Applying for a New License

If you operate a vehicle on the roads and highways of Wyoming―whether behind the wheel of a monster truck, motorcycle, or hybrid―you will need to have a valid driver's license. It does not necessarily need to be a Wyoming license, but it needs to be current and legal. Of course, if you do dwell in Wyoming (minus numerous exceptions), you need to have the Cowboy State's version of the document.

Exemptions

• One thing Wyoming has plenty of is land (it's the ninth-largest state). Quite a bit of the terra firma is owned by the federal government. Those employees driving around in vehicles titled by the feds do not need the Wyoming brand of license.

• Military personnel, along with all dependents, who are based in Wyoming but call another place home can keep the out-of-state license.

• Full-time students from out-of-state who are enrolled and attending a Wyoming university or college are also allowed to hang onto their home-state license.

• Those new to the state opting to keep their current out-of-state license can do so because of Wyoming's membership in the Driver's License Compact. If you fall into this category, you will still need to apply for a Wyoming license within a year.

What Is This Compact, Anyway?

The Driver's License Compact is almost as old as the automobile. It's essentially a way for states to share and consolidate information on individuals, such as driving histories. There remain only a handful of states that have not joined the compact.

License Classes

Wyoming does not have a separate grouping for basic licenses, the kind issued to most drivers in the state. Instead, the state has a noncommercial and commercial version for each class of license (minus motorcycles). The basis for which class a vehicle falls into comes down to how much it weighs.

Class A: This is the top-dog of licenses. Generally the only people that have a Class A license drive massive semi trucks loaded with freight, possibly with multiple trailers, from state to state.

Class B: Large RVs and motor homes are basically the only noncommercial vehicles that fall into this class. On the commercial end are heavy "straight trucks" and the bigger passenger vehicles manufactured to carry 16 or more people.

Class C: Light trucks, pick-ups, small motor homes, SUVs, vans, and cars all fit into this class. On the commercial side of this class are the vehicles designed to haul 16 or more people at once, including school buses―but you'll need a special endorsement on your license.

Class M: Available in license form or as an added endorsement to any other class, this allows for the operation of a motorcycle. ATVs and some mopeds also fall into this category.

Acquiring a Wyoming Driver's License

Depending on the circumstances, obtaining a Wyoming driver's license can be a walk in the park―or an involved process that can carry on for a year or more. The process is different if you're applying for a commercial driver's license or a motorcycle license.

The Out-of-State Swap

If you are partial to the photo on your out-of-state license but have set up residence in the Cowboy State, you have up to one year to trade in your license for the Wyoming version. Once that time is up, you will need to appear in person at an exam office with the following documents:

• The out-of-state license.

• Evidence of your Social Security number.

• One other form of identification from the approved list.

• A completed application.

• A $20 application fee.

First-time Wyoming License

Those who have never had a license or have let an out-of state license expire and would like to attain a Wyoming license must undergo the entire examination evolution. This entails appearing in person at an exam station with a bevy of credentials in tow and the poise to ace a couple of tests. You must:

• Be at least 17 years of age to apply without first entering the graduated licensing process. Applicants that are under 18 years of age will need to have a parent or guardian sign a minor's release form. These forms are available at each exam office.

• Present acceptable identification.

• Provide a verifiable Social Security number.

• Complete an application.

• Pay a $20 application fee.

• Pass a vision screening. You must meet or exceed 20/40 in both eyes and have a "combined horizontal" of 120 degrees.

• Pass a multiple-choice written examination based on the Vehicle Operator's Manual. A score of 80% or higher qualifies as a passing grade.

• Pass a driving skills test. You must supply a vehicle fit for the road. If you fail the test, you will need to wait 24 hours before making another attempt.

From Permit to License

Prospective licensees that hold an Intermediate Permit and are at least age 16 1/2 can apply for full driving privileges (i.e. a Wyoming license). Here's how:

• Show evidence of completing an approved driver's education course. This will allow you to skip the on-road skills test. Of course, in the permitting process you might have already taken the test.

• Present your Intermediate Permit. This can also be your proof of identity.

• Complete an application.

• Pay a $20 application fee.

• Pass a vision test with a 20/40 rating or better.

• Make sure a parent or guardian signs a minor's release. Forms are available at each exam office.

• Smile for the camera.

Then check out those new licenses. Becoming one of the first states to implement the new-look license for those under 21 years of age, Wyoming has gone perpendicular. The traditional horizontal style is left to the adults, while minors have a new design where all the information, and the photo, is presented in a vertical fashion. Plus, it specifically states on the license when the individual turns 18 years old and 21 years old―making it easy for those who check IDs.

Restricted Driver License

Considering that the short rectangle of Wyoming lassoes a massive landscape that is both sparsely populated and exceptionally rural, it is only natural that there are cases where an individual under the legal driving age may need to operate a vehicle. Thus, the state issues restricted driver's licenses to 14- and 15-year-olds who meet a certain set of criteria. This license costs $10.

• The applicant will need to show substantial grounds as to why the license is needed. This generally entails illustrating the extreme difficulty being put on a household by not having the individual provide his or her own transport. The driving usually involves ranchers' or farmers' kids traveling to and from school or regular employment.

• The candidate must reside more than five miles from the school or work they need to get to.

• The license is only good between the hours of 5 a.m. and 8 p.m., and only in the confines of a 50-mile radius surrounding the individual's abode.

Getting caught even once outside of this loop will result in the revocation of the license. To apply for a restricted license, the child's parent will need to fill out an Affidavit for Restricted License, which includes the relevant verification forms.

Driving Privileges for Non-Citizens

If you're visiting Wyoming and possess a valid driver's license from another country, you may drive up to one year within the state. However, you should also have an International Driver Permit, issued by your home country. The permit basically translates your license to make it understandable to U.S. officials. Also, many car-rental agencies require one, so it's a good idea.

Be sure to have both documents with you whenever you're driving.

Should you become a resident of the state, you must apply for a Wyoming driver's license no later than one year from your residency date to retain your driving privileges. The state provides information on the documentation needed to apply.

Fees

• Wyoming license: $20

• Restricted license: $10

• License renewal: $15