How to Fill Out and Submit Georgia DDS Forms: License, ID, and Permits

The Georgia Department of Driver Services runs almost every license and ID transaction through a short list of forms. The DS-23 is the general application for a driver’s license, learner’s permit, or state ID. The DDS-MR-274 and DS-287 handle vision and medical review. The DDS-1 covers teen school enrollment, the DDS-270 lets anyone request a driver review, and the DS-516B supports the veteran designation. All current Georgia DDS forms are posted at dds.georgia.gov, and many transactions can be completed through the online portal or the DDS 2 Go mobile app instead of on paper.¹

The DS-23: License, Permit, and ID Application

The DS-23 is the form you use to apply for, renew, or replace a Georgia driver’s license, learner’s permit, or state identification card. You can fill it out in advance through the DDS 2 Go app or the online portal, which shortens your time at the counter. It collects your legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, residential address, and physical description (height, weight, eye color).

Your legal name has to match across every supporting document you bring. If your name changed through marriage or a court order, bring the paperwork that bridges your birth certificate name and your current name. New Georgia residents have 30 days after establishing residency to apply for a Georgia license.² First-time applicants over 18 apply for a Class C license; those under 18 follow the teen driver process described below.

Documents to Bring With the DS-23

Georgia issues REAL ID-compliant licenses and ID cards, marked by a black or gold star in the upper-right corner. Federal law requires REAL ID-compliant identification to board domestic flights and enter federal facilities starting May 7, 2025.³ To get one, bring original documents in three categories:

Proof of identity — one document. A certified U.S. birth certificate (hospital keepsakes don’t count), unexpired U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, or Consular Report of Birth Abroad.
Proof of Social Security number — one document. Social Security card, W-2 showing your full SSN, pay stub with full SSN, SSA-1099 form, or a denial letter from the Social Security Administration.
Proof of residential address — two documents. Utility bill, bank statement, or rental agreement dated within the last two years; mortgage document; property tax bill; health insurance statement; paycheck or W-2; or a Georgia or federal tax return for the current or prior year.

You write your full Social Security number on the DS-23, and DDS verifies it electronically. If the automated check fails, you’ll need to bring physical proof from the list above.³ P.O. boxes are not accepted as proof of residency; every address document must show your physical home address.⁴

Non-U.S. Citizens

If you are not a U.S. citizen, you have to present valid original immigration documents in person at a Customer Service Center every time you request any license or ID service. There is no online path for this. DDS requires the physical documents to verify lawful status, and processing may involve additional federal verification through the SAVE system. If initial verification fails, expect a call from a DDS representative within 30 business days while the inquiry moves through further review.⁵

Vision and Medical Forms

Two specialized forms come into play when a driver’s medical fitness is at issue. You don’t pick either one up on your own. DDS sends them when a review is triggered.

Vision Report Form (DDS-MR-274)

If you fail the in-office vision screening, DDS requires a completed Vision Report Form (DDS-MR-274) from a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist.⁶ Drivers 64 and older who renew online also use this form. They upload a completed DDS-MR-274 or a qualifying vision exam through the “Submit Vision Documents” option in their DDS online account. The form must be dated within the last two years and include visual acuity degrees, horizontal perception degrees, or monocular field of vision measurements. After uploading, you’ll get an email: approved (proceed with the online renewal), denied (visit a Customer Service Center), or incomplete (resubmit with the missing information).⁷

Medical Evaluation Form (DS-287)

DDS mails the DS-287 to a driver after it receives a written report about diminished driving ability, either a letter or a Request for Driver Review (DDS-270). You take the form to a doctor for completion and return it within 30 days. Missing the deadline triggers a revocation notice, and your driving privileges are revoked 30 days after that notice unless you request a hearing within 15 days.⁸

Teen Driver Forms

Teens applying for a learner’s permit have two paperwork requirements on top of the standard DS-23.

Certificate of School Enrollment (DDS-1)

The DDS-1 is a notarized certificate proving the teen is enrolled in school for the current or most recent academic year, including summer break. Schools typically fill in their portion and notarize the form before the student brings it to a Customer Service Center with the permit application.⁹

Responsible Adult Affidavit

A parent, guardian, or other responsible adult signs an affidavit at the Customer Service Center confirming their relationship to the minor, shows a government-issued ID, and provides paperwork proving the relationship. Emancipated minors, married minors, and minors on active military duty do not need a responsible adult signature.¹⁰

Commercial Driver License Forms

CDL applicants handle extra medical and self-certification paperwork. DDS provides a Medical Examination Report form that a licensed physician completes.¹¹ Federal law also requires every CDL holder to self-certify into one of four operating categories:

Non-excepted interstate — driving across state lines with a current medical examiner’s certificate on file. This is the most common category.
Excepted interstate — driving across state lines only for specific exempt activities such as school bus transport, government operations, or emergency response, without a federal medical certificate.
Non-excepted intrastate — driving only within Georgia and meeting the state’s medical certification requirements.
Excepted intrastate — driving only within Georgia for activities the state has determined do not require medical certification.

Non-excepted CDL holders have to give DDS a copy of each new medical examiner’s certificate before the current one expires. Missing that update results in a downgrade of commercial driving privileges, and you lose eligibility to operate any vehicle requiring a CDL until the certificate is on file. Driving in a category different from the one you self-certified for can lead to suspension or revocation.¹² Public school bus drivers may qualify for a CDL application fee exemption, which DDS handles through a separate form.¹¹

Veteran Designation

Georgia prints a “veteran” designation with an American flag symbol on the licenses and ID cards of qualifying veterans. To get it, present either your Armed Forces Separation Papers (DD-214, Member Copy 4) or a Certificate of Eligibility (DS-516B) approved by the Georgia Department of Veterans Service. The DS-516B must be presented on your initial visit.¹³ The separation or discharge status on the DD-214 has to be acceptable under the regulation, which ties eligibility to the type of discharge.¹⁴

Address Changes, Driving Records, and Driver Reviews

Address Change

You have 60 days to update your license after moving within Georgia.¹⁵ Three options work: a Customer Service Center visit with two residency documents (one if you already have a REAL ID), the DDS online portal, or the DDS 2 Go app. DDS verifies your new address through USPS, so register the address with the post office first. Your first address change during an eight-year license term is free; a second change during the same term costs $10.¹⁶ If you are within 150 days of your license expiration, DDS treats the change as a renewal and charges the full renewal fee.

Driving History (MVR)

Motor vehicle reports are available through the DDS online portal in three tiers: three-year for $6, seven-year for $8, and lifetime for $8. A free two-year driving record is available through the DDS 2 Go app.¹

Request for Driver Review (DDS-270)

Anyone can submit a DDS-270 to report concerns about another person’s ability to drive safely. Once DDS receives one, it starts the medical review process by sending the driver a DS-287 medical evaluation form.⁸

Fees

Most fees are tied to the license or card type rather than to the specific form you file:¹⁷

Standard driver’s license (Class C): $32, valid 8 years
Georgia ID card: $32, valid 8 years
Learner’s permit (Class CP): $10, valid 2 years. Non-refundable if you fail any portion of the test, and paid again for each testing attempt.
Provisional license (Class D): $10, valid 5 years
Replacement license, permit, or ID: $10, keeping your original expiration date
Handicapped ID card: $5, valid 8 years
Voter ID card: free when qualified

Transactions completed through the online portal or the DDS 2 Go app receive a $5 discount on eligible services, bringing an online license renewal down to $27.¹⁷

How to Submit Forms

In Person

Most DDS transactions happen at a Customer Service Center. Appointments are only required for road tests (automobile, motorcycle, or CDL). Renewals, address changes, new applications, and replacements are all walk-in.¹⁸ After processing, you surrender your current license and get a temporary paper license. The permanent card arrives by mail within two to three weeks.¹⁵

Online and Mobile

If you already hold a REAL ID-compliant license (look for the star), many services are available online at dds.georgia.gov or through the DDS 2 Go app: renewals, address changes, fee payments, vision document uploads, and driving history requests.¹⁶ You can also complete the DS-23 through the app before visiting a center, which cuts counter time significantly. DDS offers optional email or text renewal reminders through the online portal.

By Mail

Mail-in renewal is available only to U.S. citizens who qualify under limited circumstances and cannot renew in person. Processing takes about 30 days from the date DDS receives your complete package, and applications are handled first-come, first-served. DDS recommends mailing your documents at least 60 days before your license expires.¹⁹

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Georgia Department of Driver Services. DDS 2 GO Mobile App
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Apply For A New GA License
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Georgia REAL ID Information
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Update License
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. SAVE
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Medical and Vision Information
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Drivers 64 and over
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Medical Review Process
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Certificate of School Enrollment Form
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Responsible Adult
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Commercial License (CDL)
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Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Medical
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. How Do I Get a Veteran Driver’s License
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Legal Information Institute. Georgia Comp R and Regs R 375-3-1-.16 – Eligibility for Veterans or Honorary Drivers License and Identification Card
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Georgia.gov. Change Address on an Existing Georgia Drivers License
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Georgia Department of Driver Services
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Fees and Terms
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Appointments
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Georgia Department of Driver Services. Renew a License or ID