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Idaho driver's license

Get your first license in Idaho after moving to the US.

The short answer

Idaho requires a skills test from anyone who has never held a driver's license before.1 If you fail the knowledge test, you must wait three calendar days before you take it again.2 The questions come from the Idaho Driver's Handbook.3 Until you hold a valid driver's license, someone else must drive you to the skills test, and a translator may ride in the car during the test once the liability waiver is signed.4 A photo identity document can be accepted up to five years past its expiration date.5

How it goes

  1. 1
    You arriveYou have moved to Idaho and you want to drive here.
  2. 2
    Your permitYou practice on the road with a learner permit.
  3. 3
    The written testYou take the written test.
  4. 4
    Behind the wheelYou take the drive test behind the wheel.
  5. 5
    Your licenseYou pass the tests, and the license is yours.

If you just arrived in the US

If your license from another state has expired

When you transfer an out-of-state license, you will be required to pass a Class D knowledge test, and also a skills test if your license has been expired for 25 months or more.6

Documents you need

  • Documents that are still validPhoto identity documents may be accepted up to 5 years past their expiration date. Documents expired more than 5 years, or with no expiration date, require review for approval.5

Your Social Security Number

Giving your number, and who may see it

When you set up a DMV online account, Idaho asks for your Social Security number to verify that you are who you say you are and so that another person cannot fraudulently set up an account in your name.7

  • Your Social Security number is verified through the Social Security Administration's online verification system, and it will not be printed on your Idaho driver's license or ID card.8

Tests you take

Eye test

You must meet a minimum vision standard of 20/40 in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses. If you wear glasses or contacts during testing, a corrective lens restriction is added to your license.9

Drive test

You may have to take a skills test if your license has been expired for 25 months or more.10

  • You may have to take a skills test if you have never had a driver's license before.1

  • A skills test may be required when an examiner has concerns about your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, regardless of prior license, experience, or age.11

  • A skills test may be required for any applicant at the discretion of the examiner or the department for a Class A, B, C, or D driver's license or a motorcycle endorsement.12

Tries you get on the written test

If you fail a knowledge or skills test for a Class A, B, C, or D driver's license, or any endorsement, you may not retake the test within three calendar days of the failure.2

Practice questions for the written test

Third-party web practice tests do not accurately reflect Idaho knowledge tests, except for the sample questions ITD publishes on itd.idaho.gov.13

  • Knowledge test questions are taken directly from information included in the Idaho Driver's Handbook.3

  • Idaho publishes its Driver's handbook, a Spanish edition of the Driver's handbook, a CDL handbook, and a Motorcycle handbook as PDF files.14

  • The Idaho Driver's Handbook is published at https://itd.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/driver_manual.pdf, and practice resources are available on the Taking the Driver's Test page.15

  • The Taking the Driver's Test guidance and practice portal is published at https://itd.idaho.gov/guide/taking-the-drivers-test/.16

What to bring to the drive test

Who comes with you

If you do not have a valid driver's license, you are not allowed to drive yourself to the skills test. A translator, parent or legal guardian, missionary companion, or law enforcement officer may ride in the vehicle during the test as long as the liability waiver is signed, and a service dog may accompany you if needed.4

The car and its insurance

The examiner will inspect the test vehicle. It must have working doors, seatbelts, lights, signals, wipers, horn, parking brake, mirrors, defroster, clear glass, and legal tires, and you must carry valid registration, insurance, and the owner's permission if that applies.17

Where to go

Who gives the tests

Independent skills test examiners give the driving test; contact the examiner of your choice between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. After the test, take your sealed, unopened test envelope back to the county DMV office.18

Office locations

Idaho lists all of its DMV offices at https://itd.idaho.gov/dmv-locations/.19

Other states

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Sources

Every numbered fact above is quoted from the page that publishes it, in the words it uses.

  1. 1

    “You may have to take a skills test if you: ... Have never had a driver’s license before,”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/new-to-idaho

    Checked July 26, 2026

  2. 2

    “(5) Any person failing to pass a knowledge or skills test for a class A, B, C or D driver’s license, or a knowledge test for a seasonal driver’s license, or any endorsement may not retake the test within three (3) calendar days of the failure.”

    legislature.idaho.gov/…/SECT49-313

    Checked August 15, 2026

  3. 3

    “Knowledge test questions are taken directly from information included in the Driver’s Handbook.”

    itd.idaho.gov/…/driver_manual.pdf

    Checked July 26, 2026

  4. 4

    “If you do not have a valid driver’s license, you are not allowed to drive yourself to the skills test. A passenger may ride in the vehicle during the skills test if they are a translator, parent or legal guardian, missionary companion or law enforcement as long as the liability waiver is signed. A service dog may accompany the applicant on the skills test if needed.”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/taking-the-drivers-test

    Checked July 31, 2026

  5. 5

    “Photo identity documents may be accepted up to 5 years past their expiration date. Documents expired more than 5 years or with no expiration date will require review for approval.”

    itd.idaho.gov/…/drivers-license-and-id-required-documents

    Checked August 3, 2026

  6. 6

    “When transferring from one of those jurisdictions, you will be required to pass a Class D knowledge test (and skills test if your license has been expired for 25 months or more).”

    itd.idaho.gov/…/driver_manual.pdf

    Checked August 1, 2026

  7. 7

    “This information is already on file with the DMV. We ask for your SSN to verify that you are who you say you are and so that another person can’t fraudulently set up a DMV online account in your name.”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/new-to-idaho

    Checked July 26, 2026

  8. 8

    “Your social security number must be verified through the Social Security Administration’s Social Security Online Verification system. It will not be printed on your Idaho driver’s license or ID card.”

    itd.idaho.gov/…/driver_manual.pdf

    Checked July 26, 2026

  9. 9

    “Your vision will be tested and you must meet a minimum standard of 20/40 vision in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses. If you wear glasses or contacts during the vision screening, a lens restriction will be placed on your driver’s license.”

    itd.idaho.gov/…/driver_manual.pdf

    Checked August 1, 2026

  10. 10

    “You may have to take a skills test if you: ... Your license has been expired for 25 months or more,”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/new-to-idaho

    Checked July 26, 2026

  11. 11

    “When an examiner has concerns about the applicant’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle, regardless of prior license, experience, or age.”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/new-to-idaho

    Checked July 26, 2026

  12. 12

    “However, a skills test may be required for any and all other applicants at the discretion of the examiner or department for a class A, B, C or D driver’s license or a motorcycle endorsement.”

    legislature.idaho.gov/…/SECT49-313

    Checked July 27, 2026

  13. 13

    “Web-based driver practice tests are not an accurate representation of Idaho knowledge tests, with the exception of the sample test questions provided by ITD through the itd.idaho.gov website.”

    itd.idaho.gov/…/driver_manual.pdf

    Checked July 26, 2026

  14. 14

    “Idaho driving handbooks Driver's handbook (PDF) Driver's handbook (Spanish) (PDF) CDL handbook (PDF) Motorcycle handbook (PDF)”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/new-to-idaho

    Checked July 26, 2026

  15. 15

    “Driver's handbook (PDF) -> https://itd.idaho.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/driver_manual.pdf”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/new-to-idaho

    Checked July 26, 2026

  16. 16

    “visit the Taking the Driver’s Test page -> https://itd.idaho.gov/guide/taking-the-drivers-test/”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/new-to-idaho

    Checked July 26, 2026

  17. 17

    “The skills test examiner will inspect and verify that all items listed below meet Idaho Code and ITD standards:”

    itd.idaho.gov/…/driver_manual.pdf

    Checked July 31, 2026

  18. 18

    “Contact the skills test examiner of your choice between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/taking-the-drivers-test

    Checked July 26, 2026

  19. 19

    “DMV Office Locations -> https://itd.idaho.gov/dmv-locations/”

    itd.idaho.gov/guide/new-to-idaho

    Checked July 26, 2026

Applying for a driver's license in Idaho?

Answer a few questions and see the steps that apply to you.

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