Pennsylvania Drivers License Instructions

DMV got you confused? Check out our easy instructions for earning your Pennsylvania drivers license.

1. Take a Pennsylvania drivers education course

2. Apply for the Pennsylvania learners permit

3. Take behind-the-wheel training and practice driving under supervision

4. Take the driving test for the Pennsylvania drivers license

Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4

1. Take a Pennsylvania drivers education course

This PA course offered through a partnership with DriversEd.com and Henry & Joe’s Driving School can be taken online and on your own schedule.

In the past, teens had to take drivers education at a driving school.* This usually meant sitting for hours in a stuffy classroom on the weekend. Now you take your drivers education online whenever you want. With this Dept. of Education-approved online Pennsylvania drivers education course, you can:

Learn the rules of the road and essential safe driving skills
Increase your chances of passing your learners permit test
Qualify for an auto insurance discount**
Upgrade from a junior license to an unrestricted drivers license before you turn 18

After taking this course, you’ll receive PennDOT form DL-59 and a Certificate of Completion. If you are under 18, both of these documents are required by PennDOT to upgrade from the junior drivers license to the unrestricted drivers license.

*Drivers education is not mandatory in Pennsylvania, but because teens continue to have the highest driving accident risk of any age group, it’s always a good idea for new drivers to take a drivers education course.

**Please confirm eligibility with your insurance agent.

2. Apply for the Pennsylvania learners permit

To be eligible for a learners permit, you must:

Be at least 16 years old.
Submit form DL-180 "Medical Qualification Certificate" completed by a physician, physician assistant, certified registered nurse practitioner, or chiropractor no earlier than 6 months prior to your 16th birthday.
Submit a completed form DL-180TD (if under 18). This form must be completed by a parent, guardian, or spouse who is 18 or older.
Submit proof of identity. Documents that qualify are listed on the reverse side of DL-180. Note: If you are changing your name, you must present original name change documents, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.
Submit two acceptable proofs of residency, listed on reverse side of DL-180, if you are 18 years of age or older. Proof of residency is not required if you are under 18.
Show your Social Security card.
Submit a check or money order payable to PennDOT for the appropriate fee. (Cash is not accepted.)
Pass a vision test.
Pass a knowledge test.

Once you pass the knowledge test, you will be issued a learners permit, valid for one year.

The learners permit has the following restrictions:

You may drive only with a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age or a spouse, guardian, or parent who is at least 18 years of age. This licensed driver must be seated next to you at all times in the front passenger seat.
Drivers under 18 years old cannot have more passengers in the vehicle than the number of seatbelts.

You may not drive between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., unless your spouse, guardian or parent who is a licensed driver and at least 18 years of age is with you.

3. Take behind-the-wheel training and practice driving under supervision

Once you’ve got your learners permit, DriversEd.com strongly recommends that you take drivers training (behind-the-wheel lessons) with a professional driving instructor who can give you the skills you need to be a safe and confident driver. Find an approved driving school near you.

Plus, if you take an approved PA drivers education course and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel lessons, you’ll be able to upgrade from a junior license to an unrestricted license before you turn 18!

Now’s the time to get lots of practice driving. If you are under age 18, before you can apply for the drivers license, you will have to wait 6 months and complete at least 50 hours of driving supervised by licensed parent or adult 21 years or older.

Want to make this supervised driving period as stress-free as possible? Our Behind-the-Wheel Training Guide directs parents step-by-step through the process of teaching their teen to drive.

It also comes with a FREE passenger-side rear-view mirror that lets you see exactly what your teen sees while driving.

4. Take the driving test for the PA drivers license

When you are ready to take your driving road test, you can schedule an appointment either online or by calling 1-800-423-5542.

To be eligible to take the driving test, you must:

Bring your valid learners permit.
Submit the completed certificate for 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience if you are under 18.
Show a valid registration card for the vehicle you plan to drive during the test.
Show proof that the vehicle is currently insured.
Have an accompanying parent, guardian, or spouse who is at least 18 years of age or a person who is at least 21 years of age ready to show his or her valid drivers license at the DMV.

Note: All documents provided to the DMV must be originals and not copies.

Before the test begins, a drivers license examiner will check to see that your vehicle has a valid registration card, current insurance, valid state inspection sticker, and if required, a valid emissions sticker. The lights, horn, brakes, windshield wipers, turn signals, mirrors, doors, seatbelts and tires on your vehicle will also be checked to make sure they meet safety standards. If any part of your vehicle fails to meet state inspection requirements, you will not be allowed to take the Road Test.

Once you pass the road test and if you are under 18, you will be issued a junior drivers license.

Your junior drivers license will have the following restrictions:

You may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., unless you have in the car with you your spouse, guardian, or parent who is a licensed driver and at least 18 years of age. However, you may drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., if you are involved in public or charitable service, a member of a volunteer fire company, or employed during those hours. In these cases, you must carry a notarized affidavit or certificate of authorization from your employer, supervisor, or fire chief indicating your probable schedule of activities. This notarized affidavit should be kept with your drivers license.
You may not carry more passengers than seat belts available in the vehicle you are driving.
You will receive a mandatory 90-day suspension if you accumulate 6 or more points or are convicted of driving 26 miles per hour or more over the posted speed limit.

Your junior drivers license will automatically become an unrestricted regular drivers license when you turn 18.

Applying for an unrestricted drivers license before 18
After you’ve held a junior drivers license for one year, you can apply for your unrestricted drivers license before you turn 18 if you meet the following conditions:

Have passed a drivers education course like this online course offered through Henry & Joe’s Driving School.
Take 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training
Have not been involved in a crash for which you are partially or fully responsible for one year.
Have not been convicted of any violation of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code for one year.
Have the consent of your parent, guardian, person in loco parentis, or spouse who is at least 18 years of age.

If you meet these requirements, you may apply for an unrestricted regular drivers license by submitting an Application for Change from a Junior Drivers License to a Regular Non-Commercial Drivers License (DL-59).

DriversEd.com is a privately held company and is in no way associated with the Department of Motor Vehicles or any other government agency. DriversEd.com does not claim any responsibility for the accuracy of the drivers license information posted within or for the business practices associated with any other schools listed on the DriversEd.com site. For up-to-date information, please consult your local Department of Motor Vehicles or vehicle registration agency. Also, DriversEd.com is not liable for any information or claims posted within third party links.