Photo: Tamanoeconomico, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you move to Idaho, you must get an Idaho driver’s license within 30 days, even if your old license has not expired. Drivers transferring from another US state must pass the Idaho knowledge test, but usually not the skills test. Foreign license holders always take the knowledge test, and most also take the skills test. This guide is for new Idaho residents from other states and other countries.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Deadline: 30 days after you start living in Idaho (also 30 days for a CDL).
- US transfers: knowledge test required; skills test only if your license expired 25 months or more ago.
- Foreign licenses: knowledge test always; skills test unless an exemption below applies.
- Knowledge test fee: $5. Skills test fee: $35.
- Vehicle: title and register it in Idaho within 30 days too.
Who does not need an Idaho license
- College or university students in Idaho who hold a valid license from another state and claim residency there.
- Active-duty US military, their spouses and dependents, who hold a valid license from another state and claim residency there.
Transferring a license from another US state
- Gather your documents (list below).
- Go to a county driver’s license office. Offices are run by county sheriffs and/or assessors, and some take appointments.
- Pass the vision screening (20/40 in at least one eye, with or without lenses).
- Pass the Class D knowledge test: 40 questions, miss no more than 6. See the Idaho knowledge test guide.
- Surrender your out-of-state license or ID card.
- Pay the license fee (for example, $35 for a 4-year license at 21 and over, or $60 for 8 years at 21 to 62).
Skills test needed? Only if your out-of-state license has been expired 25 months or more, or if your vision, a medical condition or a county agent’s concerns require one. See the Idaho skills test guide.
From a US territory, the rules are the same as moving from another state: surrender your license and pass the knowledge test, with no skills test.
Moving to Idaho with a teen driver
- A teen with a license from another state does not need to complete Idaho’s supervised driving period or prove driver education.
- A teen under 17 who completed driver training in another state (while living there) but was not licensed must prove completion of an approved course from that state, and complete a supervised driving period before licensing.
- Under 18s need a liability signer and school compliance verification.
- Idaho’s under-16 and under-17 restrictions apply to Idaho licenses. See the Idaho GDL rules.
Foreign Class D licenses
| Where your license is from | Surrender it? | Knowledge test | Skills test |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Not required | Yes | No |
| Korea or Taiwan, if you surrender it | Your choice | Yes | No |
| Korea or Taiwan, if you keep it | Your choice | Yes | Yes |
| Any other country | Not required | Yes | Yes |
- If you have never held a CDL anywhere, you do not have to surrender your foreign license or provide a driving record.
- Once you hold an Idaho Class D license, you may not show or use your foreign license to drive. Doing so is a misdemeanor.
- Foreign nationals prove name and date of birth with a valid foreign passport, plus acceptable lawful presence documents.
- If you are not a citizen or permanent resident, your license expires at the end of your lawful stay or after 4 years, whichever is sooner. If your DHS documents show no end date, it expires 1 year after issue.
- ITD does not issue international driving permits. Contact AAA.
Visiting rather than moving? See driving in the US on a foreign license.
Documents to bring
- Proof of age and identity: surrendering a state photo license or ID together with a US birth certificate showing your full legal name and date of birth is enough. An out-of-state license alone is not accepted as identity. No photocopies or faxes.
- Name change proof, if your name differs from your birth certificate: a certified marriage certificate or court order.
- Social Security card or number, verified with the Social Security Administration.
- Proof of Idaho residency: a lease, utility bill, employment or school records, dated within 1 year.
- Lawful presence documents, if applicable: for example a US passport, permanent resident card, employment authorization card, or foreign passport with I-94.
Getting a Star Card when you transfer
The Star Card is Idaho’s REAL ID. It is optional, but since May 7, 2025 you need it, a passport or another federally accepted ID to fly commercially or enter federal buildings such as military bases. Getting it at the same visit saves a trip. You need:
- Proof of identity and lawful presence (such as a certified birth certificate or permanent resident card)
- Name change documents, if applicable
- Social Security number
- Two different proofs of Idaho residency showing your physical address, such as a mortgage statement or current utility bill
ITD’s “Add the Star” tool builds a personal document list. More: REAL ID and your license.
Your car: title, registration and insurance
- Title and register your vehicle within 30 days of moving. Bring the vehicle, its current title and registration, and your ID. A DMV employee inspects the VIN.
- Plates are made to order and mailed. ITD says to allow 6 weeks.
- Minimum liability insurance: $25,000 for injury or death of one person, $50,000 for two or more people, and $15,000 for property damage, in any one accident. Idaho verifies insurance electronically.
See car insurance for new drivers.
Common questions
Do I have to take a test to transfer my license to Idaho?
Yes, the knowledge test. The skills test is only needed if your license has been expired 25 months or more, or in the other cases ITD lists.
How long do I have to get an Idaho license after moving?
30 days, whether or not your old license has expired.
Can I keep my foreign license?
Yes, for a Class D license you are not required to surrender it. But you cannot use it to drive once you hold an Idaho license. Korea and Taiwan license holders who keep theirs must take the skills test.
Do I need the skills test with a license from Canada or Mexico?
For a Class D license, ITD names only Germany, Korea and Taiwan as exceptions. Other foreign drivers, including from Canada and Mexico, take a skills test.
I am a student in Idaho from another state. Do I need an Idaho license?
Not if you hold a valid license from your home state and claim residency there.
What if my old state license expired long ago?
If it expired 25 months or more ago, you are treated as needing both the knowledge and the skills test.
Related: moving to a new state. Back to the Idaho learner driver guide.
Sources
- Idaho Transportation Department, “Idaho Driver’s Handbook” (July 2026) (itd.idaho.gov)
- Idaho Transportation Department, “New to Idaho” (itd.idaho.gov)
- Idaho Transportation Department, “Star Card” (itd.idaho.gov)
- Idaho Transportation Department, “Taking the Driver’s Test” (itd.idaho.gov)