When applying for a Georgia driver permit with Department of Driver Services, it is helpful to know the permit requirements. Make sure you have the met the DDS requirements and that you have the required documents ready.
A Teenager's Guide to Getting a Permit in Georgia
Are you a Georgia resident looking to apply for a driver's permit? In Georgia, there are three steps to getting a full license, which are spelled out by the Teenage & Adult Driver Responsibility Act, or TADRA. This law represented an attempt to reduce the amount of high-risk driving situations that teenagers are exposed to. If you want to get your license, you must become familiar with the process. Here's a quick step-by-step guide:
1. Step One - Instructional Permit
At age 15, Georgia teenagers can receive an instructional permit upon successfully passing a written examination. A teenager with an instructional permit is only permitted to operate a vehicle when accompanied by a passenger who is at least 21 years old and possesses a valid Class C driver's license at all times while driving.
The exam for the instructional permit consists of a written knowledge exam and a separate vision test. The knowledge test consists of two parts: the Road Rules Test and the Road Signs Test. Each section has 20 multiple choice questions, and a minimum score of 15 out of 20 is required to pass. The Road Rules Test consists of questions about driver responsibility, knowledge of laws and safe driving practices. The Road Signs test consists of questions about the meaning of various standard highway signs, asking test-takers to identify certain signs, signals and markers.
The following documents are required to get your permit:
Primary ID, such as a valid passport or birth certificate
Social Security Card
Proof of Address – You may use your parents ID if they sign for you
If under age 18, a Certificate of Attendance (DS-1) http://www.dds.ga.gov/docs/forms/DS-1.pdf, High School Diploma or GED is required.
Those under 18 years of age are required to have a parent/guardian, responsible adult or authorized Driver Training Instructor sign the application. The fee for the permit is $10.
2. Step Two - Intermediate License
Teenagers between the ages of 16 and 18 who have had an instructional permit for at least 12 months and passed a driving test are eligible for the intermediate license.
This authorizes teenagers to drive on their own. However, there are several restrictions:
No driving between the hours of 12 a.m. and 6 p.m.
For the first six months after receiving a Class D license, the only passenger you are allowed to have in your car is a member of your immediate family.
For the second six months, you are not allowed to have more than one other passenger who is under the age of 21.
After the second six months, you are not allowed to have more than three other passengers under the age of 21.
In order to qualify to take the driver's test, under "Joshua's Law," you must have at least 40 hours of supervised driving experience, including at least six at night.
If you are younger than 17, you must complete an approved driver's education course to be eligible for the Class D license.
3. Step Three - Full License (Class C)
A full driver's license is granted to a person who is at least 18 years of age, holds a Class D license and has incurred no major traffic violations during the last 12 months, such as DUI, eluding police, drag racing, reckless driving, hit and run or any violation that assesses four or more points on the driver's license
Georgia has a zero tolerance rule for underage DUIs. Convicted drivers face a 12-month license suspension on the first offense.
