Getting your New Jersey learner permit

By the end of this topic you can

• You can choose between a special learner permit and an examination permit.
• You can build your 6 Points of ID and add proof of address and Social Security number.
• You can explain the role of parent or guardian consent for applicants under 18.
• You can list the steps from buying the permit to having it validated.
• You can say what the permit and decals cost.

What you need to know and understand

• Special learner permit: from age 16, through an approved behind-the-wheel course, bought by your instructor.
• Examination permit: from age 17 at an MVC Licensing Center; no instructor needed.
• Applicants under 18 need a consent form signed by a parent or guardian.
• A Standard license application needs 6 Points of ID, proof of New Jersey address and proof of Social Security number or ITIN, or an approved affidavit.
• The auto examination permit costs $10, and the pair of red GDL decals costs $4.
• You must pass a vision screening and the knowledge test before the permit is validated.
• Basic license applicants need 20/50 vision, with or without glasses or contacts.
• A GDL permit is valid for two years.

Which permit fits you

If you are 16, the special learner permit is your only option. You sign up for a behind-the-wheel course approved by the New Jersey Department of Education or run by a commercial driving school. The course is six full hours in a dual-control car. Your instructor buys the permit, and the MVC validates it only after the course is finished.

From 17 you can use the examination permit instead. You buy it at an MVC Licensing Center, pass the tests and then practice with a supervising driver. Adults 21 and over use the same permit.

Documents: the 6 Points of ID

The MVC scores identity documents. You need at least one primary document, such as a U.S. birth certificate or passport, and at least one secondary document, adding up to six points. You also need one proof of your New Jersey home address. Applicants under 18 can use a parent or guardian's address statement on the consent form. Documents must be originals or certified copies, in English or with an approved translation.

If you want a REAL ID instead of a Standard license, the rule becomes 2+1+6: two proofs of address, one proof of your full Social Security number and six points of ID. Our New Jersey 6 Points of ID guide walks through examples.

Your permit visit, step by step

1. Book an appointment at an MVC Licensing Center that offers driver testing.
2. Bring your ID documents, proof of address, Social Security proof and, if under 18, the signed consent form.
3. Pay the permit fee and the decal fee.
4. Pass the vision screening and the knowledge test.
5. Have the permit validated before you drive. A permit that has not been validated cannot be used for practice.

Common mistakes

• Bringing photocopies. The MVC wants originals or certified copies.
• Using a laminated birth certificate or Social Security card. Laminated documents are not accepted.
• Driving on an unvalidated permit. Practice is only allowed after validation.
• Assuming a nickname or old surname will match. If your name changed, bring the legal proof that links the names.

Test yourself: Getting your New Jersey learner permit

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Getting a First New Jersey License as an Adult Over 21
• NJ Permit Test
• New Jersey Permit Practice Test