How to Apply for a Learners Permit in Michigan
A learners permit in Michigan is required for teenage drivers who are looking to get their license. There are two permit levels that are offered: levels one and two. A level one Michigan drivers permit requires drivers to be accompanied by an adult who is at least 20 years of age.
Level two permit-holders are allowed to drive without a supervisor but only during certain hours. The Level two permit has a higher age requirement. Drivers are required to operate a vehicle with the Level one permit before they are eligible for Level two.
In this article, you will learn all that you need to know about getting a DMV learners permit in Michigan, as well as the restrictions that are placed on you at each level of the permit-holding process. This means that by the end of the article you will understand the documents required to get a permit, the fees you must pay and the tests you must take.
Did you know? New drivers who prepare for the DMV written exam are overwhelmingly more likely to pass the test on the first try. Our DMV practice tests will help you feel confident and ready for exam day.
Michigan Learners Permit Eligibility Guidelines
Drivers permit requirements in Michigan include the stipulation that you can get your level one permit nine months after you have turned 14. You will need signed consent from an adult to do so. Additionally, you will need to have taken a drivers education course. This permit level only requires you to have completed section one of the course.
For the Level two Michigan learning license, also known as the intermediate license, you must be 16 years of age. An adult will need to give their signed affirmation that you have driven for no less than 50 hours, and you will also need to have completed the second section of your drivers education course.
For both licenses, you will need to be a resident of Michigan who is legally allowed to be in the United States. As well, you will need to take an eye exam.
How to Apply for a Learners Permit in Michigan
If you are wondering how to get your driving permit online in Michigan, you should know that an in-person office visit is required. This is because the process of getting your learners permit requires you to present documentation to the DMV and complete several tests. These transactions cannot take place online.
When determining where to get your learners permit in Michigan, you will need to go to a local Michigan DMV office. The permit application is not available online, meaning you will have to complete it at the office. It will require you to provide basic personal information about yourself, such as your name and Social Security Number (SSN).
As well, in order to apply for a learner permit in Michigan, you will need to bring documents that show:
- Your address in Michigan. The two required documents can include school correspondence, bank correspondence, bills, insurance policies or any other document showing both your name and address.
- Your Social Security Number. The one required document can be an SSN card, a W-2, a paystub, a 1099 or correspondence from the Social Security Administration stating that you do not need an SSN.
- Your authorization to be in the United States. This can be a valid U.S. passport, birth certificate or document proving either Permanent or Temporary Residency in the U.S.
- Your name and birth date. This required document can be a passport, a military ID, a previously issued state ID or the signature of an adult who has custody over a minor.
The above explains the procedures that can be used as a form of REAL ID. Practically, this means the drivers learners permit can be used to board a domestic flight, but it can also be used in other circumstances where you need your permit for the purposes of federal identification.
If you are applying for the second level permit, you will also be able to get an Enhanced ID. This ID can be used in place of a passport when crossing the border to the US from Canada, Mexico or some islands.
The Michigan Drivers Permit Test
The DMV permit test in Michigan is required for all applicants. There are two components of this test: the knowledge portion and the road portion. An online drivers permit test is not offered, meaning you will need to go to the office to take both portions of the test.
The Michigan learners permit test for Level One applicants is a knowledge test, while the test for level two applicants is a road test. Level two applicants will also need to complete a written test, but this will be done during the drivers education course, not when applying for the second-level permit.
When deciding what to bring to a permit test in Michigan, you will need to decide if you want to prepare for the test beforehand in the office with a study guide. Otherwise, you will only need to bring a form of identification.
A Michigan DMV practice permit test is available in the “What Every Driver Must Know” manual. This practice test ensures that you understand road rules, such as what to do at an intersection and how to drive in the proximity of bikes.
There is not a Michigan learners permit practice test available for the road portion of the exam, but the “Driving Skills Test Study Guide” does explain what material will be covered. You can do a DMV permit practice test of your own by performing all of the maneuvers listed in the guide and ensuring you are ready to take the test. These maneuvers include knowing how to stop, how to make a turn and how to park.
You will also need to show that you understand how to operate a vehicle around other drivers. This means ensuring you know who has the right-of-way at an intersection and how to change lanes on the highway.
Michigan Driving Permit Rules and Restrictions
Driving permit rules in Michigan mean that drivers with a Level one permit are only allowed to drive with an adult who is at least 21 years of age. This adult must have a license, and if they are not the parent or guardian, they must be approved by the parent or guardian.
Level two permit-holders are allowed to drive without an adult in the car, however, they are only allowed to do so during certain hours. Level two permit driving hours in Michigan run from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Below you will find some questions that are commonly asked about learners permit rules in Michigan:
- Can you drive with a permit outside of permit hours if you are with a guardian, parent or someone who has been approved by your guardian or parent? Yes, these hours only apply to level two permit-holders who are not driving with an adult who is at least 21 years old in the front seat.
- Can you drive outside of permit hours if you need a car to get to work? Yes, you may drive by yourself with a level two permit between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. if you need to use your vehicle for the purpose of work or school.
- How long does a learner’s permit last in Michigan? You need to have a level one permit for six months before getting a Level two permit, and the total amount of time you drove a car with the level one and Level two permits must be a year before you are allowed to get a license.
Michigan Learner Permit Fees
This permit is also referred to as a graduated drivers License, meaning the Michigan learner permit fee is the same as the drivers license fee. This means:
- The permit is $25.
- A replacement is $9.
Sources
- Graduated Driver Licensing Eligibility Requirements from Michigan.gov
- Michigan's Graduated License System from Michigan.gov
- Applying for a License or ID? from Michigan.gov