Iowa DOT Permit Test: Eligibility, Documents, and Fees

To get an Iowa instruction permit, you must be at least 14 years old, bring documents proving your identity, Social Security number, and Iowa residency, have a parent or guardian sign a consent affidavit if you are under 18, pass a vision screening, and score at least 80 percent on the written knowledge test. The permit costs $6, and once you have it you can only drive with an approved adult in the vehicle. Iowa’s instruction permit requirements are set by state statute and administrative code, and the pieces fit together in a specific order.

Who Can Apply

The minimum age is 14. That age, and the entire set of rules governing drivers under 18, comes from Iowa Code 321.180B, which establishes the Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) system.¹ Every applicant under 18 needs signed consent from at least one parent, guardian, or custodian on DOT Form 430018.² A new consent is required each time a permit or license is issued under the GDL.

Once issued, the permit is valid for up to four years from the holder’s birthday in the year of issuance.³

If you are 18 or older and have never been licensed, you still take the same vision and knowledge tests, but the GDL restrictions do not apply to you. An adult who passes vision, knowledge, and driving tests can be issued a full Class C operator’s license without going through the permit and intermediate phases.⁴

Documents to Bring

Iowa Administrative Code 761-601.5 requires proof of identity, date of birth, Social Security number, Iowa residency, and lawful presence in the United States.⁵ Pull these together before your appointment:

Identity and date of birth: a valid, unexpired U.S. passport or passport card, or a certified copy of your birth certificate from the state vital statistics office.
Social Security number: your original Social Security card, or a W-2, SSA 1099, or pay stub showing your name and full SSN.⁶
Iowa residency: two documents showing your name and current Iowa street address, such as utility bills or bank statements. A P.O. box does not count.
Parental consent, for applicants under 18: DOT Form 430018, signed by a parent, guardian, or custodian.²

These same documents satisfy federal REAL ID requirements, which took effect May 7, 2025.⁷

The Knowledge Test and Vision Screening

The written exam is multiple-choice and covers Iowa traffic laws, road signs, right-of-way rules, speed limits, and pavement markings. A passing score is 80 percent or higher.⁸ The DOT publishes a free online practice test that pulls 25 questions from the same pool used on the actual exam, and you can take it as many times as you want.

You have three ways to sit for the test:⁹

At a DOT service center or county treasurer’s office. Scheduling an appointment through the DOT’s online system is the fastest route.¹⁰
At home through the DOT’s “Skip the Trip” online permit test. If you pass, allow 7 to 14 days for the DOT to process your application before the permit is issued.¹¹
At your school, if your driver education program offers it on-site.

Every applicant also completes a vision screening. You need visual acuity of at least 20/40 in at least one eye for an unrestricted permit.¹² If you fall below that, the DOT can still issue a permit with a corrective-lens restriction.

Fees and Getting the Permit in Hand

The permit fee is $6. If you test at a county treasurer’s office outside the county where you live, an additional $10 out-of-county fee may apply.¹⁰ Pass the test in person and staff hand you a temporary paper permit on the spot. Your permanent card arrives by mail in a plain white envelope within about 30 days.¹³

What the Permit Lets You Do

An instruction permit does not let you drive alone. Not at any hour, not for any reason.⁹ You can drive at any time of day or night, but only with an approved supervisor in the vehicle. The supervisor must be:

Your parent, guardian, or custodian;
An immediate family member at least 21 years old;
A driver education instructor; or
Any person at least 25 years old with written permission from your parent, guardian, or custodian.

Additional rules apply while you drive on the permit. You cannot use a cell phone, tablet, or any handheld electronic device; only equipment permanently installed in the vehicle is allowed. You cannot carry more passengers than the vehicle has seat belts. And the permit does not cover motorcycles or commercial motor vehicles.⁹

What Comes After the Permit

For drivers under 18, the instruction permit is step one of three. Moving to the intermediate license requires:

Being at least 16 years old;
Holding the instruction permit for at least one year, with a clean driving record for the six consecutive months immediately before applying;¹⁴
A parent, guardian, or custodian signing an affidavit confirming at least 20 hours of supervised street or highway driving, including at least 2 hours after sunset and before sunrise; and¹
Completing an approved driver education course, through a school program or parent-taught. Parent-taught driver education requires 30 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, with at least 3 hours at night.¹⁵

The 20 supervised hours logged by a parent and the behind-the-wheel hours in driver education are separate requirements. Start a driving log the first day you have the permit; it is much easier than reconstructing hours later.

1
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 321.180B – Graduated Driver’s Licenses for Persons Aged Fourteen Through Seventeen
2
Iowa DOT. Parent/Guardian Consent
3
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Code 321.180B – Graduated Driver’s Licenses for Persons Aged Fourteen Through Seventeen
4
Iowa Department of Transportation. Driver’s License Types, Restrictions, and Endorsements
5
Legal Information Institute. Iowa Admin Code r 761-601.5 – Proofs Submitted With Application
6
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Administrative Code 761-601.5 – Proofs Submitted With Application
7
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
8
Iowa Department of Transportation. Iowa Driver’s License Practice Test
9
Iowa Department of Transportation. Instruction Permit for Under Age 18
10
Iowa Department of Transportation. Schedule an Appointment
11
Iowa Department of Transportation. Online Permit Test (Skip the Trip)
12
Iowa Legislature. Iowa Administrative Code 761-604.11 – Vision Standards
13
Iowa DOT. Iowa DOT Online Services
14
Iowa Legislature. Intermediate License
15
Iowa Department of Transportation. Teach Driver’s Education to My Child