Drivers License Back

Can I get my Tennessee Driver’s License back (reinstated) after it was suspended because of unpaid traffic tickets, fines, court costs, etc.?

If your Tennessee Driver’s License has been suspended because of unpaid traffic tickets, fines, court costs, etc. to the following courts: Memphis City Court, Shelby County Criminal Court and Shelby County General Sessions Court, you may be able to get your Tennessee Driver’s License back (reinstated) after you file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition by obtaining a release letter from the court to which you owe your unpaid traffic tickets, fines, court costs etc. If you owe courts other than those listed above, you may or may not be able to get your Tennessee Driver’s license back (reinstated) depending on the policy of the court you owe.

You will need to list on your bankruptcy petition all of your unpaid traffic tickets, fines, court costs, etc. and the amount owed. If you already have this information, please bring a complete list and the amounts owed to our office so we can put this information on your Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition.

Can I get my Tennessee Driver’s License back (reinstated) after it was suspended because of an accident?

If you have had your Tennessee Driver’s License suspended because of a claim for damages resulting from an accident, you may be able to get your Tennessee Driver’s License back (reinstated) by filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. However, from time to time, the Tennessee Department of Safety has required a discharge in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy in order to get your license back (reinstated).

You will need to list on your Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition all parties involved in the accident and any insurance companies you may owe as a result of the accident. If you already have this information, please bring a complete list of the parties and the insurance companies to our office so we can put this information on your Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition. Much of the information can be obtained from the police or sheriff’s report about your accident.

What will I need to do after filing my Chapter 13 bankruptcy to get my Tennessee Driver’s License back (reinstated)?

After your Chapter 13 bankruptcy petition has been filed, if your are current on your payments, have supplied all the information required by the bankruptcy trustee, and no objections have been made, your Chapter 13 plan should be confirmed within 4-6 weeks from the date your petition was filed. Once you have the Order confirming your Chapter 13 bankruptcy plan from the bankruptcy court, you will need to take this Order to the Memphis and/or Shelby County courts to which you owe unpaid traffic tickets, fines, court costs, etc., and get a release letter from each court.

You will then need to take a copy of your bankruptcy petition, the release letter(s), an SR-22 (a form that states you have future financial responsibility obtained from your insurance company or from an insurance company where you purchase automobile insurance), any other information requested by the Tennessee Department of Safety, and the amount of money necessary to pay your Tennessee Driver’s License reinstatement fees and/or licensing fee to the Tennessee Department of Safety Driver’s License Reinstatement Center located at 3200 E. Shelby Dr., Memphis, TN (so it can all be turned in and processed at once).

This information will then be sent to the Tennessee Department of Safety in Nashville, and they will review the paperwork to be sure all parties and tickets involved in the accident are listed. After about 5-10 business days, the Tennessee Department of Safety should send a letter to the local Reinstatement Center authorizing you to get your Tennessee Driver’s License back (reinstated). After the letter has been received by the Tennessee Department of Safety Driver’s License Reinstatement Center located at 3200 E. Shelby Dr., Memphis, TN, you will need to go to the center to get your Driver’s License (back) reinstated.

Additional information:

Tennessee Department of Safety Driver’s License Reinstatement Center,
3200 E. Shelby Drive
Memphis, Tennessee
901-367-3639

To see what you need to do to get your revoked license back you can call this number:
Tennessee Dept. of Safety (Nashville) Toll free 1-866-903-7357

Here is a link that may help you:

Check Your Driver License Status Online

Do not act on anything you read on this site without hiring an attorney. This is why we offer, for free, to prepare a bankruptcy petition for you to see what works best in your personal financial situation. We provide representation for individuals who live in Lauderdale, Tipton, Fayette and Shelby County, Tennessee, who qualify to file bankruptcy in the Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Tennessee located in Memphis, Tennessee.

^*For those who qualify under federal law.