Ohio Drivers License Instructions

DMV got you confused? Check out our easy instructions for getting your Ohio drivers license.

1. Study for the Ohio learners permit / temporary permit test

2. Apply for the Ohio learners permit / temporary permit

3. Take Ohio drivers education

4. Practice driving under supervision

5. Take the driving test for the Ohio drivers license

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5

1. Study for the Ohio learners permit / temporary permit test

In order to get the temporary permit and eventually the Ohio drivers license, everyone regardless of age must pass a written test on traffic laws and signs. Most people fail this test on their first try.

Pass the first time when you learn the rules of the road with DriversEd.com and prepare for the learners permit test with our Ohio BMV practice permit tests. Our online practice permit tests can be purchased separately or are free when you purchase our online Ohio drivers education course.

2. Apply for the Ohio learners permit / temporary permit

Apply for the temporary permit at a BMV Deputy Registrar near you.

In order to be eligible for the temporary permit, you must:

Be at least 15½ years old.
Provide documentary proof of age, identity and social security number. View acceptable documents.
Have your parent or a legal guardian co-sign at the time of application. A co-signer must present two forms of acceptable documents verifying identification.
Pay the applicable fee.

The deputy registrar will give you a temporary permit application packet. Take this packet to an Ohio State Highway Patrol drivers license examination station where you will take the vision test and the written test.

Once you have passed the written test, the examiner will fill out and validate one of the forms in your application packet. This validated form is your temporary instruction permit and it has the following restrictions:

With the temporary permit you can practice for your skills test by driving on the street, but only with a licensed driver 21 years of age or older in the seat next to you.
Ohio law prohibits any eligible adult occupying the seat beside the person driving on a temporary instruction permit from having a concentration of alcohol in the whole blood, blood serum or plasma, breath or urine.
If you are under age 16, you must drive with parent, guardian or certified driving instructor seated beside you. Your temporary permit will expire one year from the date of purchase.
Safety belts must be available to all passengers and everyone must be buckled up for all holders of temporary permits and those licensed drivers under 18.
If you are under 17 you may not drive between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless with parent, guardian or custodian.
Your temporary permit and photo ID, if issued, must be carried with you at all times when you operate a motor vehicle.
Temporary permit holders and probationary license holders will be suspended for one year for accruing 3 moving violations before age18.
Temporary permit holders and probationary license holders may be suspended for six months if convicted of certain traffic-related violations before age 18.
Temporary permit holders and probationary license holders who are convicted of certain alcohol-related violations (4511.11 D.U.I.) before age 18 will be suspended for six months. If the offender is not yet 15½, the offender will not be eligible for a temporary permit until the age of 16.

3. Take Ohio drivers education

Under 18

If you are under 18, you must complete a BMV approved Ohio drivers education course consisting of 24 hours of classroom instruction and 8 hours of driving with a certified instructor. Online drivers education courses do not satisfy this requirement.

18 or Older

If you are 18 or older, drivers education is not mandatory in Ohio. However, it’s always a good idea for new drivers to take a drivers education course. With quality drivers education, you can:

Learn the rules of the road and essential safe driving skills
Have a better chance of passing your learners permit test
Qualify for an auto insurance discount (where applicable)

Take the online Ohio drivers education course online at your own pace and on your own schedule.

Note: This course does not satisfy the Ohio drivers education requirement for new drivers under 18.

4. Practice driving under supervision

Practice driving under supervision in accordance with the restrictions of your temporary permit.

If you are under 18, you must hold your temporary permit for at least 6 months. You must also log at least 50 hours (10 at night) of supervised driving practice.

DriversEd.com can help make this supervised driving period less stressful. Our Behind-the-Wheel Training Guide teaches important concepts and guides parents step-by-step through the process of teaching their teen to drive. It also comes with a FREE Passenger Side Rear-View Mirror which allows you to see exactly what your teen sees when behind the wheel.

5. Take the driving test for the Ohio drivers license

Schedule an appointment for the driving test at your local Ohio State Highway Patrol drivers license examination station

In order to be eligible for the Ohio drivers license, you must:

Be at least 16 years old.
Provide documentary proof of their age, identity and social security number. View acceptable documents.
Bring your valid temporary permit, and photo temporary permit ID and all the remaining forms in your application packet.
Present a driver education certificate from an approved course, if you are under 18.
Submit a notarized 50 hour affidavit signed by a parent or guardian verifying your completion of 50 hours (10 at night) of driving experience before taking the skills test if you are under 18.
Have held your temporary permit for at least 6 months if you are under 18. If it expires before you have taken and passed the skills test you must go back to the deputy registrar agency and begin the application process again. You must also retake your driver knowledge test.
Furnish the vehicle for your road test, and it must be in safe operating condition. Before your test is administered, the examiner will inspect your car. If it cannot pass inspection, the examiner can refuse to administer a test.
Pass the maneuverability test.
Pass the driving test.
Pay the applicable fee.

When you have successfully completed your skills test, the examiner will give you an “examination passed” form. This form and your temporary identification card must be taken to a deputy registrar. The deputy will collect a fee and issue your photo license on the spot. The license will be valid for four years after your birthday. If the license is issued prior to a driver’s 21st birthday, the license will expire on his or her 21st birthday.

The “exam passed” form is a 60-day driving permit and should be taken to a license agency and obtain your actual license immediately. Applicants under 18 must bring a parent or legal guardian to co-sign.

Probationary License

If you are under 18, you will be issued a probationary drivers license with the following restrictions:

Probationary driver license holders under the age of 17 will not be permitted to operate a motor vehicle with more than one person who is not a family member in the vehicle, unless accompanied by the license holder’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian. Studies conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have shown that one passenger doubles the risk of a fatal crash among teen drivers, two passengers triple the risk, and three or more passengers increase the risk by more than six.
Probationary driver license holders between 17 and 18 years of age will be restricted from driving between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless the holder is accompanied by a parent or guardian, with the following exceptions: an emergency situation, driving to or from a school activity, or driving to or from work. Travel to or from work is permitted provided the teen has written documentation from the employer.
Probationary license holders under the age of 17 are prohibited from driving between 12:00 a.m. (midnight) and 6:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent or guardian with the same exceptions as above. This is a change to the previous restriction of 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Permit holders under the age of 18 will be prohibited from driving between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent, guardian, or legal custodian who holds a valid license. This is a change to the previous restriction of 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m.
If a probationary driver license holder under the age of 17 is convicted of having committed one moving violation during the first six months of having a driver license, the person must be accompanied by a parent or guardian whenever operating a motor vehicle during the six-month period commencing on the date on which the person is convicted of or pleads guilty to the moving violation or until the person attains the age of 17.
Safety belts must be available to all passengers, and everyone must be buckled up. This applies to all temporary permit holders and those licensed drivers under age 18.
Temporary permit holders and probationary license holders will be suspended for one year for accruing 3 moving violations before age18.
Temporary permit holders and probationary license holders may be suspended for six months if convicted of certain traffic-related violations before age 18.

Temporary permit holders and probationary license holders who are convicted of certain alcohol-related violations (4511.11 D.U.I.) before age 18 will be suspended for six months. If the offender is not yet 15½, the offender will not be eligible for a temporary permit until the age of 16.

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