A California driver’s license (DL) is a card which gives you permission to operate a motor vehicle. A DL includes your true full name, birthdate, mailing address, signature, photograph, and physical description. The card must be in your possession anytime you operate a motor vehicle. Show
You need a valid California DL to operate a motor vehicle. Learn about the types of DLs offered and the requirements for applying for one. You can start your application for a DL online and finish the process at a DMV office. There’s an application fee for original, renewal, and replacement DLs. License TypesThere are two main categories of DLs: noncommercial and commercial. Within the noncommercial category, there are sub-types of licenses that authorize drivers to operate specific types of motor vehicles. Details about the categories and sub-types of licenses can be found below, as well as in the California Driver Handbook. There are four types of noncommercial DLs:
All noncommercial DLs are available as either REAL ID compliant or federal non-compliant cards. Once you complete the requirements of your provisional instruction permit, you are eligible to take your driving test. You must:
To take your driving test:
If you fail your drive test, you must wait 14 days (not including the day the test was failed) before you may take the test again. There is a fee of $7 to retest. If you fail the driving test three times, your application is no longer valid and you must reapply. Once you pass the driving test, DMV will issue you a temporary DL until you receive your new DL in the mail. The temporary DL is valid for 60 days. You will receive your DL via mail within 3-4 weeks. If you haven’t received your new DL after 60 days, call 1-800-777-0133 to check the status. All California residents need to have a valid California DL to operate a motor vehicle. Application requirements vary based on your individual situation (see below). Situation #1: “I’ve never had a DL.”If you are over 18 years of age and you have never had a DL in any state or country, you may obtain an instruction permit until you are ready to take your driving test. A provisional instruction permit is only for drivers under the age of 18. An instruction permit would be issued to a person over age 18. Once you complete the requirements of the instruction permit, you can take the driving test to get a California DL. Situation #2: “I have a DL issued by another state.”Here’s how you apply for a California DL if you already have a valid DL that was issued by another state:
Situation #3: “I have a DL issued by another country.”If you have a DL issued by another country, follow the application process listed above for “I have a DL issued by another state.” You’ll also need to pass a driving test to obtain an original California DL. To take your driving test:
Your application fee allows you three attempts to pass the driving test. If you fail the driving test, you must schedule a new driving test on another day and pay a $7 retest fee. If you fail the driving test three times, your application is no longer valid and you must reapply. Situation #4: “I am ineligible for a DL, but can prove legal presence in California.”Any Californian who can prove their current legal presence in the United States (U.S.) with one of the accepted identity documents (original or certified copy) is eligible to receive a standard or REAL ID driver license or identification (DL/ID) card. This includes all U.S. citizens, permanent residents who are not U.S. citizens (Green Card holders), and those with temporary legal status, such as recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and holders of a valid student or employment visa. For Californians with temporary legal status, their DL/ID card will expire depending on their immigration status, will expire on the same date as their U.S. legal presence document, and they can receive a new card with a documented extension of their legal status. See the full list of acceptable identity documents for a Federal Non-Compliant or REAL ID Compliant DL/ID card. There are many other ways to prove that you are legally present in the United States:
Your DL will remain valid until the expiration date printed on the card. If you no longer maintain U.S. legal presence, you can convert your DL to an AB 60 DL. About REAL ID DLsREAL ID compliant DLs are noncommercial or commercial licenses that also allow you to board domestic flights, enter military bases, and enter most secure federal facilities. All California REAL ID compliant DL cards contain a California grizzly bear and a star on the front upper-right corner of the card. Individuals applying for a DL through AB 60 are unable to apply for a REAL ID compliant card. Additional Card Markings
How much does it cost to get a driver's license in California?Applying for your California Driver's License
Visit your nearby DMV office. Complete Form DL44 - Driver License or Identification Card Application. Show proof of your identity. Pay the $33 fee for driver's license.
How much does it cost to get your license in California under 18?You must turn in Form DL 44 with a guardian's signature, which you can get at your CA DMV office. You must pay a $33 application fee.
How much is a California driver's license 2022?REAL ID and federal non-compliant cards are both valid forms of identification. All driver licenses, including REAL ID driver licenses, cost $35 and ID cards cost $30.
How much is a California ID and driver's license?How much does it cost? The California Department of Motor Vehicles charges $38 for a Real ID or a regular license. Can I get a Real ID identification card?
|