Driving is an essential part of life in most parts of Tennessee. And if you don’t speak English — or a handful of other languages — getting a driver’s license can be difficult. That’s why a coalition of Tennessee-based immigrant rights groups is filing a federal complaint against the state.

The Our State, Our Languages Coalition alleges that the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security and Driver Services Division fail to provide sufficient language access to the driver’s exam, violating civil rights law.

At the core of the coalition’s complaint is guidance which requires agencies that receive federal funds to provide meaningful access to their services. Federal guidance states agencies should provide translation or interpretation if at least 1,000 people or 5% of the population have limited English proficiency. In Tennessee, that would include Arabic, Chinese, Somali, Kurdish, and more, said the coalition.

Tennessee’s written driving test is already offered in Spanish, German, Japanese and Korean. However, most of those language options are linked to auto manufacturers moving to the state. The road test is offered only in English.

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