Steps to Get Your California Learner's Permit
and Driver's License

Step One: Driver Education

Completion of a California Drivers Ed course is required prior to obtaining your learner's permit, and ultimately receiving your Driver's License. The teen must be at least 15 ½ in order to begin taking a driver education course.  You must receive a passing grade through Virtual Institute and receive a DMV Certification DL387 (Pink Slip) in order to apply for your learner's permit.

 Step Two: Learner Permit

A learner's permit allows you to drive as long as you are supervised by an adult driver, namely the instructor and mom or dad. This is how you get practice before becoming licensed.

The first step toward getting your learner permit is to make an appointment at your local DMV office.

You will need an original driver's license application form (Form DL 44) signed by your parent or guardian. If they won't be accompanying you to your appointment, then you can call (800) 777-0133 to ask the DMV to send you a form you parents can sign in advance. You can also pick one up at your local DMV office.

Here's what you'll need to do on the day of your DMV appointment:

• Provide your Social Security number.
  
• Have your thumbprint taken.
  
• Have your picture taken.
  
• Show your original birth certificate or a certified copy of the birth certificate. If you are not a U.S.-born citizen, bring proof that you are a legal U.S. resident.
• Provide your full legal name.
• Have the proper proof-of-completion forms for driver education and/or driver training classes.
• Pay the $26 application fee, which is good for one year (even if you have to retake the written test).
• Pass a vision exam.
• Pass the traffic laws and signs test (the written test).

The written test is multiple choice, and you'll be required to get at least 39 questions right out of 46. You can take the test three times if you don't pass the first time, but you must wait seven days between tests.

If you fail the test three times, you'll need to start the application process over with a new Form DL 44. One more thing: All written tests must be started before 4:30 p.m. so that you have time to finish before closing.

You will get the DMV Form 387 (Pink Slip) from Virtual Drive after you have successfully completed the course.

Step Three: In-Car Training

During the six months that you must hold a learner's permit, you are required to practice driving for an additional 50 hours with a parent or guardian supervising you from the passenger seat. To learn confidence driving in the dark, you must drive 10 of these hours at night. The parent or guardian will then sign the back of your learner's permit testifying that these hours were driven.

To help these practice hours be more productive, you or your parents or guardian may purchase a copy of the Virtual Drive of California in-car instructional CD to learn about what skills you will need to practice, how to document your hours, and how to make sure you understand the skills required to drive safely. 

Step Four: Getting Your License

After you have completed all three steps above, you will be ready to apply for your provisional driver's license. You must have held your learner's permit for at least six months before you will be allowed to take the driving skills test for your provisional license.