Learner Permit Lost or Expired? How to Replace or Renew It (US)

Photo: OregonDOT, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

If your US learner permit is lost or damaged, you can usually order a replacement (a duplicate) from your state DMV, online or in person, for a small fee. If it has expired, the rules depend on your state. Some states let you renew it, some make you reapply and retake the knowledge test, and some do not allow renewal at all. This FAQ covers how long permits last in a range of states, when you have to retest, and what happens to the hours you have already logged.

Key facts

• Permit validity ranges widely: from 180 days for West Virginia’s regular (non-GDL) permit to 5 years in South Dakota, among the states checked here.
• Several states do not allow renewal. Arkansas, Maine and DC (for US citizens) are examples.
• Letting a permit lapse can mean retaking the vision and knowledge tests. Maine and Massachusetts both say so.
• Logged practice hours are usually yours to keep, but the minimum holding period may restart in some states. Hawaii is one example.
• Driving on an expired permit is driving without a valid permit. Do not do it, even with a supervisor.

My learner permit is lost or damaged: what do I do?

1. Stop driving until you have the permit or a replacement. Most states require you to carry it when you drive.
2. Check your DMV’s online services. Many states let you order a duplicate online if your details have not changed.
3. If online is not offered, visit a DMV office with proof of identity. A teen may need a parent or guardian.
4. Pay the duplicate fee set by your state. Check the current fee on the DMV’s fee page.
5. Report a stolen permit to the police if you think someone may misuse it, and tell the DMV.

A replacement normally keeps the original issue date and expiry date. It does not restart your holding period.

How long is a learner permit valid in each state?

Figures as of November 2026, from each state’s motor vehicle agency. Rules for adults, foreign nationals and special permits can differ. Check the detail on your state’s permit page.

My permit expired: do I have to retake the test?

It depends on the state and how long ago it expired.

• Retest required: Maine (reapply, retake vision and written tests), Massachusetts (reapply, retake the exam), Nevada (after more than 30 days), Hawaii (more than 90 days late).
• Renewal without retesting: possible in states with a renewal option, such as Alaska (once), Minnesota, Missouri and Wyoming, within their rules.
• Test score expiry: even before you get the permit, some passes run out. Mississippi’s knowledge exam score is valid for 2 years and New Jersey’s test results for 2 years.

If you need to retake the knowledge test, see US permit test by state and the waiting periods in retake waiting periods by state.

What happens to my logged driving hours?

Your supervised-hours log is a record you or your parent keep, so it does not disappear when the permit card expires. What can change is whether the hours and the holding period still count:

• Holding period: in California, time already held counts toward the six months if you reapply. Bring both the expired and the new permit to the drive test. In Hawaii, a minor who renews 31 to 90 days late has road test eligibility restart at 180 days from the renewed permit’s issue date.
• Hours: states generally ask a parent to certify that the required hours were completed. Keep the log, including the dates, so you can show when the practice happened.
• Night hours: make sure the log separates night hours. You will need them whatever happens to the permit.

Hour requirements by state: supervised driving hours by state.

How to avoid an expired permit

• Write the expiry date in your phone calendar the day you get the permit, with a reminder 60 days earlier.
• Count backward from the expiry: you need time to meet the holding period, finish the hours, and get a road test slot.
• In busy areas, book the road test early. Tips: how to book a DMV test appointment.
• If expiry is close and you have not passed, ask the DMV about renewal before the date, not after.

Common questions

Can I drive with an expired learner permit if my parent is with me?

No. An expired permit is not a valid permit, so a supervisor does not make it legal.

Do I need new documents to replace a lost permit?

Usually you need proof of identity, and sometimes more if your name or address has changed. Check your state’s replacement page.

Does replacing a permit reset my six months?

A duplicate normally keeps the original issue date, so it should not. Ask the DMV to confirm if you are unsure.

Can I renew my permit online?

Some states allow it and some require an office visit. Nevada, for example, says to renew in person.

What if my permit expired while I was waiting for a road test date?

Contact the DMV straight away. You may need to renew or reapply before the test, and you cannot drive to the test on an expired permit.

I failed the road test several times. Does that affect my permit?

In some states, yes. Pennsylvania, for example, asks you to apply with form DL-31 if you fail the road test three times.

Back to the main guide: learning to drive in the USA.

Sources

• Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles, “Instruction Permit” (dmv.alaska.gov)
• Arizona Department of Transportation MVD, “Permit Test (at Home or in an Office)” (azdot.gov)
• Arkansas State Police, “Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, Volume 1, Edition 10” (media.ark.org/dps)
• California DMV, “Instruction Permits” (dmv.ca.gov)
• Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Get Your Colorado Permit and Driver License (Under 21)” (dmv.colorado.gov)
• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Learner Permits and Provisional Licenses” (dmv.dc.gov)
• Hawaii Department of Transportation, “What you need to know about Hawaii’s Graduated Licensing Program” (hidot.hawaii.gov)
• City and County of Honolulu, Department of Customer Services, “Driver’s License Procedures” (honolulu.gov)
• Illinois Secretary of State, “Instruction Permit Requirements” and “Fees” (ilsos.gov)
• State of Indiana FAQs, “How long is a learner’s permit good for?” (faqs.in.gov)
• Iowa Department of Transportation, “Instruction Permit for Under Age 18” (iowadot.gov)
• Maine Legislature, “Title 29-A, section 1304: Learner’s permits” (legislature.maine.gov)
• Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Drivers License Exam” (maine.gov)
• Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, “Apply for a passenger (Class D) learner’s permit” (mass.gov)
• Minnesota Legislature, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, “Minnesota Statutes 2026, section 171.05 Instruction permit” (revisor.mn.gov)
• Mississippi Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau, “Regular Learner’s Permit” and “Knowledge Testing” policy (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov)
• Missouri Department of Revenue, “Missouri Graduated Driver License Law” and “Missouri Driver Guide” (dor.mo.gov)
• Indiana BMV, “Indiana Driver’s Manual” (July 2026) (in.gov)
• Arizona MVD, “Driver License Manual 99-0117” (azdot.gov)
• Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, “Get a Teen Instruction Permit” (dmv.nv.gov)
• New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, “New Jersey Driver Manual 2026” (nj.gov)
• North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, “Driver and Traffic Safety Education Program Administrative Policies & Procedures Manual” (dpi.nc.gov)
• PennDOT, “Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual, PUB 95 (4-21)” and “Get a Learner’s Permit” (pa.gov)
• South Dakota Department of Public Safety, “Driver Licensing Information for Teen Drivers and Parents” (sd.gov)
• West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles, “Regular (non-GDL) Instruction Permit” (dmv.wv.gov)
• WYDOT Driver Services, “Learner Permits” (dot.state.wy.us)