How to get a driver's license in Pennsylvania

If you are under 18

Pennsylvania gives young drivers their license in 3 stages: a learner's permit, then a junior driver's license, then a regular license.

1. Get a physical exam

   Fill in the Non-Commercial Learner's Permit Application (form DL-180). Your health care provider must complete the back of the form. This physical exam can be done no earlier than 6 months before your 16th birthday.

   Source: [2]

2. Get consent from a parent or guardian

   A parent, guardian, person in loco parentis (an adult who acts as your parent) or spouse who is 18 or older must complete the Parent or Guardian Consent Form (DL-180TD). If this person cannot come with you, they must sign the form in front of a notary. They must show identification, and if your last names are different, proof of your relationship is needed.

   Source: [2]

3. Pass the eye screening and knowledge test

   You cannot apply for a learner's permit before your 16th birthday. Go to a PennDOT Driver License Center to take the eye screening and the knowledge test. If you pass, you get your learner's permit.

   Source: [3] [1]

4. Drive only with a licensed adult

   With a permit, you may drive only when a licensed driver rides in the front seat with you. The Pennsylvania Driver's Manual says this driver must be 21 or older, or be your parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse who is 18 or older. But PennDOT's forms DL-180TD and DL-180C and its Driver's Test Scheduling FAQs say the adult who supervises your driving practice must be 21 or older. A licensed driver who is 21 or older meets both rules. You may not carry more passengers than there are seat belts.

   Source: [3] [7] [8] [12]

5. Wait 6 months and practice for 65 hours

   Before the road test, you must hold your permit for 6 months from its issue date and complete at least 65 hours of driving practice, including at least 10 hours at night and 5 hours in bad weather. If your driver's education course included 6 hours of driving with an instructor, those 6 hours can count toward the 65 hours. A parent or guardian confirms the hours on the Parent or Guardian Certification Form (DL-180C), which also confirms that you printed or viewed PennDOT's materials on the dangers of distracted driving.

   Source: [3] [12] [8]

6. Take the road test and get a junior license

   PennDOT recommends that you schedule your road test when you get your permit, for a date that is not before the eligibility date printed on your permit. You can schedule it up to 6 months in advance. If you pass, you get a junior driver's license.

   Source: [5] [4] [9]

7. Follow the junior license limits

   • Do not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless your parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse who is 18 or older is with you.
   • Exception: you may drive at these hours for public or charitable service, as a member of a volunteer fire company, or for your job, if you carry a notarized affidavit (signed statement) or a certificate of authorization from your employer, supervisor or fire chief.
   • Do not carry more than 1 passenger under 18 who is not an immediate family member, unless your parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse who is 18 or older is in the vehicle.
   • After your first 6 months on a junior license, the limit becomes 3 such passengers. This does not apply if you have ever been partly or fully responsible for a crash or convicted of a driving violation.
   • Do not carry more passengers than there are seat belts.
   • If you get 6 or more points on your driving record, or are convicted of driving 26 mph or more over the speed limit, your license is suspended. A first suspension lasts 90 days.

   Source: [5] [3] [10]

8. Get your regular license

   Your junior license changes to a regular license automatically on your 18th birthday. To get a regular license earlier, you can mail form DL-59 to PennDOT. The earliest age is 17 and a half. If PennDOT approves it, you get an update card to carry with your junior license. You must meet all of these conditions:

   • You have held your junior license for 1 year.
   • You passed a driver training course approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
   • For 1 year, you had no crash for which you were partly or fully responsible, and no conviction under the Vehicle Code (Pennsylvania's traffic law).
   • Your parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse who is 18 or older consents.

   Source: [11] [3] [10]

If you are 18 or older

1. Start with a learner's permit

   Adults also need a learner's permit before they drive. The first (initial) learner's permit is for anyone 16 or older who has never had a license, or whose license from another state expired more than 6 months ago.

   Source: [2] [1]

2. Get a physical exam and pass the first tests

   Your health care provider must complete the back of form DL-180. Then go to a PennDOT Driver License Center for the eye screening and knowledge test. At 18 or older, you must also bring 2 proofs of Pennsylvania residency. If you pass, you get your learner's permit.

   Source: [2] [1]

3. Practice with a licensed driver

   While you have a permit, a licensed driver must ride with you in the front seat at all times. The Pennsylvania Driver's Manual says this driver must be 21 or older, or be your parent, guardian or spouse who is 18 or older. PennDOT's Driver's Test Scheduling FAQs say 21 or older. A licensed driver who is 21 or older meets both rules. PennDOT's step-by-step page marks the 65 hours of driving practice and the 6-month waiting period as for applicants under 18 only.

   Source: [3] [12] [1]

4. Take the road test

   You need an appointment for the road test. If you are over 18 and fail, you must wait at least 1 day before you can take it again.

   Source: [4] [12]

Moving to Pennsylvania with a license from another state

New Resident Guide →

• Deadline: 60 days

  If you have a valid driver's license from another U.S. state or from Canada, you must get a Pennsylvania driver's license within 60 days after you move to Pennsylvania. You must be at least 16 and a half to transfer a license.

  Source: [15] [5] [19]

• How to apply

  Go in person to a Driver License Center. Some state-to-state services may not be available on Saturdays. You take a vision screening, fill in form DL-180R, and show proof of identity and residency and your Social Security card.

  Source: [15]

• When the knowledge test is waived

  You do not need to take the knowledge test if your out-of-state license is valid or expired 6 months or less. If it expired more than 6 months ago, or you do not have it, you must apply for a learner's permit and take the vision, knowledge and road tests. Learner's permits from other states cannot be transferred.

  Source: [15] [19] [16]

• Surrender your old license

  You must surrender (hand in) your out-of-state license (valid, or expired 6 months or less) before PennDOT can give you a Pennsylvania license. Getting a Pennsylvania permit, license or ID card cancels any permit, license or ID card from another state. It is illegal to hold more than one valid driver's license.

  Source: [15] [6] [31]

• Licenses from U.S. territories and other countries

  A valid license from Puerto Rico or another U.S. territory or possession can be transferred. Because of agreements with France, Germany, Korea and Taiwan, a valid non-commercial license from those countries can be transferred without the road or knowledge test, but you still take a vision test. A person with a valid driver's license from their own country may drive in Pennsylvania for up to 1 year from entering the United States, or until that license expires, whichever comes first.

  Source: [19] [3] [17]

Documents to bring

What you need depends on your age and on whether you are a U.S. citizen.

• What U.S. citizens bring

  Identity documents must be originals. Photocopies are not accepted. The complete lists for U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens are on PennDOT's Proof of Identity and Residency page, in many languages, and the identity list is also on the back of form DL-180.

  • Under 18: 1 identity document from List A and your Social Security card.
  • 18 or older: 1 identity document from List A, 2 proofs of residency from List B, and your Social Security card.

  Source: [2] [19] [18]

• Identity for U.S. citizens (List A)

  Bring 1 of these documents:

  • Birth certificate with a raised seal, issued in the U.S. by an authorized government agency (including U.S. territories and Puerto Rico). Birth certificates from outside the U.S. are not accepted, and Puerto Rico birth certificates must be issued on or after July 1, 2010.
  • Certificate of U.S. Citizenship (USCIS Form N-560 or N-561)
  • Consular Report of Birth Abroad (DOS Form FS-240)
  • Certificate of Naturalization (USCIS Form N-550 or N-570)
  • Valid U.S. passport (the passport book or the passport card)

  Source: [19] [2]

• Non-U.S. citizens: lawful presence

  You must show documents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that prove you are in the U.S. lawfully. PennDOT checks them electronically with a federal program called SAVE. The expiration date of your permit or license is based on the length of stay that DHS has approved.

  • Sometimes SAVE needs extra checks, which can take 30 or more federal working days. PennDOT says to keep this in mind when you plan your visit.
  • If you are not eligible for a Social Security number, bring a letter from the Social Security Administration that says so, each time you apply.

  Source: [20]

• Social Security number

  Bring your original Social Security card. It must be signed and must not be laminated (sealed in plastic). If you do not have your card, PennDOT also accepts other proof of your number for a standard license (not a REAL ID), for example:

  • W-2 form from one of the last 2 tax years
  • 1099 form from one of the last 2 tax years
  • Medicare card that shows your Social Security number
  • U.S. military ID card that shows your Social Security number

  Source: [2] [22] [21]

• Pennsylvania residency (List B)

  If you are 18 or older, bring 2 proofs of residency. They are not needed at 16 or 17. Each proof must show your name and your Pennsylvania street address, for example:

  • Post-marked mail or package labels (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc.)
  • W-2 form or pay stub
  • Lease agreement or mortgage documents
  • Official tax records with your current name and address
  • Current, unexpired Pennsylvania driver's license or photo ID card
  • Pennsylvania vehicle registration card
  • Auto insurance card
  • Computer-generated utility bill with your name and address (cellphone, cable, electric, gas)

  Source: [19] [1]

• If you live with someone and have no bills in your name

  You still need 2 proofs. For 1 proof, bring the person you live with, and their driver's license or photo ID, to the Driver License Center. They must sign an affidavit (a signed statement) that you live with them. Your second proof, such as mail, must show your name and the same address.

  Source: [19] [18]

• Your Pennsylvania address

  PennDOT gives licenses only to Pennsylvania residents. Without a Pennsylvania address, PennDOT cannot process a driver's license or photo ID. There are a few exceptions: people who work out of state for the U.S. Armed Forces, the federal government or the Pennsylvania government, and their spouse or dependent child, may qualify. You may add a P.O. Box only in addition to your home address. When you move, you must tell PennDOT your new address within 15 days.

  Source: [32] [31]

• If your name has changed

  If the name on your document is different from your current name, bring an original document that connects the names, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order. All your documents must show the same name and date of birth, or show how they are connected.

  Source: [19] [16]

REAL ID

• What it is

  REAL ID is optional, and you do not need it to drive. Since May 7, 2025, you need a federally accepted ID, such as a REAL ID, a U.S. passport or a military ID, to board flights inside the U.S. and to enter some federal buildings. A REAL ID has a gold star in the top right corner. Standard cards say "NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES" and are not accepted for federal purposes.

  Source: [23] [25]

• REAL ID documents

  For a REAL ID, you can bring originals or certified copies, but not photocopies. Bring:

  • 1 document that proves your identity and lawful status
  • 1 document that proves your Social Security number
  • 2 documents that prove your Pennsylvania residency. They must be physical, not electronic.
  • Proof of any legal name change, if it applies

  Source: [24]

• Birth certificate and name change for REAL ID

  A birth certificate must be a U.S. birth certificate with a raised seal, issued by a government agency (not a hospital or souvenir certificate). If your legal name changed, bring proof such as certified marriage certificates for each marriage, a court order approving the change, or an amended birth certificate. You do not need name-change documents if your passport shows your current legal name.

  Source: [24]

• How to get a REAL ID

  Most people must apply for a REAL ID in person. Same-Day REAL ID Centers give it to you the same day. At other Driver License Centers, your documents are checked and your REAL ID is mailed to you.

  Source: [26] [23]

At the Driver License Center

1. Complete form DL-180 before you go

   Fill in the Non-Commercial Learner's Permit Application (form DL-180), sign it in ink, and have your health care provider complete the back. The form is valid for 1 year from the date of your physical exam. If the examiner cannot tell whether your medical information meets the standards, your permit may be delayed and you may need more medical exams.

   Source: [2] [6] [3]

2. Go in person (no appointment for the knowledge test)

   You must apply in person. You do not need an appointment for the knowledge test: go to your nearest Driver License Center. If you speak a language other than English, PennDOT can make language assistance services available to you.

   Source: [6] [12] [27]

3. Bring your forms, documents and payment

   Bring the completed DL-180 (do not mail it) and, if you are under 18, the completed DL-180TD. Bring your identity documents, your signed Social Security card and, if you are 18 or older, 2 proofs of residency. To pay the fee, centers accept debit and credit cards, checks and money orders, but not cash (cash is accepted only at the Harrisburg Riverfront Office Center Customer Counter).

   Source: [2] [1]

4. Take the eye screening and knowledge test

   If your health care provider or eye doctor did not test your vision, it is tested at the center. Bring your glasses or contact lenses if you wear them. Then you take the knowledge test. If you pass, you get your learner's permit, which is valid for 1 year from the issue date printed on it.

   Source: [3] [1] [5]

The tests

• Knowledge test

  The knowledge test checks what you know about traffic signs, Pennsylvania's driving laws and safe driving. It has 18 multiple-choice questions, and you must answer 15 correctly to pass. On request, every Driver License Center gives it in written or audio format in 30 languages: Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bosnian, Burmese, Cambodian, Dari, English, Farsi, French, Greek, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Mandinka, Nepali, Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu and Vietnamese. To prepare, PennDOT says to study the Pennsylvania Driver's Manual. You can download it or listen to the audio version.

  Source: [4] [1]

• If you fail the knowledge test

  You may take it again on the next business day. You may take it only once a day, even if you go to a different Driver License Center. The examiner gives back your DL-180 (and your DL-180TD, if you are under 18), and you must bring them with you next time.

  Source: [4] [5] [3]

• Vision screening

  You may still get a license with poor vision in one eye, but you may have to wear glasses or contact lenses, drive only in daylight, or drive only vehicles with side mirrors. If you do not meet the vision standards, the examiner gives you a Report of Eye Examination (form DL-102) for an eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) or your family doctor to complete. Then you can come back and continue testing. If you must wear glasses or contact lenses to drive, your license shows restriction code 1.

  Source: [5] [3] [28]

• Booking the road test

  You can schedule, change or cancel your road test online. To log in, you need your driver number, your date of birth and the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. If you do not have a Social Security number, use the last 4 digits of the Alien Number you gave PennDOT. You cannot book a road test for the same day. Third-party testing sites, whose examiners are certified by PennDOT, also give the road test. They set their own fees, and the test is the same as at a PennDOT Driver License Center.

  Source: [13] [12] [14]

• What to bring to the road test

  Bring the original documents, not copies, or you will not be given the test:

  • Your valid learner's permit
  • Forms DL-180C and DL-180TD, if you are under 18
  • Proof of vehicle insurance
  • Proof of vehicle registration: the registration card or a valid temporary registration ("pink slip"). A bill of sale is not accepted.
  • The valid driver's license of the driver who comes with you

  Source: [1] [4] [12]

• The vehicle

  Before the test, the examiner checks your vehicle. If any part is unsafe or does not meet state inspection rules, you cannot take the test.

  • The examiner checks the registration, the insurance and the inspection sticker (and the emissions sticker, if required).
  • The lights, horn, brakes, wipers, turn signals, mirrors, doors, seats and tires must work.
  • A rental car can be used only if its rental agreement does not forbid driver tests or permit holders.
  • A car that can park itself can be used, but the self-parking feature must be turned off.

  Source: [4] [12]

• What happens at the road test

  Before the drive, the examiner may ask you to use some vehicle controls and to parallel park. Then the test is given on the road. The examiner is your only passenger and tells you where to drive and what to do. You and the examiner must wear seat belts.

  • Vehicle controls: the examiner may ask you to use the horn, lights, wipers, parking brake, hazard lights and defroster. If you cannot use any of these controls properly, you fail.
  • Parallel parking: park midway between 2 upright posts in a space 24 feet long and 8 feet wide. You have 1 try and may make no more than 3 adjustments.
  • You fail if you drive dangerously, break the law, cause a crash, do not follow the examiner's instructions, or make too many driving errors.

  Source: [12] [4]

• If you fail the road test

  • Under 18: you must wait 7 days before you take it again.
  • Over 18: you must wait at least 1 day.
  • You have 3 tries on each learner's permit. After the third failure, you must apply again to extend your permit (form DL-31).
  • If you have not passed within 3 years of your physical exam date, you must start over with a new DL-180 and take the knowledge test again.

  Source: [4] [12] [5]

After you pass

• Photo and temporary license

  After you pass the road test, you are sent to the Photo License Center to have your photo taken. There you can also apply to register to vote and choose to be listed as an organ donor. New drivers are given a temporary license that is valid for 15 days.

  Source: [10] [15] [29]

• Your permanent card

  Your permanent card comes by mail within 15 days. During this time, PennDOT uses facial recognition to check that your photo does not match another record under a different name. The temporary card looks like the permanent one, but its banners are gray, the word "temporary" is printed in red and the expiration date is outlined in red. Businesses can use it like a permanent card.

  Source: [29] [15]

• How long your license lasts

  A Pennsylvania driver's license is valid for 4 years and expires on the day after your birthday. PennDOT sends you an invitation to renew 3 months before it expires, and you can renew online if nothing needs to change except your address. Drivers 65 or older may choose to renew every 2 years.

  Source: [30]

Official links

• Get a driver's license (step by step) (pa.gov)
• Teen drivers (pa.gov)
• Learner's permit application (form DL-180, PDF) (pa.gov)
• Accepted identity and residency documents (pa.gov)
• REAL ID in Pennsylvania (pa.gov)
• Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (many languages) (pa.gov)
• Schedule a road test (pa.gov)
• Find a Driver License Center (pa.gov)
• Payments and fees (pa.gov)
• Moving to Pennsylvania (pa.gov)

Sources

1. Get a Driver's License (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
2. Get a Learner's Permit (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
3. Online Driver's Manual, Chapter 1: Applying for a Learner's Permit (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
4. Online Driver's Manual, Chapter 1: Testing (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
5. Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95) (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
6. Non-Commercial Learner's Permit Application (DL-180) (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
7. Parent or Guardian Consent Form (DL-180TD) (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
8. Parent or Guardian Certification Form (DL-180C) (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
9. What You Need To Know About Pennsylvania's Young Driver Law (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
10. A Guide to Obtaining a Pennsylvania Junior Learner's Permit and Junior Driver's License (PUB 178) (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
11. Move from a Junior to a Senior License (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
12. Driver's Test Scheduling FAQs (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
13. Schedule a Driver's Test (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
14. Third Party Testers (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
15. Moving to Pennsylvania (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
16. Transfer a Driver's License from Another State (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
17. Driver and Licensing Miscellaneous FAQs (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
18. Proof of Identity & Residency (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
19. Identification and Residency Requirements for U.S. Citizens (PUB 195US) (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
20. Identification, Residency, and Legal Presence Requirements for Non-United States Citizens (PUB 195NC) (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
21. Customers Who Do Not Have a Social Security Card (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
22. Application for Pennsylvania Non-Commercial Driver's License by Out-of-State Non-CDL Driver (DL-180R) (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
23. REAL ID in Pennsylvania (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
24. REAL ID Document Requirements (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
25. REAL ID FAQs (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
26. Apply for REAL ID (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
27. Language Assistance (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
28. License Types & Restrictions (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
29. Temporary Driver's License FAQs (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
30. Renew a Driver's License (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
31. Driver Licenses, Learner's Permits, and ID Cards FAQs (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)
32. Address Requirements FAQs (pa.gov) — Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT)