Your First-Time Utah Drivers License Guide

by Jim Thompson | Last Updated: October 14, 2023

To obtain a Utah drivers license, first-time drivers under the age of 18 must complete an approved driver education course. This course, required by the Utah Division of Motor Vehicles, will help you learn all you need to know to become a safe, responsible and confident driver.

Who Is Eligible for Drivers Ed Utah?

If you are at least 15 years old and have acquired your Utah learner permit, you may enroll in a driver education course. Applying for a Utah learner permit involves visiting your local DMV office, making sure to bring with you:

For answers to your documentation questions, please visit the Utah DMV website.

Once you have submitted all the necessary paperwork, you will then be required to take a 50 question driving knowledge test. You are allowed two attempts a day to pass this exam, and if you should fail three times, you would be required to pay the $15 permit fee a second time.

To reduce your risk of failure, you may want to consider preparing yourself with a permit practice test. These tests are created from past Utah DMV exams so that you can know exactly what you’ll be up against when you get to the DMV. It’s not hard to be confident when you know the answers even before you’ve seen the questions!

How Utah Drivers Ed Works

An approved Utah drivers ed course will consist of 18 hours of classroom instruction, six hours of driving practice and six hours of in-car observation.

The classroom portion of your course will give you practical information on topics such as:

Where Is Drivers Ed Utah Available?

You may complete your Utah driver education course in any of the following locations:

IMPORTANT NOTE: An online driver education course will only satisfy the classroom requirement. You will still need to finish the behind the wheel portion at your high school or a professional drivers training school.

Getting Your License after Drivers Ed Utah

If you are 18, have completed drivers ed and have held your learner permit for six months, you can apply for your Utah driver license. Applying for a driver license will include much of the same documentation required to get your learner permit. Application for your driver license can be made at your local DMV office and will require you to submit the following:

Once your submitted documents have been approved, it will be time for you to take a vision and a driving skills test. After passing both exams, the only step left will be to have your picture taken for your brand-new Utah driver license