Is Lane Splitting Legal in Tennessee? (2026 Law)

No. Lane splitting and lane filtering are both illegal in Tennessee. Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8-182(c) says "No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles," and the section makes no exception for stopped or slow-moving traffic. The section sets no penalty of its own, so a violation is a Class C misdemeanor under T.C.A. 55-10-301(a), punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a fine of up to $50, or both (T.C.A. 40-35-111(e)(3)). For how other states handle the practice, see our guide to lane splitting laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-09. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Tennessee state law in the Tennessee Code Annotated (T.C.A.): the motorcycle lane rules in 55-8-182, the funeral-procession escort exception in 55-8-183, the definitions in 55-8-101 and 55-1-103, the single-lane rule in 55-8-123, the passing-on-the-right and shoulder rules in 55-8-118, the due-care rule in 55-8-136, reckless driving in 55-10-205, the general traffic penalty in 55-10-301, the misdemeanor ranges in 40-35-111, the Department of Safety point schedule, and the 2023 filtering bills (HB 1454 and SB 298). It does not cover city or county ordinances, court costs, insurance consequences, or the law of other states.

What Tennessee law says about riding between lanes

Tennessee has an express ban. The motorcycle lane rules sit in T.C.A. 55-8-182, which reads in full:

"(a) All motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no motor vehicle shall be driven in a manner that deprives any motorcycle of the full use of a lane. This subsection (a) shall not apply to motorcycles operated two (2) abreast in a single lane. (b) The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken. (c) No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles. (d) Motorcycles shall not be operated more than two (2) abreast in a single lane. (e) Motorcycles that are autocycles shall not be operated more than two (2) abreast in a single lane. (f) Subsections (b) and (c) shall not apply to police officers in the performance of their official duties."

Subsection (c) covers both lane splitting (riding between lanes of moving traffic) and lane filtering (riding between rows of stopped or slow vehicles at a light or in a jam), because it bars riding "between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles" without any condition about traffic speed. Subsection (b) separately bars squeezing past a car within its own lane. The state's own Tennessee Highway Safety Office puts it plainly: "Lane splitting is not legal in Tennessee," citing subsections (b) and (c) of 55-8-182.

The rule applies to every "motorcycle" as T.C.A. 55-1-103(d) defines the term: "every motor vehicle that has a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three (3) wheels in contact with the ground, including an autocycle and does not include a tractor or motorized bicycle."

The text quoted here is section 55-8-182 as last amended in 2016 (Acts 2016, ch. 1015). The public chapters enacted by the Tennessee General Assembly from 2021 through those published in October 2026 include no act amending 55-8-182, 55-8-183 or 55-8-123. Tennessee's official code is published online through the free online Tennessee Code that the General Assembly links to; check it for any later change before relying on a particular subsection.

Who is exempt from the ban

Only two groups are carved out, and each exemption is narrow.

• Police officers. Subsection (f) of 55-8-182 says subsections (b) and (c) "shall not apply to police officers in the performance of their official duties."
• Funeral-procession escorts. Under T.C.A. 55-8-183(b)(1), "Motorcycle escorts of properly identified funeral processions may: (1) Notwithstanding § 55-8-182(c) or any other law to the contrary, operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles;"

No other section of the motorcycle rules creates an exception for stopped traffic, slow traffic, ramps or the shoulder.

The single-lane rule

Tennessee also has a general lane rule that applies to every driver. T.C.A. 55-8-123(1) provides:

"Whenever any roadway has been divided into two (2) or more clearly marked lanes for traffic, the following rules, in addition to all others consistent with this section, shall apply: (1) A vehicle shall be driven as nearly as practicable entirely within a single lane and shall not be moved from that lane until the driver has first ascertained that the movement can be made with safety;"

Section 55-8-101 defines a "laned roadway" as "a roadway which is divided into two (2) or more clearly marked lanes for vehicular traffic."

Can motorcycles ride on the shoulder in Tennessee?

Not to pass traffic. The answer starts with the definitions in T.C.A. 55-8-101, which apply to Chapter 8 and to parts 1 through 5 of Chapter 10 "unless the context otherwise requires":

"'Roadway' means that portion of a highway improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, exclusive of the berm or shoulder. In the event a highway includes two (2) or more separate roadways, 'roadway' refers to any such roadway separately but not to all such roadways collectively;"

The same section defines a "highway" as "the entire width between the boundary lines of every way when any part thereto is open to the use of the public for purposes of vehicular travel." So the shoulder is part of the highway but not part of the roadway. Section 55-8-101 does not separately define "shoulder."

The passing-on-the-right rule in T.C.A. 55-8-118(b) then closes off the shoulder as a way around traffic:

"(b) The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting that movement in safety. In no event shall the movement be made by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway."

Subsection (c) adds that a driver passing on the right "shall not operate the motor vehicle within a bicycle lane as defined in § 55-8-205."

Subsection (d)(1) goes further on state highways. It lets the driver of a bus run by or for a publicly owned transit agency pass on the right on the shoulder of a state-system highway, including interstates, when the Department of Transportation authorizes it. Anyone else who operates a vehicle on the shoulder or right-of-way of a state highway commits a Class C misdemeanor, except authorized emergency vehicles and, since Public Chapter 243 of 2021, recovery vehicles (as defined in 55-8-132(d)) "when responding to an emergency call received from a law enforcement agency."

What happens if you are cited for lane splitting

Section 55-8-182 contains no penalty clause of its own. The general penalty in T.C.A. 55-10-301(a) fills the gap:

"(a) Any person violating any of chapters 8 and 9 of this title and parts 1-5 of this chapter where a penalty is not specifically prescribed commits a Class C misdemeanor."

The range for that class is in T.C.A. 40-35-111(e)(3): "Class C misdemeanor, not greater than thirty (30) days or a fine not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00), or both, unless otherwise provided by statute." The statute sets only the maximum. The fine on a particular citation is set by the court that handles it, and court costs and litigation taxes are charged on top of any fine.

The court also has a course option. Under 55-10-301(b)(1), a person who violates these traffic chapters "may be required, at the discretion of the court, to attend a driver education course approved by the department of safety in addition to or in lieu of any portion of other penalty imposed." Under 55-10-301(c), that course option does not apply to a person who holds a Class A, B, or C license.

Points on a Tennessee driving record

The Department of Safety's Schedule of Points Values has no line that names lane splitting, and the department does not say which line it assigns to a 55-8-182(c) conviction. The nearest listed items are "Improper operation of or riding on a motorcycle" (3 points), "Improper lane or location, driving on roadways laned for traffic" (3 points), "Improper passing" (4 points), and "Miscellaneous traffic violations; any offense involving the unsafe operation of a non- commercial motor vehicle not herein specified" (3 points). On the same schedule, "Inattentive driving, due care, failure to drive in careful manner, unsafe lookout, improper driving" carries 3 points, "Careless or negligent driving" 4 points and "Reckless Driving" 6 points.

Points build toward a suspension. According to the department's Driver Improvement page, which cites T.C.A. 55-50-505, "Drivers that accumulate twelve (12) or more points on their driving record within any 12-month period are sent a notice of proposed suspension and given an opportunity to attend an administrative hearing. If they fail to request a hearing, their driving privileges are suspended for a period of six to 12 months." For drivers under 18, the trigger is 6 or more points within any 12-month period.

Other charges a lane-splitting stop can involve

Two broader rules can come up alongside a lane charge. Each is a separate charge with its own elements, and whether a particular ride meets them depends on the facts.

• Due care, T.C.A. 55-8-136(b). Every driver must "exercise due care by operating the vehicle at a safe speed, by maintaining a safe lookout, by keeping the vehicle under proper control and by devoting full time and attention to operating the vehicle," as necessary to avoid endangering life, limb or property and to avoid colliding with any other vehicle or person, or any road sign, guard rail or fixed object legally using, parked or placed on or beside the roadway, including an adjacent sidewalk, bicycle lane, shoulder or berm. Under 55-8-136(c), "A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor."
• Reckless driving, T.C.A. 55-10-205. "Any person who drives any vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property commits reckless driving." It is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to 6 months in jail, a fine up to $500, or both, and "In addition to the penalty authorized by subdivision (d)(1), the court shall assess a fine of fifty dollars ($50.00)."

Bills to allow lane filtering

Tennessee lawmakers have considered filtering, but no bill has passed. In the 113th General Assembly, House Bill 1454 and its Senate companion, Senate Bill 298, would have amended Titles 54 and 55. The legislature's summary says the bill, as introduced, "authorizes two-wheeled motorcycles to be operated between rows of stopped or moving vehicles in the same lane on certain limited access highways and interstate highways when the speed of traffic is 25 miles per hour or less."

Neither bill advanced. On March 15, 2023, HB 1454 was "Taken off notice for cal in s/c Transportation Subcommittee of Transportation Committee," and SB 298 had its "Action deferred in Senate Transportation and Safety Committee to first calendar of 2024." No act of the 2025 or 2026 sessions amends 55-8-182, so the ban in subsection (c) remains in place.

Federal law and lane splitting

We found no federal statute or regulation that addresses lane splitting; the rules come from state traffic law. Tennessee's 55-8-182 follows, almost word for word, section 11-1303 of the 1968 revision of the Uniform Vehicle Code, a model code that many states drew on; it is not federal law.

If a crash happens

A lane-splitting or passing charge can matter after a collision, but fault and injury claims follow their own rules. Those are covered in our guide to Tennessee motorcycle accident laws. For the crash rules that apply to every driver, see Tennessee car accident laws.

Related pages

• Lane splitting laws by state
• Tennessee motorcycle accident laws
• Tennessee car accident laws

This article provides general legal information about Tennessee law, not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Tennessee or the court named on your citation.

Last updated: 2026-10-09.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is lane splitting legal in Tennessee?

No. T.C.A. 55-8-182(c) says no person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles. Only on-duty police officers and funeral-procession motorcycle escorts are exempt.

Is lane filtering legal in Tennessee?

No. Section 55-8-182(c) has no exception for stopped or slow-moving traffic. Bills that would have allowed filtering on certain limited access and interstate highways, HB 1454 and SB 298, stalled in committee in 2023.

What is the penalty for lane splitting in Tennessee?

It is a Class C misdemeanor under T.C.A. 55-10-301(a), punishable by up to 30 days in jail, a fine of up to $50, or both (40-35-111(e)(3)). Court costs are added separately, and the court may order a driver education course unless the rider holds a Class A, B, or C license (55-10-301(c)).

Can motorcycles ride on the shoulder in Tennessee?

Not to pass. T.C.A. 55-8-118(b) bars passing on the right by driving off the pavement or main-traveled portion of the roadway, and 55-8-118(d)(1) makes driving on a state highway shoulder a Class C misdemeanor for anyone other than authorized transit buses, emergency vehicles and certain recovery vehicles.

Do you get points for lane splitting in Tennessee?

The Department of Safety point schedule has no line that names lane splitting and does not say which item applies. The nearest items are improper operation of a motorcycle and improper lane or location (3 points each) and improper passing (4 points).

Can two motorcycles ride side by side in Tennessee?

Yes, up to two. T.C.A. 55-8-182(d) says motorcycles shall not be operated more than two abreast in a single lane.