Photo: Kaotate, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
This guide is for Mississippi permit holders under 17 and the parents, teachers or guardians who supervise them. Mississippi does not currently give a road test for a regular Class R license. Instead, an adult signs the Affidavit for Road Test Waiver. It swears that you have held your permit for at least a year, have had at least 50 hours of driving instruction, and can drive safely.
Key facts
- No road test at this time: the Driver Service Bureau (DSB) says no skills (road) test is required of any applicant for a regular license at present.
- Who needs the affidavit: applicants under 17. It is not required at 17 or older.
- Who can sign: a parent, teacher or guardian.
- What they swear: the permit has been held at least one year, you have had a minimum of 50 hours of driving instruction, and you are proficient in safe driving.
- Legal basis: the form cites Section 63-1-33 of the Mississippi Code.
Do you have to take a driving test in Mississippi?
Not at the moment. The DSB’s Class R page says that, at this time, no skills test is required of any applicant for a regular driver’s license. The manual says an original license needs three things: a passed vision exam, a passed computerized exam, and the 50-hour affidavit. From July 1, 2027, proof of certified driver’s education is added.
Because no examiner checks your driving, the person who signs is taking real responsibility. Practice as if a road test were coming. For what other states test, see US road test by state.
What the Mississippi road test waiver affidavit says
The DSB form is titled “Affidavit for Road Test Waiver”. It records:
- your name, address, date of birth, age and Social Security number
- the name of the parent, teacher or guardian giving the attestation
- their statement that you have held the permit for at least one year
- their statement that you have had at least 50 hours of driving instruction
- their statement that they gave you the training and guidance, and that you can drive safely and properly
- their signature, the date and their title, under a sworn declaration that the information is true
The form does not ask for a log or for night hours. The DPS Model Mentor Guide includes an optional driving log you can use to track your hours.
When you hand in the affidavit
At 16, once you have held your learner’s permit for 12 months (or reached your 17th birthday, if that comes first), bring:
- your valid learner’s permit
- an up-to-date school attendance form (valid for only 30 days)
- the signed Waiver of Road Testing Affidavit
- the license fee: $24 for 4 years (as of November 2026)
Your knowledge exam score is valid for 2 years. Hand in the affidavit within that time and you do not need to retake the exam.
Who does not need the affidavit?
- Applicants 17 and older. The DSB says the affidavit is not required. You pass the knowledge and eye exams and can get the permit and license on the same day.
- Drivers with an out-of-state license held 6 months or more, aged 16 and over. You do not need to hold a Mississippi permit first.
Planning the 50 hours: a practical plan
The Model Mentor Guide on the DSB site is written for the adults teaching new drivers. Its sample plan runs to about 60 hours, more than the 50 the affidavit requires, and it suggests covering:
| Experience | Sample hours in the guide |
|---|---|
| Basic driving actions (empty lot) | 3 |
| Light and moderate traffic, daylight | 11 |
| Light and moderate traffic, night | 10 |
| Expressway driving, day and night | 6 |
| Complex environments, day and night | 8 |
| Adverse conditions, day and night | 6 |
| Typical first-months situations | 8 |
| Summation and evaluation | 8 |
Tips from the guide:
- Start in an empty parking lot, and keep early sessions short.
- Give directions early: say where the action happens first, then the action, as in “at the next intersection, turn left”.
- Say “that’s correct”, not “right”.
- Turn off phones and avoid passengers at first.
- Use commentary driving: the learner says out loud what they see and plan to do.
For how Mississippi’s 50 hours compare, see supervised driving hours by state.
What to practice before the adult signs
With no examiner, use this checklist drawn from the Mississippi manual:
- Parallel parking with the tires within 12 inches of the curb, and hill parking with the wheels turned correctly.
- Turning around in a confined space (a three-point turn).
- Signaling at least 100 feet before a turn and turning into the correct lane.
- Four-way and two-way stops: who goes first.
- Right on red only after a complete stop.
- Stopping at least 10 feet from a school bus with its lights flashing.
- Merging onto and leaving an interstate, and keeping 7 car lengths at 70 mph.
- Night driving: dimming within 500 feet of other vehicles.
- Passing cyclists with at least 3 feet of space.
- What to do when pulled over by law enforcement.
Learners in other states often fail on the same skills. See common reasons people fail the US driving test.
Common questions
Can a grandparent or older sibling sign the Mississippi road test waiver?
The form names a parent, teacher or guardian. If the adult supervising you is someone else, ask the DSB before relying on their signature.
Does the affidavit need to be notarized?
The waiver form itself has a sworn declaration and signature line, but no notary block. Your license application, however, must carry a notarized parent or guardian signature if you are under 17.
Do I need a driving log in Mississippi?
The affidavit does not ask for one. The Model Mentor Guide’s log is a good way to show the 50 hours were real.
Is the road test coming back?
As of November 2026, the DSB says no road test is required at this time. Driver’s ed becomes required from July 1, 2027. Check the DSB Class R page before applying in case the testing rules change.
I am 17. Do I need 50 hours?
No affidavit is required at 17 or older. Practice is still worth doing before you drive alone.
See the full guide to learning to drive in Mississippi, the teen license rules and the driver’s ed requirement.
Sources
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau, “Regular Driver License, Light Commercial, Class D” (Class R page) (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov)
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau, “Affidavit for Road Test Waiver” form (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov)
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau, “Regular Learner’s Permit” (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov)
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety, “Driver’s License Manual” (revised December 2024) (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov)
- Mississippi Department of Public Safety, “Model Mentor Guide” (revised October 2025) (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov)