Driving Tests

Connecticut Drive-Only License for Undocumented Residents: Steps and Rules

informational·how to guide·Published April 18, 2026

Can I get a Connecticut license without legal status or a Social Security number?

Yes. Connecticut gives a drive-only license to people age 16 or older who cannot show lawful presence in the U.S. or have no Social Security number. You show proof of residency and identity, sign an affidavit about your immigration status, pass the vision test and the 25-question knowledge test, hold a learner's permit, pass the road test, and pay $36 for a three-year license.

Where the Connecticut drive-only rules come from

The steps come from the Connecticut DMV drive-only license page. The document, renewal and six-year fee rules come from Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 14-36m, and the new-license fee comes from the DMV fee list. The DMV pages on driver's licenses, the knowledge and vision tests, adult learner's permits, permit upgrades, the road test, REAL ID and out-of-state transfers give the other details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Connecticut DMV (portal.ct.gov/dmv) before you drive.

Who can get a Connecticut drive-only license?

The drive-only license is for undocumented people who are 16 or older and cannot show lawful presence in the United States. Under Sec. 14-36m, it also covers an applicant with no Social Security number, who must still meet the normal license rules of Sec. 14-36.
U.S. citizens and documented immigrants cannot apply. Neither can non-immigrants with unexpired USCIS documents, such as B1/B2, waiver-tourist and waiver-business visitors. A felony conviction in Connecticut also makes you ineligible, and so does identity fraud at the Connecticut DMV.

Documents you need for a Connecticut drive-only license

Proof of residency: mail or email from two of the sources that the law lists, such as a bill from a utility, bank, credit card company or doctor, a bank statement or a preprinted pay stub. Each shows your name and your Connecticut address.
Most residency proofs must be dated within 90 days before you apply. A few, such as a signed lease or rental contract or an insurance policy, can be up to 12 months old.
Proof of identity: two forms of primary proof, or one primary and one secondary.
Primary proof: a passport from your country of citizenship (unexpired, or expired less than three years) or a valid, unexpired consular ID from that country.
Secondary proof: a valid, unexpired driver's license with security features from another state or country, a valid foreign national ID card, a certified copy of a marriage certificate issued in the U.S., or an original foreign birth certificate with a raised seal.
An affidavit that says you have applied to legalize your immigration status, or that you will apply as soon as you are eligible.
Originals only: a photocopy, a notarized photocopy or a noncertified document does not count as proof of identity.
A certified English translation from a DMV-approved translator for each document in another language.
The printed certificate of the free online Connecticut Work Zone Safety Course. Since January 1, 2026, the DMV requires it from anyone who applies for a learner's permit. The drive-only page does not name the course, so confirm with the DMV.

How to get a Connecticut drive-only license

1
Collect your documents
Compare them with the DMV drive-only document checklist, which comes in English and Spanish.
2
Book your tests online
Appointments are required for all tests. You pay the $40 testing fee and the $19 learner's permit fee online when you book, and you sign the affidavit in the same step.
3
Finish the Work Zone Safety Course
The free online course takes less than an hour. Print the completion certificate and give it to the DMV with your other documents before the knowledge test.
4
Let the DMV review your record
The DMV reviews your record after you book. If it finds an issue on your Connecticut driving record, it sends you an email, and you must solve the issue before your appointment.
5
Pass the vision test, then the knowledge test
You take both tests in person at the same appointment. The vision test comes first, and you must pass it before the knowledge test. The knowledge test has 25 questions, and you need 20 correct answers. Bring all your documents to this appointment.
6
Receive your learner's permit by mail
If you have no felony conviction in Connecticut, the DMV mails the permit within 30 days once you meet all requirements. You can practice driving after the permit arrives.
7
Hold the permit, then pass the road test
Book the road test online after the holding period below. After you pass it and pay the $36 license fee, the DMV mails your drive-only license.

How long must you hold the permit before the road test?

You are 16 or 17

Hold the permit at least 120 days if you finish driver training at a driving school or in high school, or at least 180 days if you train at home with a Qualified Trainer. The guide to the Connecticut youth learner's permit has the full steps for this age.

You are 18 or older

Hold the adult permit at least 90 days before the road test, unless an exemption applies, and take the eight-hour Safe Driving Practices Course first. The guide to the Connecticut adult permit covers this path.

Connecticut drive-only license fees

Connecticut drive-only license fees
Fee	Amount (U.S. dollars)	When you pay
Testing fee	$40	Online, when you book the appointment
Learner's permit fee	$19	Online, when you book the appointment
Drive-only license (new)	$36 for three years	After you pass the road test
Road test retake	$40	When you reschedule after a failed test
Renewal	$36	At renewal, in person

Drive-only fees that the DMV does not refund

The DMV gives no refund if you are missing documents at your test appointment, if you fail the knowledge or vision test, or if you fail the driving or criminal background check. You also get no refund if you must reschedule or cancel because of a suspension, revocation or criminal issue. Study before your appointment, for example with the free practice question about the knowledge test.

What the drive-only license can and cannot do

It carries the restriction "for driving purposes only."
It is not valid for federal identification, and the license shows this.
You cannot use it to vote, and the back of the license says so.
It does not qualify for a verified REAL ID license.
Other states may honor it, but check with the other state before you drive there.
After you get the license, you may apply for a motorcycle permit.

Drive-only license expiry, renewal and replacement

By law, a drive-only license expires three to six years after issue and renews every three years after that. A six-year license costs $72. A renewal costs $36. At renewal you must appear in person and show proof of residency. If you lose the license or someone steals it, go to a DMV office and pay the duplicate fee. Express offices such as AAA do not replace it.

Key takeaways

Connecticut gives a drive-only license to people 16 or older who cannot show lawful presence or have no Social Security number. A Connecticut felony conviction makes you ineligible.
You need two proofs of residency, two forms of identity (two primary, or one primary and one secondary), the affidavit and the Work Zone Safety Course certificate. Bring originals, with a certified translation for each non-English document.
You pass the vision test and the 25-question knowledge test (20 correct), hold the permit for 90, 120 or 180 days, and pass the road test.
Costs are $40 and $19 online, then $36 for a three-year license. The license says "for driving purposes only," is not federal ID and cannot be used to vote.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free Connecticut Class D practice test.

Connecticut drive-only license: common questions

How long does it take to get a Connecticut drive-only license?

It depends on your age. After the knowledge test and the record checks, the DMV mails the permit within 30 days once you meet all requirements. Adults then hold the permit at least 90 days before the road test. Drivers aged 16 or 17 hold it 120 or 180 days, by type of training. After you pass the road test and pay $36, the DMV mails the license.

What if my passport is in another language?

Each document in a language other than English needs a certified English translation from a DMV-approved translator. This applies to proof of identity and to proof of residency. Bring the original with its translation: a photocopy, a notarized photocopy or a noncertified document does not count as proof of identity.

Can I transfer my drive-only license from another state to Connecticut?

No. The DMV does not accept an out-of-state drive-only license or a similar "driving privilege" license for transfer. You apply for a new Connecticut drive-only license with the same steps as a first-time applicant: documents, tests, permit and road test.

What happens if I fail the road test?

Go online to reschedule within 72 hours after the failed test. The new test must be at least two weeks after the first one, and you pay the $40 testing fee again. The $36 license fee comes only after you pass.

Does the DMV check my criminal record?

Yes. The DMV searches the electronic criminal record system of the Connecticut Judicial Department for felony convictions in Connecticut. It also reviews your Connecticut driving record for suspensions and for fake or fraudulent licenses or ID cards. A Connecticut felony conviction makes you ineligible, and the fees are not refunded.