Photo: Michael Rivera, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
For a Georgia Class CP learner’s permit you need one proof of identity, two proofs of Georgia residency, your full Social Security number on the online form and, under 18, proof of school enrollment and a responsible adult to sign. Every Georgia license and permit is built on REAL ID documents, so there’s one list for everyone. This checklist covers exactly which documents DDS accepts and the small rules that get people turned away.
Quick checklist
- Online License/ID/Permit Form submitted (within the last 60 days)
- 1 proof of identity (original or certified)
- Full Social Security number entered on the online form, plus proof if it fails to verify
- 2 proofs of Georgia residency, from different sources
- Name change documents, if your name differs from your identity document
- Under 18: 1 proof of school enrollment
- Under 18: a parent, guardian, responsible adult or authorized instructor, with proof of relationship
- Any out-of-state license, permit or ID to surrender
- Glasses or contacts, and $10
Before anything: the online form
DDS requires the online License/ID/Permit Form before you visit a Customer Service Center. Your full Social Security number goes on it. Your information is kept for 60 days. After that you must submit it again.
Proof of identity (bring 1)
U.S. citizens bring one of these:
- U.S. birth certificate or amended birth certificate: original or certified copy, with a raised seal, issued by a Bureau of Vital Statistics or State Board of Health. U.S. territories and the District of Columbia count.
- Unexpired U.S. passport or passport card.
- Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240, FS-545 or DS-1350).
- Certificate of Naturalization (N-550, N-570), certified copy.
- Certificate of Citizenship (N-560, N-561), certified copy.
Minors may use a passport. If proof of guardianship is needed, DDS asks for a certified birth certificate or court documents.
Social Security number
You type your full number on the online form, and DDS checks it electronically. You only need a paper proof if the check fails. Then DDS accepts, among others:
- Social Security card (original or copy)
- SSA printout with your name and full number
- W-2, 1099, SSA-1099 or pay stub showing your name and full number
- Federal or state tax return with your name and full number (this also works for dependents, which helps teens)
- Medicare or Medicaid card with your full number
You can cross out account numbers and money figures, as long as your name and number stay readable. If none of these fix the problem, DDS sends you to the Social Security Administration.
Proof of Georgia residency (bring 2)
The two documents must come from separate sources or separate accounts and show your name and current home address. P.O. boxes don’t count. Accepted categories:
| Category | Examples | Date rule |
|---|---|---|
| Household | Mortgage, signed lease, deed, property tax bill, homeowners insurance | Current or previous calendar year |
| Rental | Rental contract or rent receipt (including dorms) | Within 6 months |
| Government | Social Security or benefits documents, tax return or refund check, voter registration card, USPS change of address confirmation, jury summons, DDS correspondence | Current or previous calendar year |
| Financial | Bank, credit union, investment, credit card or loan statement | Within 6 months |
| Utility | Water, gas, electricity, cable, internet, phone or garbage bill | Within 6 months |
| Motor vehicle | Registration, title, insurance policy or card | Current year or within 6 months |
| Employer | Pay stub, W-2, letter on company letterhead | Current or previous calendar year |
| School | Transcript or record for the current or prior school year, report card, student loan papers, form DS-1 | Current or prior school year |
| Medical | Health insurance statement, explanation of benefits, medical bill | Current or previous calendar year |
Tip for teens: a school record is on the residency list, so a 15-year-old with no bills can often use a report card or form DS-1 plus one more document in their own name, such as a bank statement. A letter on letterhead from a shelter or similar facility, dated within 6 months, counts as stand-alone proof.
Proof of school enrollment (under 18, bring 1)
- A notarized Certificate of School Enrollment form (DDS-1) from your most recent school
- A transcript (doesn’t need to be certified)
- Your most recent progress or grade report
- A current school ID card, or another valid school-issued document
- Home-schooled: a Certificate of Enrollment or a 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 completion, or proof of enrollment in a GED program or college
The adult who signs (under 18)
A parent or guardian, a responsible adult or an authorized driver training instructor must come with you and sign the form. They must bring paperwork showing their relationship to you. The signer can ask DDS to revoke your permit at any time before you turn 18.
Name changes
If your identity document shows a different name from your current legal name, bring certified documents showing every change. That can be a court order, adoption decree, marriage certificate or divorce decree stating the change, or a U.S. passport in the new name.
Non-U.S. citizens
Bring one identity document and, where required, one lawful status document from DDS’s table. Common pairs:
| Identity document | Lawful status document |
|---|---|
| Unexpired foreign passport with U.S. visa (F-1, F-2, M-1, M-2, J-1, J-2) | I-20 or DS-2019, plus a valid I-94 or I-797A |
| Unexpired foreign passport with U.S. visa (A, B, E, H, I, L, O, P, Q, R or S) | Valid I-94 or I-797A |
| I-551 (green card) | Not required |
| I-766 with category C08 or temporary protected status | Not required |
DDS doesn’t accept translated documents, and it issues the license in the name exactly as it appears on your original immigration documents. Bring original immigration documents for every service. See also getting a US license on a student visa.
Rules that trip people up
- All documents must show your first and last name.
- All documents must be in English.
- Out-of-state license, permit or ID: you surrender it. If it was lost or stolen, bring a driving record (MVR) from that state dated within the last 60 days. The other state can fax it to DDS.
- Residency documents must be from two different sources.
At the center
Show your documents, pass the vision exam, pass the Road Signs and Road Rules knowledge exams, have your photo taken and pay $10. Fees and booking: Georgia license fees and test booking. Practice first: Georgia permit practice test.
Common questions
Do I need my Social Security card?
Not usually. You enter your full number on the online form. Bring the card or another listed proof in case it fails to verify.
Can my parent’s utility bill prove my address?
The residency documents must show your name. Use documents in your own name, such as a school record and a bank statement. Ask DDS what applies if you have none.
Does the school enrollment form have to be notarized?
The DDS-1 form does. A transcript, grade report or school ID card doesn’t need notarizing.
Can I bring photocopies?
Identity documents must be originals or certified copies. A Social Security card can be an original or a copy.
Will my Georgia permit be a REAL ID?
Georgia licenses and IDs issued after 2012 are REAL ID-compliant and carry a star. Only one physical card (license or ID) can have the star. More: REAL ID and your first license.
Who counts as a “responsible adult”?
DDS’s examples include a stepparent, a social worker who has worked with you, a homeless shelter employee where you live, or a certified instructor with notarized authorization.
More: Georgia instructional permit at 15 (rules once you have it), moving to Georgia, and the full learning to drive in Georgia guide. Other states: US first permit documents checklist.
Sources
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Learners Permit” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “REAL ID” and “Acceptable REAL ID Documents” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Fees and Terms” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Section 2: Obtaining a License, Permit or Identification Card”, Georgia Driver’s Manual (dds.georgia.gov)