TENNESSEE’S NEW DUI LAW TAKES EFFECT JAN. 1: ROADSIDE SALIVA TESTS NOW ADMISSIBLE
According to a report by WATE, starting January 1, 2026, Tennessee’s updated implied consent law will allow law enforcement to use roadside oral fluid tests (saliva swabs) as admissible evidence in court to build DUI cases involving drugs or alcohol. These tests, combined with other impairment indicators, can establish probable cause for a search warrant to obtain a blood sample, which remains the most accurate method for detecting substances.
The law also extends license suspension periods for refusing a roadside test in misdemeanor DUI cases from one year to 18 months, maintains that refusal remains a violation even if blood is later provided, and increases revocation periods for vehicular assault convictions—from three to six years on a third offense and five to eight years on a fourth—to ensure harsher penalties for more serious crimes than standard DUI.
As the changes take effect, multiple agencies, including the Franklin Police Department, plan heightened DUI enforcement on New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day, with officials emphasizing zero tolerance for impaired driving to protect public safety.
