Applying for a New License (Drivers 18+) in Georgia

1) Choose Your License

From teen drivers to folks who've just moved to the state, every Georgia resident must have a valid Georgia driver's license (or permit) in order to legally operate a motor vehicle. Georgia's Department of Driver Services (DDS) offers the following kinds of licenses:

• Class C Licenses for driving regular vehicles and are available to drivers who are at least 18 years of age (or 17-year-old drivers from another state who already hold a license equivalent to a Class C) and are the licenses discussed here.

• Class A, B, AP, and BP Licenses are licenses and instructional permits for driving larger vehicles that aren't classified as commercial vehicles (see below).

• Class CP and Class D Licenses are instructional permits and provisional licenses for drivers between the ages of 15 and 17 who must complete Georgia's graduated driver's license (GDL) program, known as TADRA.

• Class M and MP Licenses are motorcycle licenses and permits.

• Class A, B, and C Commercial Licenses (CDLs) are licenses for driving commercial vehicles.

NOTE: If you’re under the age of 18, you need to obtain a Class CP instructional permit and then a Class D provisional license before you can hold a regular Class C driver's license. Please visit our Teen Drivers section for instructions specific to you.

Class A

Noncommercial Class A licenses allow you to drive:

• Any single vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of 26,001 pounds or more.

• Any single vehicle towing a vehicle with a GVWR of 10,000 pounds or less.

Class B

Noncommercial Class B licenses allow you to drive any combination of vehicles with a GVWR of 26,001 pounds or more if the vehicle you're towing has a GVWR or 10,000 pounds or more.

2) Take a Driver’s Education Course

16 years old―Driver's education is only a requirement for 16-year-old applicants.

Older than 16―Driver's education isn't a requirement, but it's a good idea to take a supplemental course to improve your driving skills and learn the new driving laws.

3) Prepare for the Test

The Georgia Driver's Manual is a great help when you're studying for your test, and you can even take a few practice tests to help prepare yourself for the real thing.

4) Locate a DDS Customer Service Center

Georgia offers the chance to make reservations for certain driver license transactions, such as those involving teens and out-of-state drivers. Call and make an appointment with your nearest DDS Customer Service Center.

5) Make Test-Day Preparations

Class C

On the day of your test, be prepared to:

• Complete the application (available only at your DDS Customer Service Center).

• Exchange your Class CP instructional permit or Class D provisional license. (Only drivers who went through the GDL process, or who opted to hold a Class CP license before applying for a Class C license, will have one or the other.)

• Pay the appropriate fee ($20 for a 5 years term, or $32 for an eight-year term).

• Give your Social Security number. The DDS doesn't require you to show your Social Security card, but they will penalize you if you give the incorrect number.

• Show proof of identity, your Social Security number and two proofs of residency (Georgia provides a list of acceptable documents.)

• Pass a vision exam with at least 20/60 in one eye and a field vision of at least 140 degrees. (You may wear corrective lenses.)

• Have your picture taken for your license.

Noncommercial Class A and B

In order to apply for a noncommercial Class A or B license, you must be at least 18 years of age and already have a Class C license. If that's you, make an appointment with your nearest Customer Service Center and be prepared to:

• Complete the application (available only at your DDS Customer Service Center).

• Pay the appropriate fee ($20 for a 5 years term, or $32 for an eight-year term).

• Pass the same knowledge exams as given to CDL applicants.

• Pass a vision exam with at least 20/60 in one eye and a field vision of at least 140 degrees. (You may wear corrective lenses.)

• Complete a DS-36 Form attesting that you've had three months or 3,000 miles of driving experience in the appropriate vehicle.

NOTE: Noncommercial Class A and B applicants don't have to take a road test. If you present a complete DS-36 Form, you'll get your license immediately; if you don't, you'll get a 12-month instructional permit.

6) Take the Written Test

If you're a new-to-Georgia driver who can present a valid out-of-state license (one that hasn't been expired for more than two years), you're exempt from the written knowledge exam.

If you've lost your out-of-state license, you must either present a letter of clearance or certified driving record from your old state. If your out-of-state license has been expired for more than two years, you must take the written knowledge exam.

First-time drivers must take the written knowledge exam. In addition to any driver education course you complete, studying the Georgia Driver's Manual is a great way to prepare for the exam. The exam includes questions regarding road signs and road rules and the questions are taken from information in the manual.

The written knowledge exam is administered on a walk-in basis at every DDS Customer Service Center, Tuesday through Saturday and before 4:30 p.m. While the road rules tests are available in some non-English languages, Georgia expects all applicants to show they can read and understand simple English. All road signs tests are administered in English.

NOTE: Oral tests are available for applicants with special needs.

Once You Pass

You can take your driving test the next day.

If You Fail

Your next step depends on how many times you fail a particular portion of the written knowledge exam.

• If you fail once, you can retake the necessary portion the next day.

• If you fail twice, you can retake the necessary portion in seven days.

• If you fail three or more times, you can retake the entire exam in 30 days.

7) Get a Car

Driver training courses generally provide vehicles for the learning process, but you'll need to provide your own once it's time to test―and hit the road with your new license.

You may already have a vehicle to use, or you may be interested in purchasing a new or used vehicle (in which case a vehicle history report is an excellent tool in the decision-making process). Whatever your situation, make sure your vehicle is registered and insured according to Georgia laws.

8) Get Car insurance

In Georgia, it's mandatory for all vehicles, including those used for driving tests, to have a policy that meets the minimum liability insurance requirements. Our Insurance Center can help you make sure your insurance policy adequately covers your vehicle in Georgia―at the right price.

9) Take the Driving Test

If you're new to Georgia, you don't have to take the driving test. You simply need to exchange your valid out-of-state driver's license for a Georgia license, and pay the same fees and present the same documentation as described above.

However, if you've lost your out-of-state license, you must provide a letter of clearance or certified driving record from your old state. And, if your out-of-state license has been expired for more than two years, you must take the driving test (in addition to the vision and written knowledge exams).

NOTE: If you're new to Georgia and under the age of 18, you must take the driving exam―even if the license you currently hold is a valid driver's license and not a permit. Please call DDS Customer Service at (678) 413-8400 for more details.

All first-time Georgia drivers must take a driving exam. You can make an appointment for your driving exam, but note that unsafe weather conditions cancel all driving exams. Regardless of the license class for which you're testing (Class C, or noncommercial Class A or B), you must provide your own properly insured vehicle and it must be able to pass a safety inspection.

Once You Pass

In most cases, the DDS Customer Service Center will issue you your driver's license immediately.

If You Fail

If you fail, you can retake the exam, but the amount of time you must wait depends on how many times you fail.

• If you fail once, you can retake the exam the next day.

• If you fail twice, you can retake the exam in seven days.

• If you fail three or more times, you can retake the exam in 30 days.

10) Receive Your License in the Mail

If for some reason the DDS Customer Service Center can't issue you your driver's license immediately, they'll issue you a temporary license that's valid for 45 days, or until you receive your permanent license in the mail. Please make sure the DDS has your most recent mailing address.

If you don't receive your permanent license within 45 days, you can contact your DDS Customer Service Center or call one of four numbers: (678) 413-8400, (678) 413-8500, (678) 413-8600, or toll-free at (866) 754-3687 for drivers outside the metro Atlanta area.

Non-Citizens

Georgia accepts valid out-of-country and International driver's licenses, and you can generally drive in Georgia for one year with one or the other. However, if you become a resident you must apply for a Georgia driver's license.

How to Apply as a Non-Citizen

1. Schedule an appointment with your nearest DDS Customer Service Center.
2. Be prepared to take the vision, written knowledge, and driving exams, as well as pay the fee of $20.
3. Provide your Social Security number or present a Form SSA-L676 if you aren't a citizen or aren't legally authorized to work in the United States. (The Social Security Administration provides these forms.)
4. Provide proof of identity.
5. Provide proof that you meet citizenship requirements.
6. Provide proof that you meet residency requirements.
7. Have you picture taken for your new Georgia license.

NOTE: Georgia provides a list of all acceptable proofs of identity, citizenship, and residency, as well as a thorough explanation of these requirements. Georgia also verifies all immigration documents through Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlement (SAVE), a program of the United States Custom and Immigration Service (USCIS).

Your Georgia license will be valid for up to five years, depending on the expiration date on your immigration documentation. If there's no expiration date, your license will be valid for one year.

Your Opinion Matters To Us!