 – depending on the circumstances. You can also be fined around $80 for failing to yield to another vehicle.

Besides the ticket fine, you may also be expected to appear in court and pay any court fees related to your incident. You can also expect to have points added to your license for every speed limit or driving rule violation in Tennessee.

Driving with children in Tennessee

• Any children under 12 months or 20 pounds must be safely secured in a rear-facing car seat in the back seat.
• Children between the ages of one and three years old should be secured in a forward-facing car seat in the back seat.
• If your child is between four and eight years old, they must be seated in a booster seat and buckled in correctly.
• Either the driver of the car or the legal guardian of the children (if the guardian is present in the vehicle) is responsible for the safety of all children under 16.
• If you are found to be breaching car seat requirements in Tennessee (or children under 16 are found to not be secured correctly), you could be fined $50.

Gas prices in Tennessee

The average gas price in Tennessee is $3.32 per gallon.

Based on manufacturers’ average fuel figures:

• For a small car like a Ford Focus, that’s about $0.09 per mile.
• For a larger family car like a Chevrolet Malibu, it works out at $0.10 per mile.
• And for an SUV like a Nissan Pathfinder, it’s around $0.14 per mile.

Gas price figure last updated October 26, 2022.

Electric car charging in Tennessee

Tennessee currently has around 1,800 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations up and down the state. The state also has an active Fast Charge Network, which provides convenient charging state-wide.

You’ll find a larger number of EV charging stations in busier cities such as Nashville and Knoxville. However, they’re also dotted around smaller towns, shopping malls, supermarkets and gas stations.

Driving between Tennessee and other states

Tennessee is landlocked and surrounded by eight individual states, which makes it easy to explore more of the US in your Hertz rental. You may or may not need to pay a toll when entering, depending on the state.

Find out more about the toll roads and driving rules in each neighboring state below.

• Mississippi – no toll roads currently exist in Mississippi.
• Alabama – currently has four toll roads that do not need to be used to pass into the state.
• Georgia – does not have any toll roads. However, it does have four expressways that charge a toll.
• North Carolina – has one toll road – the Triangle Expressway – near Durham, which does not need to be crossed to enter the state.
• Virginia – there are a number of different roads, bridges, tunnels and express lanes in Virginia that charge a toll. Make sure to plan your route before you visit the state.
• Kentucky – there are three toll bridges in Kentucky, which form part of the RiverLink route to Indiana. You do not need to use these to enter the state from Tennessee.
• Missouri – there is only one toll bridge in Missouri, which you do not need to cross when traveling from Tennessee.
• Arkansas – currently has no toll roads.

Driving conditions in Tennessee

Tennessee is known for having a pleasantly mild climate throughout the year. But this depends on where you’re driving. In the lowlands that neighbor the Mississippi River, the summers are subtropical and humid. Whereas in the eastern peaks, as you get further away from sea level, winters tend to be colder and more abrasive.

Across the state, weather can vary quite drastically, though Tennessee is not necessarily known for extreme weather conditions. The average yearly temperature in the hotter southwest usually sits at around 62°F, while heading towards the east, temperatures often reach around 46°F.