How to get a driver's license in Michigan

If you are under 18

Drivers under 18 get their license in stages through Michigan's Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program. GDL has 2 driver education courses (Segment 1 and Segment 2) and 3 license levels: Level 1 Learner's License, Level 2 Intermediate License and Level 3 Full License. GDL ends when you turn 18.

1. Complete Segment 1 of driver education

   If you are under 18 and want to learn to drive, you must complete driver education. You can enroll in Segment 1 when you are at least 14 years and 8 months old, with permission from your parent or guardian. Courses that are only online are not accepted. Home-school or parent-taught driver education is not accepted either. An optional Parent Driving Permit lets you practice with your licensed parent or guardian, but only while you are enrolled in and attending Segment 1.

   • At least 24 hours of classroom instruction (no more than 2 hours per day)
   • At least 6 hours of driving instruction in a car
   • At least 4 hours of observation time in a training car with other students and an instructor
   • A score of at least 70% on the Segment 1 state exam

   Source: [1] [7] [14]

2. Apply for the Level 1 Learner's License

   After you pass the Segment 1 state exam, go to a Secretary of State office with your parent or guardian. You must be at least 14 years and 9 months old and meet the vision and health standards. Bring the documents below. Your parent or guardian must also sign your application.

   • Segment 1 Certificate of Completion
   • Proof of your Social Security number
   • Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence
   • Proof of identity
   • At least 2 documents that prove Michigan residency

   Source: [1] [7] [14]

3. Practice with a supervising adult

   Your Level 1 License is a photo card. You must have it with you whenever you drive. Your parent or guardian gets a copy of the Supervised Driving Guide when you apply.

   • Drive only with a licensed parent, legal guardian or designated adult age 21 or older. This person must sit in the front seat.
   • A designated adult must have a signed letter of permission from your parent or guardian.
   • Do not use a cell phone or any other electronic device while driving, except in an emergency (Kelsey's Law).
   • Keep a driving log. Before the driving skills test, you need at least 50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night.

   Source: [1] [9]

4. Complete Segment 2 of driver education

   Before Segment 2, you must have held your Level 1 License for at least 3 months in a row and logged at least 30 hours of supervised driving, including at least 2 hours at night. Segment 2 has at least 6 hours of classroom instruction. You must score at least 70% on the Segment 2 state exam.

   Source: [1]

5. Pass the driving skills test (road test)

   You must be at least 15 years old and have held your Level 1 License for at least 6 months. Bring the items below. In the 90 days before the test, you must have had no convictions, civil infractions, license suspensions or at-fault crashes. The Michigan Department of State's website says your parent or guardian must be at the test with you. The Driving Skills Test Study Guide also allows an adult whom your parent or guardian has appointed in writing.

   • Your Level 1 License
   • Your Segment 2 Certificate of Completion
   • Your completed driving log
   • Insurance and registration for the car you will drive during the test

   Source: [1] [12] [14]

6. Get the Level 2 Intermediate License

   You move up to Level 2 automatically when you meet all the requirements. These include passing the driving skills test, being at least 16 years old and having held your Level 1 License for at least 6 months. You do not need to visit a Secretary of State office. Breaking a Level 2 restriction is a civil infraction and adds 2 points to your license. You must also stay at Level 2 for 12 more months and appear for a driver reexamination. Your license may be suspended, or more restrictions may be added.

   • No driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
   • No more than 1 passenger under age 21, except immediate family members
   • Seat belts are required for everyone in the front seat and everyone under age 16 in the car
   • No cell phone or other electronic device while driving, except in an emergency
   • The night and passenger restrictions do not apply when a parent, guardian or designated licensed adult age 21 or older is with you, or when you drive for your job, to or from work, or to or from an authorized activity

   Source: [1] [7] [14]

7. Get the Level 3 Full License

   You must be at least 17 years old and have held your Level 2 License for at least 6 months. You must also drive for 12 months in a row without a moving violation, an at-fault crash, a license suspension or a violation of any GDL restriction. You get Level 3 automatically, at no fee, when you meet all requirements and your parent or guardian has given permission. A Level 3 License has no GDL restrictions.

   Source: [14] [1]

8. When you turn 18

   If you have a valid Level 2 or Level 3 License, you automatically get an operator's license (the basic Michigan driver's license) before your 18th birthday. A Level 1 License expires when you turn 18. After that, to get a driver's license you must follow the steps for people 18 or older. Until you turn 18, your parent or guardian can keep you at Level 1 or Level 2, or cancel your GDL license, at any time.

   Source: [1] [14]

If you are 18 or older

These steps are for people 18 or older who have not been licensed in Michigan or any other state in the last 4 years.

1. Prepare for the knowledge test

   Driver education is not required if you are 18 or older. The driver's manual encourages you to take an adult driver education course before the driving skills test. To study, the agency suggests the manual What Every Driver Must Know (especially chapters 4 to 7) and the Driving Skills Test Study Guide.

   Source: [2] [14]

2. Pass the knowledge and vision tests and get your permit (TIP)

   Apply for a Temporary Instruction Permit (TIP) at a Secretary of State office. You get your TIP after you pass the written knowledge test and the vision test, pay the TIP fee and have your photo taken. You can take the knowledge test at the office during your visit, or online at home before your visit. The driver's manual says Michigan will not issue you a license if both of these are true: you have never had a driver's license from any state or country, and you have 2 or more convictions for moving violations on your driving record within 3 years of the date you apply.

   Source: [2] [3] [14]

3. Practice for at least 30 days

   A TIP is not a license. You may not drive without supervision. Practice with an adult who has a valid license, such as a family member, friend or co-worker, or get training from a driver education provider. You must practice for at least 30 days before the driving skills test. The Driving Skills Test Study Guide says office staff may waive this 30-day period if you had a license before, in Michigan, another state or another country.

   Source: [2] [12]

4. Pass the driving skills test within 180 days

   Your TIP is valid for 180 days. If you do not pass the driving skills test within 180 days, you must start the whole process again with a new TIP application. If you pass before your TIP expires, you get your driver's license free of charge (see 'After you pass').

   Source: [2] [13]

Moving to Michigan with a license from another state or country

New Resident Guide →

• When to apply and what to bring

  Apply for a Michigan license as soon as you become a Michigan resident. Michigan law gives no grace period. Until you have enough Michigan residency documents, you can use your valid driver's license or state ID from another state. Pre-apply, schedule an office visit and bring the documents below.

  • Your current out-of-state driver's license
  • Proof of legal presence
  • Proof of your Social Security number
  • Proof of identity
  • 2 documents that prove Michigan residency

  Source: [4] [8] [5]

• Tests you do not have to take

  You can convert a valid, unexpired driver's license from another U.S. state or territory, or from Canada, at a Secretary of State office. You do not take a written test. You take a vision test and have your photo taken. The driver's manual says a license from Germany or South Korea can also be converted without the knowledge test, TIP or driving skills test.

  Source: [3] [4] [14]

• Your old license and driving record

  When your Michigan application is accepted, your out-of-state license is made invalid and returned to you. The Michigan Department of State gets your driving record from your previous state, and it becomes part of your Michigan driving record. If your out-of-state license is suspended or revoked, you must clear this with your previous state before Michigan will accept your application.

  Source: [14]

• If you are under 18

  New residents under 18 must go through Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL). This is not required if you have had a valid license from another state for more than 1 year.

  Source: [14]

• A license from another country

  If your license is from a country other than Canada, Germany or South Korea, you must take a driving skills test. The driver's manual says that people who have a foreign license and want a Michigan license get a TIP. It also says that applicants 18 or older must get a TIP before the driving skills test (see 'If you are 18 or older').

  • The Driving Skills Test Study Guide says office staff may waive the 30-day practice period if you were licensed in another country.
  • If your foreign license has expired, you must apply for a TIP and pass a driving skills test.
  • A foreign driver's license shows only driving experience. You cannot use it as proof of legal presence or identity.

  Source: [14] [12] [11]

Documents to bring

Every application for a Michigan driver's license needs proof of 4 things: your Social Security number, legal presence, identity and Michigan residency. If your name has changed, you also need proof of the name change.

• Rules for all documents

  You must live in Michigan and be legally present to get a Michigan license. Bring original documents in English, or with an English translation. Photocopies are not accepted. The Michigan Department of State may keep copies of any documents you show.

  Source: [14] [11] [3]

• Proof of legal presence (1 document)

  Bring 1 original document, such as one from the list below. Copies are not accepted. B1 and B2 visas and WB and WT visa stamps are not accepted. Immigration documents may need to be checked in SAVE, the federal system that verifies immigration status. The agency says that, in most cases, this currently takes about 40 days.

  • Valid, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card
  • Certified birth certificate issued by the vital records office of the state of birth (see 'If you use a birth certificate')
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240, DS-1350 or FS-545)
  • Certificate of Citizenship (N-560 or N-561)
  • Certificate of Naturalization (N-550, N-570 or N-578)
  • Valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card (I-551, 'green card')
  • Valid Employment Authorization Document (I-766)
  • Valid, unexpired foreign passport with a U.S. visa and evidence of entry (for F-visa holders, Form I-20; for J-visa holders, Form DS-2019)

  Source: [11] [3]

• If you use a birth certificate

  It must be a certified birth certificate that shows all of the details below. Hospital birth certificates are not accepted. A Puerto Rico birth certificate must have been issued on or after July 1, 2010.

  • The U.S. government unit (city, county, state or U.S. territory) that issued it
  • Your full name, date of birth and place of birth
  • At least one parent's name
  • The date it was filed with the registrar's office
  • A certification statement and signature from the registrar
  • A seal or stamp showing it is a certified record (not a photocopy)

  Source: [3] [11]

• Proof of Social Security number (1 document)

  Michigan law requires the Michigan Department of State to verify your Social Security number before it issues a license. Your legal name must match your Social Security record. If it does not, you must correct it with the Social Security Administration first. If you are not eligible for a Social Security number, bring an SSA-L676 letter of ineligibility from the Social Security Administration.

  • Social Security card
  • W-2 form
  • SSA-1099 or non-SSA-1099 form
  • Pay stub with your name and Social Security number
  • If you have none of these: an official document with your full name and Social Security number, for staff to review

  Source: [8] [3] [11]

• Proof of identity

  Bring 1 original document, such as one from the list below. Copies are not accepted. The agency's First-time license or ID page also accepts 2 of these documents instead: a foreign passport, an I-94, an Employment Authorization Document (I-766), a refugee travel document (I-571), or expired immigration documents with Form I-797 (Notice of Action). Minors may use a parent's or guardian's driver's license or state ID.

  • Valid, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card
  • Driver's license or ID from another U.S. state, a U.S. territory or Canada (valid, or expired less than 4 years ago)
  • Employee photo ID from a federal or Michigan government agency
  • U.S. military ID with photo, or a U.S. military discharge or separation document (DD-214)
  • Photo ID from a federally recognized Native American tribe
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler Card (Global Entry, SENTRI or NEXUS)
  • Name change document issued in the U.S. (see 'If your name has changed')
  • Michigan Department of Corrections prisoner ID
  • Michigan driver education certificate (listed in the SOS-428 guide)
  • U.S. school records issued by accredited institutions, such as a photo ID, transcripts or diplomas (listed in the SOS-428 guide)

  Source: [11] [3]

• Proof of Michigan residency (2 documents)

  Bring 2 documents from the list below. Electronic copies are accepted for a utility or credit card bill, or a bank statement, issued within the last 90 days. Documents in a family member's name can be used if you can show the family relationship. A P.O. box cannot be used as your home address.

  • Utility or credit card bill issued within the last 90 days
  • Statement from a bank or other financial institution issued within the last 90 days
  • Michigan high school, college or university report card or transcript
  • Mortgage, lease or rental agreement
  • Pay stub or earnings statement with the employee's name and address
  • Life, health, auto or home insurance policy
  • Federal, state or local government document
  • Michigan title and registration with your current address
  • If you have none of these: an official document with your full name and address, for staff to review

  Source: [8] [3] [11]

• If your name has changed

  If your legal name is different from the name on your birth certificate or legal presence document, bring official proof of the name change. If your name changed more than once, you may need more than 1 document. The name and date of birth on your legal presence document must match your proof of identity.

  • Marriage certificate
  • Divorce decree issued in the U.S.
  • Court order, including an adoption order, showing your birth name and your new name

  Source: [3] [11]

• The official document guide (SOS-428)

  The agency's guide SOS-428, 'Applying for a license or ID card guide', lists the types of documents accepted as proof of Social Security number, legal presence, identity and residency. When you pre-apply online, you also get information about the identity and residency documents you need. In some cases, your documents may not be approved on the same day, and you may need another visit.

  Source: [15] [2] [8]

REAL ID

• What REAL ID is

  Since May 7, 2025, you need a REAL ID-compliant document to board a domestic flight, enter a military base or visit some federal buildings. Getting a REAL ID-compliant license is optional. If you meet all requirements, your first license will be REAL ID-compliant unless you ask to opt out.

  Source: [3] [14] [2]

• How to tell the license types apart

  • REAL ID-compliant: a star in a gold circle (older card design, being phased out by January 2029) or a star inside an outline of Michigan (new design). Both are accepted. It does not replace a U.S. passport for international travel.
  • Enhanced: automatically REAL ID-compliant, even without a star. You can use it instead of a U.S. passport to re-enter the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean.
  • Standard (not REAL ID): depending on the card design, it says 'NOT FOR FEDERAL IDENTIFICATION' or 'NOT FOR FEDERAL REAL ID ACT PURPOSES'. It is still valid for driving.

  Source: [6] [11] [2]

• Documents for REAL ID

  In the SOS-428 guide, the documents you can use for a REAL ID-compliant license are marked with a star icon. Lawfully present non-U.S. citizens, including permanent and non-permanent residents, can apply for a REAL ID at an office visit with their legal presence document. An Employment Authorization Document qualifies only if the category code on its front is on the accepted list.

  Source: [11] [6]

At the office

These are the steps for a first-time license visit at a Secretary of State office. The agency says a visit takes about 20 minutes on average.

1. Pre-apply online and schedule your visit

   You must apply for a first-time license in person at a Secretary of State office. Pre-apply online: submit your license application before your visit. You pre-apply while you schedule the visit. Pre-applying also tells you which identity and residency documents you need.

   Source: [5] [3] [2]

2. Bring your documents

   Bring all your original documents (see 'Documents to bring'). Photocopies are not accepted. If you are applying for a Level 1 Learner's License, your parent or guardian must come with you.

   Source: [3] [1]

3. Photo, vision test and knowledge test

   Show your documents and have your photo taken. If you are applying for a license, you take a vision test, and staff ask you a few general health questions. If you are 18 or older, you also take the driver knowledge test during your visit. It is free at the office. You can also take it online before your visit (see 'Knowledge test online (18 and older)').

   Source: [3] [14] [2]

4. Pay the fee

   Pay the fee for your license or permit. You can pay with cash, a check, a money order, or a credit or debit card. Card payments have an extra fee. The amounts are on the official fees page (see 'Official links').

   Source: [3] [14]

5. What you get that day

   Licenses are printed at a secure off-site facility and mailed to you. At the office, you get a temporary paper document to use until your card arrives. If you are 18 or older and learning to drive, you get a paper temporary permit (your TIP) to practice driving. You get a photo license only after you pass the driving skills test.

   Source: [3]

The tests

• Knowledge test

  The knowledge test is multiple choice. It covers basic traffic laws and safe driving, and it includes a road sign test. You must pass it before you can get a TIP.

  • Offered in English and a number of other languages, in audio and written formats
  • Foreign language interpreters may be used (but not for commercial driver's license tests)
  • At the office, you take it on a computer. It is free and can be scheduled up to 1 hour before closing time.
  • If you fail at the office, the test ends and you must take it again on a different day.
  • A passing result is valid for 1 year. If your TIP expires and you apply for a new one, you must take the test again.

  Source: [2] [14]

• Knowledge test online (18 and older)

  If you are 18 or older, you can take the same knowledge test online at home. A convenience fee is charged each time, and you can take it up to 2 times per calendar day. After you pass, you must schedule an appointment at a Secretary of State office to receive your TIP.

  • 2 parts, and you must pass both: 'Operator' (about 45 minutes) and 'Signs' (about 15 minutes)
  • You need a computer with a keyboard, a mouse and a webcam.
  • The webcam takes random photos during the test to check for rule violations.
  • If you pass one part and fail the other, you can finish the full test at a Secretary of State office at no charge.

  Source: [2] [13]

• Vision test and health

  The vision test checks whether your vision meets minimum standards.

  • If you need glasses or contact lenses to pass, your license will say that you must wear them while driving.
  • If you fail, your eye-care specialist must fill out a vision statement showing that you meet the vision standards.
  • Based on that statement, your license may have limits, such as 'daylight driving only'.
  • You need a statement from your doctor for any physical or mental condition that may affect safe driving.

  Source: [14]

• Road test: how to schedule

  The driving skills test is given by independent testing organizations authorized by the Michigan Department of State. Contact an approved driver testing business to schedule the test. The business needs your name, driver license number and phone number. The Michigan Department of State does not regulate the fees these businesses charge. Ask about all fees before you book.

  Source: [2] [12]

• Road test: what to bring

  You must bring a car in safe working order. If the car does not meet legal or safety standards (for example, a missing side mirror or a broken taillight), the test is cancelled.

  • 18 or older: your valid Michigan TIP, held for at least 30 days
  • Under 18: your Level 1 License, held for at least 6 months, your Segment 2 Certificate of Completion and your completed driving log
  • A valid certificate of Michigan No-Fault insurance for the car
  • The car's registration, and a license plate with the correct year's tab

  Source: [12] [2] [14]

• Road test: the 3 parts

  The test takes about 45 minutes to 1.5 hours and has 3 parts. If you fail any part, the test ends. You must then schedule a new appointment and start over. You can take only 1 driving skills test in 24 hours.

  • Vehicle inspection
  • Basic control skills: 3 exercises off the road, including parallel parking. You must make 6 errors or fewer to continue.
  • On-the-road test: city, residential and expressway driving. To pass, you must not get more than 25 points, and you must not make an error that means automatic failure.

  Source: [2] [7] [12]

• Road test: rules in the car

  • Only you, the examiner and any required passenger or interpreter may be in the car.
  • A sign language or foreign language interpreter may come to translate the examiner's instructions.
  • No study aids, notes, cell phones or other electronic devices.
  • Features you must turn on yourself, such as self-parking or self-steering, are not allowed. Features that work on their own, such as a backup camera or blind-spot lights, are allowed.
  • Refusing to wear a seat belt means automatic failure, unless you have a doctor's statement or a waiver.

  Source: [12] [2]

After you pass

• Your temporary license (18 and older)

  If you pass, the examiner gives you a signed Driving Skills Test receipt. This receipt is not a license. After the testing business reports your results, you can log in to e-Services and get a Temporary Operator License. You can drive on it until your card arrives by mail. If your results are not in your account within 24 hours of the test, visit a Secretary of State office. Bring your Driving Skills Test receipt, your TIP and your identification documents.

  Source: [2]

• Your card by mail

  Licenses are printed at a secure off-site facility and mailed to you. The driver's manual says a new license should arrive in about 3 weeks. You can track your card online with the 'View Credential Mail Status' link.

  Source: [3] [14]

• Probation for new drivers

  All new drivers, of any age, are on probation for at least 3 years after they get their operator's license. To finish probation, you must have no 'at fault' or 'had-been-drinking' crash, no license suspension and no traffic conviction in the last 10 months of your probation. If you do, your probation is extended.

  Source: [1]

• How long your license is valid

  A license is usually valid for 4 years and expires on your birthday. If you are under 21, your license expires on your 21st birthday. Applicants under 21 get a vertical license marked 'Under 21'. Near your 21st birthday, you must apply for a new license in person at a Secretary of State office. If you are in the U.S. with temporary legal presence, you get a limited-term license that is valid only as long as you are allowed to stay.

  Source: [14] [2]

• Renewing your license

  Licenses can usually be renewed online, by mail or at a self-service station. Every 12 years, you must renew at a Secretary of State office, where you take a vision test and have a new photo taken.

  Source: [10] [14]

Official links

• First-time license or ID: steps, documents and office visits (michigan.gov)
• New drivers under 18 (Graduated Driver Licensing) (michigan.gov)
• New drivers 18 and older (permit, online test, road test) (michigan.gov)
• List of accepted documents (SOS-428, PDF) (michigan.gov)
• REAL ID (michigan.gov)
• New Michigan residents (michigan.gov)
• License and ID fees (michigan.gov)
• Driving Skills Test Study Guide (PDF) (michigan.gov)
• Driver's manual: What Every Driver Must Know (michigan.gov)

Sources

1. New drivers (under 18) (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
2. New drivers (18 and older) (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
3. First-time license or ID (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
4. New Michigan residents (FAQs) (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
5. New Michigan residents (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
6. REAL ID (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
7. Drivers under 18 (FAQs) (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
8. License and ID document requirements (FAQs) (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
9. Licenses and ID (FAQs) (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
10. License and ID information (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
11. SOS-428: Applying for a Michigan license or state ID (Rev. 6/26) (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
12. Driving Skills Test Study Guide (SOS-360) (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
13. Michigan Secretary of State now offers online driver's license testing for adults (July 2, 2025) (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
14. What Every Driver Must Know (SOS-133), October 2025 (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State
15. Forms and publications (michigan.gov) — Michigan Department of State