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Nevada driver's license

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

The short answer

If you have never been licensed in the US, Nevada requires you to pass the knowledge test and the driving skills test.1 An original eight-year license costs $41.50, and an original four-year limited term license costs $22.50.2 While you drive on an instruction permit, a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and has at least one year of driving experience must sit beside you.3 The identity documents you present must be valid and unexpired.4

How it goes

  1. 1
    You arriveYou have moved to Nevada 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.

What it costs

First non-commercial driver's license, 8 years5$41.50

This license is good for 8 years.5

If you just arrived in the US

Your immigration status

Licenses and ID cards are marked "Limited Term" when immigration documents are used to prove identity.6

  • A non-citizen using U.S. immigration documents can be issued a Real ID or a standard license or ID card.7

If you have no license to transfer

If your license is from a foreign country other than Canada, you take the vision, knowledge, and skills tests.8

Documents you need

  • Documents that are still validIdentity documents presented for an application must be valid originals and unexpired.4
    • The agency can refuse to accept an expired document, refuse to issue a driver's license to the person presenting it, or both.9
    • A Resident Alien Card, Form I-551, that has no expiration date is an accepted document.10
    • For a driver authorization card or its instruction permit, every document you present must be valid and unexpired.11

Your Social Security Number

Giving your number, and who may see it

Everything the Department collects during your application is stored on an electronic system that prevents unauthorized use and keeps personally identifiable information secure and confidential.12

  • The Department checks the Social Security Online Verification system.13

Tests you take

Eye test

With no progressive eye disease, vision of 20/40 or better gives full driving privileges; worse than 20/40 through 20/70 limits you to daylight driving only; worse than 20/70 means you cannot be licensed. With a progressive abnormality or disease of the eye, the daylight-only range is worse than 20/40 through 20/60 and adds a yearly visual examination, and worse than 20/60 means you cannot be licensed. If one eye is 20/100 or worse, the other eye decides: 20/40 or better gives full driving privileges; worse than 20/40 through 20/50 means daylight driving only with a yearly visual examination; worse than 20/50 means you cannot be licensed.14

  • If you fail the screening you get no license and no road test; a report from a Nevada physician or optometrist can be submitted, but reports are advisory. 20/40 or better means full privileges in every track, and the daylight-only band runs to 20/70 with no progressive disease, to 20/60 with progressive disease (plus a yearly exam), and to 20/50 in the other eye when one eye is 20/100 or worse; below the band you are not eligible.15

Drive test

If you hold a valid U.S., U.S. territory, or Canadian license, you can be exempt from the knowledge and skills tests.16

  • It is required if you have never been licensed in the U.S., hold a license from a foreign country, or your prior license has been expired, suspended, or revoked for over one year.1

  • The DMV may require a driving skills test based on your driving history.17

Practice questions for the written test

Read the Nevada Driver Handbook before you take the written exam.18

  • You can test your knowledge with the Nevada DMV's official practice quiz.19

Practising with your permit

Who can sit with you while you practise

A licensed driver who is at least 21 years old, with at least one year of licensed driving experience in the type of vehicle the permit was issued for, must occupy the seat beside you whenever you drive on a learner permit.3

What to bring to the drive test

Who comes with you

You must have a licensed driver in the seat beside you who is at least 21 years old and has at least 1 year of licensed driving experience in the type of vehicle your permit was issued for.3

The car and its insurance

The driving test must be taken in a motor vehicle of the type or class for which you are to be licensed. Any vehicles and equipment provided by a third-party certifier must be adequately maintained and safe to operate.20

Where to go

Who gives the tests

Either the Department gives the driving test, or a third-party certifier does — one registered by the Department and employed by the driver-training school where you are a student.21

Booking an appointment

Appointments are made online at https://dmv.nv.gov/appointments.htm.22

Office locations

You can find DMV offices at dmv.nv.gov/locat.htm.23

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 must provide proof of identity and pass all three tests: vision, knowledge, and skills if you've never been licensed in the U.S. or if your prior license has been expired, suspended, or revoked for over one year.”

    dmv.nv.gov/nvdladult.htm

    Checked August 3, 2026

  2. 2

    “Original 8-Year Non-Commercial License $41.50 Original 4-Year Driver Authorization Card or Limited Term License $22.50 Instruction Permit $22.50”

    dmv.nv.gov/dlfees.htm

    Checked August 27, 2026

  3. 3

    “issue to the applicant an instruction permit entitling the applicant, while having the permit in his or her immediate possession, to drive a motor vehicle, other than a motorcycle, upon the highways for a period of 1 year when accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age, who has had at least 1 year of licensed driving experience in the type of vehicle for which the permit was issued and who is actually occupying a seat beside the driver.”

    web.archive.org/…/NRS-483.html

    Checked July 31, 2026

  4. 4

    “You must present one of the following valid, unexpired documents:”

    dmv.nv.gov/idcards.htm

    Checked August 4, 2026

  5. 5

    “Original 8-Year Non-Commercial License $41.50”

    dmv.nv.gov/dlfees.htm

    Checked August 4, 2026

  6. 6

    “Licenses and ID cards will be marked "Limited Term" when immigration documents are used to prove identity.”

    dmv.nv.gov/idcards.htm

    Checked August 4, 2026

  7. 7

    “A Real ID or Standard License/ID (with U.S. immigration”

    dmv.nv.gov/nvdladult.htm

    Checked August 4, 2026

  8. 8

    “Currently licensed in the U.S., U.S. Territories or Canada and 21 years of age or older ... Vision ... Currently licensed in the U.S., U.S. Territories or Canada and under 21 ... Vision ... Knowledge ... Currently licensed in the U.S., U.S. Territories or Canada but has misplaced the actual license ... Vision ... Knowledge ... Currently licensed in a foreign country other than Canada ... Vision ... Knowledge ... Skills”

    dmv.nv.gov/nvdlfirst.htm

    Checked August 1, 2026

  9. 9

    “May, if the document has expired, refuse to accept the document or refuse to issue a driver's license to the person presenting the document, or both”

    web.archive.org/…/NRS-483.html

    Checked August 3, 2026

  10. 10

    “(e) A Resident Alien Card, Form I-551, that contains no expiration date, issued by the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service of the Department of Justice;”

    web.archive.org/…/NAC-483.html

    Checked April 9, 2026

  11. 11

    “2. Any document presented pursuant to subsection 1 must be valid and unexpired.”

    web.archive.org/…/NAC-483.html

    Checked April 9, 2026

  12. 12

    “Any information obtained by the Department during the application and issuance process for a driver's license, motorcycle driver's license or identification card will be stored on an electronic system maintained by the Department in a manner that prevents unauthorized use of the information and ensures the security and confidentiality of personally identifiable information.”

    web.archive.org/…/NAC-483.html

    Checked August 1, 2026

  13. 13

    “Social Security Online Verification”

    dmv.nv.gov/nvdladult.htm

    Checked August 4, 2026

  14. 14

    “The following summary of vision standards consists of minimum levels of acceptable vision and the restrictions that will be imposed on a driver if he or she fails to meet those minimum levels: (a) Vision with no progressive abnormalities or diseases of the eye: (1) Better than and including 20/40 - full driving privileges. (2) Worse than 20/40 through and including 20/70 - daylight driving only. (3) Worse than 20/70 - not eligible to be licensed. (b) Vision with progressive abnormalities or diseases of the eye: (1) Better than and including 20/40 - full driving privileges. (2) Worse than 20/40 through and including 20/60 - daylight driving only and yearly visual examination. (3) Worse than 20/60 - not eligible to be licensed. (c) Drivers with vision of 20/100 or worse in one eye and the vision in the other eye is: (1) Better than and including 20/40 - full driving privileges. (2) Worse than 20/40 through and including 20/50 - daylight driving only and yearly visual examination. (3) Worse than 20/50 - not eligible to be licensed.”

    web.archive.org/…/NAC-483.html

    Checked April 9, 2026

  15. 15

    “Vision with no progressive abnormalities or diseases of the eye: ... Better than and including 20/40 - full driving privileges. ... Worse than 20/40 through and including 20/70 - daylight driving only. ... Worse than 20/70 - not eligible to be licensed. ... Vision with progressive abnormalities or diseases of the eye: ... Worse than 20/40 through and including 20/60 - daylight driving only and yearly visual examination. ... Worse than 20/60 - not eligible to be licensed. ... Drivers with vision of 20/100 or worse in one eye and the vision in the other eye is: ... Worse than 20/40 through and including 20/50 - daylight driving only and yearly visual examination. ... Worse than 20/50 - not eligible to be licensed.”

    web.archive.org/…/NAC-483.html

    Checked August 1, 2026

  16. 16

    “Valid U.S., U.S. territory, or Canadian license holders may be exempt from knowledge and skills tests if none of the conditions below apply.”

    dmv.nv.gov/newresident.htm

    Checked July 28, 2026

  17. 17

    “driving skills test based on your driving history.”

    dmv.nv.gov/dlrenewal.htm

    Checked August 4, 2026

  18. 18

    “Read the handbook before taking your written exam.”

    dmv.nv.gov/wtestadult.htm

    Checked July 26, 2026

  19. 19

    “Test your knowledge with the Nevada DMV's official practice quiz.”

    dmv.nv.gov/wtestadult.htm

    Checked July 26, 2026

  20. 20

    “an actual demonstration of the applicant's ability to exercise ordinary and reasonable control in the operation of a motor vehicle of the type or class of vehicle for which he or she is to be licensed.”

    web.archive.org/…/NRS-483.html

    Checked August 1, 2026

  21. 21

    “If the Department requires an applicant for a Class C noncommercial driver's license to submit to a drive examination, the drive examination may be conducted by a third-party certifier”

    web.archive.org/…/NAC-483.html

    Checked August 1, 2026

  22. 22

    “<a href="appointments.htm"”

    dmv.nv.gov/newresident.htm

    Checked July 26, 2026

  23. 23

    “href="locat.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"”

    dmv.nv.gov/dlresidency.htm

    Checked July 23, 2026

Applying for a driver's license in Nevada?

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

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