Where to study

Tests

Driving testsCitizenship testsSchool and university admissionsNursing, medicine and healthEnglish and French testsTeachingMoney, law and insuranceTrades and work certification and licensesPilots, drones, boats and radio

Countries

United StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustraliaNew Zealand

Delaware · Permit test

How to get a Delaware driver’s license

You get a Delaware driver’s license in person from the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Under 18, the route runs through driver education and a 12-month Level One Learner’s Permit, which turns into a Class D license on its own. At 18 or older, you pass the knowledge test, practice on a learner’s permit and then pass the road test. If you move to Delaware with a valid license from another state, you switch it within 60 days and the tests are normally waived.

  • $50Class D license fee, permit included
  • 8 yearsHow long a new Class D license lasts
  • 60 daysTo get a Delaware license after moving in
Check your documents

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

What are the steps to a Delaware driver’s license by age?

Your situationHow you get a Class D license
16 or 17 (or under 22 with an IEP)Pass driver ed, get a Level One Learner’s Permit with a sponsor’s signature and drive on it for 12 months. It then converts to a Class D license
18 or older, first licensePass the vision and knowledge tests for a learner’s permit, then pass the road test
Licensed in another state, 18 or olderSurrender your old license, prove your identity and residency, and pass an eye screening. The written and road tests are normally waived if your license is valid
Licensed in another state, under 18Show an approved driver ed course and pass the DMV’s written and road tests, with a sponsor’s signature. With an out-of-state license under 12 months old, you may start on a Level One permit
Licensed abroad or in a US territoryPass the eye, knowledge and road tests. Class D drivers from Germany, Taiwan and France are exempt from the knowledge and road tests. For a US territory license, see the note below the table

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a plan for special education services. As a nonresident over 16, you may drive on your home license while you carry it. A suspended or revoked license can’t be transferred until the action is cleared. The July 2026 manual also exempts drivers licensed in a US territory from the knowledge and road tests, but the DMV’s new resident transfer page says they must pass both, so ask your DMV office before you go.

Delaware learner’s permits and the GDL rules →Drivers ed in Delaware →The Delaware road test →

Delaware driver license requirements

Every applicant signs an application, gives a Social Security number if eligible and passes an eye screening, and every applicant is subject to a written and road skills test. The DMV can’t issue a license when:

  • You’re under the required age for the license or endorsement
  • You’re under 18 and haven’t completed a Department of Education approved driver education course
  • You’re under 18 and can’t get the required signature of consent, from a parent, guardian or court-appointed custodian
  • Your license or driving privileges are suspended or revoked anywhere
  • You’re not a bona fide Delaware resident
  • You don’t understand road signs in English
  • You can’t show that you’re in the United States legally
  • Your personal details, such as your date of birth or Social Security number, differ from other agencies’ records

The documents to bring are listed on the drivers test guide, and the DMV’s Document Selector Guide checks yours online.

What to bring to the DMV →

Delaware driver’s license fees

ItemFee
Class D license (8 years)$50
Class D renewal (8 years)$50
Motorcycle endorsement (8 years)$12
Duplicate license$20
Late renewal fee$10
Change of name$10
Change of addressNo charge
Photo ID card$40

The DMV’s fee page says license fees include the learner’s permit that comes before the license, and it lists no separate knowledge test fee. The Class D fees shown took effect on October 10, 2025, and the July 2026 manual also gives $50 for a teen’s first license. Delaware law (21 Del. C. §2710) and the DMV’s graduated driver license (GDL) page give $40 for a teen’s Class D license, so check the amount when you apply. Commercial driver’s license (CDL) fees are on their own page.

Delaware CDL fees →

A federally compliant license (REAL ID)

If you bring original or certified source documents for your identity and legal presence, Social Security number and Delaware address, the DMV issues a federally compliant license, marked with a star in the upper right corner. The DMV says you can use it for domestic flights and to enter federal facilities.

Without those documents, you may get a non-compliant license printed with “Not for Federal Identification.” Photocopies and non-certified documents aren’t accepted for either.

The Driving Privilege Card

If you can prove everything except legal presence in the United States, you may be eligible for a Driving Privilege Card (DPC), a Class D license for driving only that is marked “Not Valid for Identification.” It lasts 4 years and costs $20. You start by booking an appointment with the State Bureau of Identification, which takes fingerprints and collects a $72 fee, then bring its receipt to the DMV.

Sources: Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles · Delaware General Assembly and 5 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

OverviewWhere to learnDriver ManualLearner’s permitDrivers edRoad testCDL