How to Get Your Driver License

Intro

The process of getting your driver's license will depend on several factors, including your age and how long you've lived in California.

The GDL Program

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs are designed to help young novice or new drivers adjust to the responsibility of obtaining full driving privileges. Studies have shown that GDL programs help reduce collisions among novice drivers. In California, there are three stages to the GDL program.

The first stage is the Learner Stage. You must be at least 15 and 6 months but under age 18, to earn your instruction or learner's permit. In order to receive your instruction permit, you have to:

1. Complete a driver's license application, which must be signed by a parent or guardian.
2. Provide the DMV with documents proving your identity and your residency in California.
3. Submit the required forms from your driver education or training classes. Safe2Drive's online California Driver Education course meets this requirement.
4. Make an appointment and visit a DMV office in person to go through the application process.

At your visit, you will pay an application fee, submit a fingerprint scan, take the vision exam, get your photo taken, and complete the knowledge test.

There are some restrictions that come with your instruction permit. During the first 12 months of having your instruction permit, you are not allowed to drive between 11 pm and 5 am. You're also not able to transport passengers under age 20, unless you're accompanied by a parent or guardian, a licensed driver age 25 or older, or a licensed driving instructor.

The second step in the GDL program is the provisional license. You must hold your instruction permit for 6 months, be at least age 16, and have completed 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a driving instructor and 50 hours of supervised driving before you can apply for your provisional license. You will also need to pass the driving test. Your provisional license gives you a bit more freedom. For the first 12 months of having your provisional license, you do not have to drive with supervision unless you're driving passengers under age 20 or driving between 11 pm and 5 am.

The final stage is full driving privileges.

Check out the image below for a summary of the licensing process.

Exams

There are several exams you may be required to complete in order to get your driver's license.

• The driving test. If you're earning your license for the first time, or if you've moved to California and have a driver's license from another country, you will need to complete the driving test. This is a supervised test you must make an appointment for at the DMV. During the driving test, the examiner will observe your driving skills, ensuring you have proper control of the vehicle and that you obey all traffic laws. If you fail this test, you'll have to wait 14 days (this doesn't include the day you took the test) before you're allowed to try it again. You'll have to pay an additional fee to retest. If you happen to fail the driving test three times, you will have to submit a new application.
• The knowledge test(s). Usually you'll have to pass a knowledge test or tests before you can earn a learner's permit or driver's license. The knowledge test shows that you understand traffic laws and safety before you get behind the wheel. All test questions are taken from the California Driver Handbook. If you fail the knowledge test, you can take it again in 7 days.
• The vision exam. You will have to take a vision exam at the DMV with or without corrective lenses. If you don't meet the DMV's vision standards (i.e., 20/40) you'll have to visit a vision specialist. As long as your vision isn't worse than 20/70, the DMV may give you a 30-day temporary license until you can get you can visit a vision specialist. Anyone who applies for a driver's license has to have a visual acuity better than 20/200 (best corrected) in at least one of their eyes.

New California Residents

If you've moved to California from outside of the state, you will be considered a California resident when you've been present in the state for six months or more within a 12-month period, and you're not there visiting on a temporary or transient basis.

You'll be considered a California resident if:

• You're registered to vote in California.
• You're gainfully employed in California or your place of business is located there.
• You're paying tuition at a public institution of higher education (e.g., a university or college).
• You have dependents who attend a primary or secondary school.
• You're a homeowner with a property tax exemption, or you rent a property in California.
• You've claimed residency to get a license, privilege, or other benefits that non-California residents can't get, or you have a current California driver's license or ID card.
• You were determined to be a resident because of circumstances that show your presence in California is more than temporary or transient.

If you are over 18 and have a driver's license issued by another state, there's a few things you'll need to do in order to get your California driver's license. First, you'll complete a driver's license application provided by the DMV. Then you'll have to visit a DMV office where you will need to:

• Provide your social security number
• Submit documentation proving your identity and residency
• Pay an application fee
• Get your thumbprint scanned
• Pass the vision exam and the knowledge test
• Have your photo taken

If your driver's license was issued by another country, you will need to do all of the above PLUS pass a driving test.

What to Bring to the DMV

What you need to bring with you to the DMV will depend on what type of license you are applying for. You can visit the DMV's website to see a full list of approved documents, but generally you will need:

• Proof of identity documents (e.g., a US Birth Certificate, a US Citizen Identification Card, or a Mexican Border Crossing Card with a valid I-94)
• Name change documentation
• Proof of residency documents (e.g., rental/lease agreement, deed/title to residential real property, employment document, or medication documents)

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