To get a driver’s license in Virginia, you need to meet the state’s age and residency rules, bring documents proving your identity, legal presence, Virginia residency, and Social Security number, pass a vision screening, a knowledge exam, and a road skills test, and pay a $32 fee for a standard eight-year license. Applicants under 18 face additional requirements, and anyone who wants to fly domestically on their license alone should add $10 for a REAL ID-compliant version.
Age and Residency Rules
You can apply for a learner’s permit at 15 years and six months. A full driver’s license requires you to be at least 16 years and three months old.1Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Eligibility Requirements
Every applicant must also be a Virginia resident and must demonstrate legal presence in the United States, meaning you’re a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or otherwise authorized to be here. A vision screening happens at the DMV on the day you apply.1Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Eligibility Requirements
Documents You Need to Bring
The DMV requires four categories of documentation. Bring originals or certified copies; photocopies and temporary documents will be turned away.2Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Eligibility Requirements – Section: Identification and Residency Requirements
- One proof of identity. A certified birth certificate, unexpired U.S. passport, certificate of naturalization, or certificate of citizenship all work. Non-citizens can use an unexpired Permanent Resident Card (I-551).
- One proof of legal presence. U.S. citizens satisfy this with the same document used for identity. Non-citizens may present an unexpired foreign passport with a valid U.S. visa and I-94, or an Employment Authorization Document (I-766).1Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Eligibility Requirements
- Two proofs of Virginia residency. Acceptable options include a deed or mortgage statement, a lease agreement, or a utility bill no more than two months old. You need two separate documents.1Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Eligibility Requirements
- One proof of Social Security number. A Social Security card or W-2 form works. If you know your SSN, the DMV can verify it electronically in some cases.3Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. REAL ID
If your name appears differently across documents because of marriage, divorce, or a legal name change, bring proof of the name change too. The DMV publishes a full acceptable documents guide on its website, and reviewing it before your visit prevents surprises at the counter.
REAL ID or Standard License
Since May 7, 2025, you need a REAL ID-compliant license or a passport to board domestic flights and enter most federal facilities.4Transportation Security Administration. REAL ID Virginia lets you pick either a standard license or a REAL ID-compliant one. A standard license still lets you drive, vote, and verify your identity at banks and stores, but it carries a “Federal Limits Apply” marking and won’t get you through airport security on its own.3Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. REAL ID
Upgrading to REAL ID adds $10 to the standard fee. The document requirements are the same four categories, so if you’re already gathering everything for a first-time license, going REAL ID-compliant doesn’t create extra paperwork.3Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. REAL ID
The Knowledge Exam
The knowledge exam has two parts. The first section covers road signs: ten questions, and every single one must be answered correctly. The second section has 25 general-knowledge questions on Virginia traffic laws and safe driving, and you need at least 80% right (24 out of 30 correct across the general section).5Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The Knowledge Exam
Study the Virginia Driver’s Manual, which the DMV provides free online. It covers signal meanings, right-of-way rules, speed limits in school zones, and impaired driving laws.
If You Fail
Applicants under 18 must wait 15 days before retaking the exam. Adults can retake it the next business day. After three failures at any age, you must complete the classroom portion of a Virginia-approved driver training school program before testing again.5Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. The Knowledge Exam Each retake requires a new application with your identity and residency documents.
The Road Skills Test
The road skills test checks basic vehicle control, lane changes, right-of-way awareness, and maneuvers like three-point turns, backing, and parking. An examiner rides along and scores your performance.
You provide the vehicle. It needs a valid safety inspection sticker, current registration and plates, and working brakes, seat belts, horn, lights, turn signals, mirrors, and speedometer.6Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Road Skills Tests Rental cars and Zipcars are allowed only if you’re listed as an authorized driver on the rental agreement. Because you can’t legally drive to the DMV alone on a learner’s permit, a licensed driver has to accompany you.
If You Fail
After a first or second failure, you wait two full days before retesting. After three failures, you must complete the behind-the-wheel component of a driver education course before the DMV will let you try again.6Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Road Skills Tests
Extra Requirements If You’re Under 18
Applicants between 16 years and three months and 17 years old face several additional steps.
Driver Education and Practice Hours
You must complete a state-approved driver education program. The program includes 36 classroom sessions, seven behind-the-wheel driving sessions, and seven observation sessions, each lasting 50 minutes. A final road skills exam is built into the program.7Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver Training Schools
On top of the program, a parent or guardian must sign a certificate confirming at least 45 hours of supervised driving practice, with 15 of those hours after sunset.7Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver Training Schools A parent or legal guardian must also give written consent for the license itself, unless you’re married or legally emancipated.1Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Eligibility Requirements
Nine-Month Permit Holding Period
You must hold a Virginia learner’s permit for at least nine months or until you turn 18, whichever comes first, before applying for a full license.8Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-335.2 – Learners Permits; Required Holding Period
Provisional License Restrictions
Any license issued to someone under 18 is automatically a provisional license, with restrictions that last until your 18th birthday.9Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code Title 46.2 Chapter 3 Article 5
- Passenger limit. You may carry only one passenger under 21. After holding the license for a full year, you may carry up to three passengers under 21 when driving to or from a school-sponsored activity, when a licensed driver 21 or older is in the front passenger seat, or in an emergency. Family and household members don’t count toward the limit.
- Nighttime curfew. You cannot drive between midnight and 4:00 a.m., with exceptions for driving to or from work, adult-supervised school or civic activities, driving with a parent or spouse age 18 or older in the front passenger seat, and emergencies.
Fees and the DMV Visit
A standard Virginia driver’s license costs $32 for eight years.10Virginia DMV. DMV Fees REAL ID compliance adds $10, for a total of $42.3Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. REAL ID The fee is due after you pass all required tests. Driver education for applicants under 18 is a separate expense that varies by provider.
Everything happens at a Virginia DMV Customer Service Center. The DMV offers appointments Monday through Friday, walk-in service, and a spot-reservation system.11Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Plan Your Visit Booking an appointment cuts your wait time.
At the counter you submit a completed Driver’s License and Identification Card Application (Form DL 1P), hand over your original documents, and take the vision screening. The DMV verifies your documents and administers the knowledge exam. If you pass, you schedule or take the road skills test. Once everything checks out, you pay the fee, take a photo, and receive a temporary license on the spot. The permanent card arrives by mail at your Virginia address.
How Long the License Lasts
A Virginia driver’s license is valid for up to eight years. Licenses issued to applicants 75 or older are valid for no more than five years.12Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-330 – Expiration and Renewal of Licenses; Examinations Required The DMV sends a renewal notice before your expiration date, but not receiving one doesn’t extend your license. Track the date yourself.