2023 Tennessee Code › Title 55 - MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES (§§ 55-1-101 — 55-53-105) › Chapter 10 - ACCIDENTS, ARRESTS, CRIMES AND PENALTIES (§§ 55-10-101 — 55-10-804) › Part 4 - ALCOHOL AND DRUG RELATED OFFENSES (§§ 55-10-NEW — 55-10-427) › Section 55-10-407 - Penalty for violations of Section 55-10-406

(a)
If the court finds that the driver violated §
55-10-406
, the driver is not considered as having committed a criminal offense; provided, however, that the court shall revoke the license of the driver for a period of:
(1)
One (1) year, if the person does not have a prior conviction as defined in subsection (e);
(2)
Two (2) years, if the person does have a prior conviction as defined in subsection (e);
(3)
Two (2) years, if the court finds that the driver involved in a collision, in which one (1) or more persons suffered serious bodily injury, violated §
55-10-406
by refusing to submit to such a test or tests; and
(4)
Five (5) years, if the court finds that the driver involved in a collision in which one (1) or more persons are killed, violated §
55-10-406
by refusing to submit to such a test or tests.
(b)
If a person's driver license is suspended for a violation of §
55-10-406
prior to the time the offense for which the driver was arrested is disposed of, the court disposing of such offense may order the department of safety to reinstate the license if:
(1)
The person's driver license is currently suspended for an implied consent violation and the offense for which the driver was arrested resulted from the same incident; and
(2)
The offense for which the person was arrested is dismissed by the court upon a finding that the law enforcement officer lacked sufficient cause to make the initial stop of the driver's vehicle.
(c)
The period of license suspension for a violation of §
55-10-406
runs consecutive to the period of license suspension imposed following a conviction for §
55-10-401
if:
(1)
The general sessions court or trial court judge determines that the driver violated §
55-10-406
; and
(2)
The judge determining the violation of §
55-10-406
finds that the driver has a conviction or juvenile delinquency adjudication for a violation that occurred within five (5) years of the violation of §
55-10-406
for:
(A)
Implied consent under §
55-10-406
;
(B)
Underage driving while impaired under §
55-10-415
;
(C)
The open container law under §
55-10-416
; or
(D)
Reckless driving under §
55-10-205
, if the charged offense was §
55-10-401
.
(d)
Any person who violates §
55-10-406
by refusing to submit to either test or both tests, pursuant to §
55-10-406(d)(4)
, shall be charged by a separate warrant or citation that does not include any charge of violating §
55-10-401
that may arise from the same occurrence.
(e)
(1)
For the purpose of determining the license suspension period under subsection (a), a person who is convicted of a violation of §
55-10-401
is not to be considered a repeat or multiple offender and subject to the penalties prescribed in subsection (a) if ten (10) or more years have elapsed between the date of the present violation and the date of any immediately preceding violation of §
55-10-401
that resulted in a conviction for such offense. If, however, the date of a person's violation of §
55-10-401
is within ten (10) years of the date of the present violation, then the person shall be considered a multiple offender and is subject to the penalties imposed upon multiple offenders by this part. If a person is considered a multiple offender under this part, then every violation of §
55-10-401
that resulted in a conviction for such offense occurring within ten (10) years of the date of the immediately preceding violation is considered in determining the number of prior offenses. However, a violation occurring more than twenty (20) years from the date of the instant violation is never considered a prior offense for that purpose.
(2)
For the purpose of determining the license suspension period under subsection (a), the state shall use a conviction for the offense of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, vehicular homicide involving an intoxicant, vehicular assault involving an intoxicant, aggravated vehicular homicide involving an intoxicant, or aggravated vehicular assault involving an intoxicant that occurred in another state or territory, as defined in §
55-10-405
.
(3)
For the purpose of determining the license suspension period under subsection (a), a prior conviction for the offense of vehicular assault under §
39-13-106
, aggravated vehicular assault under §
39-13-115
, vehicular homicide under §
39-13-213(a)(2)
, or aggravated vehicular homicide under §
39-13-218
is treated the same as a prior conviction for a violation of driving under the influence of an intoxicant under §
55-10-401
.
Amended by 2019 Tenn. Acts, ch. 187, s 10, eff. 7/1/2019.
Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 304, s 3, eff. 7/1/2017.
Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 304, s 2, eff. 7/1/2017.
Amended by 2016 Tenn. Acts, ch. 876, s 7, eff. 7/1/2016.
Amended by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 344, s 3, eff. 5/13/2013.
Amended by 2013 Tenn. Acts, ch. 154, s 7, eff. 7/1/2013.
Acts 1969, ch. 292, § 3; 1970, ch. 427, § 4; T.C.A., § 59-1046; Acts 2005, ch. 483, §§ 3, 4.