What to Bring to the DMV for Your Permit Test (12-State Guide)
Reviewed by Chad HenryAfter 25 years of teaching driver education
Bring four things to your permit test: a document proving who you are and when you were born, proof of your Social Security number, proof that you live in the state, and the fee. Under 18, add a parent's signature plus any school or driver-ed paperwork your state wants. The categories come from the federal REAL ID rule; the exact documents, address-proof counts and teen forms are set by each state, and that is where applicants get turned away.
The federal rule behind every state list
The REAL ID regulation, 6 CFR 37.11, sets the floor for a REAL ID-compliant permit or license: one identity document from a short federal list (unexpired U.S. passport, certified birth certificate, Permanent Resident Card, naturalization certificate, among others), your Social Security card, and at least two documents showing your address, with the state choosing which address documents qualify. A W-2, SSA-1099, non-SSA-1099 or pay stub showing your name and number counts only if the card is unavailable. The TSA's REAL ID FAQ sums this up as five items (full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, two proofs of address, lawful status) and says to check your state's licensing agency because states may add requirements.
The two-address rule is for REAL ID credentials: New York and New Jersey want one proof of address for a standard permit and two for REAL ID, and Ohio needs two only for its federally compliant card.
What each state asks for
Each cell comes from the agency's own page, form or current manual (Virginia's page was read from a US server because the site refuses requests from elsewhere, and Illinois's from the Wayback Machine's May 2026 copy because the Secretary of State site refused every request); where a site refused every request and the manual is silent, the cell says so.
| State | Identity | Social Security | Residency | Under-18 extras | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | One acceptable identity document, original or certified copy | Give your SSN; checked with SSA in the office | Two proofs (from the REAL ID list for a REAL ID permit) | Parents or guardians sign the DL 44 (both if both have custody); driver-ed completion or enrollment certificate (waived at 17 1/2) | Handbook pp. 8-9; Fast Facts 19 |
| Texas | Identification documents from the DPS list | SSN, verified electronically with SSA | Proof of residential address (count not checked; DPS site unreachable) | School VOE form, no older than 30 days (90 in summer); classroom part of driver ed | Handbook pp. 7-8, 12 |
| Florida | Primary identification, original or certified (no photocopies) | Social Security card, W-2, paycheck with full SSN, 1099 or military ID | Two documents (plus a letter if you live with someone else) | Parent or legal guardian signs before the license agent or a notary; school attendance; TLSAE course | Handbook pp. 13-17 |
| New York | Six points of proof of name plus date of birth (passport 4, Social Security card 2, birth certificate 0) | Original Social Security card, or the number written on the MV-44 (not for Enhanced) | One proof for a standard permit, two for REAL ID or Enhanced | Parent or guardian signs the MV-44 consent box (not needed at 17 with an MV-285 driver-ed certificate); MV-45 signed by a parent before a DMV representative if short of points | ID-44, MV-44, MV-45 |
| Pennsylvania | Proof of date of birth and identification, originals only | Social Security card, signed | Two proofs only if you are over 18 | DL-180 (health-care-provider section completed); DL-180TD signed by a parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse 18 or older, notarized if they cannot come | pa.gov permit page |
| Illinois | First-time standard card: one document from each of Groups A, B, C and D (the groups cover legal name, date of birth, lawful status, Social Security number and residency); signature comparison required | Group C document (SSN); applicants ineligible for an SSN sign a declaration instead | One Group D document for a standard card, two for REAL ID | Not stated on the document page; ask the facility | SOS document-requirements page (archived copy, May 2026) |
| Ohio | Listed documents proving full legal name and date of birth | Social Security number, if assigned | Ohio street address; two documents for a federally compliant card | Parent or guardian present to co-sign the TIPIC application | Digest, Section 1 |
| Georgia | Original or certified birth certificate, U.S. passport or similar | Know your full SSN; verified electronically | Two documents from the last six months (REAL ID list) | Certificate of School Enrollment (DS-1) or diploma/GED; a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult signs | Drivers' Manual pp. 8-9, 27 |
| North Carolina | One document proving identity and date of birth | Social Security card or one document proving your SSN | One document proving NC residency | Driver's Education Certificate; parent or guardian attends the tests or gives written consent | NCDMV Level 1 page |
| Michigan | Proof of identity, originals only; more than one may be required | Proof of a valid SSN or an SSA ineligibility letter | At least two; a family member's document works with proof of relationship | Segment 1 Certificate of Completion; parent or legal guardian comes with you | WEDMK pp. 18, 20 |
| New Jersey | 6 Points of ID: at least one primary and one secondary, paper only | One proof of full SSN (or ITIN, or a notarized affidavit) | One for standard, two for REAL ID; the parent's MR-24 counts as one | MR-24 consent signed by a parent or guardian; special learner permit bought through your driver-ed instructor | 6 Point ID page; MR-24; Manual pp. 7, 11, 17-18 |
| Virginia | One proof of identity and one proof of legal presence, originals only | Proof of SSN if you have one; DMV can verify the number electronically | Two proofs of Virginia residency | Parent or legal guardian signs the application (or a court order of emancipation); $3 permit fee plus the yearly license cost | DMV learner's permit page |
Under 18: the details that really differ
Who signs. Usually a parent or legal guardian, but Pennsylvania also accepts a "person in loco parentis" or a spouse who is 18 or older, and Georgia lets a "responsible adult" sign, an adult with personal knowledge of the applicant. California requires both parents or guardians to sign when both have custody.
Notary or in person. In Pennsylvania the DL-180TD needs a notary only if the adult cannot come with you. In Florida the parent signs in front of the license agent or a notary. Ohio's parent co-signs the TIPIC application in person, Michigan's Level 1 applicants visit with a parent or legal guardian, and North Carolina requires a parent or guardian at the tests unless you bring their written consent. New York's MV-45, for applicants under 21 short of points, is signed with a DMV representative present, and the parent must come along.
School paperwork. Texas requires a Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form from your school showing a diploma, at least 80 days of attendance last semester, or 45 days in a high-school-equivalency program, dated within 30 days (90 in summer). Georgia asks for a Certificate of School Enrollment (DS-1) from school personnel, or a diploma, GED or recent college transcript. Florida's handbook requires compliance with school attendance but names no form. North Carolina eliminated its Driving Eligibility Certificate on October 1, 2026.
Driver-ed certificates. California wants a certificate of completion, or of enrollment in an integrated driver-ed and driver-training program, unless you are at least 17 1/2. Texas requires the classroom portion of driver ed first. North Carolina and Michigan need their driver-ed school's certificate (Michigan's is the Segment 1 Certificate of Completion).
Vision test, payment and appointments
All eleven states we could check screen your vision at the permit visit, so bring your glasses or contacts. Virginia's page lists the vision screening and its two-part knowledge exam as the second step of the same appointment.
New York's ID-44 lists credit card, cash, or a check or money order payable to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. Georgia's manual says its centers take cash, major credit and debit cards and mobile pay, but no checks or money orders.
New York lets under-18 applicants take the permit test online and then book an office visit, but the DMV needs three business days to review the results; go sooner and you retake the test there. North Carolina offices serve walk-ins and text you when there is room inside.
If the name on your documents does not match
Florida, New Jersey, Michigan and New York all accept a marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order linking the old and new names, and New York and Michigan want a document for every change. Florida and North Carolina tell you to update your record with the Social Security Administration first, because the DMV checks your name against SSA. Georgia requires the certified name-change document even when your current license already shows the right name.
Printable checklist
- Identity and date-of-birth document, original or certified copy (no photocopies)
- Social Security card, or an alternative your state lists
- Address documents: two for REAL ID, otherwise as the table says
- Completed application with a parent's signature if under 18 (CA DL 44, NY MV-44, PA DL-180 plus DL-180TD, NJ MR-24)
- Parent or guardian in person in Ohio, Michigan and North Carolina, and in New York if you use the MV-45
- School or driver-ed paperwork if required: Texas VOE, Georgia DS-1, driver-ed certificate in California, Texas, North Carolina and Michigan
- Marriage certificate, divorce decree or court order if your name has changed
- Glasses or contact lenses, and the fee in a form your office accepts
Pick your state on the home page for a free practice test, download the printable permit test PDF to study offline, read how to pass the DMV permit test, and check what the permit test costs in your state so you bring the right fee.
Sources
- 6 CFR 37.11 - Application and documents the applicant must provide
- TSA REAL ID FAQs
- Virginia DMV - Apply for a Learner's Permit
- Illinois Secretary of State - Document Requirements to Obtain a Driver's License or State ID Card
- California DMV - Driver's Licenses
- California DMV - REAL ID Checklist
- California DMV - Fast Facts 19, Provisional Licensing
- California Driver's Handbook (REV. 6/2025)
- Texas Driver Handbook (Revised January 2026)
- Florida Driver License Handbook (rev. 08/2023)
- New York DMV - Prepare for and take your permit test
- New York DMV - ID-44 Proofs of identity
- New York DMV - MV-44 Application
- New York DMV - MV-45 Statement by parent/guardian
- PennDOT - Get a Learner's Permit
- Pennsylvania Driver's Manual, Chapter 1
- Ohio Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws, Section 1
- Georgia Drivers' Manual 2023-2024
- NCDMV - Level 1 Limited Learner Permit
- NCDMV - New Drivers
- North Carolina Driver Handbook (Revised May 2025)
- Michigan - What Every Driver Must Know (October 2025)
- NJMVC - 6 Point ID Verification
- NJMVC - MR-24 Parent or Guardian Consent Form
- New Jersey Driver Manual 2026