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

Georgia new drivers license applicants must visit a Georgia Department of Driver Services office to obtain credentials to drive. Obtaining your first driving license involves fulfilling requirements such as passing a written drivers test as well as a road skills test. First-time driving license applicants qualify for a provisional drivers license, which carries restrictions such as time of day the licensee may operate a motor vehicle.

Did you know? 60 percent of beginner drivers fail the written driving test the first time. To beat this statistic, use our DMV driving practice test to view questions that will appear on the actual CA DMV written drivers exam.

Navigate through the topics below for a thorough overview of how to get drivers licenses in Georgia.

Types of Drivers Licenses in Georgia

Figure out which class of GA driving license you need to obtain. The GA DDS issues both commercial and noncommercial driving license types including motorcycle licenses.

• Class C drivers license - license to drive a single vehicle not weighing more than 26,000 pounds.
• Class CP learners permit - permit for driving issued to applicants starting at 15 years of age which carries certain restrictions.
• Class D provisional drivers license - driving license for teens 16-18 years of age that carries nighttime driving and passenger restrictions.
• Class M motorcycle license - license to drive motor-driven cycles issued to applicants at least 17 years of age.
• Class A, B, and C commercial drivers licenses (CDL) - for drivers of commercial vehicles.

First-Time Driver (Under 18) in Georgia

Georgia new drivers license applicants must visit a Georgia Department of Driver Services office to obtain credentials to drive. Obtaining your first driving license involves fulfilling requirements such as passing a written drivers test as well as a road skills test. First-time driving license applicants qualify for a provisional drivers license which carries restrictions such as time of day the licensee may operate a motor vehicle.

For more information, visit our Learner's Permit page.

Georgia New Drivers (Over 18)

Georgia new drivers license applicants who have never previously held a driving license from any state must obtain a Class D provisional drivers license from the Georgia Department of Driver Services. A provisional license is issued to beginner drivers and requires that the driver have minimum of 40 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience to qualify for a license to drive.

GA Driver's Study Guide and Driver's Practice Test

Adult drivers who seek a first-time driving license can brush up on their test-taking skills by utilizing a driving practice test. Our Georgia practice permit test contains essential information on traffic rules and regulations in addition to sample questions that are based upon the official Georgia DDS written drivers test.

How to Apply for Drivers Licenses in GA

Georgia drivers license applicants must be prepared to appear in-office to obtain their driving qualification. During your office visit, you will need to present the following types of documentation to complete a drivers license application:

• Proof of identity.
• Proof of Social Security Number.
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence.
• Proof of Georgia residency.

GA Drivers License Eligibility Requirements

Georgia driving license applicants must be at least 16 years of age. Interested applicants must also meet other eligibility requirements, such as having held an instructional permit for driving for a least one year plus a day, before they can apply for a provisional license.

GA Written/Driving Test

A GA DMV drivers test is mandatory for new drivers to take. The written portion of the test is completed at the time of application for a Georgia learners permit. Once they qualify for a license to drive, applicants will have to pass the road skills test to obtain their GA drivers license.

To prepare for the drivers exam, take our DMV practice test to aid you in familiarizing yourself with Georgia traffic laws and road signs.

GA Driving Test

The Georgia DMV driver's test is designed to measure a driving license applicant's ability to operate a motor vehicle. The examiner will ride in the front passenger's side as the applicant demonstrates the following basic driving functions:

• Correct driving posture.
• Ability to stop quickly and safely.
• Ability to follow traffic signs and signals.
• Ability to parallel park.

Make a DMV appointment to schedule your drivers license test.

Drivers have the option of completing a behind-the-wheel course for additional practice.

New Georgia Resident

Drivers license applicants new to Georgia must transfer their out-of-state driving credentials within 30 days of becoming an in-state resident. The applicant must also surrender their drivers license from their previous state of resident at the time of application. Doing so will exempt the new resident from taking the knowledge test and road skills test. Passing a vision screening is, however, required.

To obtain a GA driver's license as a new resident, bring the following documentation to a GA DDS office:

• Proof of identification.
• Proof of Social Security Number.
• Proof of Georgia residential address.

New Georgia residents will also need to get their vehicles registered along with transferring their car titles upon applying for drivers licenses. Apply for an initial automobile registration with a Tax Commissioner's Tag office near you.

Replace Driver's License in Georgia

Apply for a GA drivers license replacement at a GA DDS location or online for a nominal fee. Stolen or lost driving licenses with less than 150 days of validation left on them will have to be renewed instead of replaced. For further details on the documents required to obtain a duplicate license, visit our Drivers License Replacement page.

Locate a DMV in Georgia

Find Georgia DMV offices near you to complete your driving license duties. Contact information such as addresses and telephone numbers are listed for each Georgia Department of Driver Services location.