Virginia Driver’s License Requirements: Documents, Tests, Fees

To meet Virginia driver’s license requirements, you need to be a Virginia resident at least 16 years and three months old, visit a DMV customer service center with proof of identity, legal presence, your Social Security number, and two documents proving your Virginia address, then pass a vision screening, a written knowledge exam, and a road skills test. A standard license is valid for eight years and costs $32.¹ If you’ve just moved here from another state, you have 60 days to make the switch.²

Who Qualifies

Virginia sets the minimum age for a driver’s license at 16 years and three months, and you must be a Virginia resident.³ Younger teens can begin with a learner’s permit, but a full license is off the table before that birthday.

New arrivals from out of state have a tight window. Once you establish residency in Virginia, you get 60 days to transfer your out-of-state license to a Virginia one.²

Documents to Bring

Virginia asks for four categories of documentation at the counter. Bring originals or certified copies; photocopies won’t be accepted, especially if you’re applying for a REAL ID.

Proof of identity, such as a certified U.S. birth certificate, valid U.S. passport, or permanent resident card.
Proof of legal presence, which is often the same document that proves identity. Non-citizens may need a valid visa, Employment Authorization Document, or other immigration paperwork.
Your Social Security number, which you’ll provide during the application.
Two proofs of Virginia residency, each dated within the past two months. A utility bill, mortgage statement, bank statement, or lease agreement works. Cellular phone bills don’t.⁴

The application itself is Form DL 1P. You can download it from the DMV website and fill it out before you arrive. It asks for physical characteristics like height, weight, and eye color, plus any medical conditions that could affect your driving.⁵

REAL ID or Standard License

You’ll choose between a REAL ID-compliant license and a standard credential. A REAL ID is federally accepted identification for boarding domestic flights and entering certain federal buildings. A standard license is not, though it’s fully valid for driving in Virginia.

Document requirements are largely the same, but a REAL ID applicant has to demonstrate legal presence in the United States with qualifying citizenship or immigration documents. People with certain visa or immigration statuses, including permanent residents, refugees, and those with approved asylum applications, are eligible.⁶ If you don’t need your license as federal ID, the standard version is simpler.

The Three Tests

Every first-time applicant has to pass a vision screening, a written knowledge exam, and a road skills test.

Vision Screening

You’ll look into a machine and read lines of letters or numbers. The standard is 20/40 or better in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses.⁷ If you pass only with glasses or contacts, your license will carry a restriction requiring you to wear them while driving. If you can’t meet the standard at all, you’ll need a report from an eye doctor for the DMV to review.

Knowledge Exam

The knowledge exam comes in two parts. The first is 10 road sign identification questions, and you must get all 10 correct to move on. The second is 30 general knowledge questions on Virginia traffic laws and safe driving, and you need at least 24 right, or 80%, to pass.⁸ The signs section has no margin for error, which catches a lot of people off guard.

Fail, and the waiting period depends on your age. Applicants under 18 wait 15 full days. Adults 18 and over can retake it the next day.⁸

Road Skills Test

The road skills test evaluates how you handle a vehicle in real traffic. Expect to demonstrate turns, stops, lane changes, and other standard maneuvers. If you fail, you must wait at least two days before scheduling another attempt.⁹

Fail any one exam three times and you can’t simply keep retaking it. For the knowledge exam, adults have to complete an 8-hour driver’s manual course before a fourth attempt. For the road skills test, you’ll need seven behind-the-wheel instruction sessions first. A driver improvement clinic will not satisfy this requirement.¹⁰

Fees and the Visit

A standard eight-year license costs $32.¹ Each additional endorsement or classification adds $1 per year under state law, so $8 across an eight-year license. A motorcycle classification is the exception at $2 per year, or $16 over eight years.¹¹

You have to submit Form DL 1P, your documents, and payment in person at a DMV customer service center. The DMV lets you schedule an appointment online by service type, office, and time. Walk-ins are accepted, but an appointment usually means a shorter wait.¹²

At the counter the technician reviews your documents, verifies your test results, collects payment, and takes your photo. You leave with a temporary paper credential that’s legally valid for driving. The permanent plastic card arrives by mail; allow at least 15 days before you contact the DMV about it.¹³

Extra Requirements if You’re Under 18

Teen applicants work through a graduated system. The learner’s permit has to be held for at least nine months before applying for a license.¹⁴ During that time, the teen has to complete a state-approved driver education program consisting of 36 classroom periods and 14 in-car periods, split between seven of driving and seven of observation. These run through public schools and DMV-licensed private academies.¹⁵

On top of the formal course, a parent or guardian must certify at least 45 hours of supervised driving practice, with at least 15 of those hours after sunset.¹⁶ A parent or guardian also signs the application, taking legal responsibility for the minor.

Even after licensing, teens drive under restrictions. There’s a midnight-to-4 a.m. curfew, with exceptions for driving to or from work, a supervised school or civic activity, or driving while a licensed parent or spouse age 18 or older rides along. A driver under 18 can carry only one passenger under 21 unless a licensed parent or guardian is in the front seat. After a full year with the license, the limit rises to three passengers under 21 in specific situations, such as travel to school activities or when a licensed driver age 21 or older is in the front seat. Family members don’t count against the passenger limits.¹⁷

If You Can’t Prove Legal Presence

Virginia residents who can’t prove legal presence in the United States may still qualify to drive legally through a Driver Privilege Card instead of a standard license. The card authorizes driving on Virginia roads but is not REAL ID-compliant, so it can’t be used to board flights or enter federal buildings, and holders aren’t eligible for a commercial driver’s license.¹⁸

You must be at least 16 years and three months old, a Virginia resident, and have filed a Virginia tax return (or been claimed as a dependent on one) within the past 12 months. Your driving privileges can’t be suspended or revoked in any state, and your record can’t carry insurance-related infractions. The DMV electronically verifies your tax filing with the Virginia Department of Taxation during the application. The card costs $50 to issue and $50 to renew. The first one expires on your birthday in the second year after issuance, and later cards are valid for two years from the date issued.¹⁸

1
Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Apply for a Driver’s License
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. New to Virginia
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Eligibility Requirements
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Qualifying for a Virginia Address Requirement Exception or Re-Establishing Your Virginia Residency
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License and Identification Card Application
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Getting a Virginia Driver’s License or Identification Card
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Vision Screening
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The Knowledge Exam
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Road Skills Tests
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver Training for Three Exam Failures
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Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-332 – Fees
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Plan Your Visit
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Renew Driver’s License or CDL
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Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 46.2 – Section 46.2-334
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Parents in the Driver’s Seat
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Virginia Department of Education. Parent Resources for Driver Education
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Teen Driving Restrictions
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Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver Privilege Card