What Do I Need to Get a Driver’s License in Arizona?

To get a driver’s license in Arizona, you need proof of identity, a Social Security number, two documents showing your current Arizona address, and passing scores on a written knowledge test, a vision screening, and a road test. The fee runs from $10 to $25 depending on your age, and a standard Arizona license stays valid until your 65th birthday.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-3171 – Driver License Expiration and Renewal; Exception

Documents to Bring to the MVD

The Motor Vehicle Division asks for paperwork in three categories. Bring originals or certified copies; photocopies won’t do.

  • Identity: One primary document such as an original or certified U.S. birth certificate, an unexpired U.S. passport, or a Permanent Resident Card. It has to show your full legal name and date of birth.2Arizona Courts. Acceptable Documentation for Standard Driver License, Instruction Permit and Identification License Transactions
  • Social Security number: Your Social Security card, a W-2, or a pay stub showing the full nine-digit number. The MVD verifies it electronically with the Social Security Administration.
  • Arizona residency: Two separate pieces of mail from different sources — a business, an organization, or a government agency — showing your name and physical street address. Utility bills, rental agreements, bank statements, and mailed MVD documents all qualify.3Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). AZ DL/ID Requirements

A P.O. box will not satisfy the residency requirement. Both documents need to show your actual street address.

Travel ID or Standard License

When you apply, you’ll choose between a standard license and the Arizona Travel ID, which is Arizona’s REAL ID-compliant version and carries a star inside a circle. Since May 7, 2025, federal agencies require REAL ID-compliant identification to board domestic flights or enter restricted federal buildings and military bases.4Federal Register. Minimum Standards for Drivers Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes; Phased Approach for Card-Based Enforcement

A standard license still lets you drive, prove your age, and identify yourself for everyday purposes. The documents and fees for a Travel ID match the standard license, so if you fly domestically or expect to enter a federal facility, the Travel ID is the practical pick.5Department of Transportation. Arizona Travel ID

The Three Tests

Written Knowledge Test

The written test covers Arizona traffic laws, road signs, and safe driving practices. You need at least 80% to pass.6Department of Transportation. Practice Tests The Arizona Driver License Manual, free on the ADOT website, covers every topic on the exam, and ADOT publishes free online practice tests that mirror the real format. You take the test on a computer at the MVD office. Only one attempt is allowed per day.

Vision Screening

Every applicant takes a vision screening. You need visual acuity of at least 20/40 in one or both eyes. Bring your glasses or contacts if you use them; the MVD will add a corrective-lenses restriction to your license if you need them to meet the standard.7Cornell Law School. Arizona Administrative Code R17-4-503 – Vision Standards Vision between 20/50 and 20/70 with both eyes triggers further evaluation before a license can be issued.

Road Test

An examiner rides with you through a course covering turns, lane changes, backing up, and signaling. You supply the vehicle, and it has to meet three conditions before the test starts:

  • Current Arizona registration.
  • Liability insurance meeting Arizona’s minimums: $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $15,000 for property damage.8Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-4009 – Motor Vehicle Liability Policy Requirements
  • Safe working condition, including brakes, headlights, turn signals, mirrors, and horn. The examiner will inspect before you drive.

Only one road test is allowed per day. Fail the pre-test inspection or the driving portion, and you’ll come back another day.

Fees and How Long the License Lasts

Arizona ties the fee to your age because a standard license doesn’t expire until you turn 65. Younger applicants pay more because they get decades of validity from a single fee.

  • Ages 16–39: $25
  • Ages 40–44: $20
  • Ages 45–49: $15
  • Age 50 and older: $10 (five-year license)
  • Military or student limited license: $10
9Department of Transportation. Fees (Driver License)

Once you turn 65, you renew in person every five years and take a new photo at each renewal.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-3171 – Driver License Expiration and Renewal; Exception In the meantime, keep your address current with the MVD.

Where and How to Apply

Start at an MVD office or an authorized third-party provider. Schedule an appointment at AZMVDNow.gov, which has a dedicated “New to Arizona” appointment type for transfers.10AZ MVD Now. Schedule an Appointment Booking ahead saves time at busy offices in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas.

Fill out the Driver License/Identification Card Application online through AZMVDNow.gov before you arrive. At the office, you’ll present your documents, take the vision screening, sit for the written test, and have your photo taken. The road test may be available the same day or scheduled for a later visit, depending on the office. Once you pass everything, you leave with a temporary license, and the permanent card is mailed to your home.

Moving From Another State or Country

Arizona treats you as a resident once you work here (other than seasonal agricultural work), register to vote, enroll a child at resident tuition rates, or spend seven or more months in the state during a calendar year.11Department of Transportation. Proof of Identification, Age and Authorized Presence – Section: Resident Definition Once you qualify, you need an Arizona license to keep driving legally.

If you hold a current out-of-state license, you generally skip the written and road tests. You still bring the same identity, Social Security, and residency documents, pass the vision screening, and pay the age-based fee. Plan to surrender the out-of-state license at the time of application. An expired out-of-state license doesn’t earn that waiver; expect to take the written test and possibly the road test.

Arizona has reciprocal agreements with four countries. Holders of a valid license from Germany, South Korea, or Taiwan are exempt from both the written and road tests. Canadian license holders skip the road test but still take the written exam.12Department of Transportation. What International Visitors Need to Know Before Driving in Arizona All international transferees provide identity and residency documents and take the vision screening.

Applicants Under 18

Arizona uses graduated licensing. Drivers under 18 can’t get a standard Class D license — they move through an instruction permit and a restricted Class G license first.13Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-3153 – Driver License Issuance; Prohibitions

Instruction Permit at 15½

At 15 years and six months, a teen can apply for an instruction permit with a parent or legal guardian’s signed consent. The applicant passes the written knowledge test and vision screening. The permit is valid for 12 months, and the teen may only drive with a licensed adult in the front passenger seat.14Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code Title 28 – Section 28-3154

Class G License at 16

After holding the permit for at least six months and turning 16, a teen can apply for a Class G license. A parent or guardian certifies in writing that the teen has completed at least 30 hours of supervised driving, including at least 10 hours at night.15Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-3174 – Class G Driver Licenses; Restrictions; Civil Penalties; Motorcycles For the first six months with the Class G:

  • No driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m. unless a parent or guardian is along, or the teen is driving directly to or from work, school, a religious activity, or a family emergency.
  • No more than one passenger under 18, unless the passengers are siblings or a licensed parent or guardian is in the front seat.

At 18, both restrictions drop away and the license converts to a full Class D.16Department of Transportation. Teen Driver Guide to Class G Permit and License

Non-Citizen Applicants

Every applicant has to prove authorized presence in the United States under federal law.13Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes 28-3153 – Driver License Issuance; Prohibitions Non-citizens typically bring a valid passport with visa, an I-94 arrival/departure record, and any applicable immigration document such as an Employment Authorization Document or a Form I-20 for students. The MVD verifies status electronically, and if the system can’t confirm status right away, processing may take several federal business days.

Licenses issued to non-citizens are usually valid only through the end of the authorized stay, not until age 65. Renewals happen more often, and updated immigration documents come with each one. Bring new paperwork to the MVD promptly if your status changes or your stay is extended so your driving privileges stay current.