Tennessee transportation laws

What Tennessee has enacted on transportation, what each law requires, and what the bills still moving would do. Tennessee is one of 41 states that enacted a transportation law in the 2025 and 2026 sessions.

6 new Tennessee laws take effect in 2027

Bills in scope
15bills in scope
Past committee
10past committee
Most recent action
18 June 2026most recent action

Transportation laws enacted in Tennessee

7 transportation laws enacted in the Tennessee Legislature in the 2025 and 2026 sessions, newest first. Each links to the legislature's own page.

  • SB 1748Motor Vehicles - As enacted, revises law relative to out-of-service orders issued to commercial drivers and related penalties. - Amends TCA Title 55 and Title 65, Chapter 15.Takes effect 1 January 2027

    What it requires: Employers of commercial drivers must ensure drivers can read and speak English sufficiently to converse with the public, understand traffic signs and signals, respond to official inquiries, and make entries on reports and records as required by 49 CFR 391.11(b)(2). The commissioner shall suspend the commercial driver license of drivers unable to meet this standard until they pass an English language proficiency test administered by the department of safety.

    Motor carriers and commercial drivers

  • HB 2175Motor Vehicles - As enacted, requires a delivery network company or delivery network company driver to comply with certain automobile liability insurance requirements. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 55; Title 56 and Title 65.Took effect 1 July 2026

    What it requires: Delivery network companies and DNC drivers must comply with automobile liability insurance requirements beginning July 1, 2026. When a driver is logged into the DNC's digital network or providing services, the driver or DNC must maintain at least one hundred thousand dollars in automobile liability insurance. DNCs must conduct background checks, maintain driver records, implement zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policies, and prohibit cash payments.

    Warehouses and delivery

  • SB 2253Traffic Safety - As enacted, establishes process regarding traffic violations committed by autonomous vehicles, including mailing the notice of violation or citation to the registered owner of the vehicle. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 30 and Title 55, Chapter 8.Enacted 4 May 2026

    What it requires: When a POST-certified or state-commissioned law enforcement officer determines that a traffic offense has been committed by an autonomous vehicle, a notice of violation or citation must be sent by first class mail to the registered owner within twenty business days. The notice must allow thirty days for payment and state the fine amount separately from any additional fees or court costs.

    Autonomous trucks and delivery devices

  • SB 2466Criminal Offenses - As enacted, makes various changes to the law relative to fraudulent freight theft. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 16; Title 17; Title 18; Title 20; Title 22; Title 24; Title 25; Title 26; Title 27; Title 28; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 43; Title 54 and Title 55.Enacted 4 May 2026

    What it requires: Amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-14-146(a) to add a new subdivision making it unlawful to enter a cargo container and remove merchandise.

    Warehouses and delivery

  • SB 1673Comptroller, State - As enacted, adds to the list of companies for which the comptroller of the treasury may assess for taxation, and for state, county, and municipal purposes, all of the properties within the state owned, and all personal property used or leased, motor bus or truck companies, excluding towing companies, that meet certain criteria. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 9; Title 66 and Title 67.Enacted 6 April 2026

    What it does: Amends the deadline for persons or entities to file exceptions to comptroller of the treasury assessments from twenty-five days after the first Monday in September, and requires the comptroller to notify filers of actions taken on exceptions.

    Motor carriers and commercial drivers

  • HB 1546Driver Licenses - As enacted, removes present law that prohibits a person from being denied a commercial driver license, or being deemed medically unqualified to operate a motor vehicle, based on the failure to meet motor safety carrier regulations because of a medical history or clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus currently requiring insulin, but whose medical history indicates that the insulin controls the diabetes to the extent that the condition is not likely to cause any loss of ability to control a motor vehicle. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 50, Part 4.Enacted 23 March 2026

    What it requires: Subsections (b) and (c) of Tennessee Code Annotated Section 55-50-411 shall not apply to a person who holds a commercial driver license and is certified as medically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle pursuant to 49 CFR 391.43 if that certificate is issued by a medical examiner certified by the federal motor carrier safety administration and listed on the national registry of certified medical examiners in accordance with 49 CFR Part 390, Subpart D.

    Motor carriers and commercial drivers

  • SB 1625Traffic Safety - As enacted, clarifies the areas in which a personal delivery device may be operated and where such devices are prohibited; authorizes local resolutions or ordinances to both regulate and prohibit such devices but only in compliance with state law. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 8.Took effect 1 July 2026

    What it requires: A person or entity may operate a personal delivery device on sidewalks, crosswalks, bicycle lanes or paths, shoulders, areas adjacent to the right-hand edge or curb of the roadway, parking lots, or similar areas. Personal delivery devices have the rights and duties of pedestrians in pedestrian areas or bicyclists in other areas, except where provisions cannot apply or would place unreasonable burden. Local governments may regulate personal delivery devices by resolution or ordinance if necessary for public safety, but regulations must not be inconsistent with state law.

    Autonomous trucks and delivery devices

Transportation in Tennessee, by topic

Transportation bills in Tennessee

The bills not yet law, furthest along first, with what each would do.

7Enacted

1Cleared both chambers

2Past committee

5Introduced or inactive

15 bills in scope

Cleared both chambers

1

SB 1758School Transportation - As introduced, allows, as an alternative to undergoing an annual physical and mental examination, a school bus driver to annually verify to the local board of education that they possess a valid certificate issued by a medical examiner certified by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration within the United States department of transportation signifying that the school bus driver is medically qualified to operate a commercial motor vehicle. - Amends TCA Title 49 and Title 55.Sent to governor

What it would do: Allows school bus drivers to annually verify possession of a valid Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration medical examiner certificate signifying medical qualification to operate a commercial motor vehicle, as an alternative to undergoing an annual physical and mental examination required by local boards of education.

Past committee

2

HB 1706Immigration - As enacted, creates certain offenses for a person who is unlawfully present in the United States to operate a commercial motor vehicle in this state and a direct employer of such person; requires the law enforcement agency of an officer who arrests a person who is unlawfully present in the United States to operate a commercial motor vehicle in this state to ensure that federal immigration authorities are notified; creates related civil actions for persons injured by an unlawfully present person's operation of a commercial motor vehicle. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 50.Passed committee

What it would do: Creates Class A misdemeanor offenses for unlawfully present persons operating commercial motor vehicles and employers knowingly allowing it. Requires law enforcement to notify federal immigration authorities of arrests and establishes strict liability and civil penalty provisions for employers and state officials.

HB 1168Motor Vehicles - As introduced, excludes automated driving system (ADS)-operated vehicles used to transport property for hire in interstate commerce or to transport passengers for hire from the exemption allowing ADS-operated vehicles to be operated without a human driver physically present. - Amends TCA Title 55 and Title 65.Passed committee

What it would do: Requires automated driving system-operated vehicles used to transport property for hire or passengers for hire in interstate commerce to have a human driver physically present in the driver's seat monitoring and able to control the vehicle, effective July 1, 2025.

Introduced or inactive

5

HB 1641Transportation, Dept. of - As introduced, extends for one year the annual report the department must submit to committees of the general assembly regarding blocked highway-rail grade crossings data collected by the federal railroad administration. - Amends TCA Title 55 and Title 65.In committee

What it would do: Extends the Department of Transportation's annual reporting requirement on blocked highway-rail grade crossings data from 2022-2026 to 2022-2027, and delays the reporting deadline from July 1, 2027 to July 1, 2028.

HB 1830Railroads - As introduced, prohibits a railroad company from allowing a train to obstruct a railroad crossing for more than 30 consecutive minutes; subjects the railroad company to civil penalties for violations. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 40; Title 54 and Title 65.In committee

What it would do: Prohibits railroad companies from obstructing railroad crossings that provide primary ingress/egress to hospitals, residential neighborhoods, or occupied residences for more than 30 consecutive minutes, and subjects violators to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation or up to $3,000 for repeat violations within 18 months.

HB 2412Motor Vehicles - As introduced, increases from 10 to 15 the number of days from the date of an order suspending or revoking a commercial driver license that a petition may be filed to appeal the decision. - Amends TCA Title 55.In committee
HB 615Traffic Safety - As introduced, requires a motor vehicle exceeding 75 feet in length and hauling a load of poles, logs, or timber to haul the load on a trailer having an extendable and retractable rear impact protection or to be followed by an escort vehicle that is signed. - Amends TCA Title 55 and Title 65.In committee

What it would do: Requires motor vehicles exceeding 75 feet in length hauling poles, logs, or timber to either use a trailer with extendable and retractable rear impact protection meeting NHTSA standards, or be followed by an escort vehicle displaying a yellow sign at least 7 feet wide and 18 inches high with black letters reading 'OVERSIZE LOAD' at least 10 inches high.

HB 770Motor Vehicles - As introduced, increases, to the extent permissible under federal law, the maximum gross vehicle weight of a vehicle with an axle group of three axles that can be operated on the public highways of this state to 85,000 pounds. - Amends TCA Title 55.In committee

What it would do: Increases the maximum gross vehicle weight for vehicles with a three-axle group (tridem) to 85,000 pounds on Tennessee public highways to the extent permissible under federal law, and requires operators assessed additional weight tax to pay within 90 days.

Bill titles link to the Tennessee Legislature's own page.

What LawSignals covers

What counts as transportation legislation

In scope: Motor carriers and commercial drivers; truck size, weight and road use; truck and fleet emissions; hazardous materials transport; freight rail; ports, maritime and freight corridors; warehouses and delivery; and autonomous trucks and delivery devices.

Questions

Does Tennessee have a transportation law?

Yes. Tennessee enacted 7 transportation laws in the 2025 and 2026 sessions, among them SB 1748, HB 2175 and SB 2253. Each is listed on this page with what it requires.

When do Tennessee's transportation laws take effect?

SB 1748 on 1 January 2027, HB 2175 on 1 July 2026 and SB 1625 on 1 July 2026. The others have no single date in their text.

Which transportation bills are moving in Tennessee?

3 bills not yet law have passed a committee or a chamber, the furthest along SB 1758 (sent to governor), HB 1706 (passed committee) and HB 1168 (passed committee).

What does Tennessee legislate on most in transportation?

Motor carriers and commercial drivers (6 bills), Autonomous trucks and delivery devices (3 bills) and Warehouses and delivery (2 bills).

Are these summaries reviewed by a lawyer?

No. Which bills count as Transportation bills, and the line on what each law requires or each bill would do, are drafted by software from the bill's own text and not reviewed by an attorney. Every bill links to the legislature's own record: read the text before relying on it. The list covers bills from the 2025 and 2026 sessions.

Other practice areas in Tennessee

Transportation legislation in other jurisdictions

52 more currently hold bills in this tracker

Know when Tennessee's transportation law changes

An alert when a bill moves, and one report a month on what changed in every state and Congress.

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