Getting your Georgia learner permit

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list the documents DDS needs to issue a first permit.
• You can explain the school enrollment and responsible adult rules for applicants under 18.
• You can state the vision standard and the permit fee.
• You can prepare for your visit by submitting the online form first.

What you need to know and understand

• You can apply for a Class CP permit at 15 or any time after.
• You need proof of identity, U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, and two documents showing your Georgia address.
• You must know your full Social Security Number, which DDS checks electronically.
• Under 18, you need proof of school enrollment and a responsible adult to sign your application.
• The minimum vision standard is 20/60 in at least one eye, with or without glasses, and a 140-degree field of vision.
• The fee is $10, paid before each test attempt, and it is not refunded if you fail.
• DDS asks you to complete the online License/ID/Permit Form before you visit.

Your document bundle

Georgia permits are issued to REAL ID standards, so the first visit needs original or certified documents. Bring:

• One identity document, such as a certified birth certificate or a valid U.S. passport.
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence (a U.S. birth certificate or passport covers this for most citizens).
• Your full Social Security Number, or proof that you are not eligible for one.
• Two documents showing your Georgia home address, dated within the last six months, for example utility or phone bills.
• If you are under 18, proof of school enrollment, such as a notarized Certificate of School Enrollment (form DDS-1) from your school, a recent transcript or report card, a current school ID, a diploma or GED, or a home study declaration.

The responsible adult

Applicants under 18 must bring a responsible adult who signs the application and completes the Responsible Adult Affidavit. This can be a parent, legal guardian or stepparent, and in some cases a social worker, a shelter employee or a certified driver training instructor with notarized authority.

Signing is a real responsibility. Until you turn 18, the person who signs can ask DDS to cancel your permit for any reason.

What happens on the day

If you cannot pass the vision screening, DDS gives you a Vision Report Form (DS-274) for an eye doctor to complete. Our documents checklist and our permit-at-15 guide cover the paperwork in more detail.

1. Submit the online License/ID/Permit Form through DDS Online Services before you go.
2. Visit any DDS Customer Service Center. The knowledge exam is walk-in, but you must start at least 30 minutes before closing.
3. Hand over your documents and have your Social Security Number verified.
4. Pass the vision screening on the testing machine.
5. Pay the $10 fee and take the Road Signs and Road Rules tests.
6. If you pass, you get your permit. The permanent card is mailed to you.

Common mistakes

• Bringing photocopies. DDS needs originals or certified copies of identity documents.
• Bringing residency documents older than six months, or ones that do not show your current home address. Check the dates and addresses before you leave home.
• Arriving late in the day. If you are not at the testing computer 30 minutes before closing, you will be turned away.
• Forgetting glasses. If you wear them to pass the screening, your license will carry a corrective lenses restriction anyway, so bring them.

Test yourself: Getting your Georgia learner permit

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

Go deeper

• Georgia Learner’s Permit at 15
• Georgia Learner Permit Documents Checklist
• Georgia Permit Test