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

To get a driver’s license in Indiana, you need identity, Social Security, and residency documents; a passed vision screening, written knowledge exam, and road test; a learner’s permit held for at least 180 days with 50 hours of supervised driving practice; and $17.50 for most applicants. What Indiana asks for depends on your age, whether you finish a driver education course, and whether you already hold a license from somewhere else.

Documents to Bring to the BMV

The Bureau of Motor Vehicles will not accept photocopies. Bring originals or certified copies in four categories.

Identity: an unexpired U.S. passport, a certified U.S. birth certificate filed with a state vital statistics office, or another accepted government-issued identity document.
Social Security number: your Social Security card, a W-2, or another document showing the full number.
Indiana residency: two printed documents with your name and Indiana address, each dated within 60 days of your visit. Utility bills, bank statements, pay stubs, and lease agreements all qualify. A P.O. box does not.
Name change, if applicable: a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order that links your current name to the name on your other documents.¹

If you are under 18, a parent, legal guardian, or other responsible adult has to sign the application and accept joint financial liability for any damage you cause behind the wheel. That co-signer needs to be at the branch with a U.S. government-issued photo ID.²

REAL ID or Standard License

Indiana issues two versions of the same license. A REAL ID compliant card has a star in the upper-right corner and is accepted by TSA, federal buildings, and military bases. A non-compliant card is printed with “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES” and still lets you drive and vote, but federal agencies will not take it as ID.³ REAL ID enforcement at airports began May 7, 2025.⁴

For U.S. citizens, a birth certificate or passport covers both identity and lawful status, so the REAL ID application does not add a document. Non-citizens need an unexpired foreign passport with a valid visa and I-94, or equivalent immigration paperwork, on top of the standard set.³

Start With a Learner’s Permit

If you have never held a driver’s license, the first stop is a learner’s permit. You pass a vision screening and the written knowledge exam at a BMV branch, pay $9.00, and you have your permit. You must hold it for at least 180 days before you can take the driving skills test.⁵

During those 180 days, you need to log at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice, and at least 10 of those hours have to be at night.⁶ Whenever you drive on a permit, a licensed adult has to be in the front passenger seat.

How Old You Have to Be

The earliest you can apply for a probationary driver’s license depends on whether you finish a state-approved driver education course.

With driver education: 16 years and 90 days.
Without driver education: 16 years and 270 days.

Either way, the 180-day learner’s permit requirement still applies. A license issued before you turn 21 is a probationary license and comes with the restrictions described below.⁷

The Written Knowledge Exam

The knowledge exam is drawn from the Indiana Driver’s Manual, which the BMV posts online for free. It has two sections, one on traffic laws and driving maneuvers and one on traffic signs. You need at least 80% on each section to pass.⁸

Fail either section and you can come back the next business day. There is no cap on attempts. The sign recognition half trips up more people than the traffic law half, so spend real time on warning, regulatory, and guide signs.

If a disability affects how you take the test, the BMV must offer accommodations under federal law. Options can include large-print versions, extended time, screen-reading technology, or a distraction-free room. Ask before your appointment so the branch can prepare.⁹

The Driving Skills Test

Once your 180 days are up and your practice hours are logged, you can schedule the road test. Appointments are required and have to be booked at least 48 hours ahead and no more than three weeks out. You can schedule through your myBMV account or call the BMV contact center at 888-692-6841.¹⁰

You bring the vehicle. It has to be registered, insured to Indiana’s minimum liability standard, and in safe working order. Before you start, the examiner checks that turn signals, brake lights, and doors all work. Driver-assistance features such as lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control need to be off. No one else rides along besides you and the examiner.¹⁰

Fail the road test and you have to wait at least seven days to try again. After three failed attempts on the same permit, the wait grows to two months from the date of your last failure.⁸

What It Costs

The BMV fee schedule revised January 1, 2026 is straightforward:

Learner’s permit: $9.00
Driver’s license, under age 75: $17.50
Driver’s license, ages 75–84: $11.00
Driver’s license, age 85 and older: $7.00
Replacement or amendment of a credential: $9.00
Express Credential Service (faster shipping of the permanent card): $25.00¹¹

Once you pass and pay, the BMV issues an interim license you can print from your myBMV account. The permanent card arrives by mail.

Restrictions if You’re Under 21

A license issued before your 21st birthday is a probationary license. For the first 180 days, two rules catch new drivers off guard.

Passenger limits. You cannot drive with any passengers unless they are immediate family, meaning children, siblings, spouse, parents, or grandparents. The other way around the rule is to have a licensed driver at least 25 years old in the front passenger seat. A licensed spouse aged 21 or older also counts.

Nighttime curfew. You cannot drive between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless you are going to or from work, a school-sanctioned activity, or a religious event. Having a licensed driver aged 25 or older, or a licensed spouse aged 21 or older, in the front seat also lifts the curfew.¹²

Probationary drivers also cannot use a cell phone or any other telecommunication device while driving. The one exception is dialing 911 in an emergency.¹³

Moving to Indiana With an Out-of-State License

If you move to Indiana with a valid license from another state, you have 60 days to transfer it.¹⁴ Bring your current license and the standard identity, Social Security, and residency documents. You still take a vision screening, but the knowledge exam and road test are usually waived for adults 18 and older who hold a valid, unexpired license.

Two situations complicate things. If your out-of-state license is already expired when you arrive, you have to take the knowledge exam. If you are under 18, the BMV requires both a knowledge exam and vision screening no matter how long you have driven, and if you have held that out-of-state license for less than a year, you also take the road test.¹⁴

If Your License Was Issued Outside the U.S.

For an out-of-country license, the requirements are stricter. You take all three tests: vision, knowledge, and driving skills. Your foreign license has to be in English, or come with a verifiably accurate English translation, or be paired with an International Driving Permit.¹⁵

Your documents go through a central verification process, which takes time. The BMV issues a 30-day interim license while that runs. If everything checks out, the permanent card is mailed to you. If it does not, you get a letter explaining why and how to request an administrative hearing. Fees are not refunded when verification fails.¹⁵

1
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Real ID Documentation Checklist
2
IN.gov. Agreement of Financial Liability
3
IN.gov. Real ID Overview
4
Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID
5
IN.gov. Driver’s License
6
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-3-2.5 – Age, Experience, and Examination Requirements
7
IN.gov. Probationary Driver’s License
8
IN.gov. Knowledge Exam
9
ADA.gov. ADA Requirements: Testing Accommodations
10
IN.gov. Driving (Skills) Test
11
Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. BMV Fee Chart
12
Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-11-3.5 – Operation of Vehicle During Probationary Period
13
IN.gov. Indiana’s Graduated Driver’s License System Information
14
Bureau of Motor Vehicles. New Indiana Residents
15
IN.gov. Residents with Out-of-Country Licenses