Can my son get his license back in Colorado?

Hey everyone, I have a question. My son recently moved to Colorado from Tennessee. The idea was to get a job and find a place to live here. But there’s a problem… about 8 years ago, he got a DUI in Tennessee after driving while on Xanax (it was prescribed). He never had the money to get his license reinstated, so he’s been using Uber to get to work. Now, all the jobs he’s looking at here require a driver’s license. Is there any way he can get his license in Colorado without having to go back to Tennessee? He doesn’t have a place to stay there anymore. Any advice would be super helpful!

I think he’ll need to contact both the Tennessee and Colorado DMVs first. Tennessee might have specific conditions he needs to meet, like paying fines or taking classes.

Pax said:
I think he’ll need to contact both the Tennessee and Colorado DMVs first. Tennessee might have specific conditions he needs to meet, like paying fines or taking classes.

Yeah, and sometimes you can do those DUI programs online or through Colorado-approved ones. He should ask Tennessee if that works.

Pax said:
I think he’ll need to contact both the Tennessee and Colorado DMVs first. Tennessee might have specific conditions he needs to meet, like paying fines or taking classes.

What kind of programs are we talking about here? Like defensive driving or something?

Pax said:
I think he’ll need to contact both the Tennessee and Colorado DMVs first. Tennessee might have specific conditions he needs to meet, like paying fines or taking classes.

More like DUI education or substance abuse classes. It’s usually part of the reinstatement requirements after a DUI.

Colorado will probably check the National Driver Register (NDR) to see if Tennessee has any holds on his record. He’ll need to clear those first.

Brier said:
Colorado will probably check the National Driver Register (NDR) to see if Tennessee has any holds on his record. He’ll need to clear those first.

That sounds like a lot of hassle… any way around it?

Brier said:
Colorado will probably check the National Driver Register (NDR) to see if Tennessee has any holds on his record. He’ll need to clear those first.

Not really, unfortunately. If there are unpaid fines or unresolved issues in Tennessee, he’ll have to deal with those before Colorado lets him get a license.

He might be able to file a hardship request with Tennessee explaining his situation. Some states allow that if you’re in a tough spot and need to work.

Voss said:
He might be able to file a hardship request with Tennessee explaining his situation. Some states allow that if you’re in a tough spot and need to work.

What’s a hardship request? Never heard of that before.

Voss said:
He might be able to file a hardship request with Tennessee explaining his situation. Some states allow that if you’re in a tough spot and need to work.

Basically, you explain your circumstances (like no place to stay, need to work) and ask for some leniency. Tennessee might let him complete requirements from Colorado.

Honestly, calling the Tennessee DMV is the best first step. They’ll tell him exactly what’s needed to clear his record.

Devon said:
Honestly, calling the Tennessee DMV is the best first step. They’ll tell him exactly what’s needed to clear his record.

True. Once he knows what Tennessee needs, he can figure out if it can be done remotely. Hope it works out for him!

Just a heads-up, Colorado may not issue a license if there’s still a block in Tennessee. He’ll need to deal with that first.

Zephyr said:
Just a heads-up, Colorado may not issue a license if there’s still a block in Tennessee. He’ll need to deal with that first.

Yeah, that’s usually the case with interstate agreements. It’s frustrating, but they won’t let you skip over unresolved issues.