Getting your Colorado learner permit

By the end of this topic you can

• You can pick the right permit route for your age.
• You can explain what the affidavit of liability is and who signs it.
• You can gather the kind of documents the DMV asks for.
• You can describe who is allowed to supervise you on a permit.
• You can say how long a permit lasts.

What you need to know and understand

• Ages 15 to 15 and a half (current rules): finish an approved 30-hour driver education course within six months before applying.
• Ages 15 and a half to 16 (current rules): finish a 4-hour driver awareness program or the 30-hour course.
• Ages 16 to 17 (current rules): no course is required before the permit, but training is recommended.
• From January 1, 2027: ages 15 to 17 need the 30-hour course; ages 18 to 20 need the 30-hour course or the 4-hour program.
• Applicants under 18 need a parent, guardian or other qualifying adult to sign an affidavit of liability.
• The written driving knowledge test is required at every age.
• A permit expires three years after it is issued, or at 21 for a minor if that comes first.
• Adults 18 and older on a permit may drive with any licensed driver aged 21 or older in the front seat.

Step by step to your permit

1. Check which age route applies to you and finish any required course.
2. Pass the driving knowledge test, in a DMV office, through an approved driving school or tester, or online with the DMV's @Home test.
3. Book a visit to a state driver license office. Passing online does not give you the permit by itself.
4. Bring proof of identity, lawful presence and Colorado residence. The DMV notes a school ID alone is not enough.
5. If you are under 18, bring the adult who will sign the affidavit of liability.
6. Pass the eyesight check, have your photo taken and pay the fee.

Who can sit beside you

For a minor's permit, your supervisor must be the parent, stepparent, grandparent with power of attorney, guardian or foster parent who signed the affidavit, and they need a valid Colorado license. If that adult has no Colorado license, they can appoint an alternate permit supervisor who is 21 or older with a valid Colorado license.

The signer may also let you drive with another licensed driver aged 21 or older for extra practice, but those hours do not count toward the required 50-hour log. An approved driver education instructor may also supervise you in a marked training car.

Fees and paperwork to confirm

Fees change, and some driving schools and testers add their own charges, so check the current amounts with the Colorado DMV before you go. Our separate guide to the Colorado permit test covers online versus in-office testing in more depth, and the SB 251 guide explains the standard license option for applicants who cannot show lawful presence.

Common mistakes

• Turning up without the adult who must sign the affidavit of liability.
• Bringing only a school ID as proof of identity.
• Assuming an online pass means you can start driving straight away. You still need the permit from an office.
• Missing the six-month window: at 15, your driver education course must have been completed within the last six months.

Test yourself: Getting your Colorado learner permit

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

Go deeper

• Colorado Permit Test
• Colorado Permit Practice Test
• Colorado SB 251 Driver’s License