Getting a Texas Driver License in 2026

The license classes

DPS sets the class by the type of vehicle, its gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or the combined rating of the vehicles towed, and the number of passengers, on its classes of driver licenses page. The holder of a class may drive every lesser class except motorcycles.

• Class C: a single vehicle or combination not in Class A or B, a single vehicle under 26,001 pounds towing a farm trailer up to 20,000 pounds, a vehicle designed for 23 or fewer passengers including the driver, and an autocycle. A vehicle rated for 16 to 23 passengers needs a Class C commercial license unless exempt.
• Class B: a single vehicle of 26,001 pounds or more, that vehicle towing up to 10,000 pounds (or a farm trailer up to 20,000), and a bus seating 24 or more including the driver.
• Class A: a single vehicle of 26,001 pounds or more, or a combination of 26,001 pounds or more where the towed vehicle is over 10,000 pounds.
• Class M: a motorcycle (the motorcycle license guide).

Drivers of recreational vehicles for personal use, some farmers, operators of cotton-seed module or cotton burr vehicles, fire and emergency vehicle operators, military vehicle operators and air carrier vehicles are exempt from the commercial license but may still need a non-commercial Class A or B when the vehicle meets those weights. Commercial classes are on the CDL guide.

The documents DPS asks for

DPS's driver license application page lists what to gather before the appointment, and its interactive REAL ID Document Check builds a personal checklist. The four proofs are:

Citizenship or lawful presence. One document from the DPS citizenship and lawful presence page: a valid U.S. passport book or card, an original or certified birth certificate (laminated copies and photocopies refused; Puerto Rican certificates issued before July 1, 2010 not recognized), a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization with photo, or a U.S. citizen identification card; non-citizens present a Permanent Resident Card, an immigrant visa with temporary I-551 language, a foreign passport with visa and valid I-94, or an employment authorization document, verified with the Department of Homeland Security before the card can issue.

Texas residency. Two printed documents with the applicant's name and residential address, one proving at least 30 days in Texas, from the DPS residency page: a deed, mortgage statement or lease; a Texas voter card; Texas vehicle or boat registration; a utility or residential service bill dated within 180 days (electric, water, gas, internet, cable, streaming, lawn service or cell phone); insurance policies; a school transcript for the current year; a W-2, 1099 or 1098; bank or government statements within 180 days; a car payment statement; military or VA documents; medical bills; a Texas hunting or fishing license; a pay stub within 180 days. Someone surrendering a valid out-of-state license still shows residency but skips the 30-day rule, and an applicant without two documents may complete a Texas Residency Affidavit (DL-5).

Identity. One primary document (an unexpired Texas license or ID expired no more than two years, a U.S. passport, a Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization, an unexpired DHS document with photo, a foreign passport with visa and I-94, or an unexpired military ID), or two secondary documents (an original birth certificate from a U.S. state, territory or Canadian province, a court order changing the name, or a Consular Report of Birth Abroad), or one secondary and two supporting documents (a Social Security card, W-2 or 1099, an out-of-state license, school records, a voter card, a professional license, a Medicare card, a Texas vehicle title, a VA card, military records and others on the DPS identification requirements page). The name and date of birth must match across the set; a married name needs the marriage license, divorce decree, revised birth certificate or court order.

Social Security number. Written on the application and verified electronically with the Social Security Administration in seconds, as the DPS Social Security number page explains; a number that does not verify stops the issuance until the SSA corrects it. A person not eligible for a number signs a Social Security Number Affidavit (DL-13) at the office, which is not accepted for a commercial license.

Driver education and the ITD video, by age

Under 18: a state approved driver education course (32 hours of classroom plus the behind-the-wheel hours), a learner license held at least six months, and the two-hour Impact Texas Teen Drivers video within 90 days of the driving test; the whole path is on the learner license and provisional license guides.

18 through 24: a six-hour adult driver education course before testing, from a school licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, plus the one-hour Impact Texas Adult Drivers video. DPS waives the course for a new resident 18 or older who surrenders a valid, unexpired license from another state.

25 and older: no driver education course, only the one-hour Impact Texas Adult Drivers video, dated within 90 days of the driving skills test. DPS's Impact Texas Drivers page says the certificate must be presented before the test is given and that the video does not replace the distracted driving module of a driver education course. The driver education guide covers the course options and the ITD programs.

The office visit and the tests

Book the appointment on the DPS appointments page (its scheduler is at txdpsscheduler.com), complete the application form DL-14A, and at the office hand the specialist the application and the four proofs, give a signature and thumbprints, have the photo taken, pay the application fee, and pass the vision exam. The knowledge test and the driving skills test come last; both can be taken at the DPS office or through a Third Party provider, and DPS's application page says the knowledge test may have been passed already during the classroom part of driver education.

For the driving test, DPS's driving test page says to bring the learner license or the license with a B restriction, the test fee or its receipt (a payment is good for 90 days), the ITD certificate, proof of driver education for anyone under 25, proof of liability insurance on the test vehicle with the applicant not listed as an excluded driver, and a vehicle with a current registration sticker, two plates front and rear, and no mechanical faults such as doors that do not open from inside and out. No extra passengers ride along. A rental car works if the applicant is an authorized driver on the agreement, the rental company allows tests, and liability coverage is shown.

After a pass, DPS prints a temporary license to drive on while the card is mailed, usually within two to three weeks; check it for errors before leaving. Someone who already holds a Texas ID card surrenders it, since Texas law allows a person to hold a license or an ID card but not both.

Drivers moving to Texas

DPS's Moving to Texas page gives new residents 90 days to drive on a valid, unexpired license from another U.S. state, territory, Canadian province or qualifying country. A valid license from another state, a territory or Canada is surrendered and the knowledge and skills exams are waived; a license expired more than two years is treated as a new application. Texas has license reciprocity with France, Germany, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan, so a valid license from one of them also skips the exams unless the holder wants to keep the foreign license. Foreign licenses not in English or Spanish must be translated by a translation service or a consulate before the visit, and a foreign marriage license not in English needs a certified translation.

Before applying, every vehicle the applicant owns must carry Texas registration (the new to Texas guide explains the 30-day vehicle rule). Minors from another state keep the knowledge exam waiver if they hold a valid license or learner license, receive the equivalent Texas card, but take the skills exam and complete the six-month learner holding period or wait until 18. Active duty and recently discharged military members with an expired out-of-state license may be exempt from the tests with a military ID and proof of the issuing state's military extension, and members of a NATO force with orders are exempt as well. Under the international agreements on DPS's reciprocity page, a foreign license works for private vehicles for drivers 18 to 75 for up to a year after entry.

Driver license fees

Source: the DPS driver license fees page, read on October 14, 2026. A $1 administrative fee is included in each amount and is not charged for a transaction by mail. DPS offices take credit cards, cash, checks, money orders and tap-to-pay including Apple Pay and Google Pay. The ID card, commercial license and record fees are on the Texas DMV fees page.

Questions about getting a Texas license

Do I have to go to an office for my first Texas license?

Yes. DPS says first-time applicants and out-of-state transfers must visit a driver license office in person, by appointment booked up to 180 days ahead on its scheduler. DPS suggests midweek, midday visits, since Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, spring break, the summer and the days after major holidays are its busiest times.

I moved from another state. Do I take the tests again?

No, if the license you surrender is valid and unexpired, or expired less than two years. DPS waives the knowledge and skills exams and, for drivers 18 and older, the ITD and adult driver education requirements. DPS also recognizes licenses from France, Germany, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan the same way, unless you choose to keep the foreign license.

How long does an out-of-state license stay valid in Texas?

Ninety days from the move, for a valid license from another U.S. state, U.S. territory, Canadian province or a qualifying country. A foreign license under a reciprocity agreement is good for up to one year or until the driver becomes a Texas resident, whichever is sooner, and then the 90-day clock runs.

Why does DPS want my vehicle registration?

A new resident surrendering an out-of-state license must show current Texas registration for every vehicle owned, plus proof of insurance for each one or a statement that they own no vehicle. DPS says the registration requirement applies only to new residents giving up another state's license.

When does the card arrive?

DPS prints a temporary license at the office that allows driving right away and mails the card, typically within two to three weeks; the mailing status is on the DPS card status page.

Can I take the driving test somewhere other than a DPS office?

Yes. DPS authorizes certified driver education schools as Third Party Skills Testing organizations for the Class C test, and a school in its submission portal can send the results to DPS electronically, after which the license can be processed and paid for through Texas by Texas without an office visit.