Getting your Alaska learner permit

By the end of this topic you can

• You can gather the documents the DMV asks for.
• You can explain who may sign parental consent and how.
• You can state the vision standard and the permit fee.
• You can describe who is allowed to supervise you.
• You can say how long a permit lasts and how often it can be renewed.

What you need to know and understand

• The minimum age is 14.
• You must pass a vision test and a written knowledge test.
• The vision standard is at least 20/40 in each eye or with both eyes together, with glasses or contacts if you need them.
• The original permit fee is $15. Instruction permits have no REAL ID version.
• A permit is valid for two years and can be renewed only once. The DMV fee list shows $5 for a renewal.
• Your supervisor must be a licensed driver aged at least 21 with at least one year of experience in the same type of vehicle, sitting beside you.
• Under 18, the person who signs consent may be held liable for damage caused by your negligent driving.

Your document checklist

• A completed application, form D1.
• One primary document proving your name, date of birth and lawful presence, such as a certified US birth certificate or a valid US passport. Hospital and baptismal certificates are not accepted.
• Proof of your Alaska home address, such as a utility bill, bank statement or school record. A P.O. box is not accepted.
• Your Social Security number. You do not need the card, but the number must match Social Security records.
• Name change documents if your name differs from your primary document.
• Under 18: parental consent plus proof of relationship, such as your birth certificate.

Parental consent: who signs and how

A parent or legal guardian signs the consent section on the back of form D1 in front of DMV staff. If they cannot come with you, they complete form 433 and sign it in front of a notary. A legal guardian means one appointed by a court, with papers to prove it.

Step-parents and foster parents cannot sign unless they hold the right notarized power of attorney. A separate consent is needed for each type of permit or license. Only the person who signed can withdraw consent, in writing, and the DMV then cancels the permit.

Practicing legally once you have it

In a car, your supervisor must sit in the seat beside you. They must be at least 21 and have held a license for that type of vehicle for at least a year. Carry your permit every time you drive.

Students in an approved driver training course can be issued a special permit (class IE), valid only while a licensed driving school instructor is supervising. Driver education is optional in Alaska.

Common mistakes

• Bringing a hospital birth certificate. The DMV needs a certified birth certificate from a government vital records office.
• Arriving without a parent and without a notarized form 433. The DMV cannot issue a permit to a minor without consent.
• Forgetting glasses or contacts for the vision test. If you need them to pass, you must wear them when driving.
• Practicing with a 19-year-old sibling. Supervisors must be at least 21.

Test yourself: Getting your Alaska learner permit

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Alaska Permit Practice Test
• Alaska Permit Test
• Learning to Drive in Alaska