Indiana driver's license
Get your first license in Indiana after moving to the US.
How it goes
- 1You arriveYou have moved to Indiana and you want to drive here.
- 2Your permitYou practice on the road with a learner permit.
- 3The written testYou take the written test.
- 4Behind the wheelYou take the drive test behind the wheel.
- Your licenseYou pass the tests, and the license is yours.
What it costs
A first license
$17.50 if you are younger than 75.
You pay this when you apply.
If you just arrived in the US
Foreign documents with no expiry date
A Taiwan license prints no expiry date, so the BMV instead accepts a certification letter from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) stating your license is valid. That letter also counts as the English translation of your license.
If you have no license to transfer
You must hold an Indiana learner's permit for 180 days.
Documents you need
- Documents that are still validA US passport or passport card, a foreign passport, a permanent resident card, an employment authorization card, or an Indiana Real ID credential works. The passport cannot be expired.
Your Social Security Number
Giving your number, and who may see it
A document showing your name and your full Social Security number proves your number. It is verified centrally along with your identity, lawful-status, and residency documents.
Tests you take
Eye test
If you normally wear glasses or contacts while driving, tell the branch staff and wear them during the vision screening. Failing the screening at the branch can lead to more evaluation and testing to decide whether you can drive safely.
Tries you get on the written test
If you fail, you must wait until the next business day to take another knowledge exam.
Practice questions for the written test
The written test is multiple choice, based on Indiana law, defensive driving practices, and the Indiana Driver's Manual. The manual is the official study resource.
What to bring to the drive test
Who comes with you
Only you and the examiner can be in the car during the skills exam.
The car and its insurance
The car must be properly registered, insured to Indiana's minimum liability standard, and pass an inspection right before the exam: 2 working brake lights, all 4 turn signals working, working doors, no cracked windshield or anything blocking the line of sight, and no spare tires. Any driver assistance technology must be turned off, and if the examiner finds the car unsafe the exam is cancelled and you return another time with a car in safe operating condition.
Where to go
Who gives the tests
An examiner from the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) gives the driving skills exam.
Booking an appointment
You can book an appointment at telegov.egov.com/bmvappointments.
Office locations
You can find BMV branches and their hours at in.gov/bmv/branch-locations-and-hours/bmv-branch-map.
Other states
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Every source, quoted12 sources
Every fact on this page is quoted from the page that publishes it, in the words it uses.
“Driver’s license under 75 $17.50”
in.gov/bmv/files/Fee_Chart.pdfChecked August 1, 2026
“A certification letter from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) stating that the applicant’s driver’s license is valid. This document would serve as the English translation of the license for eligible applicants.”
in.gov/dA/6157c42bee/taiwan-dl-reciprocity-bmv-letter.pdfChecked August 19, 2026
“When you apply for an Indiana driver's license, you must surrender all valid credentials (identification card, learner's permit, or driver's license) you hold from other states. Residents Not Holding a Valid Driver's License From Another State If you do not hold a valid driver's license from another state, you must hold an Indiana learner's permit for 180”
in.gov/bmv/licenses-permits-ids/new-indiana-residentsChecked August 14, 2026
“U.S. passport or passport card. The passport cannot be expired.”
in.gov/dA/6b032a550d/Drivers_Manual_Appendix.pdfChecked August 1, 2026
“Documents containing your name and full Social Security number which qualify to prove your Social Security number include:”
in.gov/dA/6b032a550d/Drivers_Manual_Appendix.pdfChecked August 1, 2026
“All Indiana learner’s permit or driver’s license applicants are required to pass a vision screening, even if the applicant is renewing an existing learner’s permit or driver’s license, unless the applicant is eligible for online renewal. If you normally wear glasses or contacts while driving, you should inform the BMV branch personnel and wear them during the vision screening. If you are not able to pass the vision screening at the branch, you may be subject to additional evaluation to determine whether you can drive safely. Even with a letter from a doctor, Driver Ability may reserve the right to require customers to take more testing.”
in.gov/dA/113b5fcd2d/Drivers_Manual_Chapter_1.pdfChecked August 1, 2026
“If you fail a knowledge exam you must wait until the next business day before taking another knowledge exam.”
“The driver’s knowledge exam is a multiple-choice exam based on Indiana law, defensive driving practices, and information contained in this driver’s manual.”
in.gov/dA/113b5fcd2d/Drivers_Manual_Chapter_1.pdfChecked July 26, 2026
“Your examination vehicle must be insured to the state’s minimum liability insurance standard. The vehicle must pass a vehicle inspection just before going on a skills exam (e.g., 2 brake lights working, all 4 turn signals working, doors operational, no cracked windshield or hindering the line of sight, no spare tires). Any driver assistance technology must be deactivated for the skills exam. No one but the individual taking the skills exam can be in the car with the skills examiner. If for any reason the skills examiner determines the vehicle is unsafe, the skills exam will be canceled and the applicant can return at another time to take another skills exam when they have a vehicle that is in safe operating condition. The vehicle must be legally equipped and in safe and clean condition. The vehicle used must be properly registered.”
“A driving skills exam given by a BMV examiner is required for the following:”
in.gov/dA/113b5fcd2d/Drivers_Manual_Chapter_1.pdfChecked August 1, 2026
“href="https://telegov.egov.com/bmvappointments"”
in.gov/bmv/branch-locations-and-hours/preparing-for-branch-visitsChecked August 1, 2026
“Text-Only List of Branches and Kiosk Locations”
in.gov/bmv/branch-locations-and-hours/bmv-branch-mapChecked August 1, 2026
Applying for a driver's license in Indiana?
Answer a few questions and see the steps that apply to you.