Payment Plan for Reinstatement Fees

To qualify for the installment plan, a driver must owe more than $75 in reinstatement fees and satisfy all other requirements needed for reinstatement.

  • A Department of Safety and Homeland Security, TDOSHS, payment plan for reinstatement fees can be established by mail-in request or in person at a reinstatement center.
  • The driver is required to make a down payment of $25 (administrative fee) at the time they enter a payment plan.  They must make a payment each quarter (every 3 months) of $75 until the remaining balance is paid over a 60-month period.
  • Any person whose license is revoked or suspended during a payment plan may request to modify the existing payment plan which is in good standing to include the additional reinstatement fees for the additional revocation, suspension, or cancellation.  

Any person with a defaulted payment plan may request to enter a new plan for the defaulted balance and may include additional reinstatement fees added since the last reinstatement.
 

Failure to Satisfy Fines/Costs/Taxes for a Criminal Offense – Default

  • Drivers who are reported by a court as Failure to Pay for Fines/Costs/Taxes on Non-driving Criminal Offenses as a result of defaulting on a court payment plan on or after July 1, 2019, may have their driving privileges suspended.
  • When the court notifies the TDOSHS that the driver has defaulted on a payment plan for a non-driving criminal offense, the TDOSHS will send a notice giving the driver 30 days to re-establish the payment plan with the court or satisfy the court in full to avoid suspension.
  • If the driver does not re-establish the payment plan with the court within 30 days and submit proof to the TDOSHS the driving privileges will be suspended. The driver will then be required to either satisfy the court in full or re-establish the payment plan and apply for a restricted driver license with the TDOSHS.
  • Authority: T.C.A. 55-50-502
  • Mandatory suspension: No
  • Suspension length: Until satisfied in full
  • Restricted license available: Yes
  • Reinstatement requirements:
    1. Submit proof that the criminal offense has been satisfied or apply for a restricted license (see next section).
    2. Surrender Tennessee Driver License Reinstatement fees: $65 Reinstatement fee, $75
    3. Failure to Surrender License Fee (if applicable).