How to get a driver’s license in Texas
You must satisfy several basic eligibility requirements in order to receive a driver’s license in the Lone Star State, including proof of:[2]
Texas law also requires proof of insurance coverage for each car you own. Drivers are required to carry minimum liability car insurance as follows:[3]
$30,000 per person in bodily injury liability coverage
$60,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage
$25,000 in property damage liability coverage
In addition, if you lease or finance your vehicle, your leasing company or lender will require you to carry full-coverage insurance, which adds comprehensive and collision coverage to your liability insurance.
Texas has age-based requirements, too. New drivers younger than 18 must complete a driver education course and go through the two phases of a graduated driver licensing program. And if you’re 18–24, you must take a six-hour adult driver education course.
Most applicants must pass a knowledge test and a driving skills test. The final step is to pay the required fees and meet any other state requirements. Then, you can get your Texas driver’s license and hit the road safely and legally.
What documents do you need to get a driver’s license in Texas?
When you’re ready to apply for your driver’s license, you’ll need to bring the following required documents with you to a driver’s license office location:
Completed application
Social Security card
Birth certificate, passport, or permanent resident identification card
Utility bill or another document for proof of residency
Driver’s license or school ID card for proof of identity
Motor vehicle registration and proof of insurance for your cars in Texas
Proof of driver education completion if younger than 18 and applying for your first driver’s license in Texas
Options for driver’s education courses in Texas
The state of Texas requires all people younger than 25 to take a driver’s education course to get a driver’s license. But new Texas residents age 18–24 can skip the courses if they have a valid license from another state.
Adults 18 and older can complete a six-hour program with a commercial driving school, but minors need to complete 32 hours of classes or a parent-taught course.
In Texas, teenagers can start taking driver education courses at 14 years of age but can’t apply for a learner’s permit until age 15.
Texas drivers have four options for driver education courses:[4]
Commercial driving school: Teenagers can complete a traditional driver’s ed course taught by a certified training school listed in the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation database.[5]
Online courses: Texans can take an approved driver education course online at their own pace.
Public school driver’s ed: Some Texas high schools offer the required courses.
Parent-taught driver education (PTDE): A parent or legal guardian can teach their teenagers driving skills, but they need to purchase a classroom curriculum from a licensed provider.[6]
Driving tests in Texas
If you apply for a driver’s license in Texas, you’ll need to successfully complete three tests. Applicants must pass the following exams to drive legally:[7]
Knowledge test: All applicants younger than 25 must score at least 70% on the written exam. The Class C exam (or Class M for a motorcycle license) is a multiple-choice test that covers knowledge of Texas driving laws, road signs, and safe driving practices.
Vision test: Applicants need to pass a basic vision test and wear any necessary corrective lenses before driving.
Driving test: Applicants can only take the driver’s exam after passing all other tests. During the road test, applicants must demonstrate parallel parking, quick stops, backing up, stop signs, traffic signals, clutch use, intersection observance, right-of-way, trunks, following, passing, lane observance, and correct posture.
Important Information
The Texas Driver Handbook from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) explains what the test entails. If you don’t pass the Texas driver’s license exam on your first attempt, you can take it two more times within 90 days. After three failed attempts or 90 days, you’ll need to reapply for a license and start the process again.
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