Pro tip: As you prepare for an adventure across Alaska's vast terrains, ensure you're adept in driving techniques. Enhance your driving skills with our tutorials on manual transmissions and parking skills. Gain knowledge on reversing into a parking lot and executing efficient three-point turns. Perfect your mirror adjustments for safe driving. Refine your abilities with our Online Driving Simulator, and if you're from abroad, check out the international driver's license guidelines for Alaska.
An instruction permit is required for everyone learning to drive on a street or highway. While you are learning to drive, you must be accompanied by a licensed driver. The licensed driver must be at least 21 years of age and have at least one year of driving experience.
A special instruction permit may be issued to those enrolled in an approved high school, community college, commercial driver training course, or approved medical program.
Primary documents: a U.S. birth certificate or passport, foreign passport with appropriate immigration status, a resident alien, temporary resident alien, or employment work authorization document issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Secondary documents: school ID, medical records, health insurance card, employee ID.
Do I have to get an instruction permit if I live in an Alaskan rural community? No, you are not required to get an instruction permit. However, the DMV strongly encourages you to get one so that you can practice supervised driving. You can apply by mail by doing the following:
Juneau Driver Services
State of Alaska
Division of Motor Vehicles
PO Box 110221
Juneau AK 99811-0221
Hold an instruction permit for at least 6 months
You must make sure you have practiced driving and haven’t been convicted of traffic law violations in 6 months.
Practice supervised driving and get it certified
Provide written certification from your parent or guardian that you have had at least 40 hours of supervised driving, including at least 10 hours of driving at night or in poor weather.
Apply in person
Visit your local DMV office. To locate a nearby DMV office, check here. Walk-ins are welcome, but some offices offer online scheduling.
Complete the application form
You can download form 478 and complete it at home, however, you are required to sign it in front of a DMV representative.
Provide your parent or guardian consent
As you are under 18, your parent or guardian is asked to complete form 433 and sign it in the presence of a Notary Public or DMV employee.
Bring your instruction permit
Alternatively, you can bring proof of your scores on the written knowledge test.
Pay the road test fee
$ 15.00 paid by Visa, MasterCard, a personal check or money order.
Pay the license fee
$20.00 by Visa, MasterCard, a personal check or money order made out to the State of Alaska or the DMV.
Get your provisional license
After you turn 18 and have held your provisional license for at least 6 months, you can visit your local DMV office to exchange your provisional license for a full Class D driver's license.
Exceptions for residents of Alaskan rural communities:
You can get a provisional license without the usual restrictions if you use it in the areas not connected to the land highway system or is not connected to a highway where average daily traffic volume is 499 or greater. Requirements:
Your legal name, date of birth and citizenship. You must bring one primary and one secondary document.
Primary documents: a U.S. birth certificate or passport, foreign passport with appropriate immigration status, a resident alien, temporary resident alien, or employment work authorization document issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an Alaska instruction permit or Alaska State Identification card.
Secondary documents: school ID, medical records, health insurance card, employee ID, IRS or state tax form.
If you are a resident of an Alaskan rural community and would like to get an Off-Highway Class D license, you must surrender your instructional permit or provisional license and submit a new Application for Remote Area Driver License (Form 480) to:
Juneau Driver Services
State of Alaska
Division of Motor Vehicles
PO Box 110221
Juneau AK 99811-0221
The Off-Highway restriction can be removed at any time following the successful completion of a road test at a DMV office or at a Third-Party Testing Provider.
Your car will be checked for the following equipment in working condition:
Consider the following:
Listen to the examiner and follow the instructions. You should be able to demonstrate the following maneuvers:
Critical Errors
You will automatically fail if you commit one of the following:
You can renew in person at your local DMV office. Walk-ins are welcome, but some offices offer online scheduling as well.
Plan of action:
- one primary document, e.g., driver's license, birth certificate or passport, etc.
- one secondary document, e.g., school ID, health insurance card, employee ID, etc.
- proof of your residence, e.g., utility bill, paycheck stub, mortgage or rental documents
- proof of name change (if you changed your name). You must have Social Security update your name before you can have the Alaska DMV update your name.
- immigration status documents (for non- U.S. citizens)
Important to note: Alaska does not have a grace period after a license expires. Once your license is expired, it is not legal for you to drive. If you allow your license to expire over a year, you must pass the written test again to renew your license.
'Under 21' license automatically expires 90 days after your twenty-first birthday. Before you can renew your license, you must pass an alcohol and drug awareness knowledge test.
You can apply by mail if
Important to note: Alaska does not have a grace period after a license expires. Once your license is expired, it is not legal for you to drive. It can take 30 days for you to receive your temporary license in the mail. If you allow your license to expire over a year, you must pass the written test again to renew your license. If you are out of state when your license expires, apply for a license extension letter to extend the expiration date for one year.
'Under 21' license automatically expires 90 days after your twenty-first birthday. Before you can renew your license, you must pass an alcohol and drug awareness knowledge test.
If you live in a qualifying rural Alaska community where there is no local DMV office, you may also renew your license by mail.
Plan of Acton:
Juneau Driver Services
State of Alaska
Division of Motor Vehicles
PO Box 110221
Juneau AK 99811-0221
You are eligible to renew online within one year of expiration if you meet the following requirements:
In case you are about to be 21 years of age, attending college out of Alaska and haven't passed the Alcohol & Drug Awareness Test, you may request the Alcohol & Drug Awareness Test by contacting doa.dmv.jds@alaska.gov. Provide your full name and date of birth and how you would like to receive the requested test. After you complete the test, send the provided answer sheet back with a phone number or email so the result can be sent to you. Once the Alcohol & Drug Awareness Test has been passed you will be able to renew your driver's license online after your 21st birthday.
Important to note: Alaska does not have a grace period after a license expires. Once your license is expired, it is not legal for you to drive. If you allow your license to expire over a year, you must pass the written test again to renew your license.
'Under 21' license automatically expires 90 days after your twenty-first birthday. Before you can renew your license, you must pass an alcohol and drug awareness knowledge test.
If you have a driver's license from another country except Canada or U.S. territory, the procedure for transferring your foreign license is similar to that applying for a new Alaska driver's license. Check here the complete guide how to apply for your AK driver's license.
If your license is from Canada or US territory, the procedure of transferring your driver's license is the same as the transfer of an out-of-state license.