Iowa · Permit testIowa's steps for drivers under 18
| Step | Earliest age | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Instruction permit | 14 | Knowledge test, vision screening, parent consent |
| School license (optional) | 14 and a half | Driver ed, six clean months on the permit, school and parent forms |
| Intermediate license | 16 | Driver ed, 12 months on a permit, six clean months, 20 supervised hours (2 at night) |
| Full license | 17 | 12 months on the intermediate, 12 clean months, 10 more supervised hours (2 at night) |
Once you turn 18, you can get a full license without meeting the intermediate and full license steps.
Getting an Iowa driver's license at 18 or older
You pass the knowledge test and a vision screening, bring your documents and pay the fee. If you've never held a license in any U.S. state or territory, or yours has been expired for a year or more, you also pass a drive test.
An instruction permit lets you practice with a licensed driver first, but Iowa's rules don't require one before the drive test.
Moving to Iowa
For licensing, the manual counts you as an Iowa resident once you've done one of several things, such as registering to vote here, enrolling a child in an Iowa public school, taking a permanent job or living here for 30 days in a row.
With a valid license from another U.S. state, D.C., a U.S. territory or Canada, you may not need the knowledge or drive test. Iowa also has reciprocity agreements with France, Germany, South Korea and Taiwan. This only works if your driving privileges aren't canceled, suspended or revoked in any state.
License classes and fees
Fees as of October 2026. Class C covers cars, pickups and trucks of 26,000 pounds or less. Drivers under 18 get shorter renewal periods, and licenses for people 78 and older last two years. A card payment adds $1.50, and county offices may add a convenience fee.
| Card | Fee | Lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Class C instruction permit | $6 | 4 years |
| Class C school license | $16 | 4 years |
| Class C operator license | $4 a year | Per the DOT's expiration chart |
| Class D chauffeur license | $8 a year | Per the DOT's expiration chart |
| Class M motorcycle only | $6 a year | 8 years |
| ID card only (Class O) | $8 | 8 years |
| Replacement license or ID | $10 | - |
Lost your Iowa driver's license?
Book an appointment at any Iowa DMV for a duplicate. It costs $10, and you bring a certified birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport or your latest USCIS document. If you're out of state, apply online for a temporary driving permit instead. It lets you drive but doesn't count as ID.
Sources: Iowa DOT · Iowa Driver's License Manual · Iowa Administrative Code 761, Chapter 604 and 7 more. Checked October 2026.
- Iowa DOT: Under 18 permit, license or ID ↗
- Iowa DOT: The Parent's Supervised Driving Program, March 2026 (PDF) ↗
- Iowa DOT: New to Iowa ↗
- Iowa DOT: Driver education ↗
- Iowa DOT: Prepare for your driving test ↗
- Iowa DOT: Driver's license fees ↗
- Iowa DOT: License types, restrictions and endorsements ↗
- Iowa DOT: Replace a lost, stolen or damaged license or ID ↗
- Iowa Driver's License Manual, M1170, July 2026 (PDF) ↗
- Iowa Administrative Code 761, Chapter 604: Examinations (PDF) ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.