The Texas VOE form, officially the DL-104 Verification of Enrollment and Attendance, is the one-page document a Texas resident under 18 must bring to the Department of Public Safety to get a learner permit or driver’s license. It proves you’re enrolled in school and meeting attendance standards. Without a valid, signed VOE (or a diploma or GED in its place), DPS will not process your application.
Who Needs One
Anyone applying for a Texas driver’s license or learner permit between the ages of 15 and 17 has to provide either a completed VOE or proof of a high school diploma or GED.1Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen It applies at the learner permit stage at age 15 and again at the provisional Class C license stage at 16 or 17. At 18, the requirement drops away.
If you’ve already graduated or earned a GED, skip the form and bring the diploma or equivalency certificate to DPS instead.1Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen
What Your School Is Checking Before Signing
Texas Transportation Code Section 521.204 requires that you attended school for at least 80 days during the fall or spring semester before your application.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 521.204 – Restrictions on Minor Beyond that, the DL-104 lets the school issue the form if you meet any one of three conditions:
- You attended at least 90% of class days in each course during the previous semester.
- You received credit for all courses taken in the previous semester.
- Your school set its own conditions for issuing the VOE and you’ve met them.
The school picks whichever condition fits your record.3Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance
GED students qualify on a different track: enrollment in a GED preparation program for at least 45 calendar days, and still attending as of the application date.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 521.204 – Restrictions on Minor Students at a college or other higher education institution who haven’t finished high school can also receive a VOE as long as they’re enrolled and attending as prescribed by that institution.3Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance
How to Get the Form Signed
The DL-104 is available as a PDF on the DPS website and from most school front offices.4Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) Form
Public, Charter, and Private School Students
Ask the registrar, counselor’s office, or front office. Schools handle these requests routinely, but processing usually takes a few business days, so don’t leave it for the day before your DPS appointment. If your district has an online records request system, check whether it covers VOE forms.
Homeschool Students
The DL-104 treats home schools the same as public, charter, and private schools.3Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance A parent or legal guardian acts as the administrator, certifying enrollment and attendance and signing the school section themselves.
Summer Backup: A Report Card
If you’re applying during the summer and can’t get a fresh signature, DPS will accept your last report card showing your name, attendance record, and grades.1Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen Treat this as a fallback. A signed VOE from the end of the school year is the cleaner route.
What’s on the Form
The DL-104 collects two sets of information. The student section takes your printed name, signature, and the date. The school section takes the school name, the administrator’s or designee’s printed name, title, signature, phone number, and the issuance date. The administrator also marks a checkbox showing which enrollment category applies (enrolled student, GED program, or higher education) and confirms attendance is satisfactory.
The Parent Consent Line
At the bottom of the form is a parent or guardian signature that’s easy to miss and carries real weight. By signing, a parent grants DPS two permissions: access to the child’s enrollment records held by the Texas Education Agency, and authority for a school administrator or law enforcement officer to notify DPS if the child misses at least 20 consecutive instructional days.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 521.204 – Restrictions on Minor
Falsifying the Form
The VOE is a government record. Misrepresentation by the applicant or the person issuing the form can lead to denial of the license and criminal prosecution, and that warning is printed in capital letters on the form itself.3Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance The rule applies to homeschool parents signing as administrators just as it applies to school officials.
How Long the Signed Form Is Good For
Timing is where most applicants get caught out. A VOE issued during the school year is valid for 30 days from the issuance date.3Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance Arrive at DPS on day 31 and you’ll be sent back for a new signature.
Summer works differently. A VOE issued during the last five days of the school year stays valid until the first day of the following school year.3Texas Department of Public Safety. Verification of Enrollment and Attendance The DPS website also describes summer forms (issued between June and August) as valid for 90 days.1Department of Public Safety. Texas Learners License as a Teen Either way, getting the form signed near the end of the school year covers you through the summer. Getting it signed in October gives you 30 days.
An expired VOE means a rejected application, with no exceptions. You’ll need a fresh signature before rebooking.
What the VOE Commits You to After You Get the License
The VOE isn’t a one-time hurdle. Because the parent consent section authorizes notification after 20 consecutive missed instructional days, a student who stops attending school after being licensed risks having that information reported to DPS.2State of Texas. Texas Transportation Code 521.204 – Restrictions on Minor The link between school attendance and driving privileges stays active until you turn 18.