Driving Tests

Getting a Connecticut Driver's License at 18 or Older: Adult Permit Steps

informational·how to guide·Published May 8, 2026

Do I need a permit to get a Connecticut driver's license at 18 or older?

Yes, unless you can transfer a license from another U.S. state or territory, Germany, Canada or France. Otherwise, you start with an adult learner's permit: finish the Work Zone Safety Course, pass the vision test and 25-question knowledge test (20 correct), hold the permit at least 90 days unless exempt, take the 8-hour Safe Driving Practices course if you never held a Connecticut license, then pass the road test.

Where these Connecticut rules come from

The steps come from the Connecticut DMV adult learner's permit page, the DMV knowledge and vision test page and the DMV road test and license upgrade pages. The law is in the Connecticut General Statutes: Sec. 14-36 (the adult instruction permit), Sec. 14-37b (the 8-hour course), Sec. 14-111r (the work zone program), and Secs. 14-49 and 14-50 (fees). The Connecticut Driver's Manual (revised March 2023) has the same 90-day wait and license fee. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Connecticut DMV (portal.ct.gov/dmv) before you drive.

Why an adult needs a permit first

Age does not remove the permit step. The law calls it an adult instruction permit; the DMV calls it an adult learner's permit. If you are 18 or older and have no license, you may not drive on public roads to learn until you have this permit.
The only way around it is a transfer: if you already have a driver's license from another U.S. state or territory, Germany, Canada or France, you can transfer it to Connecticut without an adult learner's permit. One group cannot apply at all: a person who had a license or driving privilege suspended or revoked is not eligible for an adult instruction permit.

How to get a Connecticut adult learner's permit

1
Finish the free Work Zone Safety Course
Since January 1, 2026, the law requires permit applicants to finish the highway work zone and roadside vehicle safety program. The course is free and online. Create an account with your legal name, print the completion certificate, and give it to the DMV before your knowledge test. The question on the work zone course before testing covers this step.
2
Book your appointment and pay the fees
You pay a $40 testing fee (it covers the vision, knowledge and road tests) and a $19 permit fee when you schedule online. Bring original documents. The DMV does not accept photocopies or faxed copies.
3
Pass the vision test
You take the vision test first, in the same appointment as the knowledge test. The minimum for a Class D license is 20/40 vision or better, with or without corrective lenses, and 140 degrees of binocular peripheral visual field.
4
Pass the knowledge test
The test has 25 questions based on the Connecticut driver's manuals. You need at least 20 correct. You take all tests in person. The knowledge test guide explains what to expect.
5
Collect your permit and practice
The adult permit is valid for two years. Keep it with you whenever you practice.

What if you fail the vision or knowledge test?

If you fail the vision test, you can reschedule right away. If you fail the knowledge test, you wait seven days and pay $40 to reschedule. By law, the $40 fee covers the whole exam, and you pay another $40 to retake any part you failed.

How long must you hold the permit?

You must hold an adult permit for at least 90 days before you take the on-the-road skills test. By law, the DMV cannot issue a license to someone who held the permit for fewer than 90 days, with two exceptions: a member of the armed forces on active duty outside the state, or a person who has held a license before. The practice question on the adult permit holding period tests the 90-day rule.

Do you qualify to skip the 90-day wait?

You are active-duty military stationed out of state

The wait does not apply. Bring your orders and your military ID card.

You held a Connecticut learner's permit or driver's license before

The wait does not apply if the DMV can verify the earlier permit or license in its system.

You had a license from another state, a U.S. territory or another country

The wait does not apply. Bring an expired license or driving history from your previous state or country.

None of these fits you

Plan for the full 90 days. You still need the permit in every case.

Do you need the 8-hour course?

Yes, if you never held a Connecticut license. Take the eight-hour Safe Driving Practices course through a licensed driving school at any time before the road test. By law (Sec. 14-37b), it applies to an applicant with no earlier Connecticut license and no valid license from another state, a U.S. territory or a country with a reciprocal agreement. At least four hours cover alcohol and drugs.
The school sends your proof of completion (the EDEC certificate) to the DMV electronically. If your Connecticut license has been expired for two years or more, you do not need the course. The guide to the 8-hour course and parent class has the details.

Who can ride with you while you practice?

Each time you drive on the permit, a qualified trainer must ride with you. The trainer must be at least 20, licensed for at least four years in a row, and free of any suspension during those four years. By law, the trainer's license must cover the same class of vehicle that you drive, and a licensed driving instructor may also teach you.

Booking and taking the Connecticut road test

Before you book: pass the vision and knowledge tests, finish the Work Zone Safety Course, hold the permit for the required time and finish the required training.
Schedule the test in the DMV online appointment system. Road testing is offered only at DMV hub offices.
Bring a properly registered and insured vehicle and your learner's permit. If you lost the permit, you can request a duplicate.
Do not drive to the test alone: a person without a license must come with a licensed driver.
If you fail, go online to reschedule within 72 hours. The new test must be at least 2 weeks after the first one, and you pay another $40.

What it costs to get your Connecticut license

What it costs to get your Connecticut license
Fee	Amount	When
Testing fee (vision, knowledge and road tests)	$40	When you schedule online
Adult permit fee	$19	When you schedule online
New driver's license	$84	Separate from the $40 testing fee: follow the DMV appointment instructions
Retake of a failed test or part	$40	Each time you retake

Key takeaways

At 18 or older, you still need an adult learner's permit before you can get a Connecticut license, unless you can transfer an existing license.
Finish the free Work Zone Safety Course first, then pass the vision test and the 25-question knowledge test (20 correct) in person.
Hold the permit for at least 90 days before the road test, unless you are out-of-state active-duty military or held a license before.
If you never held a Connecticut license, take the 8-hour Safe Driving Practices course before the road test. Your trainer must be 20 or older with four years of licensed driving.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free Connecticut Class D practice test.

Connecticut adult permit: common questions

How long is a Connecticut adult learner's permit valid?

An adult learner's permit is valid for two years. You must still hold it for at least 90 days before the road test, unless an exemption applies. Book the road test in the DMV online appointment system when you meet the time and training rules.

How much does it cost to get a license in Connecticut at 18?

You pay $40 for testing (vision, knowledge and road tests) and $19 for the permit when you schedule. The new license costs $84. If you pass each test the first time, the total is $143 ($40 + $19 + $84). Each failed test or part costs $40 to retake.

Can I practice driving alone with an adult permit?

No. Each time you drive on the permit, a trainer who is 20 or older and has been licensed for at least four consecutive years with no suspension in that period must be with you. A licensed driving instructor may also ride with you. You must also keep the permit with you.

I had a driver's license in another country. Do I still need the adult permit?

It depends on the country. A valid license from Canada, Germany or France can be transferred to Connecticut without an adult learner's permit. With a license from any other country, you cannot transfer it, so you start with the adult permit. You can skip the 90-day wait if you bring an expired license or driving history from your previous country.

How do I get my license after I pass the Connecticut road test?

After you pass, upgrade your permit to a license online or in person. In person, bring your current learner's permit to the DMV on the day you pass. The license fee is $84; follow the DMV appointment instructions for when to pay it. Your license arrives in the mail within 30 days. Keep your learner's permit until it arrives.