Delaware DMV Manual: Documents, Road Test, and Teen Licensing

The Delaware driver’s manual is available as a free PDF on the Division of Motor Vehicles website, and printed copies are stocked at all four DMV service centers. Every question on the 32-question Class D knowledge test is drawn from this manual, so the download is your complete study guide.¹

Which Delaware Manual You Need

Delaware publishes a separate manual for each license type, so grab the one that matches what you’re actually applying for.

Class D Driver Manual. The standard manual for regular passenger-vehicle licenses. Covers traffic signs, right-of-way rules, safe driving practices, and penalties for common violations. If you’re getting your first Delaware license, this is the one.
Commercial Driver License (CDL) Manual. Required study material for anyone operating heavy trucks or buses. A modernized version was released in 2025.
Motorcycle Manual. Covers the balance, maneuvering, and safety techniques specific to two-wheeled vehicles.
Parents Supervised Driving Program. Walks parents through the Graduated Driver License process and the supervised-driving hours they need to log with their teen.
Senior Driver Guide. Addresses the driving considerations that come with aging, available in English and Spanish.
Farm Manual. Covers the rules for operating farm equipment on public roads.

The Class D manual itself is published in English, Spanish, Chinese, Haitian Creole, and Korean. The English edition was last updated in August 2025. The translated versions date to 2019, so non-English readers should cross-reference recent law changes with the current English edition.²

How to Get a Copy

The fastest route is downloading the PDF from the DMV’s Forms & Manuals page at dmv.de.gov. The file opens on any computer, tablet, or phone. No account, no fee.²

For a printed copy, stop by any of Delaware’s four DMV service centers:

Delaware City DMV, 2101 Mid County Drive, New Castle, DE 19720
Greater Wilmington DMV, 2230 Hessler Boulevard, New Castle, DE 19720
Dover DMV, 303 Transportation Circle, Dover, DE 19903
Georgetown DMV, 23737 DuPont Blvd, Georgetown, DE 19947

What the Manual Prepares You For

The Class D knowledge test is a 32-question multiple-choice exam administered on a computer at the DMV. You need at least 26 correct answers to pass. Every question comes from the manual, which is why reading it cover to cover beats skimming summaries from other sources.¹

Before you sit at the computer, the DMV screens your vision. The minimum standard is 20/40 acuity, with or without glasses or contacts. If you need corrective lenses to meet that threshold, your license will carry a restriction requiring you to wear them while driving.⁴

Schedule your visit through the DMV’s online appointment system before showing up. A Class D license costs $50 and is valid for eight years.⁵

Documents to Bring to the DMV

Studying the manual gets you ready for the test. The documents below get you through the door. For a federally compliant (REAL ID) Delaware license, you need all four categories, and missing even one means a wasted trip.

Proof of Identity and Legal Presence

Bring one original or certified document showing your full legal name, date of birth, and U.S. citizenship or legal presence. The most common options are a certified birth certificate issued by the Bureau of Vital Statistics or State Board of Health, or a valid U.S. passport. Hospital birth records, wallet-size cards, and birth registration announcements are not accepted. If you were born outside the U.S., bring the appropriate immigration document such as a Certificate of Naturalization or Resident Alien Card.⁶

A compliant license carries a star in the upper right corner. If you opt out of providing legal presence documentation, you may still be eligible for a driving privilege card, but it will be marked “Not for Federal Identification” and cannot be used for domestic flights or entry into federal facilities.⁶

Proof of Social Security Number

Bring one document showing your full Social Security number. A Social Security card works, as does a W-2, an SSA-1099, or a pay stub that contains your full SSN. Medicare and Medicaid cards are not accepted.⁷

Proof of Delaware Residency

You need two documents from two different sources showing your name and a Delaware residential street address. Each must be postmarked or dated within 60 days. Utility bills, cable bills, and voter registration cards all qualify. P.O. boxes, business addresses, personal mail, and non-U.S. postal mail do not.⁷

Legal Name Change Documentation

If your current name differs from what appears on your birth certificate, bring every document in the chain connecting the two names: all marriage licenses, divorce decrees, or court orders. Clergy certificates are not accepted as proof of marriage. If you recently changed your name, update it with the Social Security Administration at least 48 hours before visiting the DMV.⁷

The Road Test

Passing the knowledge test and vision screening earns you a learner’s permit. You still need to pass a behind-the-wheel road exam before getting a full license. When you arrive for the road test, you must have:

Your valid learner’s permit
A licensed driver age 21 or older to accompany you (not required for motorcycle exams)
A valid registration card for the vehicle you’ll be using
A valid insurance card (original or electronic) for that vehicle

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You supply the vehicle, so make sure it’s in safe operating condition with working lights, signals, and brakes. If your registration or insurance has lapsed, the examiner will turn you away before you start.

Teen Drivers: The Graduated Driver License Program

If you’re 16 or 17, you don’t go straight to a full license. Delaware’s Graduated Driver License program builds driving privileges in stages over 12 months, and violating a restriction resets the clock.

To enter the program, you must be at least 16 and pass a state-approved driver education class, which earns you a “Blue Certificate.” Take that certificate, a birth certificate or passport, and your Social Security card to a DMV office. A parent or guardian must sign your application. The application fee is $40.⁹

First Six Months

During the first six months, an adult supervisor must be in the front passenger seat every time you drive. The supervisor must be at least 25 years old and have held a Class D license for at least five years. Nobody else sits in the front seat. You must log at least 50 hours of driving during this period, including 10 hours at night.¹⁰

Second Six Months

After the first six months, you can drive unsupervised between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Driving between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. still requires an adult supervisor, with exceptions for direct travel to and from work, school activities, or church activities. Throughout the full 12-month period, you may carry only one non-family passenger unless a supervisor is present.¹⁰

Cell phone use is prohibited at all times while driving under a learner’s permit, including hands-free calls, unless you’re dialing 911. Violating any GDL restriction counts as driving without a license, which carries a two-month suspension for a first offense and four months for subsequent offenses. Any suspension time gets added to the end of your permit period, delaying your full license.¹⁰

If you complete the full 12 months with no suspensions, your learner’s permit automatically converts to a regular Class D license at age 17 or older. You don’t need to return to the DMV for a new card.⁹

After You’re Licensed: The Point System

The manual teaches the rules; the point system is how Delaware enforces them. Every moving violation adds points to your driving record, and the consequences escalate faster than most drivers expect. Running a red light is 3 points. Going 10 over the speed limit is 4. Reckless driving is 6.

8 points: the DMV sends an advisory letter.
12 points: you must complete a driving behavior course within 90 days or face a mandatory two-month suspension.
14 points: mandatory four-month suspension.
16 points: mandatory six-month suspension.
18 points: mandatory eight-month suspension.
20 points: mandatory ten-month suspension.
22 points: mandatory twelve-month suspension.

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To get your license back after a suspension of 14 points or more, you must complete a behavior modification driving course within two years of your reinstatement date. Two speeding tickets at 12 mph over the limit and a red-light violation put you at 11 points, one bad afternoon from a suspension.

Common point values worth memorizing:

Speeding 1–9 mph over: 2 points
Speeding 10–14 mph over: 4 points
Speeding 15 mph or more over: 5 points
Disregarding a stop sign or red light: 3 points
Reckless driving: 6 points
Passing a stopped school bus: 6 points
Aggressive driving: 6 points

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1
Division of Motor Vehicles. Drivers License/Identification Cards – Knowledge Test
2
Division of Motor Vehicles. Forms and Manuals
3
Division of Motor Vehicles. Contact and Location Information
4
Division of Motor Vehicles. Drivers License/Identification Cards – Vision Exam
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Division of Motor Vehicles. Fees – Division of Motor Vehicles
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Division of Motor Vehicles. Real ID/Drivers License/Identification Cards
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Division of Motor Vehicles. Driver License/ID Checklist
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Division of Motor Vehicles. Drivers License/Identification Cards – Road Exam
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Delaware Office of Highway Safety. Get a License – GDL Brochure
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Division of Motor Vehicles. Drivers License/Identification Cards – Graduated Driver License
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Division of Motor Vehicles. Drivers License/Identification Cards – Point System