Tennessee DUI Laws
Tennessee DUI Defense
What you're facing, what the deadlines are, and the questions your attorney needs to answer, specific to Tennessee (TN) law.
BAC Limit
0.08
Enhanced BAC
0.20
Higher penalties above this
Lookback Period
10 years
Prior offenses count within
First Offense Penalties in Tennessee
Implied Consent & Test Refusal
Like all 50 states, Tennessee has an implied consent law, by driving on Tennesseeroads, you've already agreed to submit to a chemical test (breath, blood, or urine) if an officer has probable cause to believe you're impaired.
Refusal Penalty
1-year license revocation
Tennessee-Specific Detail
Tennessee has a mandatory minimum 48-hour jail sentence with no exceptions, even for first offenses. If BAC is 0.20+, the mandatory minimum increases to 7 days. Tennessee requires IID for all DUI convictions.
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Other Tennessee defense topics
Facing a different charge in Tennessee? Penalty ranges, enhancements, and defense questions for related crimes:
Important: This page provides general legal information about Tennessee DUI laws as of the date of publication. Laws change frequently. This is not legal advice. For guidance specific to your case, speaking with a Tennessee-licensed attorney is one option, or take the free Masked Researcher’s First Read to see where your case stands.