Photo: Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
To get a California instruction permit as a teen you must be at least 15½, have a driver education certificate, and have a parent or guardian sign your application. You then pass a vision test and the knowledge test at a DMV office. This checklist is for teens and parents getting ready for that first DMV visit.
California learner’s permit checklist (under 18)
- Age at least 15½ and under 18.
- Certificate of Completion of Driver Education, or a Certificate of Enrollment in an integrated driver education and driver training program.
- Completed California Driver’s License & ID Card Application, started online in your own MyDMV account.
- Parent or guardian approval. Your parent or guardian needs their own MyDMV account to approve the application. With joint custody, both parents must sign.
- Proof of identity.
- Two proofs of California residency (exceptions may apply).
- A legal full name document if your identity document and application names differ.
- Your Social Security number (exceptions may apply).
- The application fee (non-refundable).
- A DMV office appointment, with a parent or guardian coming with you.
Want a REAL ID card? Check the extra document rules in the REAL ID checklist.
Step by step
- Do driver education first. It is 30 hours of classroom instruction, or an online or home-study course that meets the same standard, from a DMV-licensed school or a high school. See driver education and training explained.
- Start the application online. Create your MyDMV account and fill in the application.
- Parent or guardian approves it. By signing, they accept financial responsibility for your driving.
- Book an appointment and upload documents.
- At the DMV office: show documents, pay the fee, take the vision test, have your photo taken and take the knowledge test. Prepare with the California knowledge test guide.
- Start driver training. Your permit is not valid for driving until a professional driving instructor validates it when you begin behind-the-wheel training.
Choosing a driving school
- The school must be licensed and bonded by the DMV. Check its status with the DMV Occupational License Lookup.
- Instructors carry a DMV instructor ID card. You can ask to see it.
- Some high schools also offer driver education and training.
- Complaints about a licensed school go to the DMV; complaints about a public or private high school go to the local school district.
How long the permit and application last
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Application and fee | Valid 12 months from the date you apply |
| Holding period before the drive test | At least 6 months (or until you turn 18) |
| Application expires before 6 months are up | Reapply at a DMV office; time already held counts |
| On test day | Bring both your expired and valid permits |
What you can do with the permit
- Drive only with a California-licensed driver aged 25 or older who sits close enough to take control.
- Build up 50 hours of practice, 10 at night. See the 50-hour requirement.
- No phone use while driving, even hands-free, except to call for emergency help.
Special cases
- Aged 17½ to 18: you can get a permit without driver education or training certificates, but you cannot take the drive test until you turn 18.
- Driver education done out of state: the DMV accepts a letter signed by an official of your out-of-state secondary school confirming the courses are equivalent to a California course (form DL 33). An out-of-state permit is not proof of driver education.
- Parents can withdraw consent at any time with form DL 142 (Request for Cancellation or Surrender of a Driver License or ID Card). This cancels the permit or license.
Common questions
Can I get my California permit at 15?
No. You must be at least 15½.
Do I need to finish driver’s ed before applying?
You need a certificate of completion, or a certificate of enrollment if you are in an integrated driver education and training program.
Can I drive as soon as I pass the knowledge test?
No. The permit only becomes valid when your driving instructor validates it at the start of behind-the-wheel training.
Do both parents have to sign?
If your parents share joint custody, yes. Otherwise one parent or guardian signs.
What if I fail the knowledge test?
Wait 7 days (not counting the day you failed) and try again. You get three attempts before you must reapply.
Who pays if I crash while learning?
The parent or guardian who signs accepts financial responsibility. The car must also have at least the state minimum insurance: see California insurance minimums.
Back to the full roadmap: learning to drive in California.
Sources
- California DMV, “Instruction and Learner’s Permits” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Section 2: Getting an Instruction Permit and Driver’s License” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Teen Drivers” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Driver Training Schools” (dmv.ca.gov)
- California DMV, “Parent-Teen Training Guide (DL 603)” (dmv.ca.gov)