How to get a driver's license in Virginia

How it works

• Who does what

  In Virginia, you apply for a learner’s permit, a driver’s license or an ID card at a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) customer service center. The DMV gives the knowledge exam at its customer service centers, and it licenses and regulates the driving schools. You must be at least 15 years and six months old to apply for a learner’s permit and at least 16 years and three months old to apply for a driver’s license. The sections below explain the steps, the documents and the tests.

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• Which licenses this guide covers

  A Virginia driver’s license allows you to legally operate a motor vehicle. The Virginia Driver’s Manual says it allows you to operate any vehicle or small truck less than 26,001 pounds that is exempt from commercial driver’s license (CDL) requirements. A license is generally valid for up to eight years and includes your full name, birthdate, mailing address and photograph. This guide covers the learner’s permit and the regular driver’s license, and it describes the driver privilege card and the ID card briefly. It does not cover commercial or motorcycle licenses.

  Source: [1] [10] [13] [26]

• The steps in short

  A driver’s license application has three steps: complete any driver training requirements, submit the proper documents and the fee, and take the relevant tests. A learner’s permit application has two steps: submit the documents and fees, and take the tests; both can be done in person at any DMV customer service center. When you visit, the DMV tells you which tests to take if you are not sure.

  Source: [2] [10]

• Which path is yours

  If you are under 18, follow the steps in the "Under 18: the steps to a license" section: a learner’s permit from age 15 years and six months, driver education, a permit held for at least nine months, and a license from age 16 years and three months. If you are an adult, see the "Age 18 and older" section. If you already have a license from another state or country, see the "Moving to Virginia" section.

  Source: [2] [10]

• Fees

  Fees apply. A learner’s permit has a learner’s permit fee plus the yearly cost of a driver’s license, and a driver’s license has a license fee. The amounts can change, so the fee chart (DMV 201) in the links below lists them.

  Source: [2] [10]

Under 18: the steps to a license

1. Step 1: get a learner’s permit

   You must be at least 15 years and six months old to apply for a learner’s permit. You apply in person at any DMV customer service center. If you are under 18, your parent or legal guardian must give written consent by signing your application; in place of written consent, a court order showing that you are an emancipated minor is acceptable. You submit one proof of identity, one proof of legal presence, two proofs of Virginia residency and, if you have been issued one, proof of your Social Security number, and you pay a permit fee. During your appointment you take a vision screening and pass the two-part knowledge exam. The DMV mails your learner’s permit to the address in its records. If you have moved, notify the DMV right away, because the U.S. Postal Service will not forward learner’s permits. The Documents to bring section explains the documents.

   Source: [2]

2. Step 2: take driver education

   If you are under 18, you must successfully complete a state-approved driver education program. The program includes 36 classroom sessions, seven driving sessions, seven observation sessions and a final road skills examination; each session is 50 minutes long. You can take driver education at a public or private school or at a driver training school, and the classroom part can also be taken online through a driver training school. Anyone 15 years and six months or older can take the classroom part without a learner’s permit, but you need a learner’s permit to take the driving part. Students under 18 also take an additional 90-minute parent/teen component in the classroom part. If you live in Planning District 8 (the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William and the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park), the course must be completed in person and a parent or guardian is required to attend. You are exempt from the 90-minute component if you are at least 18 years old, an emancipated minor, or an unaccompanied minor who is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. If you are home-schooled under Virginia’s home instruction law and have complied with the required attendance laws, driver education can be taught at home, and the parent must submit evidence acknowledging compliance; the student can complete the classroom part at a driver training school, a public or private school, or one of the correspondence courses listed on the DMV’s page, and the parent applies for authorization to teach the in-car part with the Home-Schooled In-Car Driver Education Parental Authorization Application (HS-1). The Driver Education and Driver Training pages in the links below have more details.

   Source: [4] [7] [9] [10]

3. Step 3: practice and hold the permit

   You must hold your learner’s permit for at least nine months before you can receive a driver’s license. Your parent or guardian must sign the driver education completion certificate to certify that you have driven at least 45 hours, 15 of which occurred after sunset, and that the information on the certificate is true. Your parent, guardian or foster parent also gives their driver’s license or state-issued identification card number on the certificate. In the parent consent section of the DMV’s application, your parent or guardian also certifies that you will operate a motor vehicle for at least 45 hours (15 of which will occur after sunset) while holding a learner’s permit.

   Source: [4] [10] [30]

4. Step 4: finish driver education and the road test

   If you are under 18, the road skills test is given as part of the driver education course taken at a public, private or commercial driving school. The in-car driver education teacher gives your final road test, and if you pass, the school issues you a completion certificate. The certificate (a Virginia Driver Training Certificate, DTS B or TDL-180), together with a valid learner’s permit, is a valid driver’s license for 180 days from the eligibility date shown on the certificate, or until you turn 18. You may drive with your learner’s permit without a licensed driver if you hold a valid DTS B signed by a parent or legal guardian that shows you completed the classroom and behind-the-wheel parts of driver education, you are at least 16 years and 3 months old, and you have held your learner’s permit for nine months.

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5. Step 5: apply for your driver’s license

   To apply for a driver’s license you must be a resident of Virginia and at least 16 years and three months old, and you must have held your learner’s permit for at least nine months. If you are under 18, you must also complete a state-approved driver education program. Complete the Driver’s License Application, online or on paper; if you are under 18, your parent or legal guardian signs it, or you provide a court order showing that you are an emancipated minor. Then apply at any DMV customer service center with the documents in the Documents to bring section and the driver’s license fee.

   Source: [10] [34]

6. Step 6: receive your license

   If you are under 18 when your license is issued, you may be required to attend a court licensing ceremony with your parent or guardian to receive your license. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court in the jurisdiction where you live mails you a notice if you are required to attend. If the court does not require the ceremony, your driver’s license is mailed directly to you. If you are required to attend and will turn 18 before the ceremony, you must still attend, but you do not need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The DMV publishes a list, by court, of the jurisdictions where the license is mailed to the court and you must attend a ceremony, and where it is mailed directly to you (either no ceremony is required, or the ceremony is held in another way); the Court Licensing Ceremony Requirements list is in the links below. If you are 18 or older when you meet the requirements for the DMV to issue your license, the DMV mails it directly to you and you are not required to attend a juvenile licensing ceremony.

   Source: [10] [34] [35]

Rules for young drivers

• With a learner’s permit: who rides with you

  A learner’s permit allows you to operate a motor vehicle when a licensed driver at least 21 years of age is seated in the front passenger seat. The driver with you must hold a valid driver’s license and be alert and able to assist you while you are driving. The Apply for a Learner’s Permit page in the links below has the DMV’s full wording on who may supervise you.

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• Curfew for drivers under 18

  If you are under age 18, you may not drive from midnight to 4 a.m.; the Teen Driving Restrictions page in the links below has the DMV’s full wording. If you have a driver’s license, the exceptions are when you are driving:

  • to or from a place of business where you are employed;
  • to or from an activity that is supervised by an adult and is sponsored by a school or by a civic, religious or public organization;
  • with a licensed spouse age 18 or older, a parent or another adult acting in place of a parent who is in the front passenger seat; or
  • in case of an emergency, including responding to emergency calls as a volunteer firefighter or rescue squad personnel.

  Source: [5] [34]

• Passengers for drivers under 18 with a license

  If you are under age 18 and have a driver’s license, you may carry only one passenger under age 21, unless you are accompanied by a licensed parent, or another adult acting in place of a parent, in the front passenger seat. Passenger restrictions do not apply to family members. Learner’s permit holders also have a passenger limit; the Teen Driving Restrictions page in the links below has it. After you have held your license for one year, you may carry up to three passengers under age 21 in these situations:

  • traveling to and from a school-sponsored activity;
  • a licensed driver 21 or older is in the front passenger seat; or
  • in case of an emergency.

  Source: [5] [34]

• Breaking the curfew or passenger limits

  Violations of either the curfew or the passenger restrictions can result in the suspension of your driver’s license. The Teen Driving Restrictions page in the links below has the DMV’s full wording.

  Source: [5]

• Cell phones

  Virginia law prohibits drivers from holding a cell phone while driving. The Teen Driving Restrictions page in the links below has a section on cell phones for teen drivers.

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• When the limits end

  DMV 16 says the passenger limits and the curfew are lifted on the driver’s license holder’s 18th birthday.

  Source: [34]

• Traffic violations before age 18

  If you are convicted of a demerit-point traffic violation (or a safety belt or child restraint violation) committed when you were under age 18, you must complete a driver improvement clinic. If you do not complete the clinic within 90 days, the DMV suspends your permit or license until the clinic is completed. After a second such conviction, the DMV suspends your permit or license for 90 days. After a third such conviction, the DMV revokes your permit or license for one year or until you reach age 18, whichever is longer. The Traffic Violations: Drivers Under Age 18 page in the links below has more.

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• Your parent or guardian can cancel your license

  DMV 16 says that until a teen turns age 18, a parent or guardian has the right to cancel the teen’s driver’s license for any reason, by completing the "Cancellation of a Minor’s Driver’s License" form (DL 18). After a cancellation, the parent and the teen cannot reapply for a driver’s license for at least six months.

  Source: [34]

Age 18 and older

• The driver’s license

  To get a driver’s license you must be a resident of Virginia and at least 16 years and three months old. At any age, as a first-time driver, you must provide documents to prove your identity, legal presence, Virginia residency and, if you have one, your Social Security number. You do not have to present proof of your Social Security number if you know the number and the DMV is able to verify it electronically. The Documents to bring section explains the documents.

  Source: [11]

• If you are 21 or older and have never been licensed

  You start with a learner’s permit either way. If you are 21 or older and you have never held a license issued by any state, U.S. territory or foreign country, you must either:

  • hold a learner’s permit for a minimum of 60 days, or
  • successfully complete a state-approved driver education program while holding the permit.

  Source: [3] [10]

• Tests if you are 21 or older and have never been licensed

  Everyone must take the vision screening. If you are 21 or older and have never held a license, there are two options. If you completed a driver education program, you only need to take the two-part knowledge exam; completing driver education, including the end of course skills exam, waives the mandatory 60-day holding period and taking a DMV-administered skills exam. If you did not complete driver education and instead chose to hold a learner’s permit for 60 days, you must take the two-part knowledge exam and the road skills test, and you must complete a Behind-the-Wheel Checklist before the road skills test at DMV. A licensed driver must certify that they were with you while you practiced and that you complied with all requirements for learner’s permit holders while operating a motor vehicle. The Tests section explains the tests.

  Source: [4] [10] [17]

• If you are under 21: a change in 2027

  The DMV has announced new permit and driver education requirements that start on January 1, 2027 for some first-time license applicants who are under 21. The Revised Learner’s Permit Holding Period and Driver Education Requirements FAQs page in the links below explains who is affected and what changes; it says the requirements for applicants under 18 stay the same. This guide does not repeat the new rules; that page has them. If you are under 21 and have never held a license, read that page before you apply.

  Source: [3] [10] [12]

• Your learner’s permit

  To apply for a learner’s permit, you submit your documents and fees, take a vision screening and pass the two-part knowledge exam, in person at a DMV customer service center. If you are temporarily authorized to be in the U.S., you can choose a REAL ID compliant learner’s permit, valid for the period of your authorized stay in the U.S. or for one year if there is no definite end date, or a learner’s permit that is not REAL ID compliant, which expires on your birthday and is valid for up to 8 years, or 5 years if you are 75 or older.

  Source: [2]

Moving to Virginia

New Resident Guide →

• When you need a Virginia license

  Within 60 days of moving to Virginia, you must obtain a Virginia driver’s license. The manual says the same: if you are a new Virginia resident and drive, you must obtain a Virginia driver’s license within 60 days of moving here. If you currently hold a commercial driver’s license (CDL), the DMV says you must obtain a Virginia CDL within 30 days.

  Source: [1] [11] [21]

• Who can keep driving on a home license

  The DMV’s eligibility page describes these cases:

  • Active-duty members of the Armed Forces stationed in Virginia, their spouses and their dependent children 16 years and 3 months of age or older may drive with a valid driver’s license issued by their home state or country.
  • A full-time student in an accredited school in Virginia who is not employed may drive in Virginia with a valid out-of-state (or another country) driver’s license.
  • A non-resident temporarily living in Virginia may drive with the home state or country’s driver’s license and license plates for no more than six months; this does not apply to commercial vehicle drivers, and a non-resident who becomes gainfully employed must hold a Virginia driver’s license.

  Source: [11]

• A license from another U.S. state or territory

  If you are 18 or older and hold a valid driver’s license issued by a U.S. state or territory, you must pass a vision screening. The DMV says you may not be required to take the two-part knowledge exam or the road skills test, show proof of a driver education course, or hold a learner’s permit. If you are exchanging a license, bring your current driver’s license. When Virginia issues your license, any license previously issued by another state must be surrendered and is cancelled by the issuing state.

  Source: [10] [12] [30]

• A learner’s permit from another state

  If you are a Virginia resident and you move to Virginia from another U.S. state or territory with a valid learner’s permit, the time you held your learner’s permit may be counted toward the Virginia minimum holding period. If you completed an out-of-state driver education program while holding your out-of-state learner’s permit, the program must provide proof that you completed at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of in-car instruction.

  Source: [3]

• If you are under 18

  The DMV may exchange your out-of-state license for a Virginia license if you are at least 16 years and three months old but under 18 and hold a valid license, you completed a driver education program while living in another state that meets a minimum of 30 classroom hours and six in-car hours, and you can present all the documents required. If you hold a current out-of-state driver’s license but do not have proof of driver education, you may be issued a Virginia six-month temporary license, which gives you time to get proof or to complete a state-approved driver education program.

  Source: [4]

• Licenses from Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan

  The DMV’s exchange page lists these countries as having reciprocal status: Canada, France, Germany, South Korea, Taiwan (knowledge test required) and Japan. If you are 18 or older and hold a valid license issued by a Canadian province, France, Germany, Japan or South Korea, you must pass a vision screening, but you may not be required to take the two-part knowledge exam or the road skills test, show proof of a driver education course, or hold a learner’s permit. If you hold a valid license issued by Taiwan, you must pass a vision screening and the two-part knowledge exam; you may not be required to take the road skills test, show proof of a driver education course, or hold a learner’s permit. Except for a Canadian license, the DMV verifies your license with the issuing country first. You submit a completed Exchanging a Driver’s License from a Foreign Country form (DL 7), which is used to request an exchange of a valid driver’s license from certain foreign countries, and a legible copy of your foreign license; the verification could take up to 15 days. Canadian license holders do not need a DL 7. If you hold a license from one of these countries but choose not to submit a DL 7, you must meet all knowledge and road skills testing requirements. If you fail the knowledge or road skills test, you are no longer eligible to have your tests waived.

  Source: [12] [33]

• Licenses from other countries

  If you are 18 or older and hold a valid driver’s license issued by a country other than Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea or Taiwan, you are not eligible for foreign reciprocity and must pass the two-part knowledge exam, the road skills test and a vision screening. However, you may not be required to hold a learner’s permit for 60 days. Applicants under age 18 are not eligible to exchange a foreign license for a Virginia driver’s license and must complete all testing and licensing requirements. The Exchange a Foreign Driver’s License page in the links below has the steps.

  Source: [12]

• Visitors and international driver licenses

  If you are visiting the U.S. from a foreign country, you may drive using your driver’s license issued by your home country. Your home-country license should be accompanied by a translation of the license. An international driver’s license is not a valid driver’s license and does not allow you to drive.

  Source: [1]

Documents to bring

• The documents

  Each time you apply for a driver’s license or learner’s permit (or on each return visit until your license is issued), you must present documents that prove your eligibility. The DMV offers an acceptable documents guide, DMV 141 (in the links below), to help you decide which documents to bring. For a driver’s license, bring:

  • one proof of identity;
  • one proof of legal presence;
  • two proofs of Virginia residency;
  • one proof of your Social Security number, if you have been issued one;
  • your current driver’s license, if you are applying to exchange a license issued by another U.S. state, territory or jurisdiction; and
  • proof of name change, if your name appears differently on your proof documents.

  Source: [10] [11]

• Document rules

  Use your full legal name on all documents; abbreviations and nicknames are not accepted. Submit original documents, which are subject to verification; temporary documents and photocopies are not accepted. The DMV will not accept documents if there is reason to believe they are illegitimate. The DMV may require additional documents or change which documents are accepted without prior notice.

  Source: [10] [11]

• Proof of identity

  The DMV’s list of proofs of identity includes a birth document issued by a U.S. state, jurisdiction or territory (birth documents issued by a hospital, notifications of birth registration and Puerto Rico birth certificates issued before July 1, 2010 are not accepted) and a valid, unexpired U.S. passport or U.S. passport card (temporary passports are not accepted). The acceptable documents guide (DMV 141) has the full list.

  Source: [29]

• Proof of legal presence

  Legal presence means that a person is a U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident of the U.S. or is legally authorized to be in the U.S. in an eligible immigration status. You must show proof of legal presence when you apply for a standard driver’s license or ID card for the first time in Virginia, and all first-time applicants must present it. The page "Virginia’s Legal Presence Law" in the links below explains more.

  Source: [25] [29]

• Social Security number

  You must present proof of your Social Security number if you have been issued one. You will not be required to present it if you know the number and the DMV is able to verify it electronically. The DMV’s list of proofs includes a Social Security card (Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers are not accepted), a W-2 form and a payroll check stub issued by your employer.

  Source: [10] [11] [29]

• Proof of Virginia residency

  You must present two proofs of Virginia residency. At least one must come from the DMV’s primary list of residency documents, and the second may come from either the primary list or the secondary list. You must give a street address; a post office box or business address is not accepted. The primary list includes a deed, a mortgage or monthly mortgage statement, or a residential rental or lease agreement; a U.S. Postal Service change of address confirmation; a Virginia voter registration card mailed to you by your local registrar; and a utility bill issued to you that is not more than two months old (cellular phone bills are not accepted). If you do not want your residence address to appear on your license or ID, you may give the DMV an alternate address (PO boxes are acceptable) in addition to your residence address. Applicants under age 19 can have a parent or legal guardian certify their Virginia residency; the parent or legal guardian must appear in person with the applicant and show proof of identification and two proofs of Virginia residency from the residency list.

  Source: [10] [29]

• If your name has changed

  Your name must appear the same on all proof documents, and nicknames are not accepted. If it does not, bring certified proof of each name change, such as a marriage certificate filed with a government agency or court, a divorce decree, or a court order for a legal name change. Marriage licenses and marriage certificates signed only by the wedding officiant are not accepted.

  Source: [29] [36]

• The application form

  Complete the Driver’s License Application, online or on paper. The Driver’s License and Identification Card Application (DL 1P) is used to apply for a driver’s license, a learner’s permit or an identification card, and it is submitted to any DMV customer service center. If you are under 18, your parent or legal guardian must provide written consent by signing your application, or you must provide a court order showing that you are an emancipated minor.

  Source: [10] [30]

REAL ID and the driver privilege card

• What a REAL ID is

  A REAL ID is an optional, upgraded version of your driver’s license or ID card that has a star in the upper right corner; it is a small star inside a circle. The federal government requires passengers to present a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or ID card, or another federally approved form of ID, to board a domestic flight or enter a secure federal facility or military base. Both a standard license and a REAL ID license let you drive. In Virginia, getting a REAL ID is a choice. Cards that are not REAL ID compliant say "Federal Limits Apply" on the face of the card; the DMV says a standard license or ID shows it from its next renewal. Some military bases may no longer accept non-REAL ID compliant credentials.

  Source: [14] [15]

• How to get a REAL ID

  You can choose to make your license or ID a REAL ID when you apply. You bring one proof of identity, two proofs of Virginia residency, one proof of legal presence, proof of your Social Security number if you have been issued one, and proof of name change if your name appears differently on your proof documents. Federal law requires that your first application for a REAL ID compliant credential be done in person. Federal REAL ID regulations require each applicant for a REAL ID to present the required proof documents, even if you have a REAL ID from your prior state of residence. The REAL ID and REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions pages in the links below have more.

  Source: [14] [15]

• Driver privilege card

  A driver privilege card is a driver’s license for non-US citizens. It gives Virginia residents who are not citizens the opportunity to be a legal driver, without requiring proof of legal presence or U.S. citizenship. To be eligible you must be a non-US citizen who is a resident of Virginia; have reported income from Virginia sources or be claimed as a dependent on a tax return filed in Virginia in the past 12 months; not have your driving privilege currently suspended or revoked in Virginia or any other state, and not have any insurance-related infractions; and be 16 years and three months or older. You may be eligible for a learner’s permit if you are at least 15 years and six months old. The documents include two proofs of identity, two proofs of Virginia residency and tax return documentation. A driver privilege card is not REAL ID compliant, so it cannot be used as identification to board a flight or enter a secure federal facility. Once you pass the required testing and your application is approved, you receive a temporary driving permit and your driver privilege card is mailed to you. The Driver Privilege Card page in the links below has the steps for your age.

  Source: [13]

At the DMV office

• Appointments and walk-ins

  You can schedule an appointment for service Monday through Friday, or stop by during office hours without an appointment (a walk-in). E-ticket service is also available during regular office hours. Walk-in applicants for the knowledge exam must be present by 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays, in order to test that day. The Customer Service Centers page and the Plan Your Visit page in the links below list the offices and the ways to visit.

  Source: [16] [23]

• Before you visit

  The DMV’s checklist for your visit includes a completed Driver’s License Application, all required documents and the driver’s license fee. The fee chart (DMV 201) in the links below lists the fees.

  Source: [10]

• Voter registration and organ donation

  You may apply to register to vote, or to change your voter registration mailing address, at any DMV office. To register to vote in Virginia, you must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Virginia, and at least 18 years old by the next general election. To sign up as an organ, eye and tissue donor, check yes on your driver’s license, learner’s permit or ID card application; if you are under 18, you can indicate your wishes by checking yes, but by law your parents or guardians make the final decision.

  Source: [1]

The tests

• Which tests you take

  The Virginia Driver’s Manual says tests include a vision screening and may include a two-part knowledge exam and a road skills test, and that a DMV representative will tell you which tests you need to take. Everyone must take the vision screening. For a learner’s permit you take a vision screening and pass the two-part knowledge exam at your appointment.

  Source: [1] [2] [10]

• The vision screening

  For the vision screening, a DMV staff member asks you to look into a machine and read lines of letters or numbers. The vision screening is not a medical exam. If you fail it, you may be asked to see an eye care professional. For an unrestricted license the standard is 20/40 or better vision in one or both eyes, corrected or uncorrected, and 110 degrees or better horizontal vision in one or both eyes. For a license restricted to daylight hours only, the standard is 20/70 or better vision in one or both eyes and 70 degrees or better horizontal vision; if your vision is limited to one eye, 40 degrees or better temporal and 30 degrees or better nasal are required. A license restricted to daylight hours permits you to drive only from one-half hour after sunrise to one-half hour before sunset. The manual states the same standards.

  Source: [1] [18]

• The knowledge exam

  The two-part knowledge exam is multiple choice and is given on a computer at DMV customer service centers or in classrooms at participating high schools. It tests your knowledge of traffic signs, motor vehicle laws and safe driving, and the questions are taken from information in the Virginia Driver’s Manual. Oral exams are also available by request at all DMV customer service centers. Part one has 10 road sign questions, and all ten must be answered correctly (the manual says you must answer all ten correctly before you can take part two). Part two has 30 general knowledge questions, and you must correctly answer 24 of them to pass; the manual says at least 80 percent.

  Source: [1] [16]

• Test languages

  The Knowledge Exam page lists 26 languages for the driver’s license knowledge exam: English, American Sign Language (ASL), Amharic (Ethiopian), Arabic, Chinese/Mandarin, Chinese/Mandarin (Traditional), Dari, Farsi, French, German, Haitian Creole, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Kurdish, Mongolian, Nepali, Pashto, Punjabi, Russian, Spanish, Thai, Twi (Akan), Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese. The manual says an audio version of the exam is available and the exam is offered in many different languages and American Sign Language, so translators may not be used for tests in offered languages. The Driver Privilege Card page says a translator may be used for the two-part knowledge exam at a DMV customer service center if the DMV does not offer the exam in your primary language and you cannot complete and comprehend the exam without one.

  Source: [1] [13] [16]

• How to prepare

  Exam questions come from information in the Virginia Driver’s Manual. To study for the exam, the DMV tells you to familiarize yourself with the manual and its study guide. A sample knowledge exam is in Section 8 of the manual and on the DMV website.

  Source: [1] [16]

• Rules during the exam

  It is unlawful to receive help or assist others while taking the knowledge exam, to possess or attempt to obtain an exam or exam answers, or to use a cell phone while taking the exam.

  Source: [16]

• Taking the knowledge test at school

  Using web-based technology, students can take the DMV knowledge test in a proctored setting at participating schools, instead of having a parent take them to a DMV office. Students immediately receive their test results. After a successful result, students are issued a "testing receipt" to take to a DMV customer service center for processing. The Remote Testing in Schools page in the links below has more.

  Source: [8]

• If you do not pass the knowledge exam

  If you are under the age of 18, you must wait a full 15 days before you can retake the exam; for example, if you fail the test on January 1, the earliest you can retake it is January 17. If you are 18 or older, you are only eligible to test one time per day; the manual says the exam may be taken only once per business day. Each time you retake the knowledge test, you need to reapply for a learner’s permit by submitting another application for a Virginia driver’s license along with the required identity and residency documentation. If you do not get your license or permit within one year of completing a knowledge exam, you must retest.

  Source: [1] [16]

• If you fail the knowledge exam three times

  Regardless of age, if you fail the knowledge exam three times, you cannot take it a fourth time until you complete and pass the classroom component of driver education; to be eligible to retake the exam, the course completion date must be after the date of your third failure. The manual also says you may have the option of an 8-hour course based on the Virginia Driver’s Manual and approved by the DMV exclusively for satisfying the three-times-failure requirement. The Driver Training for Three Exam Failures page says that applicants age 18 or older may complete an 8-hour Driver’s Manual course, in a classroom or online (classes taken at a driver improvement clinic do not count). For applicants under 18, it says to complete the classroom portion of driver education (36 fifty-minute classroom sessions) after the third failure; if you completed the classroom component before failing three times, you may take the eight-hour Driver’s Manual course online or in person. The completion date of the Driver’s Manual course must be after the date of your third knowledge test failure.

  Source: [1] [16] [24]

• The road skills test: who gives it

  For applicants under 18, the road skills test is given as part of the driver education course taken at a public, private or commercial driving school, and the in-car driver education teacher gives the final road test. If you are 21 or older and choose to take driver education, the road skills test is given by the driver training school; if you hold a learner’s permit for 60 days instead, it is given by a DMV staff member.

  Source: [1] [34]

• The road skills test: what you need

  The Road Skills Tests page says that to take a road skills test you must be a Virginia resident, have a completed CSMA 140 form and have passed your knowledge exam, and that if you are under 18 you must complete a state-approved driver education program. The CSMA 140 is a Vehicle Owner and Applicant Acknowledgement form; it covers who is responsible for retrieving the vehicle, for your own transportation if the test ends away from DMV premises, and for any damage, loss or liability from the use of the vehicle during the test. Proof of a state-approved driver education class or an In-Car Maneuvers Observation Record (form CSMA 19) is required at the time of testing.

  Source: [17] [31] [32]

• The road skills test: your vehicle

  You must provide a vehicle for the test. The Road Skills Tests page says the vehicle must have a valid safety inspection sticker, license plates and a registration card, and working brakes, safety belts, horn, lights, turn signals, mirrors and speedometer. A rental vehicle or a Zipcar can only be used if you are listed on the rental agreement as an authorized driver. Bring your learner’s permit with you.

  Source: [17]

• The road skills test: language and translators

  All road skills tests are conducted in the vehicle, on the road and in English. You can take a road skills test with your own translator or interpreter at any of the DMV’s 75 customer service centers. The translator or interpreter must hold an unexpired U.S. driver’s license and meet the DMV’s age requirement, and the DMV will not provide one.

  Source: [17]

• Arriving for the road skills test

  For a scheduled road skills test appointment, arrive 15 minutes before your appointment. Walk-ins are served on a first come, first served basis, so waits may vary by location, and walk-ins must be present by 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays, in order to test that day.

  Source: [17]

• If you do not pass the road skills test

  The road skills test may be taken only once per business day. If you fail it, you must wait two days to take it again. If you fail the road skills test at DMV three times, you cannot take it a fourth time until you complete and pass the in-vehicle part of driver education; the completion date for the in-vehicle part must be after the date you failed the test the third time. The Driver Training for Three Exam Failures page in the links below has the details.

  Source: [1] [17]

After you pass

• Getting your license

  You receive your new driver’s license in the mail; for security, the DMV does not issue licenses in customer service centers. The DMV mails the license to the address on file. If you have moved, notify the DMV right away, because the U.S. Postal Service does not forward driver’s licenses. If you are under 18 when your license is issued, you may be required to attend a court licensing ceremony; the "Under 18: the steps to a license" section explains.

  Source: [1] [10]

• How long your license lasts

  A Virginia driver’s license is normally valid for up to eight years and expires on your birthday. A renewed license is valid for five years if you are age 75 or older or are required to register as a sex offender.

  Source: [10]

• Carry your license

  Whenever you drive, you must carry a valid driver’s license or learner’s permit with you.

  Source: [1]

Keeping your license

• Renewing

  You can renew online, by mail or in person as early as one year before your license expires, but you must renew in person every other renewal cycle. The DMV sends email, text and mail renewal reminders 90 days before your license expires. When you renew in person, you pay the renewal fees, pass the vision screening, have a new photograph taken and prove legal presence if required. Drivers age 75 or older must appear in person at a DMV customer service center to renew their driver’s license and complete a vision screening or submit a vision report. The Renew Driver’s License and Mature Drivers pages in the links below have more, and the fee chart (DMV 201) lists the fees.

  Source: [19] [20]

• If your license has expired

  If your license has been expired for more than one year, you must retake the vision screening, the two-part knowledge exam and the road skills test.

  Source: [19]

• Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged license or permit

  If your driver’s license or learner’s permit has been lost, stolen or damaged, you must get a replacement. You may get a replacement online unless one or more of the conditions on the DMV’s page apply; one of them is being under the age of 18. The Replace Your Driver’s License or Learner’s Permit page in the links below has the details.

  Source: [38]

• Changing your address

  Within 30 days of moving to a new Virginia residence, you must notify the DMV and provide the new street address; a P.O. box or business address is not acceptable. The fastest and easiest way is online. The postal service will not forward your license, and if the DMV does not have your correct address, the postal service will return the license to the DMV. If you change your residence address or mailing address to a non-Virginia address, the DMV may cancel your driver’s license or photo ID card; exceptions may be made for some individuals, such as active duty military personnel and Virginia residents employed outside of Virginia. If you are not due for renewal soon, you would need to replace your license or ID for the new address to be reflected there.

  Source: [1] [22]

• Changing your name

  Start online or complete a Driver’s License and Identification Card Application requesting a name change. Then visit a DMV customer service center and bring a marriage certificate, a divorce decree if the decree states the change from your married name to your maiden name, or a court order granting the name change, along with your Virginia credential. Once your name change has been processed, you need to get a replacement driver’s license or ID card.

  Source: [22]

• Restrictions on your license

  If you need to wear glasses or contact lenses to pass the vision screening, you must wear them when you drive, and your license shows this restriction. To have the restriction removed after laser surgery to correct your vision, you must visit a DMV customer service center and pass the vision screening without wearing glasses or contact lenses, or submit a Vision Screening Report (MED 4).

  Source: [1] [18]

Virginia ID card

• Getting an ID card

  Virginia residents of any age who do not already hold a learner’s permit or driver’s license issued within the United States may apply for a Virginia ID card. You may hold either a driver’s license or an ID card, but not both; if you hold a license of any kind, you must surrender it before applying for an ID card. For an ID card you bring one proof of identity, one proof of legal presence, two proofs of Virginia residency, proof of your Social Security number if you have been issued one, and proof of name change if your name appears differently on your proof documents. The Driver’s License and Identification Card Application (DL 1P) is used to apply for an ID card; for a child ID card (under age 15), complete the Application for an Identification Card for Minors Under 15 (DL 5).

  Source: [26] [30]

• Exchanging your license for an ID card

  The DMV offers an option to exchange your valid Virginia license for an ID card if you no longer wish to drive. Once you complete this transaction, you are no longer a licensed driver and are not eligible to operate a motor vehicle.

  Source: [27]

Official links

• Licenses and IDs (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Learner’s Permits (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Apply for a Learner’s Permit (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Teen Driving Restrictions (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Driver Education (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Revised Learner’s Permit Holding Period and Driver Education Requirements FAQs (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Teen Driver Frequently Asked Questions (dmv.virginia.gov)
• 90-Minute Parent/Teen Component: School Divisions (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Driver Education Information for Home Schoolers (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Remote Testing in Schools (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Parents in the Driver’s Seat (DMV 16, PDF) (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Driver’s License (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Apply for a Driver’s License (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Driver License Eligibility Requirements (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Exchange a Foreign Driver’s License (dmv.virginia.gov)
• New to Virginia (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Acceptable Documents (DMV 141, PDF) (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Virginia’s Legal Presence Law (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Name Change Documents (dmv.virginia.gov)
• REAL ID (dmv.virginia.gov)
• REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Driver Privilege Card (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Plan Your Visit (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Customer Service Centers (dmv.virginia.gov)
• The Knowledge Exam (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Road Skills Tests (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Vision Screening (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Online Practice Exams (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Driver Training for Three Exam Failures (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Driver Training (schools) (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Virginia Driver’s Manual (PDF) (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Traffic Violations: Drivers Under Age 18 (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Court Licensing Ceremony Requirements (list by court, PDF) (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Renew Driver’s License (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Mature Drivers (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Change Address, Name or Sex Designation (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Replace Your Driver’s License or Learner’s Permit (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Get an Identification Card (dmv.virginia.gov)
• License Exchange for ID Card (dmv.virginia.gov)
• Fee Chart (DMV 201, PDF) (dmv.virginia.gov)

Sources

1. Virginia Driver’s Manual, DMV 39 (April 27, 2026) (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
2. Apply for a Learner’s Permit (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
3. Revised Learner’s Permit Holding Period and Driver Education Requirements - FAQs (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
4. Driver Education (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
5. Teen Driving Restrictions (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
6. Teen Driver Frequently Asked Questions (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
7. School Divisions Requiring the 90-Minute Parent/Teen Component (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
8. Remote Testing in Schools (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
9. Driver Education Information for Home Schoolers (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
10. Apply for a Driver’s License (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
11. Driver License Eligibility Requirements (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
12. Exchange a Foreign Driver’s License (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
13. Driver Privilege Card (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
14. REAL ID (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
15. REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
16. The Knowledge Exam (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
17. Road Skills Tests (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
18. Vision Screening (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
19. Renew Driver’s License (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
20. Mature Drivers (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
21. New to Virginia (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
22. Change Address, Name or Sex Designation (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
23. Plan Your Visit (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
24. Driver Training for Three Exam Failures (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
25. Virginia’s Legal Presence Law (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
26. Get an Identification Card (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
27. License Exchange for ID Card (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
28. Traffic Violations - Drivers Under Age 18 (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
29. Getting a Virginia Driver’s License or Identification (ID) Card (DMV 141, 06/28/2024) (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
30. Driver’s License and Identification Card Application (DL 1P, 07/01/2025) (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
31. In-Car Maneuvers Observation Record (CSMA 19, 11/25/2017) (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
32. Road Skills Testing - Vehicle Owner and Applicant Acknowledgement (CSMA 140, 04/10/2026) (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
33. Exchanging a Driver’s License From a Foreign Country (DL 7, 07/01/2020) (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
34. Parents in the Driver’s Seat (DMV 16, 07/01/2025) (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
35. Court Licensing Ceremony Requirements (effective 07-08-2026) (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
36. Name Change Documents (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
37. Driver Training (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles
38. Replace Your Driver’s License or Learner’s Permit (dmv.virginia.gov) — Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles