Mississippi Driver’s License: Requirements, Fees & REAL ID

To meet the Mississippi driver’s license requirements, you need to visit a Department of Public Safety Driver Service Bureau in person with documents proving your identity, Social Security number, and Mississippi residency, then pass a vision screening and a 20-question knowledge test. The fee is $24 for a four-year Class R license or $47 for an eight-year one.¹ Mississippi eliminated the road skills test in 2021, so no behind-the-wheel exam is required for a regular license.

Documents You Have To Bring

State law requires every applicant to prove three things before a license can be issued: who you are, your Social Security number, and that you live in Mississippi.² Bring originals; photocopies aren’t accepted.

Identity and date of birth. An original or certified birth certificate bearing a state seal and certificate number, a Certificate of Naturalization, or a Certificate of Citizenship.³
Social Security number. Your Social Security card, or an official document showing your full nine-digit number — a W-2, a 1099, a pay stub with your name and full SSN, or a military DD-214.³
Two proofs of Mississippi residency. Each must show your name and a physical street address. P.O. boxes, junk mail, and handwritten letters do not qualify.⁴

Utility bills (electric, water, gas, cable, internet, or phone), bank statements, lease or rental agreements, mortgage papers, property tax statements, vehicle registration or tag receipts, voter registration cards, and insurance policies all work as residency proof. If you’re under 21, the documents can be in a parent’s or guardian’s name. Applicants 21 and older without bills in their own name can use a spouse’s or parent’s paperwork by adding a marriage license or birth certificate to show the relationship, or a roommate, landlord, or family member can sign a Proof of Domicile Affidavit and show their own license or residency proof alongside it.³

If your name has changed through marriage, divorce, or court order, bring the original supporting document so the license matches your current legal name.³

The Knowledge Test and Vision Screening

At the Driver Service Bureau counter, you take a computerized knowledge test with 20 multiple-choice questions on traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving. Passing takes 80%, or 16 correct.⁵ The state driver manual, free as a PDF on the Driver Service Bureau website, covers every topic on the test.

The vision screening checks whether you can read road signs at a safe distance. If you need glasses or contacts to pass, a corrective-lens restriction is added to your license.⁶ Applicants who cannot meet the minimum standard in the office may need to submit a completed DE-26 vision form from a licensed eye care provider.⁷

Mississippi does not require a road skills test for Class R applicants.¹ You will not be asked to parallel park, back up, or drive with an examiner.

What You Pay

Mississippi lets you pick a term when you apply:

Four-year Class R license: $24⁸
Eight-year Class R license: $47⁸

The eight-year term costs less per year and cuts a trip to the office out of the next cycle. A Class D license for light commercial vehicles runs $57 for the eight-year term.⁸

If You Are Under 18

Mississippi uses graduated licensing for teens, set out in Miss. Code Ann. § 63-1-9.⁹ A learner’s permit is available at 15 and only allows driving while a licensed driver 21 or older sits in the front passenger seat.¹⁰ A regular license becomes available at 16, but only after holding the permit for a full year with no DUI or moving-violation conviction. A conviction resets the one-year clock.

Applicants under 18 also have to show proof of school enrollment or graduation. A high school diploma, GED certificate, or documentation from a school official verifying current enrollment will satisfy this.⁹

The statute lets a teen skip a department-administered exam entirely by completing a certified driver education program through a secondary school, or by having a parent or guardian sign an affidavit certifying at least 50 hours of supervised driving and proficiency in safe operation.⁶

Driver Education Required Starting July 2027

Starting July 1, 2027, every first-time applicant who has never held a driver’s license will have to complete a certified Driver Education and Training Program before receiving a full license, regardless of age. Learner’s permits will still be issued without the course, but converting to a regular license won’t be possible without the certification.⁹

Nighttime Restrictions

Even after getting a full license, drivers under 18 face nighttime restrictions for the first six months. Unsupervised driving is allowed 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Outside those hours a parent, guardian, or licensed driver 21 or older must ride in the front passenger seat. Driving directly to and from work, school, or extracurricular activities is exempt at any hour, and the whole nighttime rule drops off after six months.¹⁰

Moving to Mississippi From Another State

If you already hold a valid license from another state, visit a Driver Service Bureau in person within 60 days of establishing Mississippi residency. Bring your current out-of-state license, a certified long-form birth certificate, your Social Security card, and two proofs of your new address.¹¹ A valid out-of-state license lets you skip the knowledge test.⁶ No road test is required either. If your out-of-state license has already expired, you will need to take the written knowledge exam before Mississippi will issue you a license.¹

Non-U.S. Citizens

Non-citizens present official immigration documents proving lawful presence on top of the standard identity and residency requirements. Accepted documents vary by category and include a Permanent Resident Card (I-551), a valid immigrant visa with an unexpired foreign passport, an I-94 arrival record, or an Employment Authorization Document (I-766).¹² F-1 students also need their I-20; J-1 exchange visitors need their DS-2019.

The Department of Public Safety verifies legal status through the federal SAVE program. Verification isn’t always immediate, and a delay of up to 30 days is possible. Applicants who are not lawful permanent residents, refugees, or asylees receive a limited-term license tied to their authorized stay, must renew in person, and cannot use the online renewal system.¹²

REAL ID and the Gold Star

Since May 7, 2025, the TSA and other federal agencies require a REAL ID-compliant license or an acceptable alternative like a U.S. passport for domestic flights and entry to federal facilities.¹³ A compliant Mississippi license shows a gold star in the upper-right corner. Applying for the first time with the full document set described above produces a compliant card automatically, so no separate REAL ID process is needed for new applicants.

Leaving the Office

Once you pass the knowledge test, clear the vision screening, and pay, the Driver Service Bureau issues a paper temporary permit at the counter. That paper is your legal license and lets you drive right away. Your permanent plastic card is processed within 48 hours of validation and typically arrives in the mail within three to five business days.¹⁴ Keep the temporary somewhere safe until the card arrives. If it doesn’t show up in a reasonable window, call the Department of Public Safety at (601) 487-7028.¹¹

1
DPS Driver Service Bureau. Regular Driver License – Light Commercial Class D
2
Justia. Mississippi Code 63-1-19 – Application for License; Notification of Change of Address or Name by Licensee; Registration With Selective Service for Certain Males
3
DPS Driver Service Bureau. Required Documents
4
Legal Information Institute. 31 Mississippi Code R 1-7.4 – Proof of Domicile Mississippi Code Ann Section 63-1-19
5
Mississippi Department of Public Safety. State of Mississippi Driver’s Manual
6
Justia. Mississippi Code 63-1-33 – Examination of Applicant for License or Learner’s Permit
7
DPS Driver Service Bureau. Vision Form
8
DPS Driver Service Bureau. Driver Service Fees
9
Justia. Mississippi Code 63-1-9 – Persons Prohibited From Receiving License; Graduated Licensing
10
Justia. Mississippi Code 63-1-21 – Temporary Permits
11
Mississippi Department of Public Safety. DPS Driver Self-Service Portal
12
DPS Driver Service Bureau. Non-US Citizen Driver’s License or Identification Card
13
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions
14
DPS Driver Service Bureau. Once My Driver’s License Has Been Validated by the Agency, When Will My Credential Be Mailed