Driving Tests

Can International Students Get a Louisiana Driver's License?

informational·how to guide·Published September 11, 2026

Can an F-1 or J-1 student get a Louisiana driver's license?

Yes. F-1, J-1 and M-1 students who live in Louisiana can apply; visitors cannot. Bring your I-20 (DS-2019 for J-1), your foreign passport, an I-94 or EAD with at least 180 days left, proof of a Louisiana address, and your Social Security number or an SSA letter. The license shows Limited-Term and ends with your legal presence.

Where these rules come from

This guide uses the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV) page on license transfers, OMV Policy 6.02 on immigrant and non-immigrant applicants and R.S. 32:409.1, as of 2026. It also uses R.S. 32:405.1 and 32:412, OMV Policies 3.04 (residency), 6.01 (driver education) and 18.01 (reciprocity), and the Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide. Confirm the rules with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles (expresslane.org) before you drive.

Who can get a Louisiana license as a student?

Louisiana does not issue a license or ID card to visitors to the United States. A student in F-1, J-1 or M-1 status who is a Louisiana resident can apply. If you are not a Louisiana resident, you are not eligible.

OMV checks your immigration documents for status before it issues a license. The dates that count are on your I-94 and in your passport, not on your visa. A U.S. visa does not give the right to enter the country: the terms and length of your stay are recorded on the I-94 and in the passport at entry.

What to bring to OMV as an F-1, J-1 or M-1 student

1
Your I-20 if you hold F-1 or M-1 status, or your DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor) if you hold J-1 status. The I-20 lists your school, the length of your program and a school contact person that OMV can use to check details. If your I-20 shows a school outside Louisiana, also bring a current document with a Louisiana address.
2
Your foreign passport and your I-94. If you have an Employment Authorization Document (EAD), bring it too.
3
Proof of residency: one original document with your name and Louisiana address, such as a utility bill for your home, a bank or credit card statement, or a dorm or apartment lease.
4
Your Social Security number, if one was assigned to you. If not, bring an official letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
5
Proof of driver education, if this is your first license, unless you hold a license from a reciprocity country. The sections below explain both cases.

How many days must be left on my I-94?

For your first Louisiana license, your I-94 or EAD must have at least 180 days left. If less time remains, OMV denies the license. State law (R.S. 32:409.1) sets the same minimum: a foreign passport needs immigration documents that allow at least 180 calendar days of legal presence.

If your I-94 has expired but your EAD is still valid, or the other way around, the valid document is enough to show legal presence.

Papers OMV lists for each student status

Papers OMV lists for each student status
Status	Documents to show
F-1 student	I-20, foreign passport, I-94 or EAD
M-1 vocational student	I-20MN, foreign passport, I-94 (an EAD only for practical training)
J-1 exchange visitor	DS-2019, foreign passport, I-94, or an EAD if employed
Spouse or child of a student	Listed on the back of the student's I-20. OMV may ask for papers that show the status of the student

What is a Limited-Term license?

A Louisiana license is normally valid for six years. If your immigration documents show less than six years of legal presence, the license ends on your last day of legal presence and shows "Limited-Term". By law, the license also carries a restriction code that says the holder is an alien student or a nonresident alien.

Do international students need driver education in Louisiana?

Yes, if this is your first license. Every first-time applicant, also one with a foreign license, must give proof of driver education from an approved Louisiana driving school. First, apply to OMV for a Class E Temporary Instructional Permit (TIP). You need it before the knowledge test, the driving lessons on the road and the road test.

The course is 30 hours of classroom and 8 hours of driving for ages 15 to 17, and 6 hours of classroom and 8 hours of driving at 18 or older. You must also pass the knowledge test (pass mark 80 percent), the vision test and the road skills test.

Skip the course? Check where your license is from

You are a first-time applicant with a valid license from Germany, Switzerland, Taiwan, South Korea or the Republic of Ireland (since August 1, 2026)

You skip driver education and the knowledge and road skills tests, but you must pass the vision test and have legal presence. Your foreign license must stay valid while your Louisiana license is valid. Our guide to foreign driver's licenses in Louisiana covers the transfer.

You are 18 or older and have no license from those countries

Complete the course for ages 18 and older and pass the knowledge, vision and road skills tests. You also give OMV a signed statement of at least 50 hours of supervised driving with a licensed parent, guardian or adult 21 or older. At least 15 of these hours must be at night.

What if the exchange student is under 18?

A minor needs a parent's signature on the application. For foreign exchange students only, a Power of Attorney from the parent or parents that gives legal guardianship of the minor to another person can replace that signature. OMV keeps this document in the applicant's file. The student must meet all other requirements, including driver education and the tests.

Key takeaways

Visitors are not eligible. F-1, J-1 and M-1 students who live in Louisiana can apply with the I-20 or DS-2019, a foreign passport and an I-94 or EAD.
For a first Louisiana license, the I-94 or EAD must have at least 180 days left.
The license ends on your last day of legal presence and shows Limited-Term.
First-time applicants need driver education and the tests, unless they hold a valid license from a reciprocity country.
Next step: practice the rules on the free Louisiana Class E practice test.

Louisiana student license: common questions

Can I use a dorm lease or school record as proof of my Louisiana address?

Yes, if it shows your name and your Louisiana address. OMV accepts a school record, transcript or report card, and a current lease for a dorm, apartment or home. A lease must show the dates that you live there, and the day of your OMV visit must fall within those dates. Bring the original document.

Do I need a Social Security number to get a Louisiana license?

Not always. If a number was assigned to you, you must give it. If not, bring an official SSA letter that says no number was assigned or that you are not eligible for one. By law, an alien in Louisiana who cannot get a number does not need one for a Class E license, but must show a document that proves lawful presence.

Do I need 50 hours of supervised driving for a Louisiana license?

Yes, if you are 18 or older and apply for a Class E license for the first time. By law, you give OMV a signed statement that you did at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice with a licensed parent, guardian or adult aged 21 or older. At least 15 of these hours must be at night.

What happens to my Louisiana license when my immigration documents expire?

A Limited-Term license expires on the same date. If you filed on time with USCIS to renew or change your status and got an automatic extension, OMV gives a 180-day renewal. If expired documents kept you from renewing on time, OMV charges no late fee when you renew.

Can I renew my Louisiana student license online?

No. Louisiana law allows no renewal by mail or online for alien students and nonresident aliens, so you renew in person. To renew, at least 30 days must be left on a document that shows your legal presence, such as your I-94 or EAD.