Pro tip: As you gear up for a drive around Delaware's historic landmarks and beaches, having solid driving fundamentals is essential. Our step-by-step guides on navigating stick shifts and parallel parking will be quite handy. Hone your skills for reverse parking maneuvers and making smooth three-point turns. Correctly adjust your mirrors for better visibility. Test your driving techniques with our Online Driving Simulator, and if you are an international visitor, check out the international driver's license criteria for Delaware.
If you attend a public or private school, you may take the course there once for free. If you are being homeschooled, contact the Delaware Department of Education at 302-857-3320 to find out where to take the course. Commercial driving schools offer the course for a fee. If you need to take the course again, you can take an approved adult education course by paying a fee.
Receive a Delaware Driver Education Certificate (Blue Certificate) and present it at a DMV office.
Your documents should verify the following:
Use this interactive guide to choose the right documentation.
When you have turned 17 and have driven with your Level One learner permit for at least 12 months, all the restrictions are automatically lifted, and your Level One Learner's Permit is converted to a full Class D driver license.
If you can't prove your legal presence in the US but want to drive in Delaware, you may be issued a Driving Privilege Card (DPC) permit. A DPC is equivalent to a regular driver license for driving purposes. You can find all the application requirements and the procedure at the official DMV site.
If you are a Level One Learner's Permit holder of at least 17 years old, but less than 18 years old, your permit will automatically convert to a full Class D operator's license when the following is true about you:
If you are a Level One Learner's Permit holder of 18 years of age or older, you may also obtain a Class D operator's license by completing the 12-month GDL program or may choose to take the eye, written and road skills exam at the DMV and get your full license earlier.
To get a DE driver license, you must first obtain a temporary permit.
First timer? Start with Step 1.
Over 18 and got a temporary permit? Go to Step 7.
Over 18 and got a Level One Learner's permit? You can either wait for the completion of the 12 month GDL program when your permit will automatically become an adult license, or start with Step 4.
Your documents should verify the following:
Use this interactive guide to choose the right documentation.
Make an appointment for the road test in advance, either online or by calling the DMV office. Note that you must take your road test not earlier than 10 days after getting the permit.
If you fail, you will have to wait 10 more days before trying again.
This test aims at checking if you have enough skills to drive safely on Delaware roads. Tests are given every weekday, except Wednesday. Don't forget to make an appointment online or by phone for the date not earlier than 10 days after your passed your knowledge test. The road test will last about 30 minutes.
You will not be asked to do anything illegal, the examiner won't try to play a trick on you. Instead, you will just show your driving skills and do things that are usual for normal driving.
You are required to bring a properly registered vehicle and a licensed driver of at least 21 years of age (unless you hold an international driver license). A licensed driver must remain on site to drive the vehicle away in case you fail the test.
Make sure you bring the following:
The examiner will conduct a basic safety inspection of your car.
You are asked to avoid the following:
You should be able to demonstrate how to use different vehicle controls, e.g., parking brake, horn, lights, windshield wipers, etc.
Your examiner may ask you to demonstrate any of the following maneuvers:
You will also demonstrate that you know how to do the following things:
Delaware defines a resident of the state as a person who has a home in the state and lives in it for more than 183 days of the year.
You are not considered a resident if:
If you hold a valid driver license that was issued by another US state or the District of Columbia, you will normally not be required to pass the written knowledge test or driving skills (road) test. If you hold a driver license that was issued by a US territory, you will have to pass both tests.
To locate a nearby DMV office, you may use this map of DMV offices. There are no appointments available, just walk in.
The form isn't available online, so obtain the form at the DMV office and fill it in.
Your documents should verify the following:
Use this interactive guide to choose the right documentation.
$40 by cash, check or credit. This fee covers an 8-year driver license.
Minimum acceptable vision is 20/40, with or without glasses or contact lenses. Permission for daylight only driving may be granted if your vision is between 20/40 and 20/50.
Once you have met these requirements, the DMV will issue you a Delaware Class D driver license. Your license will be for eight years.
If your out-of-state driver license is expired, get ready to take the knowledge test at a DMV office.
Drivers under 18 years of age who transfer from another state will be issued a graduated driver license unless their out-of-state license was issued more than one year ago, and the driver has reached at least 17 years of age.
Drivers from other countries don't have to surrender their foreign license when getting a DE driver license.
If you hold a valid driver license from France, Germany, or Taiwan, you don't have to take knowledge and road tests, and the process of transferring your foreign license is similar to transferring an out-of-state license. Follow this guide to an out-of-state transfer procedure.
If you hold a driver license from another country, your procedure is similar to getting a new license, which means you will have to pass both knowledge and road tests. Follow this guide to getting a driver license in Delaware.
