How can I get a hardship license?

How Can a Minor Get a Hardship License?

• Answer:

  Hardship driver's licenses permit people who are below the official driving age to legally operate a car during designated hours. These limited licenses are designed to allow young people who are required to have their own transportation due to work, school and family situations. Determine Eligibility Each state defines hardship eligibility on its own terms, with some variation from place to place. In Tennessee, those applying for a hardship license have to submit proof of hardship. According to the Tennessee Department of Safety, only those who can offer "verifiable documentation of a true hardship" will be granted the license. A hardship, as defined in that state and many others, is a situation where the family or young person will lose "basic necessities of comforts of life" without the ability to drive on her own. Regular school attendance is another requirement for hardship applicants, as well as completion of a driver's education course. The Application Process To apply for a hardship license, you need to gather documents relating to the qualifications, as well as government issued identification. If you have taken a driver's education course, submit the completion paperwork as well. If you have been driving under supervision with a learner's permit, be prepared to submit your learner's permit or a copy as well. As for proof of hardship, letters from your school and employer outlining your schedule, as well as any documentation outlining your family's financial reliance on your income, may be included. Restrictions The terms of your hardship license will be determined according to your needs. Typically, driving time will be limited to daylight hours. You will be permitted to drive particular routes, such as to and from school, work and home. You will likely not be allowed to drive with any passengers under the age of 18, although immediate family members are sometimes permitted. To change or adjust your schedule and approved destinations, you will have to submit letters from your school or employer to your local permit issuing office.