Getting a driver's license in the US

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The laws vary from state to state but they are all pretty similar.   So, these are general steps that teens take in the US to get a driver’s license.

It usually starts in the second year of high school, teenagers in the US take a class called Driver’s Education or Driver’s Ed, for short and this begins their journey to getting a license.  This is an academic class where they learn the laws related to driving and learn tips on how to be a good driver.   At the end of the class is an exam and they must pass it if they want to get a driver’s license. 

Next they go to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in their state to get a learner’s permit.  A learner’s permit allows them to operate a car while they are learning.   Typically, they have to be at least 15 years old to get a learner’s permit and  they must always have a person with them in the car who already has a driver’s license.  During this time teens will drive a lot with their parents and they will take a class called Behind the Wheel.  This class takes place in a car with an instructor and the students taking turns driving.

When the teen turns 16 years old they can go back to the DMV and take another test to get their driver’s license.  This is a behind the wheel test where an examiner gets in the car with the teen while they drive.  The examiner will sit in the passenger seat and give the teen directions.  They usually have a clipboard to make notes and score the teen on their driving skills.  At the end of the driving test, the examiner will say pass or fail.  If the teen passes they get their driver’s license and can now drive by themselves.  If they fail, they must practice some more and take the test again. 

Some states have provisional licenses.  This means until a driver turns 21 their license looks different

and they must follow certain rules such as they can only have 2 passengers in the car and they can’t drive after midnight.