In Texas, a horizontal driver’s license is simply the format issued to drivers 21 and older; anyone under 21 receives a vertical card. So the short answer to how to get a horizontal license in Texas is this: wait until your 21st birthday, then either apply for your first adult license at a Department of Public Safety office or trade in your existing vertical card for the horizontal version.
If You Already Have a Vertical Texas License
If DPS issued you a vertical license between ages 18 and 20, you don’t have to retake any tests. After your 21st birthday, visit a DPS office and request a replacement. You’ll walk out with a temporary paper license, and the horizontal card arrives by mail.
A Texas adult license is valid for up to eight years and expires on your birthday.
If You’re Applying for Your First Texas License at 21 or Older
You need to be at least 18 to apply for a standard adult Texas license, but the horizontal format itself isn’t issued until you’re 21. Applicants 18 through 20 receive a vertical card that gets swapped later.1Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
You also need to have lived in Texas for at least 30 days before applying. That waiting period is waived if you’re surrendering a valid, unexpired license from another state.2Cornell Law Institute. 37 Texas Admin Code 15-49 – Proof of Domicile And you must prove lawful presence in the United States, whether as a citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or someone with valid immigration documents. DPS verifies non-citizen status through the Department of Homeland Security.3Department of Public Safety. U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Presence Requirement
Documents to Bring
DPS asks for documents in four categories. Gather them all before your appointment, because a missing item means another trip.
- Proof of citizenship or lawful presence, such as a certified U.S. birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport, or a Permanent Resident Card.4Department of Public Safety. Verifying Lawful Presence
- Identity verification. The simplest path is one primary document, like a valid U.S. passport or an unexpired military ID with a photo. If you don’t have one, DPS accepts combinations of secondary and supporting documents.5Department of Public Safety. Identification Requirements
- Two documents proving Texas residency, both showing your name and current address. Common choices are a residential lease, a utility bill dated within 180 days, a bank or credit card statement within 180 days, a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy, a W-2 or 1099 from the most recent tax year, or a Texas voter registration card.6Department of Public Safety. Texas Residency Requirement for Driver Licenses and ID Cards
- Proof of your Social Security number, typically your Social Security card or a W-2 or 1099 showing the full number.5Department of Public Safety. Identification Requirements
You’ll also fill out Form DL-14A, the adult application, available on the DPS website.
The Driver Education Requirement That Trips People Up
If you’re 18 through 24 and applying for your first Texas license, you must complete a six-hour adult driver education course before DPS will let you take the driving test. Applicants 25 and older skip driver education entirely. The requirement is also waived if you’re 18 or older and surrendering a valid, unexpired license from another state.7Department of Public Safety. Apply for a Texas Driver License
Anyone who completes driver education must also finish the separate Impact Texas Adult Driver program, a shorter online course on distracted driving, before the skills exam. Bring proof of completion for both.8Department of Public Safety. Welcome to TXDPS Impact Texas Adult Driver Course
Vision Screening, Knowledge Test, and Driving Test
At the DPS office you’ll take a vision screening. For an unrestricted license you need at least 20/40 acuity in your best eye without corrective lenses. If you only meet the standard with glasses or contacts, your license will carry a restriction requiring them.9Department of Public Safety. Explanation for Eye Specialist
The knowledge test is 30 multiple-choice questions on traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving. You need 21 correct to pass. Questions come directly from the Texas Driver Handbook, which is free on the DPS website.
The driving skills test covers parallel parking, backing in a straight line, lane changes, turns, and obeying signals and signs. Before you drive, the examiner inspects the vehicle you brought. It needs two license plates properly attached (temporary or single out-of-state plates are the exceptions), working horn, turn signals front and back, brake lights, seatbelts, at least one rearview mirror, current unexpired registration and insurance, and functioning driver and front passenger doors. You also cannot be listed as an excluded driver on the insurance policy. If anything fails, you won’t test that day.10Department of Public Safety. How to Prepare for a Drive Test
DPS also authorizes certain driver education schools to give the skills test through its Third Party Skills Testing program, which can mean shorter waits than a DPS appointment.11Department of Public Safety. Third Party Skills Testing Program – Non-Commercial Driver License
Booking and Paying
Texas DPS offices operate by appointment only. Schedule through the DPS website; same-day slots occasionally open at some locations but aren’t reliable during busy periods.12Department of Public Safety. Driver License The application fee is $33, and DPS will take your photo and thumbprint during the visit.13Department of Public Safety. Driver License Fees
Ask for the REAL ID Version
Since May 7, 2025, a standard Texas license without the REAL ID star is no longer accepted at airport security or federal facilities. When you apply, ask for the REAL ID-compliant version. It carries a small star in the upper right corner and uses the same documents already listed.14Department of Public Safety. Federal Real ID Act
What You Leave With and What Comes in the Mail
After passing the tests and paying, you leave with a temporary paper license valid for 60 days.15Department of Public Safety. Section 3 – Issuing a Temporary Permit The permanent horizontal card arrives by mail, usually within two to three weeks. If it hasn’t shown up and your temporary is close to expiring, check the “Where’s my driver license or ID card?” tool on the DPS website before calling.