Usually, the basic criterion to get a driver’s license is to know how to drive so you can pass the driving test. Now, though, Tennessee’s new law will require a person to be proficient in spoken and written English to register a vehicle or obtain a driver’s license.
That unlocks a new level of difficulty for many looking to get a new license or buy a car. Just like any other law, this has received some backlash, but lawmakers remain determined, believing it will serve locals who have been in the state for many years.
Not only that, the new law requires a person to present proof of U.S. citizenship to register a vehicle or obtain a driver’s license.
The new requirements could make it more difficult for certain non-citizens, including some individuals on temporary visas, to register a vehicle or obtain a driver’s license, depending on how the law is interpreted and implemented.
Tennessee Aims to Solve Immigration Issue
The current law allows a person to register a vehicle without a valid driver’s license, and various documents that show proof of identity, such as a work ID or a check stub, are accepted.
On the other hand, utility bills and bank statements would suffice as proof of residency. However, under the new law that was signed by Governor Bill Lee on May 7, 2026, and will come into effect on January 1, 2027, it won’t be that easy to register a vehicle or get a driver’s license unless you’re an American citizen and are well-versed in English.
Tennessee Representative Michele Reneau spoke to Local 3 News, revealing that the new law has been introduced to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining a license, thereby enhancing the safety of Tennessee residents. She said:
“This is just an important step in tightening the noose around this illegal immigration issue. It’s really important for the safety of Tennesseans to be able to make it as difficult as possible, and hopefully that discouragement by not being able to get that license will discourage them from driving.”
Other Languages Work for One Year
House Bill 1708 mandates a person to read and write English for the written examination. However, if one is unable to fulfill that condition, they will have to take the exam in another language. Currently, the state allows up to five languages, which include English, Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and German.
That will allow them to obtain a restricted license if they pass the test, under SB 1889. But after the first year, they will have to retake the test in English. Speaking on why this is important, Rep. Reneau said:
“Anyone could, in fact, get a driver’s license, but it would be a restricted license for the first year, and then they would have up to one year to come back and take the test in written English…and that’s really just important, because our road signs are in English.”
Immigration Lawyer Says New Law Could Hurt the Economy
According to Terry Olsen, a Chattanooga immigration lawyer, the new law will negatively affect the growth witnessed in the last three decades. He said:
“I would just like everyone to understand that I think that we’re changing 30 years of growth.”
Olsen stated that traffic signs rely more on color than on language, so everyone can understand them.
He argued that in a country dependent on vehicles for mobility, prohibiting non-residents from registering cars and denying them licenses based on language could harm the economy by affecting relationships with international companies. Olsen said:
“When you have companies looking where to locate, they look at factors…Trade teams look at schools, education, quality of life movement, and part of that movement and quality of life would be driving, and so when you have a culture in the U.S. that’s about cars, and we don’t have where you can take a train or a bus or can walk somewhere, it really reduces these factors.”