Tennessee Ordered to Reinstate Licenses Revoked Over Court Debts

Tennessee officials say they are following a federal court order by reinstating and reissuing licenses for free for drivers who lost them solely because of unpaid court debts.

Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security spokeswoman Megan Buell said drivers with any other revocations or suspensions that weren’t squarely due to unpaid court debts must first address those.

A federal judge ruled July 2 that Tennessee’s revocations imposed when a driver hasn’t paid court debt for a year or more deprive constitutional due process and equal protection.

More than 40 states allow similar suspensions.

The ruling says Tennessee revoked 146,211 driver’s licenses from July 2012 to June 2016 under state law for failure to pay court debts, with only 10,750 licenses reinstated.

Drivers can call 866-903-7357 or visit dl.safety.tn.gov for more information.