The Texas DL-14A form is the Department of Public Safety application adults use to get a new driver license or ID card, renew an existing one in person, or replace a card that has been lost, stolen, or damaged. You can download it as a fillable PDF from the DPS website or pick up a paper copy at any driver license office. Applicants under 17 years and 10 months old use a separate form, the DL-14B.
The form itself is short. What determines whether your trip to DPS succeeds is the paperwork you bring with you.
Documents to Bring
Texas requires you to prove four things at your appointment: your identity, your Social Security number, your U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, and your Texas residency. If any one of these is missing or does not match, the office will send you home to reschedule. There is no partial processing.
Identity
DPS accepts identity proof in three combinations: one document from its Primary Identity list (such as a U.S. passport, birth certificate, or Certificate of Citizenship); two documents from the Secondary Identity list (such as a certified court order showing your name and date of birth, or a valid ID from another U.S. state); or one secondary document plus two Supporting Identity documents (items like a Social Security card, W-2, voter registration card, or a valid Texas vehicle registration). The full lists are on the DPS identification requirements page and are worth reviewing before you go. Some documents you might assume qualify, like an expired foreign passport, do not appear on every list.
Social Security Number
Provide your Social Security number, or proof that you are not eligible for one. Bringing your actual Social Security card is the simplest way. A W-2 or 1099 counts as a supporting identity document but does not on its own satisfy the SSN requirement, because DPS verifies your number electronically with the Social Security Administration.
Texas Residency
Bring two printed documents showing your name and Texas residential address. At least one must show that you have lived in Texas for 30 days or more. Acceptable documents include a current deed or mortgage statement, a residential lease, a utility bill dated within 180 days of your application, a bank or credit card statement dated within 180 days, a current auto insurance policy, a Texas voter registration card, or a W-2 or 1099 from the most recent tax year. Documents older than the 180-day window will not count.
U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Presence
Texas Transportation Code Section 521.142 requires non-citizens to present federal documentation of authorized presence before a license can issue.1State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code Title 7 Subtitle B Chapter 521 Subchapter G Section 521.142 For U.S. citizens, a passport or birth certificate typically covers both identity and citizenship in one document. Non-citizen documentation is covered further below.
Filling Out the Form
If you complete the PDF on a computer, print it and bring it in. If you fill it out by hand, use black or blue ink and write legibly. The office scans the form into its system.
Personal Information
The top of the form asks for your full legal name, date of birth, sex, and physical description (height, weight, eye color, hair color). Every detail must match your supporting documents. If your name on your birth certificate differs from the name on your Social Security card because of a marriage or legal name change, bring the connecting document, whether that is a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order, so the office can reconcile them.
Driving History
The form asks whether you have ever held a license in another state or country and whether that license has been suspended, revoked, or canceled. DPS uses your answers to check your record with other states before issuing a Texas license. Answer honestly. Providing false information on a government application is a criminal offense under Texas Penal Code Section 37.10, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $4,000, up to one year in jail, or both.
Medical Disclosure
One question asks whether you have a health condition that may impede communication with a peace officer. If you answer yes, a physician must complete Form DL-101 on your behalf, and you will need to bring that completed form to your appointment. By signing the application, you also agree to report future changes in your medical condition that could affect your ability to drive safely. Depending on the condition disclosed, DPS may require a medical evaluation or issue a restricted license.
Voter Registration and Organ Donation
Two optional sections appear near the bottom. The first asks U.S. citizens whether they want to register to vote or update existing voter information; saying yes authorizes DPS to forward your data to the Texas Secretary of State. The second asks whether you want to join the Donate Life Texas registry, which adds the Hero’s Heart symbol to your card. Neither selection affects processing time.
At the Driver License Office
DPS driver license offices operate by appointment only. Schedule yours through the online appointment portal. If you arrive without an appointment, a self-service kiosk in the lobby lets you book one for later that day if a slot opens or for a future date at any location, but counting on same-day availability is a gamble at busy offices.
Check in at the kiosk when you arrive. A specialist reviews your DL-14A and supporting documents. Once your paperwork clears, you move through the remaining steps:
- Vision screening. The passing standard is 20/40 in both eyes together. If you need glasses or contacts to reach 20/40, a corrective-lens restriction goes on your license. Applicants who fail are referred to an eye specialist, who must complete DPS Form DL-63 before the application can proceed.
- Knowledge test on Texas traffic laws and safe driving practices. Required for original license applicants only, not for renewals or replacements.
- Driving skills test. Also for original licenses only. You can take it at the DPS office or through an approved third-party provider, and you will need a properly insured and registered vehicle.
- Biometrics. DPS collects digital thumbprints (or index fingerprints if thumbprints cannot be taken), your photograph, and an electronic signature.
You pay the fee at the end. The office prints a temporary paper permit valid for 60 days, and your permanent card arrives by mail within two to three weeks.
Fees
DPS offices accept cash, credit cards, checks, and money orders. Current fees are:
- Under 18, new license: $16. Expires on your 18th birthday.
- Ages 18 through 84, new or renewal: $33. Valid for eight years.
- Age 85 or older, new or renewal: $9. Valid for two years.
- Replacement (lost, stolen, or damaged): $11. Your existing expiration date does not change.
Each fee includes a $1 administrative surcharge. Mail transactions do not include that surcharge.
REAL ID
Federal REAL ID enforcement took effect on May 7, 2025. Without a REAL ID-compliant license, marked with a gold star in the upper right corner, you cannot use your Texas driver license to board domestic flights or enter certain federal facilities. If your current card lacks the star and you need it for air travel, request a REAL ID-compliant card when you submit your DL-14A. The document requirements are the same ones listed above, so if you bring everything in this article, you are already set.
Non-Citizen Applicants
If you are not a U.S. citizen, DPS must verify your lawful presence with the Department of Homeland Security through the federal SAVE (Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements) program before a license can issue. Your card cannot be printed until the verification clears, which sometimes adds processing time.
Acceptable documents include:
- Lawful permanent residents: a valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), or a machine-readable immigrant visa with a temporary I-551 stamp.
- Visa holders and parolees: a valid, unexpired foreign passport with a valid I-94. The visa itself may be expired in some situations, and the visa requirement may be waived for parolees and nationals of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Federated States of Micronesia.
- Employment authorization holders: a valid, unexpired Employment Authorization Document (Form I-766).
Your license will be issued for the duration of your authorized stay rather than the standard eight-year term. When your status is renewed or extended, you will need to visit a DPS office to update your license.
When You Do Not Need the DL-14A
Not every transaction requires this form. Texas allows eligible drivers to renew online, by phone, or by mail, but only if you renewed in person the last time. You must also meet all of the following:
- You hold a Class C, M, or CM license, or a commercial license without a hazardous materials endorsement.
- Your license expires within two years or has been expired for less than two years.
- You are under 79 years old.
- You are a U.S. citizen with a Social Security number already on your DPS record.
- Your vision, physical health, and mental health have not significantly changed since your last renewal.
- Your license is not suspended, revoked, or canceled, and you have no outstanding warrants or tickets.
Drivers 79 and older always renew in person. If you miss any criterion, you renew in person using the DL-14A.
For a lost, stolen, or damaged card, the online card replacement tool is faster than the DL-14A route. It asks for your driver license number, date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number, and the audit number printed on your most recently issued card. DPS cannot look up your audit number for you. Without it, you will need to schedule an in-person appointment and submit the DL-14A with at least one identity document. The replacement fee is $11 either way.