Photo: Fernando Capetillo, Pexels
Most US states allow some people with low vision to drive using a bioptic telescope, a small telescope mounted on the top of a pair of glasses. The rules differ a lot from state to state. A typical pattern: you meet a minimum acuity through your ordinary lenses (the “carrier”), reach a higher acuity through the telescope, complete specialist training, pass a road test while wearing the bioptic, and start with a daylight-only license. Many states do not let you use the telescope to pass the DMV vision screening. The table below separates rules from official state sources from details that come only from secondary or manufacturer summaries.
How to read the table
- Official means the rule comes from the state’s own DMV page, form, regulation or statute (November 2026). Confirm the full rule with the state before you apply.
- Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) means the regulation or statute text comes from a legal reprint site such as Cornell LII, Justia or FindLaw, not the state’s own site. Check it is still current.
- Check with the state DMV means the details come from a manufacturer’s summary or other secondary source. Treat them as a starting point only and ask the state’s DMV or medical review unit for the current rule.
- Carrier acuity is your best vision through the glasses, without the telescope. Telescope acuity is your vision looking through the telescope.
Bioptic driving rules in all 50 states and DC
Source key: Official, Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) or Check with the state DMV, as explained above.
| State | Bioptic driving? | Key figures | Training, test and restrictions | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not to meet the standard | Standard: 20/60 or better in at least one eye; the rule says no one may use a bioptic telescopic or similar lens to meet the acuity standard | Daylight-only and other restrictions possible for low acuity (not bioptic-specific) | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| Alaska | Reported yes | Reported: case by case on an eye specialist’s report | Check with the state | Check with the state DMV |
| Arizona | Yes | Bioptic may be used in the vision screening; 20/40 in at least one eye; binocular 20/50 or 20/60 means daylight only; field 70 degrees temporal and 35 nasal in at least one eye; 4x maximum | Eye exam form from a physician or optometrist at application and every year after | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| Arkansas | Conflicting reports | Secondary sources disagree on whether bioptics are allowed | Check with the state | Check with the state DMV |
| California | Yes | Better than 20/200 best-corrected in at least one eye without the telescope; the telescope can’t be used to pass the screening | DL 62 from your eye doctor, then a driving test (SDPE) wearing the bioptic; license restricted to wearing it; daylight-only if you passed in daylight | Official |
| Colorado | Yes | If carrier acuity is worse than 20/100, the telescope must correct vision to at least 20/40 | Eye report on form DR 2402; check other conditions with the DMV | Official |
| Connecticut | Yes, since 1 October 2022 | DMV must license bioptic wearers who otherwise meet its vision standards and license requirements (Public Act 22-44) | Check figures, training and restrictions with the DMV | Official |
| Delaware | Reported yes | Check with the state | Check with the state | Check with the state DMV |
| District of Columbia | Reported yes | Reported: on a doctor’s recommendation | Reported: restriction on the license | Check with the DC DMV |
| Florida | Not to meet the standard | Standard: 20/70 in either eye or both eyes, field 130 degrees; telescopic lenses may not be used to meet it | FLHSMV says drivers wearing telescopic lenses get a field revocation for inadequate vision | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia); FLHSMV field rule: official |
| Georgia | Yes | Carrier worse than 20/60 but better than 20/200; telescope 20/60; prescribed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist | Training certified by the prescribing doctor; standard driver education course wearing the bioptic; road test; restrictions may include daylight only, outside mirrors, area, time, no interstate and yearly eye exams; reviewed after 1 year; renew every 2 years | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| Hawaii | Reported yes | Reported: you must meet the standard without the telescope | Check with the state | Check with the state DMV |
| Idaho | Reported yes | Reported: not to pass the vision test | Check with the state | Check with the state DMV |
| Illinois | Yes | Carrier 20/100 or better; telescope 20/40 or better; field 140 degrees (or 70 temporal and 35 nasal with one eye); maximum 3.0x wide angle or 2.2x standard | Lenses owned 60 days before applying; Class D only, daylight only; night privileges considered after 12 months of daylight driving and a night road test; annual vision specialist report | Official |
| Indiana | Yes | Carrier no worse than 20/200; telescope 20/40 or better; 4x maximum; 120 degrees horizontal field | Certificate of Vision for Bioptic Drivers; BMV-approved bioptic driver rehabilitation program; no motorcycle endorsement | Official |
| Iowa | No | Iowa will not issue a license to anyone who must wear bioptic telescopic lenses to meet the acuity standard | Not applicable | Official |
| Kansas | Reported yes | Reported: case review by the state | Check with the state | Check with the state DMV |
| Kentucky | Yes | Carrier 20/200 in the better eye; telescope 20/60; field 120 degrees horizontal and 80 vertical | Road test over a bioptic route, by day and by night; daytime restriction if recommended or after failing the night exam; left and right outside mirrors | Official (Kentucky Driver Manual, updated July 2026) |
| Louisiana | Yes | Carrier 20/200, 110 degrees horizontal (one eye: 40 temporal, 30 nasal); telescope 20/60 without field expanders | 30 hours behind-the-wheel with an approved bioptic instructor; skills test by a certified third-party tester; Class E only, no motorcycles; daylight only, no adverse weather; night after 1 year at 20/40 and a night test | Official |
| Maine | Not to meet the standard | BMV vision forms say telescopic or bioptic lenses may not be used for the acuity test | Check with the state | Official |
| Maryland | Yes | Carrier 20/100 in one or both eyes; field 150 degrees (100 with one eye); telescope 20/70 without field expanders | Bioptic owned 60 days; instruction; skills test wearing it; Class C up to 10,000 lb; Medical Advisory Board if the condition is medical or unstable. The 1997 statute adds daylight only and night after 1 year at 20/40 | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Telescope 20/40; carrier 20/100; field 120 degrees; 3x maximum, fixed focus, one eye only | See the Massachusetts guide | Official |
| Michigan | Yes | BTL restricted license: at least 20/50 in one eye (rule amended 12 May 2025); check any carrier figure with SOS | Behind-the-wheel BTL training with a qualified professional, then a road test; check any daylight or no-freeway limits with SOS | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| Minnesota | Reported case by case | Reported: the eye doctor notes bioptic use on the vision form | Check with the state | Check with the state DVS |
| Mississippi | Yes | Must meet the Department of Public Safety vision guidelines (check the figures with DPS) | Low vision specialist evaluation and lens training; driving permit; instruction by a Driver Services Bureau-approved provider; road test at the Jackson headquarters; limited license valid 1 year; restrictions possible | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia); figures: check with the state |
| Missouri | Driving aid only | You must pass the vision test up to 20/160 without the telescope; the telescope may only supplement your vision | 20/41 to 20/59: daylight only; 20/60 to 20/74: daylight only and 45 mph; 20/75 to 20/160: referred for a driving examination and a conditional license | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| Montana | Reported yes | Reported: may be used to meet the standard | Check with the state | Check with the state MVD |
| Nebraska | Yes | Acuity through the telescope must meet the state acuity standard (a 20/80 reading means denial); field through the carrier lens at least 100 degrees | License expires every year; annual driving demonstration before an examiner to renew | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| Nevada | Yes | Telescope 20/40; carrier 20/120; field 130 degrees; stable condition | Comprehensive road test; corrective lens, telescope and outside mirror restrictions; daylight only; 45 mph maximum; yearly vision exam and yearly driving test | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| New Hampshire | Reported yes | Reported: bioptic lens exam | Check with the state | Check with the state DMV |
| New Jersey | Reported yes | Reported: 20/50 through the telescope | Check with the state | Check with the MVC |
| New Mexico | Reported yes | Reported: not to pass the test | Check with the state | Check with the state MVD |
| New York | Yes | Check acuity figures with the DMV | MV-80L eye report to the Medical Review Unit; lenses used 60 days first; no clip-on or hand-held telescopes; Class D or DJ only; “TELESCOPIC LENS” restriction; road test may be required | Official |
| North Carolina | Yes | Carrier 20/200 with 70 degrees horizontal field (one eye: 40 temporal, 30 nasal); telescope 20/70 without field expanders | Eye report on a DMV form; behind-the-wheel training and assessment; road test; daylight only; night needs 20/40 through the telescope | Official |
| North Dakota | Yes | Carrier 20/130 in each eye; bioptic 20/40; full peripheral field in both eyes | Road test if acuity is below 20/60; acuity-based restrictions include daylight only, vision rechecks, a field report (105 degrees) and an outside mirror | Official |
| Ohio | Yes | Acuity through the device and field with the device must meet Ohio’s standard rule | No commercial, motorcycle or moped license; driving exam by at least two BMV examiners; daytime restriction until a night exam and night training | Official |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Carrier 20/60 (20/50 with one eye) and field 70 degrees (75 with one eye); or carrier no worse than 20/100 with 20/60 through a device of 4x or less | Vision report; extra testing and training may be required; new drivers: daylight only, no interstates, 45 mph; may ask to lift restrictions after 36 months with no crashes; no CDL | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| Oregon | Yes | Best-corrected acuity in the better eye from 20/80 to 20/200; field 120 degrees horizontal, 80 vertical | Report of Limited Vision Examination; DMV-certified Rehabilitation Training Specialist; limited vision learner’s permit; drive test; daylight only unless night training is certified; recertify every 2 years | Official |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Field 120 degrees; telescope acuity sets restrictions (below 20/50 daylight only); the telescope can’t be used to meet the acuity standard | 10 hours passenger training, then a bioptic permit and 65 hours of driving (20 with a specialist); no freeways; up to 10,000 lb; night after 1 year if better than 20/40 | Official |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Carrier 20/100; telescope 20/40; 3x maximum; one eye only; field 120 degrees; no clip-on or hand-held telescopes | Daylight-only restriction; night driving needs a night driving test | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| South Carolina | Yes (statute) | Bioptic law S.C. Code 56-1-222 (2016); bill text: carrier 20/120, telescope 20/40 | Bill text: bioptic training course, road test with the bioptic, daytime restriction possible, no motorcycle or commercial license. SCDMV manual (2026): annual Low Vision Acuity Screening (Form 412-LV) to SCDMV Driver Improvement | Official |
| South Dakota | Reported yes | Reported: may be used during the vision test | Check with the state | Check with the state DPS |
| Tennessee | Yes | Carrier 20/200 with a full field (central loss up to 5 degrees); telescope 20/60; 4x maximum; field 150 degrees without field expanders | Training with a certified instructor before applying; eye report after 60 days of use, renewed yearly; restrictions may include daylight only, 50 mph, outside mirrors, area or time limits and no interstate | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
| Texas | Reported yes | Check the vision guidelines with DPS | Check with the state | Check with Texas DPS |
| Utah | No | Utah DLD guidance says telescopic lenses are not allowed for driving | Not applicable | Official |
| Vermont | Reported yes | Check with the state | Check with the state | Check with the state DMV |
| Virginia | Yes | Carrier 20/200 with 70 degrees horizontal (one eye: 40 temporal, 30 nasal); telescope 20/70 without field expanders | Eye report for Medical Advisory Board review; half an hour after sunrise to half an hour before sunset; night after 1 year at 20/40 and a night skills test | Official |
| Washington | Yes, with re-examination | Anyone using bioptic or telescopic lenses to meet the standard is referred for re-examination | Check with the state | Official; details: check with the state DOL |
| West Virginia | Yes | Must meet the commissioner’s acuity and field standards with the bioptic, without field expanders (figures not in the statute) | Class G permit and license; approved program with at least 30 hours behind the wheel; road skills exam; daytime only, liftable after 36 months with no at-fault crash plus night training and a night exam; yearly eye report | Official; figures: check with the state |
| Wisconsin | Not to meet the standard | Bioptics are not “corrective lenses” under the rule and may not be used to meet acuity if they cut the field below standard; WisDOT says they may not be used to meet standards. Standard: 20/100 in one eye, 20 degrees temporal field | Vision specialist referral and driving evaluation below 20/40 | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia); WisDOT page: official |
| Wyoming | Yes | Denied only if carrier is worse than 20/100 and the telescope does not correct to at least 20/40; field 120 degrees | Check with the state | Legal reprint (Cornell/Justia) |
Which states don’t allow bioptic driving?
Two states shut the door on official sources. Utah’s Driver License Division says telescopic lenses are not allowed for driving. Iowa will not license anyone who must wear bioptic telescopic lenses to meet its acuity standard. Florida, Alabama, Maine, Missouri and Wisconsin do not let the telescope count toward the vision standard, so you must meet it with ordinary lenses.
Some secondary lists are wrong. Nebraska and Wyoming rules both provide for bioptic drivers, and Connecticut has had a bioptic law since 1 October 2022. For Arkansas, its vision statute does not mention bioptics, so ask the Office of Driver Services in writing.
Can you use the bioptic to pass the DMV vision test?
Usually not. California says you may not wear the lens to pass the vision test. Pennsylvania’s regulation says telescopic correction is not acceptable for meeting the acuity requirements, even though the state runs a bioptic program. Missouri says you must pass up to 20/160 without the telescope. In these states the telescope is a driving aid on top of a minimum carrier acuity. Ohio, Arizona and Nebraska are different: acuity is measured through the device.
Common restrictions on a bioptic license
| Restriction | Examples (official) |
|---|---|
| Daylight only | Virginia, Louisiana, North Carolina: half an hour after sunrise to half an hour before sunset. Pennsylvania permit: 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before sunset |
| Night driving later | Virginia, Louisiana, Maryland statute: 20/40 through the telescope, 1 year licensed and a night test. Illinois: 12 months of daylight driving plus a night road test |
| Road type | Pennsylvania: no freeways; may be limited to a radius around home. Oklahoma (new drivers): no interstates. Georgia and Tennessee: no interstate driving possible |
| Speed | Nevada and Oklahoma: 45 mph maximum. Tennessee: 50 mph maximum possible |
| Vehicle type | Louisiana: Class E only, no motorcycles. New York: Class D or DJ. Ohio and Indiana: no motorcycle |
| Weather | Louisiana: no driving in adverse weather |
| Equipment | Kentucky and Nevada: outside mirrors. Rhode Island: no clip-on or hand-held telescopes |
Learner permits and training
- See a low vision specialist (optometrist or ophthalmologist) who prescribes and fits the bioptic. Several states want you to own it first: 60 days in Illinois, New York, Maryland and Tennessee, three months in Pennsylvania.
- Get the state eye report. Examples: California DL 62, New York MV-80L, Pennsylvania DL-102BD, Oregon Report of Limited Vision Examination.
- Train with a specialist. This is often a Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) or a state-approved instructor. Pennsylvania requires 65 hours in total; Louisiana and West Virginia require at least 30 hours behind the wheel.
- Take the road test wearing the bioptic.
- Expect renewals with eye reports. Illinois wants a report every year, and Oregon recertifies every 2 years.
For evaluations and adapted equipment in general, see learning to drive with a disability in the US. Ordinary acuity and field standards are in the vision test by state guide and the regional guides for the Northeast, South, Midwest and West.
State bioptic guides
- California bioptic telescope rules
- Illinois bioptic driving
- Indiana bioptic driver program
- Kentucky Bioptic Driving Program
- Louisiana bioptic driving
- Maryland bioptic telescope license
- Massachusetts bioptic license rules
- Michigan bioptic telescopic lens license
- New York bioptic driving
- North Carolina bioptic driving rules
- Ohio bioptic license rules
- Pennsylvania bioptic driving
- Tennessee bioptic driving
- Virginia bioptic driving rules
Back to the US guide to driving with a medical condition or disability.
Want to practise the eyesight check? Our sister site Driving Eyesight Test has a free US letter chart on drivingeyesighttest.com. It is a practice screen, not an eye test, and it does not test bioptic use.
Sources
- California DMV, “Vision Conditions” and “Report of Vision Examination (DL 62), rev. 8/2024” (dmv.ca.gov)
- Illinois Secretary of State, “Medical and Vision Conditions” (ilsos.gov), and Illinois Administrative Code Title 92 Part 1030 (ilga.gov)
- Indiana BMV, “Driver Ability Program” (in.gov) and “Certificate of Vision for Bioptic Drivers” (forms.in.gov)
- Kentucky General Assembly, 2022 Acts Chapter 116 and KRS 186.579 (apps.legislature.ky.gov), and Kentucky State Police, “Kentucky Driver Manual” (updated July 2026)
- South Carolina DMV, “Driver’s License Manual” (2026), section 3 (scdmvonline.com)
- Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles, “Policy 9.01 Bioptic Telescopic Lenses”, revised 25 November 2025 (powerdms.com/ladpsc), under R.S. 32:403.5
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article section 16-110.2” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Massachusetts RMV, medical standards for drivers: vision (mass.gov)
- New York DMV, “Eye Test Report for Medical Review Unit (MV-80L)” and “Driver License Restrictions for Medical Conditions” (dmv.ny.gov)
- North Carolina General Assembly, “G.S. 20-7” (ncleg.gov), and NCDMV, “Certificate of Behind the Wheel Bioptic Driver Training (DL-77BT)” (ncdot.gov)
- Ohio Administrative Code, “Rule 4501:1-1-33” (codes.ohio.gov)
- Oregon DMV, “Limited Vision” driving privileges page (oregon.gov)
- Pennsylvania DMV, “Driving with Bioptics” (pa.gov), and Pennsylvania Code Title 67 section 83.3 (pacodeandbulletin.gov)
- Virginia General Assembly, “Code of Virginia section 46.2-312” (law.lis.virginia.gov)
- Washington State Legislature, “WAC 308-104-010” (app.leg.wa.gov)
- Alabama Administrative Code r. 760-X-20-.14; Arizona Administrative Code R17-4-503; Georgia Comp. R. & Regs. 375-3-5-.08; Oklahoma Administrative Code 260:135-5-52; Tennessee Comp. R. & Regs. 1340-01-13-.10; Florida Administrative Code 15A-5.011; Missouri 12 CSR 10-24.090; Nevada Administrative Code 483.410 and 483.415; Wisconsin Administrative Code Trans 112.02 and 112.14; Wyoming Code R. 045-1, Chapter 1, section 16; Nebraska Administrative Code Title 247, Chapter 7, section 002; Rhode Island 280-RICR-30-05-4.3; Code of Maryland Regulations 11.17.05 (text via law.cornell.edu)
- Iowa Administrative Code 761-605.3 (legis.iowa.gov); North Dakota Administrative Code 37-08-01 (ndlegis.gov); West Virginia Code chapter 17B, article 2B, as enacted by 2008 Enrolled Committee Substitute for H.B. 4139 (code.wvlegislature.gov)
- Mississippi Code 63-1-34.1 (codes.findlaw.com) and 32 Miss. Code R. 22-3.21.2 (law.cornell.edu)
- Official sources consulted: Utah DLD “Category I Visual Disorder” (rev. 2024, dld.utah.gov); Connecticut General Statutes 14-45a and Public Act 22-44 (cga.ct.gov); Colorado form DR 2402 (rev. 08/15/25, dmv.colorado.gov); Maine BMV form MVE-103 (rev. 5-23); Michigan Administrative Code R 257.3; South Carolina S.21 of 2015-2016, Act 196 (scstatehouse.gov); Kentucky Office of Vocational Rehabilitation Bioptic Driving Program (kcc.ky.gov); FLHSMV “Medical Review” (flhsmv.gov)
- Rows marked “check with the state DMV”: manufacturer and secondary summaries used as a starting point only, not official sources