Yes, you can use a report card instead of a VOE in Texas, but only when school is not in session. During the regular school year, the Texas Department of Public Safety requires the official Verification of Enrollment and Attendance form for anyone under 18 applying for a learner’s permit or provisional driver’s license. Once the school year ends and offices close for summer, DPS accepts the student’s most recent report card in its place.1Texas Department of Public Safety. What to Bring When Applying – Learner License
When the Report Card Substitute Applies
The rule is tied to whether school is in session, not to the calendar date. If you apply during the summer and the student is still enrolled for the coming year, DPS lets you bring the last report card from the current school year instead of a VOE.2Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen This is a standard option listed on the DPS document checklist, not a judgment call made at the counter.1Texas Department of Public Safety. What to Bring When Applying – Learner License
Once school is back in session, the substitution goes away. Schools are open and able to issue the form, so DPS expects it.
What the Report Card Has to Show
The report card must be the most recent one from the current school year, and it must show three specific things: the student’s name, the attendance record, and the grades.4Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
What a VOE Is
A Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) is a one-page form confirming that a minor student is enrolled in school and meeting attendance requirements. Texas Transportation Code Section 521.204 requires it for anyone under 18 who has not earned a high school diploma or GED and wants to obtain or renew a driver’s license. It applies to students in public, charter, private, and home schools, as well as GED programs and institutions of higher education.3Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) Form The attendance obligation behind it comes from Texas Education Code Section 25.085, which requires children between six and nineteen to attend school each school day.5State of Texas. Texas Education Code 25.085 – Compulsory School Attendance
Who Can Skip the VOE Entirely
A VOE (or summer report card) is only required for applicants under 18 who are still working toward a diploma. If the applicant has already earned a high school diploma or its equivalent, they bring the diploma or GED certificate instead.2Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen A 16-year-old who graduated early or finished a GED program skips the VOE requirement entirely.
There is one more alternative. Applicants who are not enrolled in a traditional school but are preparing for a high school equivalency exam can provide proof of enrollment in a GED preparation program for the last 45 days instead of a VOE.2Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
How to Get a VOE During the School Year
Contact the school’s attendance office, registrar, or front desk and ask for the VOE form. Some schools process requests the same day. Others need a few business days, especially near the end of a semester when requests back up. The form requires the student’s full legal name, date of birth, and the school or program name, and a school official must sign it with their printed name and title. A stamped or computer-generated signature from a school official is acceptable.2Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
Keep in mind that the school decides whether to issue the VOE, based on the student’s enrollment and attendance. DPS cannot override a school’s refusal to sign one.6Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) Form
How Long a VOE Is Good For
A VOE issued during the regular school year expires 30 days after the date it was issued. A VOE issued in the last five days of the school year lasts until the first day of the following school year.6Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) Form A VOE issued during the summer months of June through August is valid for 90 days from issuance.2Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen Time the request so the form is still live on the day of the DPS visit.
What Else to Bring to DPS
The VOE or report card is one piece of the application. For a first-time minor applicant, DPS also wants:7Texas Department of Public Safety. Identification Requirements
- Proof of identity and citizenship or lawful presence, such as a birth certificate or U.S. passport.
- Two proofs of Texas residency, such as utility bills, bank statements, or school records showing a Texas address.
- The applicant’s Social Security card or an official document showing the number.
- A signed parental consent form, because the applicant is under 18.
- Proof of completion of the required classroom hours of a state-approved driver education course.
The application fee for a learner’s permit or provisional license is $15. First-time minor applicants have to appear at a DPS office in person; the application cannot be completed entirely online.