Photo: formulanone from Huntsville, United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In Georgia you can apply for a Class CP instructional permit (learner’s permit) once you turn 15. Applicants under 18 bring identity and residency documents, proof of school enrollment and a responsible adult to sign. You then pass a vision exam and the knowledge exam and pay $10. This checklist covers what to bring and the rules once you have the permit.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Minimum age: 15.
- Fee: $10, paid before the knowledge exam and again for every attempt.
- Valid for 2 years.
- Supervisor: licensed Class C driver, at least 21, sitting beside you.
- You must hold it for 1 year and 1 day before a Class D.
Before you go: submit the online form
DDS requires the online License/ID/Permit Form before any Customer Service Center visit. Your information stays on file for 60 days, so submit it close to your visit date. Your full Social Security Number goes on this form.
Georgia learner’s permit document checklist
1. Proof of identity (one document, U.S. citizens)
- U.S. birth certificate, original or certified copy with a raised seal
- Unexpired U.S. passport or passport card
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Certificate of Naturalization or Certificate of Citizenship
Non-citizens bring an identity document and a lawful status document from DDS’s immigration document table. DDS does not accept translated documents.
2. Proof of Georgia residency (two documents)
The two must come from separate sources or accounts and show your name and home address. P.O. boxes do not count. School records are on the list, including a transcript, report card or form DS-1, which helps teens who have no bills in their name. Bank statements and utility bills must be dated within the past 6 months.
3. Proof of school enrollment (under 18, choose one)
- A notarized Certificate of School Enrollment form from your school
- A transcript from your most recent school (it does not have to be certified)
- Your most recent progress or grade report
- A current school ID card
- Home-schooled: a Certificate of Enrollment or Declaration of Intent to Utilize a Home Study Program filed with the Georgia Department of Education
- Not in school: high school diploma, GED, special diploma, certificate of high school completion, or proof of enrollment in a GED program or post-secondary school
4. A responsible adult (under 18)
A parent, legal guardian, responsible adult or authorized driver training instructor must come with you and sign. They must bring paperwork showing their relationship to you. DDS’s list includes:
- Parent, legal guardian or stepparent
- A social worker who has worked with you
- An employee of a homeless shelter where you live
- A certified driver training instructor with notarized authorization
The person who signs can ask DDS to revoke your permit at any time before you turn 18.
5. Other items
- Any out-of-state license, permit or ID, which you surrender. If it was lost, bring a driving record (MVR) from that state dated within the last 60 days.
- All documents must be in English and show your first and last name.
At the Customer Service Center
- Show your documents.
- Pass the vision exam: at least 20/60 in one eye, with or without glasses, and a 140-degree field of vision.
- Pay the $10 fee.
- Pass both knowledge tests, Road Signs and Road Rules, with 15 of 20 correct on each (Georgia DDS permit test).
- Have your photo taken.
Knowledge exams are walk-in. Start at least 30 minutes before closing.
Rules while you hold a Georgia permit
- Your supervisor must be at least 21, hold a license to drive Class C vehicles, be fit and able to take control, and sit in the seat beside you.
- Carry your permit whenever you drive and show it to police if asked.
- No holding a phone while driving (Hands-Free Georgia Act for teens).
- Points and suspensions still apply. Under 18, 4 points in 12 months means suspension.
- You need the permit for behind-the-wheel driver education training.
Plan your year on the permit
The earliest route to a Class D is a permit on your 15th birthday and a road test at 16. You must have held the permit for 1 year and 1 day. During that year, finish:
- Driver education under Joshua’s Law
- 40 hours of supervised driving, 6 at night
- ADAP or eADAP
Then see Class D rules for what changes after you pass.
Common questions
Can I get my Georgia permit before 15?
No. DDS says applicants must be at least 15.
Does the school enrollment form need to be notarized?
The Certificate of School Enrollment form must be notarized. A transcript, grade report or school ID are alternatives.
Who can supervise me on a Georgia permit?
Anyone at least 21 who holds a Class C license and sits beside you. It does not have to be a parent.
Can my 19-year-old sibling supervise?
No. The supervisor must be at least 21.
How long is the Georgia permit valid?
2 years.
I moved from another state with a permit. Does my time count?
For the Class D, DDS counts out-of-state permit time if the permit is transferred to Georgia. The total must still be 1 year and 1 day. See Moving to Georgia.
Back to the main guide: Learning to drive in Georgia.
Sources
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Get a Learners Permit (Class CP)” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Section 2: Obtaining a License, Permit or Identification Card”, Georgia Driver’s Manual (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Section 6: Teen Driving Laws”, Georgia Driver’s Manual (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Section 1: General Licensing Information” and “Section 1 Continued”, Georgia Driver’s Manual (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Fees and Terms” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Joshua’s Law Requirements” (dds.georgia.gov)