Reviewed and updated October 12, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every fact on this page was read from the California DMV's own pages that day, and the DMV page each fact came from is linked where it appears.
How a California driver's license is issued, from the under-18 path to the adult application for new drivers, drivers from another state, and drivers from another country; the license classes; REAL ID; the veteran and donor markings; and the fees. Renewals are on the renewal page.
In this guide: The license classes, Applying under 18, Applying at 18 or older, REAL ID or federal non-compliant, Veteran designation and organ donor marking, Driver's license fees, Questions about getting a California license
The license classes
The DMV issues two categories of license, noncommercial and commercial, and four noncommercial classes:
- Class C covers a standard car or truck for personal use. With it you may tow a single vehicle of 10,000 pounds GVWR or less, including a tow dolly; and with a vehicle weighing 4,000 pounds or more unladen, a trailer coach or fifth-wheel travel trailer under 10,000 pounds GVWR when the towing is not for pay, or a fifth-wheel over 10,000 but under 15,000 pounds GVWR with an endorsement.
- Class M1 or M2 is the motorcycle license for two-wheel motorized vehicles.
- Noncommercial Class A is for a travel trailer or fifth wheel over 15,000 pounds GVWR, or a trailer coach over 10,000 pounds GVWR, when the towing is not for pay.
- Noncommercial Class B is for a housecar or motorhome over 40 feet and up to 45 feet, with an endorsement.
Every noncommercial license is available as a REAL ID compliant card or a federal non-compliant card. The DMV's driver's license page and the California Driver Handbook carry the full definitions.
Applying under 18
A driver between 16 and 18 takes the driving test after finishing the provisional instruction permit. The DMV's requirements are: hold the provisional permit for at least six months; complete driver education; complete six hours of professional driver training; complete 50 hours of practice with an adult 25 or older who holds a valid California license and can certify the hours, with at least 10 of the 50 hours at night.
The driving test is by appointment only, booked on the DMV's appointment page or by calling 1-800-777-0133 during business hours, and the driver must bring proof of insurance that meets California's financial responsibility requirements. A failed test means a 14-day wait, not counting the day of the test, and a retest fee (the DMV's license page says $7, its fee schedule $9). A third failure makes the application no longer valid.
After a pass the DMV issues a temporary license valid for 60 days and mails the card within 3 to 4 weeks.
Applying at 18 or older
Never licensed anywhere. An adult who has never held a license gets an instruction permit first, then takes the driving test for the license. The DMV points out that the provisional permit is only for drivers under 18; adults are issued a plain instruction permit.
Licensed in another state. Complete the Driver's License or Identification card application (it can be started online), then visit a DMV office to provide your Social Security number, prove your identity with an acceptable original or certified identity document for either a REAL ID or a federal non-compliant card, present residency documents if you have never held a California license or ID, pay the nonrefundable application fee (valid for 12 months), have a thumbprint scanned, pass a vision exam, have your photo taken, and pass the knowledge tests. Your current name must match the identity document.
Licensed in another country. The same steps as a driver from another state, plus a driving test by appointment with proof of insurance. The DMV requires an accompanying driver to and from the test. The application fee covers three driving test attempts; a repeat test is on another day with the retest fee.
Proving legal presence. Anyone who can show current legal presence in the United States with an accepted identity document is eligible for a standard or REAL ID license: U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and people with temporary status such as DACA or TPS recipients and holders of a valid student or employment visa. A card issued on temporary status expires with the legal presence document and is reissued on a documented extension. A person who no longer has legal presence can convert the license to an AB 60 license. The accepted documents are listed on the DMV's driver's license page.
REAL ID or federal non-compliant
A REAL ID compliant license or ID is accepted to board domestic flights, enter military bases and enter most secure federal facilities; a federal non-compliant card is a valid California license that is not accepted for those purposes. California REAL ID cards show a grizzly bear and a star in the upper right corner. The document checklist for a REAL ID application is on the DMV's REAL ID page.
Veteran designation and organ donor marking
An eligible veteran can have the word VETERAN printed on the front of the license by bringing a completed Veteran Status Verification Form (VSD-001), issued by a County Veterans Service Office, to the DMV office. The DMV describes it as a way to show veteran status without carrying a DD Form 214.
A driver who joins the Donate Life California Organ and Tissue Donor Registry gets a pink DONOR dot on the license, which legally authorizes recovery of organs and tissues after death.
Driver's license fees
| License | Application | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Class C, M1 or M2 | Original, renewal, or adding a motorcycle license to Class C | $46 |
| Class C, M1 or M2 | Replacement (lost or stolen), information change, or firefighter endorsement | $37 |
| Class C, M1 or M2 | Driving test, repeat | $9 |
| Noncommercial Class A or B | Original, renewal, adding a motorcycle license, or removing restrictions | $46 |
| Noncommercial Class A or B | Replacement, information update, or firefighter endorsement | $37 |
| Commercial Class A or B | Original | $100 |
| Commercial Class A or B | Renewal | $59 |
| Commercial Class A or B | Replacement | $44 |
| Commercial Class C | Original or renewal | $59 |
The commercial endorsement fees, the ID card fees and the reissue fees after a suspension are on the California DMV fees page. Source: the DMV's licensing fees page.
Questions about getting a California license
How many times can I take the knowledge test?
Three attempts at each required knowledge test. The DMV says that failing the same test three times makes the application no longer valid, so you reapply, and that it does not give knowledge tests within 30 minutes of closing.
How long is the temporary license good for?
The paper temporary license issued after the driving test is valid for 60 days. The card arrives by mail in 3 to 4 weeks; if it has not come after 60 days, the DMV says to call 1-800-777-0133.
Can I get a REAL ID with an AB 60 license?
No. The DMV states that people applying for a license under AB 60 cannot be issued a REAL ID compliant card.
What does the application fee cover?
The DMV calls the fee nonrefundable and says the application and fee stay valid for 12 months. It covers three attempts at each knowledge test and three attempts at the driving test; a repeat driving test is $9 on the DMV fee schedule.
I am 17 and have a license from another country. Can I drive in California?
For a maximum of ten days, unless you obtain a nonresident minor's certificate from the DMV, file proof of financial responsibility, and carry the license, the certificate and that proof while driving.
Written by SearchSystems.net from the California DMV's driver's license and licensing fees pages, read on October 12, 2026. Where two DMV pages give different figures, this page uses the DMV's fee schedule.