How to Apply for a New Driver’s License in Georgia

1.

New drivers licenses cannot be obtained online or by mail. Instead, you must apply for a new license in person at a local DMV. While there, you must pass a vision screening, a written exam and a skills test. To make sure that you are prepared, download our informative online drivers license guide. Our guide contains everything you need to know to complete this application easily and quickly. In it, you will get in-depth details on how to complete other important licensing transactions, such as updating personal information on your license, renewing your license and replacing a lost one.

2. In Person at the DMV

To obtain a new drivers license at the DMV, you must submit identification documents and pass mandatory tests. A birth certificate or passport can verify your name and age, and a utility bill can prove your state residency. Generally, you must pass a written knowledge exam and a road skills test. You must also fill out a drivers license application form and pay the applicable fees. However, you may not know which forms to complete or if you are already eligible to take your exams. Arriving at the DMV unprepared may result in long wait times and potential mistakes, which could mean having to redo the process.

Before you get your very first drivers license in Georgia, it is important to be aware of certain information, such what you need to get your license, the eligibility requirements for a license and the important paperwork you must present when you apply. Understanding this information ahead of time can make the entire process much simpler and can save you a lot of valuable time when you visit the DDS office.

Georgia has strict graduated DDS drivers license laws for young drivers between the ages of 15 to 18. These laws include a variety of different drivers license requirements to be fulfilled before a regular, non-restricted license can be obtained. Because of these laws, it is important to understand that the process of getting a license as a teenager is very different from obtaining a license for the first time as an adult. Therefore, it is recommended that you take the time to understand what is required of you depending on your age when applying for a license.

How to Apply for a Drivers License in Georgia as an Adult (18 or Older)

As mentioned above, when you apply for a drivers license as an adult, the requirements are very different than if you apply as a teenager. When you are 18 years of age or older, you can directly apply for and get a regular Class C license that allows you to drive without restrictions. You also do not need to hold a learners permit or participate in a drivers education course. To learn more about applying for a Class C license as an adult, read the following sections.

Also, if you are wondering where to get the GA drivers license, the answer is that you must visit your local Department of Driver Services (DDS) location. Getting your first drivers license online is not an option in Georgia, although other services may be completed online.It is crucial that you meet the driving license requirements set in place in Georgia as an adult before you can be issued an unrestricted Class C license. These requirements include that you must be at least 18 years old and you must pass a knowledge, road skills and vision exam.

To get a DDS drivers license, you must follow particular steps. These steps are as follows:

  1. Visit your local DDS office.
  2. Fill out a license application form.
  3. Pass a vision exam.
  4. Pass a knowledge exam.
  5. Pass a road skills test.
  6. Present documentation showing your identity, residential address, full Social Security number and U.S. citizenship or proof of lawful status in the U.S.
  7. Pay the license fee of $32.

Getting a Georgia Drivers License as a New Resident

Drivers license services laws in Georgia state that you must obtain a valid Georgia state license within 30 days of becoming a new resident in the state. To get your new GA drivers license, you must visit any Customer Service Center to surrender your out-of-state license and present proof of identity, residency and citizenship. You must then pay the $32 license fee and then you will be given a Georgia license.

How to Apply for a Drivers License in Georgia as a Teen (Younger Than 18)

Because of the strict Georgia graduated driving license laws, it is very important that you are fully aware of what the requirements are for you as a license applicant younger than 18 years of age. To get your license, you must participate in a three-step process where you get an instructional permit first, then obtain a restricted intermediate license and finally graduate to a full unrestricted license.

You must meet certain drivers license eligibility requirements to get a Class D intermediate license in Georgia, also called provisional or restricted license. These requirements include the following:

  • You must be between the ages of 16 and 18.
  • You must have held a valid instructional permit for at least one year and a day.
  • You must have completed 40 hours of driving with 6 of those hours being at night.
  • You must pass a driving test.
  • If you are 16, you also must have completed a driver education course approved by the DDS.

If you meet all of the Georgia drivers license requirements mentioned above, you can officially apply for a license.

You can gain a lot of valuable drivers license information by participating in a drivers education course in the state of Georgia. However, whether or not drivers ed is a mandatory requirement for getting a license depends on your age when you apply for your Class D provisional license as a teenager. If you are 16 years of age, you are required to enroll in and successfully complete a driver education course approved by the Georgia Department of Driver Services. If you are 17 years of age or older, you are not required to participate in a driver education course.

Steps to Get a New Drivers License in Georgia (Younger Than 18)

Before applying for a drivers license, you must hold an instructional permit (CP) for at least one year and a day. To obtain a Georgia instructional permit you must be at least 15 years of age and do the following:

  1. Visit your local DDS office.
  2. Pass a vision exam.
  3. Pass a knowledge exam.
  4. Have a parent, guardian, responsible adult or authorized driver training instructor sign the application for the permit.
  5. Present documentation showing your identity, residential address, full Social Security number and U.S. citizenship or proof of lawful status in the U.S.
  6. Pay the CP permit fee of $10.

It is important to know how to get a drivers license as a teenager. You should note that you can get your new license after you have held the instructional permit for a minimum of one year and a day. To apply for the provisional DDS license, you must:

  1. Visit your local DDS office.
  2. Surrender your instructional permit.
  3. If you are 16, provide proof of completion of a drivers education course.
  4. Pass a vision exam.
  5. Pass a road skills test.
  6. Complete a driving license application form and have a parent, guardian, responsible adult or authorized driver training instructor sign it.
  7. Present documentation showing your identity, residential address, full Social Security number and U.S. citizenship or proof of lawful status in the U.S.
  8. Pay the provisional class D license fee of $10.

Once you have your provisional license, you can upgrade to an unrestricted class C driver license online once you turn 18 years old.

Georgia Drivers License Costs

It is important to understand the drivers license cost you must pay when applying for a license or a permit. The fees are as follows:

  • Regular driver license: $32
  • Provisional driver license: $10
  • Instructional permit: $10
Last updated on Tuesday, February 12 2019.

Sources

  1. Apply for a New GA License from Georgia.gov
  2. Teen Drivers from Georgia.gov
  3. Provisional Driver's License from Georgia.gov

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