The learner's permit is your first step: you can't apply for any license without one. It lets you practice driving with an experienced adult beside you while you prepare for the road test.
Minimum age to apply for a Class D or Class M learner's permit
Handbook p. 23 ↗Know the rule
A permit lets you drive only when accompanied by a licensed operator at least 21 years old. It is valid up to two years. If it expires, you must retake the learner's permit exam and pay the required fees again.
Handbook p. 23 ↗Steps to earn your permit:
- Study this manual
- Complete an application (online saves time), reserve a Service Center visit and submit it
- Under 18? Have a parent or guardian sign your application
- Meet the RMV's identification requirements
- Pay the $30 learner's permit exam fee
- Have your photo and signature captured electronically
- Pass a vision test, or submit an RMV Vision Screening Certificate
- Pass the learner's permit exam
Know the rule
Under 18, you need written consent from a parent, legal guardian, social worker or boarding school headmaster, signed on the back of the application. Forging a signature may result in suspension or revocation.
Handbook p. 12 ↗Know the rule
On the application you must disclose any physical, mental or medical condition, or any medication, that might affect your ability to drive.
Handbook p. 23 ↗Vision standards for Class D or M
| Corrected vision (better eye) | Result |
|---|---|
| 20/40 or better, plus 120° peripheral (both eyes) | Full license |
| Between 20/50 and 20/70 | May be eligible for a daylight-only license |
Know the rule
The clerk screens visual acuity, color vision and peripheral vision. If you normally wear contacts or glasses to see at a distance, wear them for the screening. If you fail or can't take it, you may submit a Vision Screening Certificate from your ophthalmologist or optometrist.
Handbook p. 12 ↗Know the rule
Your photo must show your whole face: no eyeglasses (even prescription), sunglasses, masks, hats or Bluetooth headsets. A head cover worn for medical or religious reasons may be allowed if it hides no facial features.
Handbook p. 12 ↗Know the rule
Your permit does not become a license until you pass the road test and pay all license fees. You can prepay the road test and license fees when you get your permit; then your license is mailed automatically after you pass.
Handbook p. 23 ↗Know the rule
If you pass the exam online but can't print the permit, the RMV prints and mails it in five to seven business days. A permit is not a travel ID: most airlines and cruise ships won't accept it.
Handbook p. 24 ↗Put it into practice
You're 16 and your eye screening shows 20/60 in your better eye with glasses on. You won't qualify for a full license, but you may be eligible for a daylight-only license, and your license would carry the corrective lenses restriction.