According to the Tennessee Department of Safety you must first start out with an instructional permit when learning to drive if you are under 18. Tennessee began issuing a Graduated Driver License in 2001.
Instructional permits are issued in conjunction with another class of license, or certificate for driving indicating the class of vehicle which the operator is legally entitled to drive. For example, the Class PD license or TPD certificate for driving allows drivers to learn how to drive Class D vehicles.
To obtain a Class PD license/TPD certificate, you must have reached your fifteenth birthday and pass the written and vision tests. You will be permitted to operate an automobile only when accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and who must occupy the seat beside the driver.
To exchange your Class PD license or TPD certificate for a Class D license/TD certificate, you are required to have reached your 16th birthday and pass the road-skills driving test. If you are less than 18 years old, you must have held a valid Class PD license/TPD certificate for 180 days and abide by all the requirements of the Graduated Driver License law.
[Let CarInsurance.com help you find affordable auto insurance now.] In simpler terms we can go through the steps of the graduated licensing system (GDL). First step is the learner's permit. You must be 15 years old and pass the standard written and visual exams. You must hold a learner permit for 180 days.
There are two (2) Intermediate License levels for those who are under 18 years of age. The first level is the intermediate Restricted License and the second level is the Intermediate Unrestricted License.
For the Intermediate License you must be sixteen (16) years old and pass the driving test and you must have held a learner permit for 180 days. The next step is the Intermediate Unrestricted License. To obtain this license you must be 17 years old and have held an Intermediate Restricted License for one (1) year.
The final level is a regular driver's license. You may obtain a Class D regular driver license when you are 18 years of age, or upon graduating from high school or receiving a GED the word Intermediate will be removed, however, the license will still include the Under 21 indicators.
Applicants for a TN license that are not yet eighteen years old must have an adult sign a Minor/Teenage Affidavit and Cancellation form, available at all driver license stations. This form confirms that the adult signing the form joins in the application for the license and will be responsible for the actions of the minor driver. It must be signed by a parent, a step-parent living at the same address as the applicant, legal guardian, or a grandparent authorized by the parent, step-parent or guardian.
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Applicants under the age of 18 must prove they are either enrolled in or have already graduated from high school. Chapter 3 of the TN driver's manual lists acceptable proof of your schooling status.
From the information listed above it would appear that if you have gone through the graduated licensing system and want to move to the final level and obtain the full Class D license before you turn 18 you would need to receive your GED first.
If you are currently in the process of obtaining the GED you can contact the TN DPS to find out what exact steps to take to get your full license once you have passed the GED. | 
