The Tennessee F endorsement test is a 25-question multiple-choice knowledge exam taken at any driver service center, and you pass by answering at least 20 correctly.1Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Regular (Class D) Driver License with (F) For-Hire Endorsement You also complete a vision screening and pay a $4.50 fee the same visit.2Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Driver License Fees Results are immediate, and if you pass you leave with a temporary permit that lets you start working as a for-hire driver right away.
What the Test Covers
The exam focuses on the added responsibilities that come with transporting people or property for pay. Expect questions on pre-trip inspections: brakes, lights, tires, and emergency equipment you should check before every shift. Traffic laws for passenger loading zones and high-occupancy vehicle operation come up regularly, along with how to handle on-road emergencies such as collisions or a passenger’s medical crisis.
Defensive driving gets significant weight, particularly how a heavier or fully loaded vehicle behaves differently from a personal car when braking, turning, or driving in poor weather. Other questions cover your legal duties when transporting passengers with disabilities and the rules for stopping at railroad crossings.
How To Study
The Tennessee Department of Safety points applicants to the Comprehensive Driver License Manual as the study source for this endorsement.1Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Regular (Class D) Driver License with (F) For-Hire Endorsement Read it as if you had never driven professionally. Applicants who rely on general driving experience tend to miss the specific rules the test asks about, particularly the pre-trip inspection points and the passenger-loading and railroad-crossing rules.
Who Can Take the Test
Before the Department will let you sit for the F endorsement test, you have to meet all of the following:3Justia Law. Tennessee Code 55-50-302 – Classes of Licenses
- Hold a valid Tennessee Class D driver license. The F endorsement is added to it, not issued on its own.
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Have two full years of driving under an unrestricted license before the application date. Time on a learner permit or restricted license does not count.
- Satisfy the Department as to good character, competency, and fitness. The Department has discretion to deny applicants whose driving records raise concerns.
A narrow exception lowers the age to 16 for an applicant who will only drive a vehicle owned by a family business to deliver goods for that business, and who has no license suspension, cancellation, or revocation in any state. No one under 19 may use the F endorsement to operate a commercial motor vehicle as defined under federal regulations.3Justia Law. Tennessee Code 55-50-302 – Classes of Licenses
The F endorsement covers standard passenger cars, vans, and small trucks used in for-hire work. If your vehicle’s weight or passenger capacity requires a CDL, the F endorsement alone is not enough. Ambulance personnel are exempt from the endorsement requirement by statute.4Justia Law. Tennessee Code 55-50-102 – Chapter Definitions
What To Bring
Bring proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residency, proof of Tennessee residency, and your Social Security number. Acceptable citizenship documents include a U.S. state or territory birth certificate, a valid unexpired U.S. passport, a certificate of naturalization, or a permanent resident alien card. Puerto Rican birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010 are not accepted.5Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Proof of Citizenship/Lawful Permanent Residency
Names must match across every document. If yours has changed by marriage or court order, bring the marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order that establishes the change.5Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security. Proof of Citizenship/Lawful Permanent Residency
What Happens at the Service Center
The visit itself is short if your paperwork is in order:
- Staff verify your identification, citizenship or residency proof, and Social Security documentation.
- You complete an on-site vision screening. A full DOT medical exam is not required for the Class D for-hire endorsement.1Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Regular (Class D) Driver License with (F) For-Hire Endorsement
- You take the 25-question exam on a computer terminal, with results shown immediately.
- You pay $4.50, made up of $2.50 for the endorsement and a $2.00 processing fee.2Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Driver License Fees
After You Pass
You receive a temporary paper permit at the counter and can start driving for hire the same day. Your permanent license with the F endorsement printed on it arrives by mail, typically within 10 to 20 days.
The endorsement does not run on its own expiration schedule. It renews with your underlying Class D license, and you pay the $4.50 endorsement fee again at renewal along with any required vision screening.2Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security. Driver License Fees Letting the license lapse takes the endorsement down with it.