Your First-Time Pennsylvania Drivers License Guide

by Jim Thompson | Last Updated: December 14, 2023

The Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles (PA DMV) has no formal requirement for first-time drivers to complete drivers ed, but taking a course can really help prepare you to take to the road. Fortunately, it’s not difficult going through one of these courses, and there are plenty available to choose from.

Steps to Getting Your Pennsylvania License

If you’re looking to get your Pennsylvania drivers license, we’re here to help. Welcome to our step-by-step guide to get you off of your couch and out onto the road. We know you have a lot of questions, so let’s get going.

No matter your age, getting your license can be an exciting, scary, and confusing time, sometimes all at the same time. First off, let’s clear up some Pennsylvania DMV terms. In some cases, it seems they’ve gone out of their way to make it confusing.

Terms (and abbreviations) you should know:

Classroom Driver Education—A.K.A. “drivers ed.” A state-approved course that will cover driving law and basic driving skills.
Learner’s Permit—A.K.A. “Instruction Permit” or “Driving Permit.” This permit will allow you to practice drive legally before applying for your license.
Junior License—The first step toward your unrestricted Class A license.
Knowledge Test—A.K.A. “Written Driving” or “Permit” Test, it’s the one you’ll have to pass to get a permit.
Driving Skills Test—A.K.A. “Road Skills Test” or just plain ‘ol “Driving Test,” it’s the one you’ll have to pass to get your license.

See? I told you they made it confusing!

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Who Must Take Pennsylvania Drivers Ed?

Technically, there is no drivers ed requirement in the state of Pennsylvania. However, it’s probably not a bad idea for anyone to take a drivers ed course before getting their first license.

Another reason you may want to consider drivers ed is that it can qualify you to move from a Junior License to an Unrestricted License sooner.

Drivers ed is a course that covers topics like:

Pennsylvania traffic laws
Meanings of road signs, signals, and markings
Your responsibilities as a licensed driver
Alcohol safety and drug abuse awareness
Motor vehicle operation fundamentals
Driving in hazardous situations
Driving in emergency situations

Pennsylvania drivers ed can be completed online or at an approved driving school.

If you decide to take drivers ed, the easiest way to complete it is online. Taking drivers ed online means you can complete the course at a pace and on a schedule that works best for you.

If you think completing a course online might be a good fit, here’s a list of some great Pennsylvania online drivers ed providers.

Best Pennsylvania DMV Approved Online Drivers Ed Course Providers

Website	Name	Phone	Register NOW!
	Drivers Ed	888-651-2886	Get Started
Best Choice	Drivers Ed by Aceable	512-522-4174	Get Started
	I Drive Safely	866-388-9068	Get Started
	Teen Online Driver Ed	855-852-9331	Get Started
	A Plus School of Driving	412-726-4772	Get Started
	Bmarc School of Driving	412-956-0222	Get Started
	Cantors Driving School	610-277-1050	Get Started

If you (or your folks) would prefer a traditional driving school experience, check out our guide to selecting the best driving school.

How to Choose the Best Driving School for Your Teen

The Path to a Pennsylvania License in a Nutshell

The quick and dirty looks like this:

Prepare for your permit
Get a learner’s permit
Complete 65 hours of practice driving
Pass a road skills test

Now let’s take a look at what it’ll take to get those four steps done.

Step 1—Prepare for Your Permit

To start the licensing process, you should get these two things done first:

Download a copy of the Pennsylvania Drivers Manual
- The manual is available in English and Spanish. There is also an audio version. Besides these, it is also available in 16 additional languages. There are links to these at the bottom of this post.
Visit your doctor for a physical and complete a “Non-Commercial Learner’s Permit Application.” (Form DL-180)

Now that you have a drivers manual, you need to study, study, study. You’ll need that knowledge to pass the knowledge test to get your permit.

Step 2—Getting Your Permit

You can apply for your instruction permit when you turn 16.

Application for a permit will happen at a DMV driver license center. You may want to make an appointment.

When you arrive, be sure to have the following:

A Completed “Non-Commercial Learner’s Permit Application” (Form DL-180)
If younger than 18, a “Parent or Guardian Consent Form” (Form DL-180TD)
Proof of Identity
If 18 or older, two Proofs of Residence
Social Security card

If you are a non-U.S.citizen or a U.S. citizen who needs this information in another language, you should check this Proof of Residence documents list. The list is available in Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, French, Khmer, Korean, Russian, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese

We’ve also provided links to the documents mentioned on the list and all of the translations at the end of this post.

We’ve also provided a list of links to all of the documents mentioned on the DMV list at the end of this post.

You’ll also need to bring:
- Your eyeballs (for a vision test)
- Check, money order, or credit card to pay your application fee

After you have shown all of this to the folks at the DMV, hold on to it! You may need it again when you apply for your license.

Now it’s time for your written permit test

The test will include questions about:

Driving laws and their penalties, including traffic, liability insurance, alcohol-related, pedestrian, and implied-consent laws
Various kinds of driving skills, such as turning, signaling, lane changing, and parking
Differences between highway driving and city driving, including speed limits
Procedures to be used in accidents or emergencies
Distinguishing various signs and their meaning based on color and shape
Meanings of pavement markings on both highways and streets

But there can’t be too many questions about any one thing because there are only 18 questions on the test!

To pass the 18-question multiple-choice test, you’ll need to answer 15 correctly. Here are some suggestions on how to prepare.

How to Pass the Permit Test

Another way to give yourself a leg up on passing the permit test is to consider one (or more) of the following:

Study the Pennsylvania Drivers Manual
Take a driver prep course, a great way to get you ready for your license. (Learn more)
Quiz yourself with a Pennsylvania permit practice test

A permit practice test has everything the “real” test does, except the pressure. That’s because practice tests feature questions taken from actual DMV exams. It’s like seeing all the answers before the test even begins! Don’t head for your test without a dress rehearsal; you want to pass the first time.

What If Your Test Didn’t Go Like You Planned?

What if you get to the testing center and, despite all your best preparation, your nerves get the best of you, and you wind up failing the test? First, don’t panic. Nearly 1 out of 3 test-takers fail on their first attempt.

Fail Your Permit Test? You’re Not Alone

If you do happen to fail, the DMV will give you two more chances, but there are some rules.

You will have to wait until at least the next day for another attempt
You may be subject to an additional fee

How to Retake Your Permit Test

Another Note—If you’re new to Pennsylvania and started this whole license dance somewhere else, here are some tips that might help.

I Just Got My Permit and Now We’re Moving?!?

Step 3—65 Hours of Practice Driving

Now it’s time to put that learner’s permit to good use, and you are required to use it for six months before you can apply for your license.

Before you can take a driving test, you’ll have to complete 65 hours of practice driving, and at least 10 of those will need to happen after dark, and five of them in bad weather.

Your permit does come with some restrictions:

You must be accompanied at all times by a licensed driver who is 21 or older (or a licensed 18-year-old spouse)
You cannot drive between 11 P.M. and 5 A.M. unless you are driving to or from work, school, or volunteer service

While you might be nervous at first, do your best to enjoy this time and always pay close attention to what’s going on around you. You never know the kinds of things, good and bad, that you might learn from the drivers around you. Also, do yourself the favor of driving in as many conditions as you can, places like:

On the highway
In neighborhoods
On winding or hilly roads
In downtown areas

It’s better if you don’t see these things for the first time on your own.

Since you’ll be using your permit for six months, there’s no reason not to drive WAY more than 65 hours! It can only do you good.

BTW—If you are planning a family road trip, you may get the chance to do some practice driving in another state. Check this out to see if you can.

Does Your Learners Permit Work Out-of-State?

Step 4—Pass a Driving Test

Finally, the last hurdle, your driving test. It’s all good. You got this.

You must be at least 16 ½ to apply for your Junior License.

You may take your driving test at the DMV or with a certified third-party business.

You must schedule an appointment with the DMV for a driving test. You can either call 717-412-5300 or schedule online.

When you arrive for your appointment, be sure to have the following with you:

Parent/Guardian Certification Form (Form DL-108C)
Instruction Permit
The valid drivers license of the person who drove you to the Testing Site
Check, money order, or credit card to pay your application fee
A vehicle to take the test in. The vehicle must:
- Be insured
- Be properly registered
- Be able to pass a visual safety inspection

The examiner will give you instructions on where to drive for the test. Serious traffic violations such as speeding or failure to yield will result in automatic failure. Examiners use a point system to grade other aspects of performance. If you fail the test, the examiner will explain why and instruct you on how to re-take it.

Using Your New License

Per the rules of the Pennsylvania Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Program, your Junior License will come with some restrictions concerning when you can drive and who you can have in the car with you.

TIME:

If you are under age 18, you can’t drive from 11 P.M. to 5 A.M. except when driving:

To or from work
To or from school
To or from volunteer service

You will need documentation to prove your eligibility to drive to these events.

PASSENGERS:

For the first six months, you can only transport one non-family member in your car
After the first six months, you can transport up to three non-family members in your car

Your Junior License will be upgraded to an Unrestricted license when:

You turn 18 or,
You have taken drivers ed and have maintained a crash- and conviction-free driving record for 12 months

A Final Note

Any licensed driver will tell you that you will never face a driving situation as complicated, nerve-wracking, and time-consuming as getting your license. By no means should you let your guard down once you’re behind the wheel but, rest assured. You’ll never face anything on the road that will compare with the process it took to get you your license.

Good luck as you work your way through this. Can’t wait to see you out on the road!