Pennsylvania Learner’s Permit and the DL-180 Physical Exam

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Every Pennsylvania learner’s permit starts with the DL-180, the Non-Commercial Learner’s Permit Application, and its back page is a physical exam your health care provider must complete. The physical can be done no earlier than six months before your 16th birthday, and the form is then valid for one year from the exam date. This guide covers the physical, the parent consent form, vision standards, documents, fees and the rules once you hold the permit.

Key facts

• Apply on or after your 16th birthday; the physical can be done up to six months before.
• DL-180 valid one year from the physical exam date.
• Under 18: parent or guardian consent on form DL-180TD.
• Vision below standard: you get form DL-102 for an eye doctor.
• Fee (as of November 2026): $45.50 for the initial permit and four-year license.
• Permit valid one year.

The DL-180 physical: timing and what it involves

• Who completes it: your health care provider fills in the back of the DL-180. Every section must be completed.
• Earliest date: no earlier than six months before your 16th birthday.
• How long it lasts: one year from the exam date. If you have not passed the knowledge test within that year, you need a new DL-180.
• Medical review: if the examiner cannot tell whether the form meets medical standards, your permit may be delayed and more exams may be required. A condition that seriously impairs driving can mean a dual-control learner’s permit and lessons with a certified instructor.

Worked example

A learner turns 16 on June 1. The physical can be done from December 1 of the year before. The DL-180 then stays valid until the anniversary of the exam date, so a December 1 physical covers testing until the following December 1, about six months after the 16th birthday.

Parent or Guardian Consent Form (DL-180TD)

If you are under 18, a parent, guardian, person in loco parentis, or spouse aged 18 or older completes the DL-180TD. If that person cannot come with you, they must sign it in front of a notary. They need proper ID, and proof of relationship if last names differ. The DL-180TD is also where a parent can consent to the organ donor designation for an under-18.

Other choices on the forms. You can ask for the organ donor or veterans designation on your license; veterans need an other than dishonorable discharge. You can also add an optional donation to the organ donation or veterans’ trust funds. PennDOT must collect your Social Security number, but it is not printed on your permit or license and is not part of your public driving record.

Pennsylvania vision standards and the DL-102

Your vision is screened at the Driver License Center unless your health care provider or optometrist tested it for the DL-180. Poor vision in one eye does not automatically stop you getting a license, but you may be required to wear glasses or contacts, be limited to daylight driving, or drive only vehicles with side mirrors. If you do not meet the standard, the examiner gives you a Report of Eye Examination (DL-102). An optometrist, ophthalmologist or family doctor completes it, then you return to continue testing.

Documents checklist for a Pennsylvania learner’s permit

• Completed DL-180 (do not mail it).
• DL-180TD if under 18.
• Original proof of date of birth and identity. The back of the DL-180 lists what is accepted.
• Your Social Security card (signed).
• Over 18: two proofs of residency, such as current utility bills, a W-2, tax records, a lease, mortgage documents or a current weapons permit (US citizens only).
• Payment: debit or credit card, check or money order payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. No cash.

Pennsylvania learner’s permit fees (as of November 2026)

PennDOT’s junior permit guide (PUB 178) lists $63.50 for Class C and Class M permits together. Check the Payments and Fees page before you pay.

Junior learner’s permit rules (under 18)

• Drive only with a licensed driver aged 21 or older, or a licensed parent, guardian, person in loco parentis, or spouse aged 18 or older, sitting in the front seat.
• No more passengers than seat belts.
• Wait six months from the permit issue date and complete 65 hours of practice before the road test. See the 65-hour log guide.
• Driving in another state on a PA permit: check with your insurer and that state first. See driving with a permit in another state.

Extending or replacing a permit (DL-31)

If your permit expires or you fail the road test three times, apply with form DL-31. PUB 178 says you do not need another physical unless three years have passed since your last one. If you have not passed the road test within three years of the physical, you start over with a new DL-180 and retake the knowledge test.

Common questions

Can my school nurse or any doctor do the DL-180 physical?

The manual says your health care provider completes the back of the form. Check the DL-180 itself for who may sign.

Can I get the physical done before I turn 16?

Yes, up to six months before your 16th birthday. You still cannot apply for the permit until you are 16.

How long is a Pennsylvania learner’s permit good for?

One year from the issue date.

Does my parent have to come with me?

Not if they sign the DL-180TD in front of a notary.

What happens if I fail the vision screening?

You get a DL-102 for an eye doctor to complete, then return to the center to continue.

What is on the knowledge test?

See the Pennsylvania permit test guide. For every step to a full license, see learning to drive in Pennsylvania.

Sources

• PennDOT, “Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual, PUB 95 (4-21)” (pa.gov)
• PennDOT, “Chapter 1: Applying for a Learner’s Permit”, Online Driver’s Manual (pa.gov)
• PennDOT, “Get a Learner’s Permit” (pa.gov)
• PennDOT, “A Guide to Obtaining a Pennsylvania Junior Learner’s Permit and Junior Driver’s License, PUB 178 (7-23)” (pa.gov)
• PennDOT, “Payments and Fees” (pa.gov)