In order to apply for a Vermont Junior Driver’s License, you will need proof that you are a Vermont Resident or a Visiting Citizen of a Foreign Country with an authorized duration of stay with at least 30 days remaining.
You will need documentation to establish your identity. More information...
Eligibility
An individual must have maintained a ‘clean’ driving record without any Learner’s Permit recalls suspensions or revocations for a six (6) month period prior to obtaining a Junior Driver’s License.
An individual must possess a Learner’s Permit for at least one (1) year prior to obtaining a Junior Driver’s License.
A Junior Driver’s License is issued to persons 16 or 17 years old who pass the required examination. Your parent or legal guardian must sign your application giving permission for you to be tested.
Before getting a license, all 16 and 17-year-olds must have passed a state-approved driver education and training course consisting of 30 hours of classroom study, 6 hours behind-the-wheel training, and 6 hours of observation. The Vermont Department of Education, Driver Education Division, has driver education courses at high schools. There are also Vermont commercial driver training schools that offer driver training courses. A wallet-sized certificate will be issued to those who pass the course. In addition to the hours indicated above, you must complete 40 hours of driving practice, with at least 10 hours being nighttime driving. Nighttime driving is considered driving during the period of 30 minutes after sunset, to 30 minutes before sunrise.
How to Obtain
- A Vermont Learner’s Permit that is not expired. A person may take a road test if their Learner’s Permit has not been expired more than 3 years and has been renewed prior to the exam. If it has been expired more than 3 years a written exam would be required before the road test can be given.
- Successful completion of a driver education course certified by the Vermont Agency of Education or the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. Your instructor must have logged your completion in the Driver Education Certification Service before a Driving Test can be administered. Out-of-state driver’s education is only acceptable if the course was taught by a certified and/or licensed driver education instructor and includes both classroom and behind-the-wheel training. If the completion certificate was not issued by a state agency, the applicant must provide documentation on state letterhead from the appropriate agency indicating that a recognized driver education program issued the certificate, and must list the minimum requirements for successful completion of the program.
- Your parent or guardian must certify you have completed an additional 40 hours of practice behind the wheel, with at least 10 hours being nighttime driving. You can use the Driving Practice Log Sheet or the RoadReady App to track your progress. Note: The law requires the 40 hours of driving practice to be in addition to the 6 hours of behind-the-wheel driving required for successful completion of driver education.
- You need your parent's or legal guardian's permission (unless you are an emancipated minor). A parent or legal guardian must sign the application before you can take the test. If you are a foreign exchange student, you must obtain in advance a Foreign Exchange Parental Authorization Form to be signed by a parent or legal guardian. Your host parent cannot sign this form. This form is available at Motor Vehicles offices.
- You must enter your Social Security Number on the application or provide a letter from the Social Security Administration indicating your ineligibility to receive a Social Security Number. More Information...
- Schedule an appointment for an exam.
- Have a vehicle that is clean, in good mechanical condition, legal, and with a valid inspection sticker. Be sure the emergency/parking brake is working properly. More information...
- Be prepared: Check for a valid insurance card as required by Vermont Law and vehicle registration before arriving for your appointment. Failure to show a valid insurance card and a registration certificate will prevent testing. The insurance card must state the name of the insurance carrier, effective and expiration dates of coverage, the name of the insured, and the description of the vehicle including the vehicle identification number.
- Your license will be issued after you pass the road test, pay the required fees, and provide proper identification. More information...
Transferring an Out-of-State Junior Driver’s License (applicants under 18)
You may convert your out-of-state Junior Driver’s License and obtain a Vermont Junior Driver’s License by:
- successfully passing the required examinations;
- providing proof of successful completion of a state-approved Driver Education program (see #2 above);
- certifying completion of an additional 40 hours of driving (see #3 above).
If you have a Junior Driver’s License from another state and apply for a Vermont Junior Driver’s License, you will be subject to Vermont's Graduated License provisions unless you have held the Junior Driver’s License in the other state for a period of at least six months.
What restrictions are on a Junior Driver’s License?
A Junior Driver’s License is considered a provisional license. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may take your license away if you show that you are an unsafe driver through your actions. Your license may also be taken away if your parent or guardian withdraws their permission for you to drive.
While holding a Junior Driver’s License, you cannot operate a vehicle in the course of your employment for one (1) year following the issuance of the Junior Driver’s License. For example, an individual cannot act as a pizza delivery person (driver) until they have had their Junior Driver’s License for one (1) year or until they reach the age of eighteen (18), whichever comes first.
While holding a Junior Driver’s License, an individual may not carry passengers for hire.
During the first three (3) months of operation under a Junior Driver’s License, the individual is restricted to driving alone. Passengers are permitted only if there is a licensed and unimpaired parent or guardian, a licensed or certified unimpaired driver education instructor, or a licensed and unimpaired individual 25 years of age or older riding in the front seat. If one (1) of those individuals is in the vehicle, there is no restriction on the number of passengers. However, the driver is not allowed to transport more passengers than there are safety belts.
During the second three (3) months of operation under a Junior Driver’s License, the individual may begin transporting family members.
After holding a Junior Driver’s License for six (6) months, there is no restriction on the number of passengers they can transport in the vehicle. However, the driver is not allowed to transport more passengers than there are safety belts.
A person shall not use any portable electronic device while operating a motor vehicle. This includes reading and the manual composing or sending of electronic communications (including text messages, instant messages, and emails). Portable electronic devices include, but are not limited to, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDA), tablets/iPads, and laptop computers.
