How does getting a driver's license work in your state, and how old were you when you got yours?
Posted by karcsiking0@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 104 comments
I'm from Hungary, where getting a license costs a fortune and takes months of professional training. I’ve heard it’s much simpler in the US. How does the process work in your state, and is it true that you can just take the test in your own car without a professional instructor?
gard3nwitch@reddit
In Maryland, at least as of a couple decades ago:
First, you take a basic theory test (what do these signs mean, etc) to get your learner's permit. You could do that at 15. Study materials are available for free from the Motor Vehicle Administration. If you pass, the learners permit is $65.
Then you need to take a driver's ed course. This includes some classroom time learning more about car safety, traffic laws etc, and 6 hours of practice with a professional driving instructor (in a special car that can be controlled from the passenger side in case you panic).
I looked up the prices for a popular driving school in my area, and it's currently $450 for the course and required sessions.
After that, you're supposed to get 60 hours of practice with any adult licensed driver. This is usually a family member.
Then you go to the MVA office and take a practical driving test. If you pass, you pay $88 and get a provisional driver's license. You have to be at least 16.5 years old before you can do that.
Then, for the next 18 months, you have a provisional driver's license. If you have a moving violation during that time, you could be required to take a remedial driver's course. (My brother had to do that lol.)
squigglyquigley@reddit
This is my experience in VA as well. The specific age limits were 15 and 6 months for your learner's permit. You had to have your permit for at least 9 months before taking your driving test, making 16 and 3 months the earliest you could get your license
We had Driver's Education as a required course for sophomores at my high school. It was part of our P.E./Health rotation and only covered theory (signs, rules of the road, right of way, etc.). Road & range was an optional after school course you could take through the school for a couple hundred dollars, but a lot of people (myself included) just did it through a private company where the instructor picks you up at your house
The instructor was also certified to administer the driving test, so I didn't actually have to go to the DMV to get my license. I just took the test at the end of my last session with the driving instructor
molten_dragon@reddit
Michigan has a Graduated Driver License (GDL) process with several steps to get a full unrestricted license.
Overall_Occasion_175@reddit
Also, I'm not sure about Michigan specifically but in most states, if you wait to get your learner's permit until you are 20, you can bypass all the educational courses and driving logs and such. I only needed to take a written test to get my permit, and was able to schedule a driving test a few months later.
Hwy_Witch@reddit
You can skip all the bullshit in Michigan if you wait till you're 18, but it's still more than 35 bucks.
Overall_Occasion_175@reddit
So, in Maine, it's $35 for the permit and then $55 for the license itself. Not sure what it was 20 years ago when I did it.
Mr_Kittlesworth@reddit
Worth noting that it costs, functionally, nothing. There may be a one time fee of $50 or something.
molten_dragon@reddit
The government part of it costs basically nothing, but the classes you have to take cost several hundred dollars.
Mr_Kittlesworth@reddit
I’m like 90% sure it was free through my school
marsh283@reddit
Yea unless things have changed we don’t do drivers ed through schools in Michigan. I think we used to in the 90s but not when I got my license (early ‘00s)
molten_dragon@reddit
Not only are the classes in Michigan private, the driving skills test is private now too.
Mr_Kittlesworth@reddit
Well that’s bullshit. I had free (or cheap) drivers Ed through my high school and the driving exam is free at the DMV
marigoldpossum@reddit
In Michigan, as a teen, you are required to do the Segment 1 & Segment 2 classes; which costs about $700 in total. You can bypass those costs by waiting until age 18 and just do the written test and driver's test through SOS/DMV for the costs you describe. It's expensive in our state.
Have family in Nebraska and it's WILD how easy it is to get a driver's license in that state, compared to Michigan.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
This is a good breakdown, OP. Every state is a bit different, but this is fairly typical. The differences might be a matter of 14 years, 9 months for learners permit vs 15 years. Some require less formal instruction than others. But parents do a lot of the teaching, and generally parents are very motivated to make sure their children are ready. No one wants their kid getting into accidents.
CupBeEmpty@reddit
Learners permit at 15 full license at 16 with no restrictions.
All it required was a written test and driving test. I took a drivers ed class so I didn’t need to do a separate driving test.
Super easy. Cost like $100 total and just a few hours of instruction and the test was dead simple.
os2mac@reddit
it depends on the level of drivers license. what you are describing sounds like a professional drivers license like a truck or lorry driver. for a private vehicle the rules are different. typically at 16 years of age, you can get a learners permit where you have to drive with a licensed adult for so many hours (it varies from state to state) before you can test for your regular license. once you are ready for that it's a written and driving test. and yes you can usually do it without professional instruction but again that varies from state to state.
Library_IT_guy@reddit
Had to take driver's education course - was basically a week long course of evenings where they taught us the basics, laws, etc.
Then you take the learner's permit test, which is just written.
Then we had to do... I think 50 or 60 hours of practice driving with our parents, and 12 hours with a supervisor. I got a retired sheriff and he actually was great - really improved my driving skill, didn't just check off the boxes required by the state.
davidm2232@reddit
In NY, you take a simple multiple choice test and get a learner permit at 16. The fee is under $100. After logging practice hours with your parents, you take a road test. If you pass, you can drive on your own to work or school until 16 and 6 months. Then you can drive wherever until 9pm. After you turn 18, you can drive after 9. You can also get sn intrastate cdl. Once you hit 21, you can get a full CFL to go across state lines.
crazycatlady331@reddit
I was 18 when I got my NY driver's license. I had zero restrictions on mine because I was 18.
davidm2232@reddit
I think they changed it. At one point, you needed to have your permit for 6 months before you could get a unrestricted class DJ. Now I think that is gone but you have to wait 6 months to even take a road test
crazycatlady331@reddit
Oh I KNOW they changed it. (I'm in my 40s so it's been a hot minute since I dealt with learning to drive.) I had my permit for over a year (I failed twice on parallel parking-- haven't done it since my driving test).
19 yo me was the accompanying driver for my friend's driving test. That would not be allowed today.
Chea63@reddit
Also, you must be 18 to drive within NYC. You can get a license at 16, but it is not valid within NYC until you are 18. A 17 yr old who enters city limits would then be driving without a license.
dr-tectonic@reddit
The typical pattern is that you take a class, then you have to pass a written test to get a permit. While you have a permit, you have to log a certain number of hours driving with an adult who's a licensed driver in the passenger seat. Then you have to pass a practical test with an examiner in the passenger seat. That's to get a license at age 16; if you're older, you may be able to skip the class (at least where I live.)
I got my license at age 16, almost 40 years ago; there was a driver's ed course offered after hours at my school, but it wasn't yet required. I just studied for the written test, then my parents taught me.
houdini31@reddit
You take a written test to get your learners permit at 15 and then at 16 you can take the street test to get your license.
Historical_Bath_9854@reddit
I'm from Illinois, I took driver's ed, but didn't actually get my license because we had excellent public transportation and all the cost seemed unnecessary, I didn't get my license until my husband came home with my dream car, had to get it so I could drive it.
ITrCool@reddit
I paid like $15 fee and took a written test to get my learner’s permit.
My father, as a licensed driver, taught me how to drive himself. We started in an empty parking lot and eventually I graduated to driving on the road. Once fully confident in the various aspects of driving, I returned to the driving bureau (called the DMV here), and took a driving test with a state trooper in the car with me, going over a checklist as he had me do various things and take a specific route, ending with a parallel parking exercise.
I could “miss” up to four items on the list before failing. I only missed one and got my license.
Renewals have always been free in every state I’m in. I just make the DMV appointment, take the picture, and get my new license mailed to me. It’s pretty hassle free.
Not like it used to be.
HotSteak@reddit
I took a Driver's Education class when I was 14-15 to get my learner's permit. That means you can drive with a parent/adult in the passenger seat. Then I had to take six "driving hours" with an instructor from the driving school, spaced throughout the year. Then I took my driver's test (in my dad's car) on my 16th birthday and passed. I've had a driver's license ever since.
Durham1988@reddit
I took a private driver's ed class with a guy who was known to be sketchy. He would show up high for the hours of driving instruction, and I'm pretty sure he was just having me drive around to places he sold weed for drop-offs.
Amarastargazer@reddit
I had exactly this in NJ, but 1 year older for everything.
The hours for lessons varied by what company you went with. Mine was done in (2) 3 hour sessions.
Actually, now that I think about it, we got limited licenses, so a little different. There was a period of time when you could drive with 1-2 friends and no licensed driver in there somewhere.
I remember because it was a big deal when my friend’s mom said I could drive them after being behind me as we were going to the SATs which was a big deal because she said no one would drive my friend before a full license. Made it easier for her as we had a lot of after school study sessions senior year and she then didn’t have to do the pick up. Actually, that decision on the mom’s part actually saved my life.
unknowingbiped@reddit
And my "driving school" was a after school class in the drafting room. We never had one of those fancy cars, we drove my mom's car during training.
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
Got my permit on 15th birthday Ang license on 16th birthday. Oregon
Durham1988@reddit
Got mine 30 days after my 16th birthday (the earliest possible date) for $15 and didn't even take the driving test because there was one license branch in my county that was known for being slack about the tests. It's easy in the US.
Sad_bippy@reddit
I’m so interested to see how many people are saying they were required to take a driving course and/or log driving hours to earn their full license. Once I had my learner’s permit, my mom taught me to drive on her own time and then I took the driving test at the DMV. A driving course was not required, nor was logging practice hours. You just showed up at the DMV, drove around town with one of the test administrators in your passenger seat, and either passed or failed. Learning to drive cost nothing more than my mom’s time lol
SnowblindAlbino@reddit
I just renewed mine and it was $40 for four years, so $10/year. Getting a new one costs a bit more, around $100 the first time all inclusive. The "training" requirement varies a lot; in many places it's done in the high schools so costs nothing. If you don't have that option, a "professional" driving course is required and that will be $300-400 in my area, which includes classroom sessions and behind-the-wheel training.
For American drivers most of the actual learning comes with a "permit," which is typically available at age 15. Once you have that you can drive with another licensed adult in the car, so usually parents teach their kids to drive that way before they can get their license at 16.
crazycatlady331@reddit
I think I paid $65 to renew mine last year (change it over to a new state plus upgrade to a Real ID, which lets me use it to board a plane). I think the Real ID upgrade was a one-time fee that I won't have to pay again. Gotta have that star in the corner.
Classic-Push1323@reddit
I’m just going to weigh in on the cost aspect since a lot of people are brushing over it. Most people use their drivers license as their primary form of identification in the US and it’s fairly inexpensive. I would expect to pay somewhere between $10 and $50 depending on the state.
If your high school offers a drivers education class, then it’s free. If you have to pay to take a class or you have to pay to take a class in a car, you will have to spend a couple hundred dollars on that. That part can be a barrier for a lot of people. I don’t know if this is true everywhere but in some states it’s only necessary if you get your license when you’re under 18. After 18, you can learn how to drive on your own and just take the test. We usually have more stringent requirements for teenagers than adult drivers. Either way, most people get the bulk of their instruction from a family member.
Prometheus_303@reddit
I believe they've tweaked a few things since I've taken the exam, but from what I can remember from way back when ....
Any time after turning 16 you could show up to a DMV office to take the written exam. I think it was something like 100 question pool, the computer randomly selected 20 and you had to answer 80% correct to pass. If you got anything less, you would have to wait how ever long (in theory to give you time to study) but could retake the exam (iirc) as often as you needed to pass...
Once you passed the exam they gave you a vision test. Had you stand at the counter and read a line on the chart on the wall behind them.
If you passed both, they gave you a paper form that served as your learners permit. With it, you were able to drive, so long as a licensed driver at least 18 years old was beside you in the passenger seat.
You were to spend the next few months (I forget the exact window) practicing driving. When you felt ready after that window you came back and did the practical exam. When it was your turn, a DMV employee came out to your car. They had your turn the lights, blinkers, wipers etc on and off to show you knew how the car worked. Then I had to drive the guy around the block. He made sure I stopped at the shop sign, could turn into traffic etc... We got back to the DMV and he had me parallel park in a special parking spot.
If you failed that, you had to wait so long before you could retry. I think you only got 2 or so times to retry before you had to start over and retake the written exam again.
Pass it and you get your license. I believe he signed off on my learners permit and I went over to the photography department and got my picture taken and license printed out on the spot.
I needed dad/mom to come in to verify I could be an organ donor since I wasn't 18 yet myself.
My birthday is towards the end of the year. My father insisted I waited until the spring so I wouldn't be learning to drive in snow and ice. So I was 16.5-ish when I got my license...
SilverStory6503@reddit
Every state is different. In ohio, you have to have your permit for 6 months, have 8 hours of driving with a certified instructor, and 40 hours driving experience with an adult, 10 hours must be at night. Then you need to take the driving test.
The most expensive part is with the certified instructor.
Sea_Celi-595@reddit
I got my first license in Wisconsin at age 16 in 2002, so my experience may be wildly out of date for those currently looking get their license.
The class I took was $100 and was offered at my public high school during the school day. It was a full semester-long class and took the spot of one regular class time. The class included lectures, videos, the fake cars and also real driving time with an instructor.
You had to be a Sophomore (10th grade) and be at least 15 years old to take the class. Once you passed the class, which included the written test from the state, you then did have to go to the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) and take the live driving test to get your full license.
Once you passed the written test in the class, you would get a learners permit which you could then use to drive with an adult over the age of 25 who was related to you or was an instructor.
You were required to log a certain number of hours of driving time with your learners permit before you were eligible to take the live driving test at the DMV. I wanna say it was like 20 or 30 hours? Something that was doable in six months.
The expectation was that you would have about six months minimum of using your learners permit before you went to go take your live driving test.
After I passed my live driving test, because I was still under 18, I had a probationary license.
For the first nine months, I could only drive with one other person that was not related to me in the car. So I could drive with my full family, and one friend.
I also could not drive after 11 PM and before 5 AM unless I was going directly to work or school or home.
After the first nine months were over, those restrictions were lifted and I basically had a regular license.
If you were to turn 18 before your nine months were up, then at the age of 18 the restrictions ended, but I didn’t, I was still under 18 when my nine months were up.
I moved to Minnesota in my 20s, and had to retake the written test in Minnesota in order to transfer my drivers license over. I did not have to retake the live driving test.
The reason for having to take the written test again is because the laws in Minnesota are a little different than the laws in Wisconsin and they wanted to make sure that people moving over were very aware of the difference in the traffic laws.
I moved back to Wisconsin a few years ago and transferred my license back to Wisconsin. I did not have to take any sort of test to transfer my license back.
You are expected to have a drivers license in the state where you reside, if you have a drivers license.
crazycatlady331@reddit
I got mine in NY. I was 16 when I got my permit (written test) and 18 when I got my license. I'm in my 40s now so laws have gotten stricter since.
On a learner's permit, you can only drive with a licensed driver in the front seat. My dad was my driving instructor (my mom now complains that my sister and I both drive like him-- I explained to her that he taught us how to drive).
The road test itself was about 15 minutes behind the wheel with the tester sitting in the front passenger seat. The DMV does not provide the vehicle. Many kids take it in their parent's car. I failed twice on parallel parking (hit the curb is an automatic failure). I have not parallel parked since getting my license. AT 19, I was the accompanying driver when my friend took her road test. They had no issue with this (I think laws have since changed).
I've since moved states twice. Transferring one's driver's license over from State A to State B is not a complicated procedure.
lordcorndog15@reddit
My dad grew up in Kansas 40’sand 50’s and was about to get a drivers license at 14 it was called a farm license. He was allowed to drive during daylight hours as long as it was for farm business.
Loud_Inspector_9782@reddit
16 after taking driver's education.
FezzesnPonds@reddit
It’s been a while but in NJ it went like this:
Take drivers ed and drivers test sophomore year
Get drivers permit at 16. You must have a licensed driver over 21yo in the car.
After minimum 6 months with a permit and 17yo, get a provisional license. You may have up to 1 person in the car and cannot drive past 11pm.
Full license at 18yo, but still have a vertical license for age-related purposes
21yo, you get the horizontal license
MadCityVelovangelist@reddit
I was just commenting on someone's post last week about them not being able to afford a driver's license. When I told them it was less than $100 and lasted 8 years, I was bashed as some kind of elitist. Someone actually said "you've never met a poor person have you."
I hope they see how expensive it is in other countries.
forestinpark@reddit
Can you see? Do you have at least one arm and leg? Yes? OK here is your license.
Coming from EU country, USA driving test us a joke.
Wadsworth_McStumpy@reddit
I got mine when I was 16 years, one month, and one day old. (That was the rule back then in my state. They've since changed it.)
I took Driver's Education in high school. It was a one-semester class, with an additional summer class where we actually drove under the supervision of a teacher. Passing that class got us a Learner's Permit at age 15, which allowed us to drive with a parent in the front seat with us. (Without the class, you could still get a permit at age 15 and a half.) After that, we could get our license one month and a day after our 16th birthday, and practically everyone in my age group did that. If we had a good enough grade from Driver's Education, we didn't have to do the driving part of the test to get our first license (only the written test and vision test.)
As a side note, when my dad found out that the car they used to teach us had an automatic transmission, he took me out to my grandfather's farm and taught me to drive a manual using his farm truck. In his words, "The low gear will pull a stump out of the ground, and the clutch grabs really bad. If you can drive this truck, though, you can drive anything." Nearly every car on the road here is automatic, but it's still good to know how to drive a manual.
justonemom14@reddit
In Texas, you can do parent-taught drivers education. There are lots of forms to fill out, videos to watch, etc, but the overall cost is very low. I don't even remember, maybe $15 to get started and $20 for the license at the end. I've taught two of my kids to drive with this method.
meowmix778@reddit
The state I grew up in (New Hampshire) the process is wildly different than where I live now.
In NH , you turn 15 1/2, and you can just start driving as long as you're in the car with someone over 25 who is a licensed driver. To get a driver's license, you need to either complete a driver's education course at 16 and then take the written + practical exam at the DMV. Or you can wait until you're 18 and skip the driver's ed portion.
Here in Maine, you have to get a learner's permit by passing a written exam. I believe you can skip drivers ed here in maine if you're 18 much the same as in NH.
But NH is the wild west. Vehicles don't need inspection and you're not required to carry any piece of insurance.
DrMindbendersMonocle@reddit
You have to pass a written test and a driving test. You are not required to take any classes or go through a professional instructor. As long as you cn pass the tests you will be good
Practical-Ordinary-6@reddit
We had drivers ed in school but it didn't fit into my schedule so I had lessons with a private instructor for about 2 months maybe -- once a week.
That allowed me to get my learner's permit which let me drive in a car with another licensed driver like a parent. Did that for a few months. Then took my test and passed it and have had a license ever since. I don't know what the lessons cost because my parents were paying since I was 17.
BrainFartTheFirst@reddit
I took driver's ed at 15 to 16 years old in school. I got my permit at 16. I didn't get my license till I was 18 however due to insurance issues. They were saying I was specifically not covered. My twin brother was. So I couldn't practice until we fixed that. I actually had to renew my permit twice.
Tomahawk513@reddit
In OH, when I took the exam roughly 23 years ago (sh*t I'm old), you had to be 15.5 to obtain a learner's permit. Once you had a permit, you had to take a driving class and your parent(s) had to take you driving for (x) hours. Once both of those requirements were complete, you could schedule your written exam and practical road exam. At the time, the class was about $300 and the local public high school coordinated the class and even though I was at a private school I could enroll in this. I failed my test twice before finally passing. Maneuverability was hard in my dad's massive 1999 Ford Taurus.
PuzzledKumquat@reddit
I'm from Missouri. The school district I attended didn't offer driver's education classes, so it was up to our parents/older siblings/older friends to teach us. I took a writing test at 15.5 and got a permit, which is when I started driving with a licensed driver beside me (the aforementioned parent, in my case). I took the practical driving test at 16 and then got my full license, allowing me to drive alone. The process changed around ten years later - not sure what it is now - but my old school district still doesn't teach driving!
amazingtaters@reddit
Sounds about right for MO, though you could get your permit the day you turned 15. At least back a little over two decades ago. A younger me was rather cross that the only thing I wanted for my 15th birthday I had to wait two or three days for. And there were some restrictions on the license for 16-18 year olds around number of passengers and times you could be driving but they weren't really enforced.
Weird-Highway-3958@reddit
Also grew up in Missouri and same! I guess my school offered driver's ed but I sure didn't take it! My "instructor" was my dad yelling at me, I mean teaching me to drive, in a church parking lot. When I turned 16 I got my license by the skin of my teeth (70 was passing and I got like a 72) and my dad lying about how many hours I had practiced. In all cases I used my older brother's beat up old car that was about as old as I was, which they gave him when they bought a new car for themselves. I imagine this was typical for the early 00s but I have no idea.
MattieShoes@reddit
You either need a learner's permit or a previous drivers license. So for young people, getting a learner's permit is first. The permit may restrict hours when one may drive and requires a licensed driver in the car. There may be a written test to get your learner's permit. This usually costs money for processing, but it's a small amount of money -- let's say $30.
Then to get a driver's license, you usually have to take a written test and an in-person driving test. People can pay for accredited training classes ($200 - $1000+) and, assuming they pass, skip the in-person driving test (say $100). Usually there's another processing fee, but again, but probably also on the order of $30.
There are variations from state to state, but I think this is the basic template they follow.
So starting from no license, $160 to $1500, plus some months with a learner's permit.
For somebody already licensed in another state or country, probably $30.
Jasnah_Sedai@reddit
IME, you still need to take drivers education, which costs about $500 where I live, and involves classroom instruction and driving lessons with an instructor (in a school car). After that, we generally have to log a certain number of hours practicing with a parent, or other suitable adult (IIRC, 70 hours where I live). For the driving test, we used our car and can either be on the road or on a driving course, depending on where we live.
Generally, we can get a learners permit and start drivers education at 15, but need to be 16 to take the final driving test. I got mine at 16. Americans tend to get drivers licenses young since most of the country is dependent on cars, and driving is a ticket to freedom for most teens.
SufficientProject273@reddit
In my State Drivers Ed is not required. Most people just learn from their parents.
Jasnah_Sedai@reddit
The parents there must be made of sterner stuff lol. I cannot imagine getting in the car with a kid who hasn’t gotten a start with a driving instructor with nerves of steel. In my state, drivers ed is only optional for 21yo+.
LettingHimLead@reddit
In TN, kids can learn from their parents. I figured out quickly that I didn’t have the stomach to put my life in their hands. We paid for driving school for our oldest. Our youngest took driver’s ed at school. Of course, we still had to ride with them to get additional hours behind the wheel, but they at least got some baseline experience before we traumatized them with our squeals and gasps from the passenger seat.
Jasnah_Sedai@reddit
Exactly. My kids spent 10 hours driving with an instructor, and then 70 hours driving with me. I still did most of the teaching, but I’m so glad I didn’t have to do those first 10 hours. I wouldn’t have survived. But I hate being a passenger in general lol.
therealbamspeedy@reddit
Start off in an empty parking lot to get the basic controls.....I had a stepdaughter start with an instructor with very little practice with me first and he starts her off trying to parallel park when she could barely make right turns.....she was woefully behind the other students in the car. most people use their 6 hours with a paid instructor for the more difficult stuff like parallel parking.
On the other hand my brother started driving with my mom, crashed into someone's garage and never drove again (his choice). But he had learning disabilities, so maybe he should have never even attempted driving in the first place.
SufficientProject273@reddit
The parents would rather them learn from them than some stranger they don't know their skill level. Where I am Divers ED is only offered to High School kids and its just one of the coaches. Most people learn to drive around their property by 10 or so anyway.
therealbamspeedy@reddit
In the early 90s my school had a driver's Ed class, during the school day, for sophomores, for half a semester. Then for 'behind the wheel' we went in groups of 4 with an instructor during summer or on Saturdays, I cant recall. His name was Mr Burns, and he looked like Mr Burns from the Simpsons (but he was funny as hell, unlike the Simpsons character). Dont remember how many hours behind the wheel in the group, maybe 6? But otherwise had to practice driving with parents. Never kept a log, as I dont think there was a set number of hours I had to practice with parents, just go for the test when I was comfortable knowing what I was doing.
Now, my daughter currently has her permit, school didnt offer drivers ed, so she took an online course through a driving school for that portion. 'Behind the wheel' will also be through that driving school. She has to have at least 50 hours of behind the wheel (either through the driving school or with parents.....some of those hours are required to be through a 'professional' driving school, but bulk of the hours will be with parents.) So we have to log how many hours she drove, and advised to have some variation in conditions (10 hours at night is required, suggested that get some practice in the rain, etc).
My actual test in early 90s, used my own car, and that is still the norm. Then, as well as now, permit at 15, license at 16.
Adorable-Growth-6551@reddit
It started with mom and dad teaching me on counrty roads. Then at 15 i got my learners permit. Basically we just went to the court house and they issued me my permit, i have no idea what it cost, probably $20. Then i continued to learn with my mom and dad, except on highways and town roads. I did take a class, it wasnt very expensive. He had us drive on the interstate and showed us videos of car wrecks. At 16 i got my license after passing the drivers test.
Bstallio@reddit
In my state you can get your license at 16 if you take a few weeks $500 drivers Ed course, otherwise at 18 you can just set an appointment to do the written test/driving test for $50
Yes you do the driving test with a DMV worker in your own vehicle
If you fail you have to wait a few weeks to retake the portion you failed
Wafflebot17@reddit
I got my permit at 14 took drivers Ed at 15 got my license on my 16th birthday. It cost $20 or so.
Jdevers77@reddit
The system is wildly different now, but I got my license the day I turned 16. I had driven exactly once prior to that day. The entire process took about 2 hours…about 115 minutes of that was me waiting my turn and then 5 minutes of my showing a state trooper I could adjust the mirrors and drive a loop around the building. I think it was $5 but may have been $10. I had to take a written test 30 days prior to that which was divided into two parts…sign identification and basic driving questions.
This was 30ish years ago.
Cautious_General_177@reddit
The specifics will depend on the state, but there are two basic requirements: a written (I think it's always multiple choice) exam to get a learner's permit (this allows you to drive with an adult for practical experience) and a road exam.
In my state, the multiple choice exam has two parts: road signs (which you need a perfect score to pass) and a more "general knowledge" part. This part costs about $5.
Once you have a permit, you need to wait at least 60 days for the road test and complete a certain number of hours driving in various road conditions. This can either be with parents or through a certified driving school (schools in my area charge about $500 for the course).
Once you've completed the road skills training, you go back and take the road skill test and, if you pass, you get your license. This costs about $40.
ConstantlyCryingGirl@reddit
I got my license at 15 in Texas (18 years ago).
My parents filled out a time sheet of fake practice times, I went in and took a 10 question text of which I missed 3. Left with my license. No class, no driving instructor.
Commercial-Land-6806@reddit
Back in the olden days when I was 14 I took a like hour long written test and a half hour drive along. Since then I just prove I still have eyes and I'm good.
It's gotten a bit stricter since but not by much in my area. I think ages have gone up so it's more like 16/17 to start. But that's all I know that changed.
Quirky-Invite7664@reddit
Same here! It was so easy back then. Probably good they make people take Driver’s Ed now.
JustAnotherUser8432@reddit
In my state you have to do 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind the wheel practice with an instructor. You pay for those and it is about $500 for both. Then you need to practice with a licensed driver over the age of 21 and accumulate 50 hours of practice driving and 10 of those hours need to be at night. There is a free app to help track those. It is done in your own car, usually with a parent for teenagers.
I think the exams themselves are less than $100 and the license cost is like $40. You take two exams, one on all the rules and it is a paper test after the 30 hours of classroom instruction. You can take that test at the age of 15. Then you get a permit and practice driving. When you have your behind the wheel practice complete and you are at least 16, you take the behind the wheel test in your own car with an examiner and if you pass you have a driver’s license.
MajesticBread9147@reddit
Mine involves having a "learner's permit" for a few months starting at 16, having your parents record a certain amount of driving hours of practice before you take a multiple choice written and behind the wheel test. An adult with a driver's license needs to be in the car while you have a learner's permit.
For adults, you only need to get the learners permit, take the multiple choice test, then go take the behind the wheel test. The test is basically going a few blocks away, merging, etc.
I got my license at 22. I couldn't afford car insurance or a car before then, so I just biked, carpooled and used transit until I could comfortably afford both a $300 used car payment, and an equally priced insurance plan while also helping the family out.
-make-it-so-@reddit
I’m pretty sure the rules have changed now, but when I was 15ish, my parents sent me to a driving school. My high school didn’t have one, though some do. I had to do the school and some practice driving hours with an instructor. Once finished, I got my permit where I could drive with a licensed adult and had to log a certain amount of day and night driving hours. Once completed and I turned 15.5, I was able to get a restricted license after taking a written and driving test to drive to school and work, as my school didn’t have a bus. At 16, it automatically converted into a real license.
Most places, you don’t have to do driving school, but it often means that you have to wait longer to be able to get your license.
SufficientProject273@reddit
My parents taught me to drive. At 17 I went to the DMV took a written test (passed) then did a driving test (passed) then paid 25 Dollars and got my license.
aftercloudia@reddit
never had a learner's permit as a teen, couldn't afford driver's ed, and the car we had during that time would never have passed inspection. i learned to drive by mimicking my mom. scheduled the test, passed, paid $32 and got my license at 31, but i was driving around regularly for a decade before that happened....which you should not do lol
Prestigious-Comb4280@reddit
My driver's ed class was in my high school. It was a class the we got credit for. Don't remember how old I was. I got my license at 16 and it was cheap. It was expensive at all.
TehWildMan_@reddit
Completed a short online course, got a learners permit. A year later, had a parent arrest to a few dozen hours of supervised driving and a 10 minute road test, and had a teen restricted license at 16 and a few days
Snezzy_9245@reddit
That's "attest" and not "arrest" right?
EatLard@reddit
Got my learners permit at 14, was able to take drivers ed and get a restricted license at 15 where I could drive by myself during daylight hours, then it converted to a regular license at 16. But in order for it to convert to a normal license, you have to have a clean driving record with your permit/restricted. Otherwise, you keep the restrictions another six months.
Meowmeowmeow31@reddit
In my state, all high school sophomores (ages 15-16) take a driver’s education class. You learn road rules and stuff in the classroom. The driving teacher pulls you and your driving partner out of class periodically to practice.
Once you’ve passed the class, you get your learner’s permit and have a graduated driver’s license for, I think, a year or so. You need to log a certain number of hours driving with an adult supervising you, and for a while there are limitations on driving at night and how many passengers you can have.
BobDeLaSponge@reddit
Wisconsin doesn’t do drivers ed in schools anymore, which is incredibly stupid
But at least we still require a road test to get your license, unlike at least a couple states. Nebraska simply requires you to get a learners permit, which you can get simply by taking drivers ed
Mississippi just requires you to sign an affidavit that you took drivers ed somewhere and then you get a license. It’s insane
Outlaw_Josie_Snails@reddit
My parents hired a driving instructor who came to my home to pick me up. I practiced driving in his vehicle for approximately 50 hours and also spent time practicing in my parents' car.
Afterward, I went to the state driver's license facility to take both the written exam and road test.
Zealousideal_Top20@reddit
In Texas when I grew up in the 00's it was crazy easy. Officially you had to do X hours of driver's ed formal instruction and have a learner's permit for a year, then pass a driver's test. But there was a workaround where basically your parents just signed a form saying they personally instructed you for the driver's ed required number of hours. So I had a lot of friends who just passed the driver's test without really any type of driving instructions and were basically self taught. I think they changed it now
StewReddit2@reddit
Obviously things have changed over time...and each state has different requirements.
I believe more and more states now do graduated DLs such that gets a restricted DL after a permit before getting a full non restricted DL
Back in the 80's/90s when I got my DL at 16 is was as full of a DL as my parents
Back then it was a few hours of driver's education ( at a local public HS)....permit at 15...full DL @16
I've only taken that "one" driving exam as a teen, and NEVER another with DLs in several states from coast to coast over 40 years of driving ( you used to have to take a new written exam at no-cost to qualify for a DL in a new state ( some don't require that anymore, my what I hear...I've been in CA awhile now, so I haven't gotten another state recently)
* All my kid are in their 20's and I don't recall it costing much to get a DL....maybe a few hundred for the now required 6hr BTW training ( back in the day it was OK for just parents/etc and no professional courses required....)
*This is California
travelinmatt76@reddit
I took driver's ed and that counted as the practical exam so all I had to do was pass a written exam at 16.
madmoore95@reddit
In WV it breaks down like this.
-Learners permit at 15 (Can only drive with a licensed driver 21 or older)
-16 to 18 you get your provisional drivers license, basically can't drive after 10 or with more than one person under 21 who isn't family.
-18 to 21 you get a full license but it's vertical, showing you aren't 21 yet
-21 and older you get your horizontal license, showing you can drink and buy tobacco products
You can also take drivers ed in highschool anytime after 14, it's not a requirement though. Some insurance companies give you a discount though for taking it.
kae0603@reddit
Pennsylvania does not require professional drivers ed. They can get a permit at 16 and drive with posture. At 16.5 Parents sign a form saying they let their kids drive a certain amount of hours. The kids take a written test, then a driving test with an instructor. If they pass they get a license.
Bastyra2016@reddit
I can’t speak to now but in the 1980s my highschool offered drivers Education as a class for one quarter (3 ish months). It was taught off site and therefore it took two class periods. I was on the academic track and unfortunately the class conflicted with one of the foundational classes I needed so I couldn’t take it. Drivers Ed wasn’t required but it generally lowered your insurance rate. My friend and I tried calling a few driving schools to see how much they cost-my recollection is they cost a lot so we didn’t have any formal training.
At 15 you had to take a written test to get a learners permit. I remember studying the book. Back when I got one I think the only restriction was I had to have a licensed driver in the car ( they probably had to be 18). There may have been a prohibition against driving at night. As well. At 16 we retook the written test and if we passed we had to drive a relatively easy course with a DMV instructor. Parallel parking was the hardest part of the test. In fact my friend (who was a year younger than me borrowed my (parents) car to take her test because it was a lot smaller and easier to park. When I got my permanent license at 16 there were no restrictions.
DoyersDoyers@reddit
California - got my learners permit as soon as I turned 15 1/2 and then my license when I was 16.
JuliusTweezer@reddit
In 2002 I got a drivers permit at 15 which allowed me to drive, but there needed to be a licensed driver in the car with me. At 16 I got my license after a 15 question written test and not even a 10 min driving test. I think it was $20 to get my physical license at the DMV.
The0wl0ne@reddit
Well first you gotta get a learners permit. You’re eligible at 15 1/2 years old, can either take a written test or take driving lessons from an instructor, I personally went the private instructor route but some public schools have driving instructors. After having a learners permit for 6 months you can take a driving test to get your actual drivers license.
Had to pay for the instructor but price depends on the instructor. If I remember correctly I think we paid $50-$100. Written test is usually free, some places charge a small fee like $25. Them gotta pay $40 or so depending on the state for the actual permit. Drivers test is also free, just gotta pay $40 or so for the actual license.
1nfam0us@reddit
In Italy it is the same but the cost varies a lot by region. €800 - €1200 is pretty normal, but the biggest cost is the theory course. You are supposed to take like 12 lessons, but it is technically optional. However, you have to get a report from your doctor on your physical fitness to drive and get your eyes checked by an occulista. Then you have to take like 8 practical driving lessons with an instructor. If you don't take the theory courses, the cost comes down to only a few hundred euros, which is still kind of crazy considering how low incomes are here.
It is insane, and comical because most Italians still drive like they are in an F1 race for absolutely no reason.
In the US, it cost me as much as the paperwork, so maybe $100 in total if even. I took a theory test on a computer (I failed the first time iirc) to get my permit. I just drove with my parents for a while until I was comfortable and then I took the driving test with a person from the DMV. Then I had my license. It was very easy, all things considered.
Ahpla@reddit
At 14 I took drivers education through my school. It was around $200 or so. There was a certain number of hours we had to spend in class and then a certain number of hours driving. Once I passed drivers ed I got my permit. With it I was allowed to drive as long as someone was in the front passenger seat who was at least 21 years old and had a valid drivers license.
At 15 it went to a restricted license where I was allowed to drive to and from school or work without a licensed adult with me. The only minors I was allowed to drive were siblings.
At 16 it went to a full license with no restrictions.
bryku@reddit
For your typical driving license you would:
However, there may be extra steps depending what vehicles you intend to drive. For example, motocycles, busses, boats, and trailers may have additional processes depending on the state.
I grew up in Iowa... they had a lot of exceptions for farm kids (14yr) when I was young. You could get all terrain license for scooters, 4 wheelers, and tractors. It is basically a test to make sure you knew what signs meant. You weren't really supposed to drive on the road, but you could go on the road when traveling from farm to farm. Additionally, you were allowed to go to gas stations and school.
However, what this meant was... when I got my actual drivers license for a car, I automatically got all these additional classifications like the Class M (motocycle). Which is pretty crazy because I've lived all across america and I often run into people telling me how horrible it was to get theirs in some states. I didn't do anything lol and I have all these qualifications for some reason.
megamanx4321@reddit
I got mine in Washington state. To get one before 18, you had to take Driver's Ed. You could apply for the learners permit any time after 15 and 1/2. Once you completed Driver's Ed or turned 18 you had to schedule the written test, then the driving test. I did pretty well on the written part but got the lowest passing score possible (80) on the driving test. I was already 17 by the time I took Driver's Ed and got my license shortly after turning 18.
Heavy-Rhino-421@reddit
At 16 I took a written test and then immediately after that I took the driving test with an instructor. I was living in another state though but I think my state has/had similar rules.
notsosecretshipper@reddit
In Ohio, you have to take a driver's ed class if you are under 21. It's a certain number of hours of classroom instruction and then a certain number of hours driving with an instructor. And first you have to get your temps, a temporary license that allows you to drive only with a qualified driver in the passenger seat. You have to take a short test on road laws to get them and an eye exam. Then after the class, which took my son a few months to complete and cost almost $700, you have to schedule a test with the license agency. That written test is harder than the one to get your temps, and then if you pass it, you take a driving test in a car that you provide (they do an inspection of out to make sure it's all in order before the test can begin). Then once you have your license, if you are still under 18 (or it might be 21 now, I'm not sure), you have restrictions on having multiple passengers for I think 6 months.
I don't think it's too hard. It could probably stand to be more difficult and require everyone at all ages to take an instruction course, but at nearly $700, that's out of reach for most people. My son's grandparents paid for his course as an 18th birthday gift.
gagnatron5000@reddit
This whole country is built on cars. There's an old saying "driving is a privilege, not a right", but it's treated like a rite of passage here. They're handing out licenses like candy.
You can start by getting your "temps" (temporary instructor permit) at 15 ½ years old, it's a written test. Temps allow you to drive with another licensed driver (could be a parent, could be a paid driving instructor, could be a friend of the family) sitting in the front passenger seat, instructing you.
Under 18: once you turn 16 you're allowed to get a full driving license. You must first log 50 driving hours, 10 at night, while having your temps. Take a written, practical, and maneuverability test, and you're good to go.
Over 18: you can skip the temps step. Go to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, or a BMV Deputy Registrar Office and schedule, then take, a written and a practical test. If you pass, you get a license. I think it's only $50, I could be wrong. It's been almost 20 years since I got mine.
Here's the BMV's web page on it
getwitchy@reddit
At 15 you are eligible to get a learners permit (pass a written test) to be able to practice driving without a license. Once you’re 16 you can apply for your license which involves a vision test, knowledge test, and driving test. If you are under 21 you need to complete some kind of driver’s education course.
You need an instructor there to give the test. But yes you use your own car.
Smart_Engine_3331@reddit
First you get a learner's permit, which only allows you to drive when accompanied by an adult with a license
You can take driving courses/and or train with your parents depending on state laws.
When you are ready, you work with a driving instructor. You have to pass a written test to make sure you understand basic traffic laws.
Then you do a practical test accompanied by a driving instructor that shows you can function at driving.
You can use your own car.
I got mine at 16. Passed it 1st time. Some people have to take it multiple times.
SnarlyBirch@reddit
In Texas I took drivers Ed at age 15 for 3 weeks. I had a learners permit until my 16th birthday and got a restricted license ( only one non family member in the car under the age of 18) which changed into a normal license on my 17th birthday.
69FourTwentySix6Six@reddit
With the way a lot of people drive it seems like you can get a license from the back of a cereal box