Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In Texas, the learner license and the provisional license each cost $15 under the Transportation Code, and the standard license fee in the statute is $32 (as of November 2026). One application fee covers three tries at each test. You book Texas DPS driver license office visits, including road tests, through the DPS online appointment scheduler, which lets you book up to six months ahead. This guide covers the fees, how booking and walk-ins work, retests, taking your test at a driving school, and the costs that sit outside DPS.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Learner license: $15 (Transportation Code section 521.421(c)).
- Provisional license (under 18): $15 (same section).
- Standard license, when no other fee applies: $32 in the statute (section 521.421(a)). The DL-7 handbook (January 2026) adds a $1 administrative fee to most transactions, so it lists $16 for the learner or under-18 license and $33 for a license at 18 to 84. Check the DPS fee page before you go.
- Retests: the fee entitles you to three attempts at each part of the exam per application. After a third fail, you apply and pay again (section 521.161(d)).
- Booking: the DPS appointment scheduler, up to six months in advance. Offices also hold a limited number of same-day and walk-in slots.
- Driving school road tests: allowed through the DPS Third Party Skills Testing program. Schools set their own price.
How much does a Texas driver’s license cost?
| Item | Fee | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Learner license (15 to 17) | $15 | Paid when you apply at DPS |
| Provisional license (16 and 17) | $15 | Issued after you pass the driving test under 18 |
| Driver’s license (statutory base fee) | $32 | The fee “not otherwise provided for”; check the DPS fee page for the current amount by age |
| License at 85 or older (DL-7) | $9 with the $1 fee | Valid two years |
| Hardship license (DL-7) | $6 with the $1 fee | Expires on your next birthday |
| Replacement, address or name change, or test to add or remove a restriction (DL-7) | $11 with the $1 fee | Expiration date does not change |
| Veteran with at least 60 percent service-related disability (DL-7) | Free | Not for a CDL or if required to register as a sex offender |
| Knowledge and driving tests | Included | Three attempts at each part per application |
| Impact Texas Teen Drivers (ITTD) or Impact Texas Adult Drivers (ITAD) | Free | DPS video course; certificate valid 90 days |
| Parent-taught driver education authorization | $20 | Paid to TDLR, plus the cost of the course you buy |
| Driver education school course | Set by the school | Required for everyone under 25 who is not already licensed |
| Driving school road test (TPST) | Set by the school | DPS says it does not regulate these fees |
For how Texas compares with other states, see driver’s license costs by state.
Sample budget: a 15-year-old using parent-taught driver ed
- Parent-taught authorization: $20
- Learner license: $15
- Provisional license at 16: $15
- ITTD: free
- Driver education course: the provider’s price
DPS fees alone come to $30 at the statutory rates, before the course itself. With the $1 administrative fee on each visit, that is $32. A failed test costs nothing extra until you use up your three attempts.
How to book a Texas DPS appointment
- Get your paperwork ready first. Driver ed certificate (DE-964 for teens), the Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form from school, identity, residency and Social Security documents. See the Texas permit documents checklist.
- Open the DPS appointment scheduler (DPS names the site public.txdpsscheduler.com). Choose the service: a new learner license, a new license, or a road test.
- Pick an office and time. DPS says you can book up to six months in advance. Searching several nearby offices can turn up an earlier slot.
- Arrive on time. DPS has said to arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before your slot, and that appointments are canceled if you are more than 30 minutes late.
- Can’t make it? Cancel so the slot goes to someone else. DPS says you can rebook immediately after canceling.
Same-day appointments and walk-ins
DPS says most offices hold a limited number of same-day appointments, which fill quickly, and that all driver license offices offer a limited number of walk-in slots on a first-come, first-served basis. DPS has also offered Saturday appointments at some offices. Check the scheduler for what your office offers.
General booking tips for any state are in how to book a DMV test appointment and find earlier slots.
Booking the Texas road test
You have two choices:
| Option | How to book | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| DPS driver license office | Road test appointment through the DPS scheduler | Covered by your application fee (three attempts) |
| Third Party Skills Testing (TPST) school | Call a DPS-authorized driver education school from the DPS list | The school’s price; DPS does not regulate it |
Transportation Code section 521.165 lets DPS authorize driver education providers to give the driving test. For under 18s, the driving test can never be waived, so a school test is the same standard as an office test. Full details: taking your Texas road test at a driving school.
Before you book the road test, check you have
- held your learner license at least six months, if you are under 18;
- an ITTD certificate dated within 90 days of the test (teens), or ITAD or ITTD (18 to 24). A TPST school needs a printed copy;
- your completed driver education, and the 30-hour practice log for teens;
- a car with current registration and insurance.
What you’ll be tested on: Texas road test maneuvers and Texas parallel parking.
Where can you take the knowledge test?
Teens usually take the vision, sign and traffic law tests through their driver education provider, so they skip that step at DPS. Parent-taught providers can give the sign and law tests but not the vision test (section 521.1655). The law requires DPS to offer the test in writing and to provide a Spanish version, with sign text kept in English. See the Texas learner license test guide and the Texas permit practice test.
Retests and failing
- Three attempts at each part per application and fee. A fourth try needs a new application and fee.
- The DL-7 says an application is held for 90 days after a first failed attempt; after 90 days or three fails you need a new application and fee. Ask DPS how soon you can retest. Book your next slot on the scheduler.
- If your ITTD certificate passes 90 days while you retake the road test, you must redo ITTD (free).
Compare other states in retake waiting periods by state.
Common questions
How much is a Texas learner’s permit?
$15, the learner license fee in Transportation Code section 521.421(c), as of November 2026.
Do I pay again if I fail the Texas driving test?
Not for the first three attempts. Your application fee covers three tries at each part. After the third fail, you reapply and pay again.
Can I walk in to a Texas DPS office without an appointment?
Sometimes. DPS keeps a limited number of walk-in and same-day slots, first come, first served. An appointment is far more reliable.
How far ahead can I book?
Up to six months, according to DPS. Popular offices fill early, so book as soon as you know your eligibility date.
Is a driving school road test more expensive?
Usually, because the school charges its own fee. The upside is often an earlier date and testing in a car and area you know.
I just moved to Texas. What do I pay?
You have 90 days to get a Texas license. The tests and fees differ for transfers: see moving to Texas.
Where is the full Texas route?
Start with how to get a driver’s license in Texas.
Sources
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Texas Driver Handbook” (DL-7, revised January 2026), chapter 1, Examinations and Fees, and appendix D (dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Legislature, “Transportation Code Chapter 521, sections 521.161, 521.162, 521.165, 521.1655 and 521.421” (statutes.capitol.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Driver License Services: Appointments” and appointment wait-times notice (dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Section 2: Scheduling a Road Test” (dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Third Party Skills Testing” (dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Public Safety, “Impact Texas Drivers FAQ” (impacttexasdrivers.dps.texas.gov)
- Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, “Parent Taught Driver Education” (tdlr.texas.gov)