To get a Texas learner license, you need to be 15 to 17 years old, complete at least the first six hours of an approved driver education course, pass a written knowledge test, and bring a parent or guardian and the required documents to a Department of Public Safety office with the $16 application fee. The permit lets you practice on public roads as long as a qualified adult sits beside you in the front seat.
Who Qualifies
You must be at least 15 and under 18. Texas law also requires that you finish the classroom portion of an approved driver education course and pass the knowledge exam before DPS will issue the license.1Texas Constitution and Statutes. Texas Transportation Code 521.222 – Learner License
Because you’re a minor, a parent or legal guardian has to come with you to the DPS office or sign a notarized application giving permission. Written parental consent is also required for DPS to access your school enrollment records, and a school administrator must notify DPS if you’re absent for 20 or more consecutive school days.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code TRANSP 521.204 – Restrictions on Minor You’ll need to show Texas residency and either U.S. citizenship or lawful presence.
Finish Part of a Driver Ed Course First
Before DPS will issue anything, you need progress in a state-approved driver education program. Texas recognizes three: a commercial driving school, a public school program, and parent-taught driver education. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation sets the curriculum standards for all three.3Department of Public Safety. Choosing a Driver Education Course
Classroom instruction totals 24 hours, and you can complete them one of two ways:
- Concurrent method: finish the first 6 hours, apply for your learner license, then finish the remaining 18 hours while you practice driving.
- Block method: finish all 24 hours before applying.
Most families use the concurrent method because it gets the permit in hand sooner. The first six hours cover traffic laws and basic vehicle operation, so you have a foundation before your first time behind the wheel.3Department of Public Safety. Choosing a Driver Education Course
Pass the Knowledge Test
You have to pass a written exam before DPS issues the learner license. If your driver ed course includes the test, your certificate of completion is proof and you can skip retaking it at the office. Otherwise, you take it at your DPS appointment.4Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
The exam has two sections, highway signs and traffic laws. Each section is 15 multiple-choice questions, 30 total, and you need at least 70 percent correct on each. Fail it, and there’s a 24-hour waiting period before you can retake it. Questions come straight from the Texas Driver Handbook, so that’s what to study.
What to Bring to Your Appointment
Gather all of this before you go, or you’ll be making two trips:
- Application form DL-14B (the version for applicants under 18, not the DL-14A used by adults).
- Proof of identity and citizenship or lawful presence: a valid U.S. passport, an original or certified birth certificate, a certificate of citizenship, or certain immigration documents.5Department of Public Safety. Identification Requirements
- Two documents proving Texas residency, such as utility bills, bank statements, or a mortgage statement.
- Your Social Security number. DPS verifies electronically, but bring the card in case of a mismatch.
- Driver education certificate: a DE-964 or DEE-964 from a commercial school or parent-taught program, or a DE-964E from a public school program, showing the required classroom hours.
- School enrollment proof: a Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form signed by a school administrator, a high school diploma, or a GED.4Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
The VOE has its own rules. You need at least 90 percent attendance for the past semester. The form is valid for 30 days from the signing date, or 90 days if signed between June and August. If you can’t get a VOE over the summer, your most recent report card showing your name, attendance, and grades can substitute.4Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
At the DPS Office
Book an appointment through the DPS Driver License Services page. Walk-ins wait considerably longer. Bring your parent or guardian, or bring their notarized DL-14B if they can’t be there.
Staff will process your application, collect thumbprints and a digital photo, and give you a vision exam. The office can tell you on the spot whether your license will require corrective lenses.6Department of Public Safety. Apply for a Texas Driver License The application fee is $16.7Department of Public Safety. Driver License Fees
When everything checks out, you leave with a temporary paper permit and can start driving supervised that day. The permanent card arrives by mail in two to three weeks.6Department of Public Safety. Apply for a Texas Driver License
The Rules Once You Have It
A learner license is not a regular license. Every time you drive, a licensed adult who is at least 21 and has at least one year of driving experience must sit in the front passenger seat. That person’s license must cover the type of vehicle you’re driving.1Texas Constitution and Statutes. Texas Transportation Code 521.222 – Learner License
The supervisor role is real. The accompanying adult can be charged with an offense if they fall asleep, are intoxicated, or are otherwise unable to watch and respond to your driving, unless a second qualified adult is also in the front seat and paying attention.1Texas Constitution and Statutes. Texas Transportation Code 521.222 – Learner License
Cell phone use is completely banned for any driver under 18, hands-free devices included. The only exception is an actual emergency, and the ban lasts until you turn 18.4Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
When the Permit Expires
Your learner license expires on your 18th birthday, no matter when you got it.8State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code TRANSP 521.271 – License Expiration If you turn 18 before progressing to a provisional license, you have to apply as an adult instead of moving through the graduated system, so plan your timing accordingly.
Moving Up to a Provisional License
The learner license is meant to be a stepping stone. To take the DPS driving test and upgrade to a provisional license, you need to:
- Be between 16 and 17 years old.
- Have held your learner license for at least six months.
- Complete all behind-the-wheel instruction and practice hours.
- Complete the Impact Texas Teen Driver (ITTD) program within 90 days of your driving test.
- Pass the DPS driving test.9Department of Public Safety. Texas Provisional License as a Teen
The behind-the-wheel piece breaks down into 7 hours of in-car observation with an instructor, 7 hours of in-car driving with the instructor, and 30 hours of practice driving with a licensed adult 21 or older in the vehicle. At least 10 of those 30 hours must be at night.9Department of Public Safety. Texas Provisional License as a Teen
Log the practice hours honestly. Vary conditions when you can: rain, highway traffic, parking lots, school zones. Ten nighttime hours is the minimum, not a target to stop at.
The ITTD is a free two-hour online course on distracted driving. Missing the 90-day window around your driving test can result in suspension, so treat that deadline as firm.