To get a Georgia learner’s permit, you must be at least 15 years old, be a Georgia resident, bring documents proving your identity, Social Security number, and residency, show proof you’re meeting school requirements if you’re under 18, pass a vision screening and a two-part knowledge exam, and pay a $10 fee at any Department of Driver Services customer service center.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Chapter 1 TADRA The permit, formally called a Class CP instructional permit, is the first stage of Georgia’s graduated licensing system under the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act.
Who Qualifies
The minimum age is 15.2Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-24 – Instruction Permits, Graduated Licensing and Related Restrictions, Temporary Licenses If you’re under 18, Georgia won’t issue a permit unless you can show one of three things: current enrollment (and no expulsion) in a public, private, or qualifying home education program; a completed high school diploma, GED, special diploma, or certificate of completion; or that you’ve left secondary school and are enrolled in a postsecondary program or working toward a GED.3Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-22 – Issuance of Instruction Permit or Driver’s License, School Enrollment Requirements
Proof of enrollment comes on a notarized Certificate of School Enrollment, available from your school or the DDS website.4Georgia Department of Driver Services. School Enrollment Documents During the regular school year the form is valid for only 30 days after notarization, so don’t have it signed too far in advance of your DDS visit.5Georgia Department of Driver Services. Certificate of School Enrollment Form
Documents to Bring
Before you go in person, you’ll need to submit the application online through the DDS website or the DDS 2 GO mobile app. The in-person visit is for verification, and you’ll need originals in three categories.
For identity and lawful presence, bring an original birth certificate or a valid U.S. passport. For your Social Security number, bring your Social Security card or another official document showing the full number. For Georgia residency, bring two separate documents dated within the past six months showing your name and physical address, such as a utility bill, bank statement, lease, vehicle registration, insurance card, or document from a government agency.6Georgia Department of Driver Services. REAL ID Documents for U.S. Citizens A P.O. box doesn’t count.7Georgia Department of Driver Services. Georgia Administrative Rules 375-3-1-.02 – Applications and Supporting Documentation
If your current legal name doesn’t match the name on your birth certificate because of marriage, divorce, or a court order, bring certified copies of every document that links the names together.8Georgia Department of Driver Services. REAL ID Each name on each document has to connect back to the name on your identity document, or DDS will deny the application.
Non-citizen applicants must also show proof of lawful status. DDS verifies immigration documents electronically through the federal SAVE program, and status can be tracked through the USCIS CaseCheck tool if verification takes extra time.9U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. SAVE CaseCheck
Vision and Knowledge Tests
The vision screening requires at least 20/60 acuity in one eye and a field of vision of at least 140 degrees.10Georgia Department of Driver Services. Medical and Vision Information Bring corrective lenses if you wear them. If you can’t meet the field-of-vision standard at the counter, you’ll need a Vision Report Form completed by a licensed eye care provider before DDS will proceed.
The knowledge exam has two parts: Road Signs and Road Rules. Each part has 20 questions, and you need 15 correct on each to pass.11Georgia Department of Driver Services. Test and Exams Information Road Signs covers recognition of standard signs by shape, color, and meaning. Road Rules covers Georgia traffic laws, right-of-way, and how to respond to emergency vehicles. The Georgia Driver’s Manual and practice tests are free on the DDS website and cover everything you’ll be asked.12Georgia Department of Driver Services. Practice Test
Fail one section and you only retake that section, but you pay the $10 fee again on every attempt. DDS doesn’t refund the fee for a failed test.13Georgia Department of Driver Services. Fees and Terms Oral exams are available for applicants with disabilities who need that accommodation.14Georgia Department of Driver Services. Accessibility Resources
Cost, Payment, and Where to Apply
The permit costs $10. You don’t need an appointment. DDS reserves appointments for behind-the-wheel road tests only, so walk into any customer service center with your documents and your online application already submitted.15Georgia Department of Driver Services. Appointments Staff will verify paperwork, take a digital photo, and collect the fee before you test.
DDS accepts cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit and debit cards. Personal checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks are not accepted.
Pass the tests and DDS issues a temporary paper permit on the spot. That paper is your legal proof of driving privileges while the plastic card is produced and mailed, which typically takes about 45 days.16Georgia Department of Driver Services. Renewals FAQs Check every detail on the temporary permit before you leave, because corrections mean another visit.
Rules Once You Have the Permit
A Class CP permit is not permission to drive alone. Every time you drive, a supervising passenger must be in the front seat, and that person must be at least 21, hold a valid Class C license (commercial or noncommercial), and be physically capable of taking control of the vehicle.2Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-24 – Instruction Permits, Graduated Licensing and Related Restrictions, Temporary Licenses The rule applies to every trip on a public road, with no exception for short errands.
Georgia law carves out one narrow exception: if your parent or guardian has a disability and holds a state-issued identification card bearing the international handicapped symbol, that person can serve as your supervising passenger even without a driver’s license.
The permit is valid for two years from the date of issue.17Georgia Department of Driver Services. Section 2 – Obtaining a License, Permit, or ID Let it expire before you move up to a Class D provisional license and you’ll start over with a new application, new documents, and another $10 fee. The permit itself carries no separate nighttime curfew or passenger cap, because the constant-supervision rule already prevents solo driving at any hour.
Start Logging Supervised Hours Right Away
If you plan to move from the permit to a Class D provisional license at 16 or 17, Georgia’s Joshua’s Law sets the training you have to complete first.18Georgia Department of Driver Services. Joshua’s Law Requirements You need 30 hours of classroom driver education (in person or through a certified online program) and 40 hours of supervised driving with a parent or guardian, with at least 6 of those hours at night. Behind-the-wheel training can come either from 6 hours at a certified driving school or from a parent using the state’s Parent/Teen Driving Guide.
A formal driving log isn’t required, but a parent or guardian has to be at the DDS office when you apply for the Class D license and sign an attestation that the training is complete.3Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-22 – Issuance of Instruction Permit or Driver’s License, School Enrollment Requirements You also have to hold the permit for at least one year and one day before you’re eligible to take the road skills test.19Georgia Department of Driver Services. Teen Drivers Two years sounds like a lot of runway, but between classroom hours, behind-the-wheel instruction, and 40 supervised hours on the road, the time fills up quickly. Begin counting hours the week you get the permit, and budget for the certified course, which usually runs several hundred dollars on top of the $10 permit fee.