A U.S. driver’s license is a symbol of independence.
It gives you the power to go wherever you want, whenever you want.
That’s the reason Americans drive an average of 14,000 miles a year, and why more than 9 out of 10 Americans—nearly 240 million people—currently have their U.S. driver’s license.
Today, we’re going to cover the ins and outs of the driver’s license application process.
In the sections below, we will cover the documentation needed to get your U.S. driver’s license, the state-specific requirements to consider, and the three essential tests you’ll need to take.
Let’s hit the road!
Overview of the Driver’s License Process
The US driver’s license process is consistent across all 50 states—though there are some notable discrepancies, as we will cover in the next section.
No matter where you live, however, the process will be largely influenced by your age.
For example, if you are between the ages of 15 and 16, you first need to obtain an instructional permit (or learner’s permit) and hold it for 9 months before applying for your driver’s license.
Applicants under the age of 18 are also required to complete a driver’s education program (or “driver’s ed”) that enforces the following protocols:
- Approximately 30 hours of classroom work and study.
- Approximately 6 to 8 hours of driving lessons.
- Approximately 50 hours of driving practice.
- Approximately 8 hours of night driving.
The exact hours and course load will vary from state-to-state.
For older ages, the process becomes shorter.
If you are between the ages of 18 and 20, you’re expected to complete an adult driver education course, which demands a much shorter time commitment than driver’s ed.
In some cases, students can complete this course as early as age 17 and 3 months, becoming ready to apply for a U.S. driver’s license on their 18th birthday.
In most states, obtaining a learner’s permit is not mandatory for adults 18 and older to apply for their license. However, obtaining a driver’s permit is the only legal way to gain hands-on, behind-the-wheel practice prior to your driving test.
If you are over the age of 21, most adult driving education courses become entirely optional (though a few states, including Texas, require driver’s ed until the age of 25).
In most cases, adults over the age of 21 can expect to complete three steps in the driver’s license application process:
- Written licensing exam.
- Vision test.
- Driving “behind-the-wheel” test
Together, these protocols are designed to safely test your knowledge, competence, and visual acuity when on the road.
Beyond these core requirements, adults also need to provide the proper documentation and pay the requested application fees.
As of 2024, the average national cost for a driver’s license is roughly $30. Some states, like Missouri, charge as little as $10, while more expensive states (like Washington) charge $89.
Understanding State-Specific Requirements
Each state has unique protocols for obtaining a driver’s license.
In fact, the state-to-state differences emerge at the very start of the application process. For example, look at how divergent the names of driver’s license providers can be:
- In New York, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
- In Tennessee, the Department of Safety & Homeland Security Driver Service Center.
- In Texas, the Department of Public Safety (DPS).
- In Arizona, the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD).
- In Ohio, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV).
Though each institution may have a different name (and unique protocols), they ultimately provide the same core services.
To find your nearest issuer of driver’s licenses, Google search “driver’s license near me.”
If that doesn’t work, simply add your local zip code to the search. Better yet, you can also use this official tool to locate state motor vehicle services in your community.
Once you find the correct department, the website lists the requirements and documentation needed to receive your driver’s license. In the next section, we’ll provide a general overview of what to expect.
Most government websites offer language assistance tools to streamline the application process. For example, if you visit the North Dakota Department of Transportation and click on the upper right hand corner, you can select over 15 languages other than English.
Required Documentation
As we have seen, the process of obtaining a driver’s license varies from state to state.
Nevertheless, the forms of documentation requested are fairly consistent (and comprehensive) across all 50 states.
To provide a specific example—and one that is repeated across the country—we will follow the regulations used by the state of Illinois, which seeks proof of identification in four categories:
- Group A: Proof of Signature. Accepted documentation often includes:
-
- Canceled check (within 90 days before the application).
- Government ID card.
- Medicare card.
- Social Security card
- Passport (U.S. or foreign-issued).
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) forms.
- Your credit card signature (American Express, Discover, Visa, or Mastercard).
- Group B: Proof of Birth Date. Accepted documentation often includes:
-
- U.S. or foreign passport.
- Naturalization certificate (N550/N570).
- U.S. visas.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) forms, including:
- I-551
- I-571
- I-766
- I-797A
- I-94
- Birth certificate (with official certification by the U.S. State Department).
- Group C: Proof of Social Security Number (SSN). Accepted documentation includes:
- Military service record (DD214).
- Pay stub (or printed electronic deposit) showing applicant’s name and SSN.
- Valid W-2.
- Social Security card (issued by the Social Security Administration).
- U.S. Military driver’s license/ID card.
Some states have allowed Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) to substitute an SSN. Though this is a possibility, it is both uncommon and expressly discouraged by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
- Group D: Proof of Residency. Accepted documentation includes:
- Bank statement (dated within 90 days of license application).
- Voided check (dated within 90 days of license application).
- Certified school transcript from an elementary, high school, or college.
- Report card from an elementary, high school, or college.
- Credit reports (issued by TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian within one calendar year of license application).
- Deed/title.
- Mortgage agreement.
- Rental/lease agreement.
- Pay stub or electronic deposit receipt.
- Pension or retirement statement.
- Vehicle registration card
- Utility bill (issued within 90 days of license application).
Once again, the list of accepted documents will change from state-to-state, so be sure to research your local requirements ahead of time.
Also, keep in mind that one document can satisfy several of the aforementioned groups, including valid passports and USCIS forms.
One question might stand out right now: can you get a driver’s license if you are not a U.S. citizen?
Yes. As of 2024, 19 states issue U.S. driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. In such situations, accepted forms of documentation include foreign passports, consular cards, evidence of current residency in the state of application, and a valid foreign birth certificate.
Preparing for the Tests
Now that you have your documentation, there’s only one step left to take: passing the tests.
To schedule your visual, written, and driving tests, visit your driver’s license issuer’s website. While some states allow you to take all three tests on the same day, others do not.
In Illinois, for example, some proctors wait to see how you score on the written exam before allowing you to schedule your driving test. In other situations, you may be able to complete all three exams back-to-back as long as enough appointments are available.
Before you head to your appointments, here’s everything you need to know about the all-important tests.
Test 1: Visual Acuity
Most states test your vision using a Snellen eye chart. This is similar to what you might see at your optometrist’s office for an eye exam.
In most cases, the vision test itself is brief and can be passed in under a minute. That’s especially true if you have 20/40, 20/30, or 20/20 vision with glasses or contact lenses.
These testing parameters are consistent in 47 of the 50 states, where 20/40 is the minimum best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) requirement.
If your vision is less than perfect, don’t worry. Though you may be ineligible for an “unrestricted” license, your local Department of Transportation can still provide you with a driver’s license if you meet additional stipulations.
These requests might include obtaining corrective/stronger contact lenses, installing additional mirrors on your vehicle, or limiting driving to daylight hours.
To test your vision ahead of the actual test, use this free Snellen eye chart (on page 2) to get comfortable reading small text from a distance. Remember: reading at 20/40 is the legal visual acuity retirement in all but 3 states.
Test 2: Road Knowledge
Most states offer a written exam with approximately 40 to 60 questions.
Some states, like Illinois, have as few as 35.
While many of the questions are multiple-choice or true-false, other sections of the exam ask you to identify specific road signs and traffic safety rules.
However many questions you answer, a score of 80% or higher is generally enough to pass the written exam.
While this component of the process may seem overwhelming, there are plenty of great ways to get prepared. For example, you can use your state’s driver handbook to help you study.
The Illinois Rules of the Road workbook provides a glimpse of what you can find.
Plus, when you’re ready, you can also take free practice driving exams customized to your state’s driver manual regulations.
For example, this free Illinois DMV practice test offers a glimpse of what to expect, and it even grades each section to show how you performed.
Make sure to go into the exam room prepared. Whether you pass each test or miss the mark, you can retake these exams as many times as you like.
Test 3: Practical Ability
Before you take this actual driving test, you need to pass a basic vehicle inspection (conducted by the examiner), produce valid vehicle registration, and show proof of vehicle insurance.
It’s also a good idea to check your mirrors, adjust your vehicle’s seat, and clean your car. After all, the driving examiner will be sitting right beside you for the duration of the test.
While each state emphasizes unique maneuvers, many exams grade your ability to do the following:
- Starting and stopping on grades.
- Parallel parking (not required on all exams).
- Uphill and downhill parking.
- Three-point turns.
- Turning.
- Passing.
- Reversing.
- Yielding the right of way.
There are a few other factors to keep in mind: some components of driving tests are conducted around orange cones as you can see in this maneuverability test.
Secondly, don’t be surprised if your examiner takes notes while you drive. That’s part of the process.
With a bit of research, you might be able to find videos (or maps) of the route your local examiner uses for driving tests.
For example, this Illinois test dashcam video reveals a specific route that has been followed for many years. If you know what to expect on the test, you will be more likely to succeed.
uLink: Driving Your Family’s Future
Your U.S. driver’s license is within reach.
Once you receive your license, you will be able to enjoy the transportation freedoms that millions of other Americans enjoy daily.
Depending on your age (and current state), your license will be valid anywhere from 4 to 12 years. Plus, if you can keep a clean driving record (i.e if you avoid accidents and traffic tickets), you will be invited to renew your license online or through the mail.
In other words, you won’t have to go back to your local official traffic department for renewal. That kind of convenience can be a powerful incentive to drive safely every time you hit the road.
We hope you enjoyed this driver’s license study guide, and we wish you the best throughout your application process.
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