Georgia Drivers Permit Application
Applying for a Georgia learners permit is an intermediate step for those who are trying to achieve the state's drivers license and have never been licensed before. Those who previously held a drivers license do not need to apply for a Georgia drivers permit. A minimum age for applying for a Georgia DDS driver's permit is 15, however you can start learning the state driving rules well before that time. If your application for a Georgia learner permit is successful and you receive your driving permit, keep in mind that this is not a full license yet and you must observe all Georgia permit restrictions whenever you are driving.
Graduated Driver License Requirements
Just like most states in the country, Georgia has its own version of the graduated license program. The graduated driver's license system in Georgia covers everyone who chooses to apply for a Georgia learner's permit or drivers license before the age of 18. The reason why the graduated license system targets young permit holders is the fact that teenagers have very high crash rates when compared to older drivers. Traffic accidents are a number one cause of death for people between 15 and 20 years of age.
The graduated license program fights the causes of traffic accidents among teenage drivers by requiring teenage permit applicants to receive additional education and by enforcing a number of Georgia permit restrictions onto their drivers permits. Failure to meet these graduated license requirements may lost you your driving privileges.
Required Testing
When you submit your application for a Georgia learners permit, the Department of Driver Services needs to make sure that you are physically fit and have the knowledge required for operating a vehicle. The application procedure involves answering health-related questions, taking a vision exam and a drivers permit test at the DDS.
Health Requirements
When you come to the DDS to apply for your Georgia driver's permit, you will be asked if you now have, or have ever had any physical pr mental disability or disease which could interfere with your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. If the answer is yes, you will be required to show a statement of health from your physician indicating that you are physically and mentally capable of safely operating a motor vehicle. If a DDS representative suspects that you are not providing a truthful answer to the questions, your application for a learners permit will be denied.
Vision Exam
We cannot stress the importance of seeing well while operating a vehicle. Since you are traveling at such great speed, you need to be able to see far ahead, plus be aware of your surroundings all the time. You need to have a vision of 20/60 in one eye, with or without corrective lenses, and a field of vision of at least 140 degrees. If you wear your contact lenses while taking the exam, a restriction will be placed onto your Georgia drivers license that will require you to wear contact lenses while driving. If you are unable to meet vision requirements at the DDS, you will need to have an ophthalmologist or an optometrist to complete a Vision Report for you so you can file this report with your application for a Georgia drivers permit.
Learners Permit Test
A drivers permit test is a must for all first time permit applicants. If you are exchanging a learners permit that was issued by a different state, you may not have to take a Georgia permit test while applying for a Georgia drivers permit.
The DDS permit test is based on the information contained in the Georgia drivers handbook that you can download off the Internet or pick up at a local DDS office. The test contains 40 multiple choice questions and it's broken into two parts: the first part covers the state driving rules and the second part is based on traffic signs. Each part has 20 questions and you need to answer at least 15 questions in each section correctly.
Those who would like to test themselves prior to visiting the DDS testing station may opt to take a free Georgia practice permit test online. Practice tests are based on the same materials as the real permit test, so they should give you a good estimate of how well you can do on the real knowledge exam.
Paperwork Required
In order to prove that you have the right to apply for a Georgia DDS permit, you are required to present the following paperwork:
- proof of identity
- proof of US citizenship or legal presence
- proof of Georgia residency
- Social Security Number
If you are under 18 years of age, one of your parents or legal guardians will need to accompany you to the DDS office and sign your application for a Georgia drivers permit. Without parental consent, you cannot receive neither a permit nor a license until you are at least 18 years of age.
Applying for a Learners Permit - Under 18 Years of Age
You have to be at least 15 years of age in order to be able to apply for a Georgia instructional permit. In order to apply, go down to a DDS office, take a vision exam, a permit test, file your paperwork and have one of your parents sign your application form. You are not required to take any classes at this point, but make sure to study the driving rules before you take the knowledge test. If you pass the required exams and your paperwork checks out, you are issued with a Georgia instructional permit.
Applying for an Instructional Permit - 18 Years of Age and Older
If you are at least 18 years of age and you have previously held a drivers license, you can omit the permit stage altogether and skip straight to applying for a Georgia drivers license, however you will still have to take the same tests as everyone else - a vision exam, a permit test and a Georgia drivers test. At the time of your application, you will be required to sign an affidavit stating that you have driven for at least 40 hours before applying for a drivers license.
Those who have not previously held a drivers license will follow the same procedure as teenagers when applying for a learners permit in Georgia. Study the permit handbook, then go down to the DDS, take a vision exam and a permit test. If you pass, you are issued with a learner permit. Keep in mind that you are not allowed to drive alone while operating under a permit and must observe all Georgia learners permit restrictions.
Operating Under a Permit
A learners permit is issued to you for one purpose - to allow you to practice driving before you take a drivers test. In order to limit your driving privileges, the DDS places a number of restrictions onto you Georgia drivers permit. Thus, you are not allowed to drive alone and must have a person at least 21 years of age with a valid Georgia drivers license accompany you whenever you are driving.
Teenagers who would like to receive a class D drivers license before the age of 17 must complete a Georgia drivers education course and either 6 hours of driving lessons with a driving instructor or a Parent / Teen driving guide during the learners permit holding period.
