Verified as of 2026-10-23 against MVC

New Jersey · Learner's Permit

Getting a Learner's Permit in New Jersey

This page is for New Jersey families about to apply for a first permit. The decision is which of the two permits fits your teen's age. At 16, the only option is the special learner's permit, available just through a licensed driving school or a high school behind-the-wheel course. From 17, the MVC sells an examination permit directly, no school required. Either permit is $10 and valid for two years, and both need a passed 50 question knowledge test, an eye screening and ID documents worth 6 points.

Special learner's permit: Age 16, school route only
Examination permit: Age 17 and up
Cost: $10 either way
How long it lasts: Two years
Knowledge test: 50 questions, 40 needed to pass
Eyesight: 20/50, corrective lenses allowed
Wait after a failed test: 7 days
Red decals: $4 a pair at MVC agencies

Step by step

Let age pick the route
At 16, the path runs through a high school program or an MVC-licensed driving school's in-car course. From 17, skip the school and get an examination permit straight from the MVC.
Collect the ID documents
Gather ID worth 6 points, a document showing where you live in New Jersey, and the Social Security number or ITIN, if one exists. On the 16 route, the school gathers these with the BA-412D application.
Book on the MVC's own site
Examination permit appointments are made through the MVC appointment system. If you need an interpreter, say so when you book, because those slots can be four to six weeks away.
Pass both tests
Get 40 or more of the 50 questions right and meet the 20/50 vision standard. Miss the knowledge test and you can return in a week.
Get the permit validated
The special learner's permit becomes valid for practice once the school instructor's 6 hours are complete. An examination permit is validated as soon as the tests are passed.
Fit the decals
Buy the red reflective decals, $4 for two, and fix them to both license plates whenever someone under 21 is driving.

Before you apply: which permit fits your teen

Age settles it. On the MVC fee table, 16 year olds get the student learner's permit, which only an authorized driving instructor can obtain, and 17 year olds get the GDL examination permit. Each costs $10 and is good for two years.

Your teen needs one, not both. Waiting until 17 lets your teen bypass the school and buy an examination permit, although many families still pay for lessons to get professional hours and help on road test day.

Gathering documents: the 6 Points of ID

New Jersey gives each identity document a point value, and you need a total of 6. Many teens use a U.S. passport or birth certificate as the primary document and top up with secondary ones such as a Social Security card or school ID. The final word belongs to the MVC's 6 Points of ID flyer.

A New Jersey address has to be shown as well. If a REAL ID is in your teen's future, note that it runs on a different 2 + 1 + 6 rule with its own point values, so compare both lists before the appointment.

At the testing center: what the knowledge test covers

Every question traces back to the New Jersey Driver Manual, covering topics like GDL rules, right of way, signs, drug and alcohol laws, and safe habits. The MVC's sample test page confirms the real test is 50 questions and 40 correct answers pass.

It is available in 13 written languages and as an oral test in English and Spanish. For deaf or hard of hearing applicants, an interpreter approved by the MVC is allowed, and the agency pays the interpreter for the knowledge test after a payment voucher is submitted.

If the eye screening does not go well

A first permit requires 20/50 vision, and glasses or contacts are allowed, so make sure your teen brings them.

Fail the screening and the next stop is an eye doctor, who completes Form ST-14. Any MVC agency that does driver testing has the form; take it to the doctor and bring it back filled in.

While holding the permit

Up front sits a supervisor who is 21 or over, licensed in New Jersey and has at least three years of driving. In the back, parents, guardians and dependents are fine, and one additional rider is allowed; that cap disappears when a parent or guardian is in the car.

Phones and interactive devices are out, hands-free included, and everyone wears a belt. Missing decals, or any GDL rule broken, means a $100 fine (N.J.S.A. 39:3-13.8). The late night curfew, 11:01 p.m. until 5:00 a.m., starts when your teen moves to unsupervised driving on a probationary license.

How long the permit has to be held

Under 21, plan on at least 6 months of practice before the road test, plus, for permits dated February 1, 2025 or later, 50 hours certified on form BA-CSD, including 10 after dark. Someone 21 or older at issue needs only 3 months and no hour certification.

Picture a permit validated in September. The earliest road test for a teen is the following March, and the permit itself runs out two years after issue. Miss that window without collecting the probationary license, and the MVC makes you buy a new permit and start again.

If you are moving in with an out-of-state permit

New residents only escape testing if they hold a full license that is not provisional, and the MVC's transfer page sets the minimum transfer age at 17. A learner's permit from another state does not convert, so expect to take the New Jersey knowledge test and buy a permit here.

If your teen is partway through another state's program, call the MVC before the move and ask which practice time can count. Keep the old state's log. The BA-CSD is still required, but the log shows you how many hours remain to plan.

New Jersey teen drivers ed: common questions

Can my 16 year old get a permit if we skip driving school?

No. A 16 year old can only get the special learner's permit, and that goes through a licensed driving school or high school in-car program. Otherwise, the examination permit is available at 17.

How much does a permit cost?

As of October 2026, $10, whether it is the student learner's permit or the examination permit, and each lasts two years.

How hard is the permit test?

It has 50 questions and you need 40 right. If you fail, you can test again after 7 days.

Is the test offered in Spanish?

Yes. The written test comes in Spanish and 12 other languages, and there is an oral version in English and Spanish.

As an adult over 21, do I still need decals?

No. Decals are only for GDL drivers younger than 21.

The permit is about to expire. What happens?

Start again with a fresh permit. The two years each permit allows must cover practice, the road test and picking up the probationary license.

Can Grandpa supervise practice?

Yes, provided he is 21 or older, licensed in New Jersey, has driven for three years or more, and rides in the front.

Learner's Permit in another state

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Sources

Rules change. If a source above says something different from this page, the source is right. Last checked 2026-10-23.

Step by step

Let age pick the route

Collect the ID documents

Book on the MVC's own site

Pass both tests

Get the permit validated

Fit the decals