Missouri Drivers License
It does not matter how old you are, if you want to drive a vehicle on public roads in Missouri and you are not currently holding a drivers license issued by another state, you will be required to apply for the Missouri drivers license.
Missouri Drivers License Classes
The first step you take when you are applying for your license is choosing the license that is right for you. At the moment, the state offers the following types of Missouri drivers licenses:
- Class F. Regular drivers license, allows you to operate most of the common vehicles.
- Class M. Motorcycle license. You only need this if you plan on riding a motorcycle.
- Class E. Also referred to as a "for-hire license". Issued to drivers who transport a large number of passengers or goods, such as the taxi drivers or pizza delivery drivers.
- Class A, B and C. Commercial drivers licenses, CDLs.
If this is your first license, then it definitely makes sense to start with the class F license. It is enough for most of the drivers out there. You can always upgrade to another class of the drivers license later on.
Missouri Graduated Drivers License
Although the Missouri version of the graduated driver license system is rather on the softer side when compared to other states, it still imposes certain restrictions onto the teenage drivers. The main reason why teenagers are subjected to a different licensing procedure as compared to adult license applicants is the fact that teens have the highest crash rates among all age groups. Risk-taking behavior is one of the factors that attribute to these statistics and this is why all applicants who are under 18 years of age are subjected to the Missouri GDL laws.
Missouri Permit Testing
Every first-time driver's license applicant who is under 18 years of age is required to take a permit test at the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR). The written exam will assess your knowledge of the driving rules and if you want to pass the exam, you must prepare for it beforehand.
One of the best ways to prepare for the driving exam is to take a Missouri drivers education class. Although the class is not compulsory for applicants of any age, the course is a great way to prepare for the permit exam and your future on Missouri roads.
If you do not want to take a drivers ed class, you can just pick up a copy of the Missouri drivers handbook and use it as your study guide. The book has everything you need to prepare for the test.
Once you're done with the book, you may want to take a Missouri practice test to see how well you can do on the real exam.
Drivers Permit
When you complete the knowledge exam, you are not issued with your driving license right away, you are given the Missouri learners permit. The drivers permit allows you to operate a motor vehicle under the supervision of a licensed driver who's at least 21 years old.
Drivers License Test
When you are ready to take the Missouri drivers license test, you can schedule it with the DOR. You have to schedule the exam in advance as they DOR does not accept walk-ins. It is also up to you to provide your own vehicle for the license test.
Once you pass the exam, you will be issued with your official Missouri drivers license.