Driving Tests

Moving to Mississippi? Transfer Your Out-of-State Driver's License

informational·how to guide·Published August 11, 2026

How long do you have to get a Mississippi license after you move, and do you take a test?

The Mississippi Driver's Manual says new residents must get a Mississippi driver license within 60 days. With a valid out-of-state license, you skip the knowledge test but must pass a vision screening. If your old license has expired, expect the knowledge test. You also surrender your old license and bring a birth certificate, Social Security proof and two proofs of residency.

Where these Mississippi rules come from

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) Driver Service Bureau explains the steps on its Class R license page and its required documents page. The 60-day rule, the old-license rules and the vision screening come from the Mississippi Driver's Manual. The test, age and license-validity rules also come from Mississippi acts of 2021, 2024 and 2026 (Senate Bills 2598, 2785, 2695 and 2322), the Driver Service Bureau fee, college student and FAQ pages, and a 2025 DPS news release. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety Driver Service Bureau (driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov) before you drive.

How long do you have after you move?

Count the 60 days from the day you move: that is your deadline for a Mississippi driver license. Your vehicle has a shorter deadline. It needs a Mississippi license plate (tag) within 30 days. To title a vehicle that you bring with you, you need only your out-of-state title to apply.

Do you have to take a test?

It depends on your old license. With a valid out-of-state license, you do not take the knowledge (written) test, and a 2021 act (Senate Bill 2598) says the same. You still pass a vision screening. The free practice question on transferring a valid out-of-state license covers this rule.

If your out-of-state license has expired, expect the knowledge test. All knowledge tests are taken in person, with no cell phones, ear buds, smart watches or other electronics in the testing area. At this time, the Driver Service Bureau requires no road (skills) test for a regular license.

Which path fits you?

Your out-of-state license is valid

You skip the knowledge test. Pass the vision screening, surrender the old license and bring your documents.

Your out-of-state license has expired

Expect to take the knowledge test as well as the vision screening. Bring the same documents.

Your out-of-state license is lost

Get an Affidavit of Inability to Surrender form from the driver license office. The manual says your signature on it must be notarized.

What to bring to the driver license station

A completed and signed application.
Every out-of-state license you hold. You surrender them all when you apply.
An original or certified birth certificate. Photocopies are not accepted.
Proof of your Social Security number: the card itself, or an official government paper that shows all 9 digits, such as a returned W-2 form.
Two proofs of Mississippi residency, each no more than 60 days old, with your name and a Mississippi residence address (no P.O. boxes). A utility bill (electric, water, gas or cable) is one accepted item. Junk mail, envelopes and handwritten letters are not. Under 21, you may use documents for a parent's or guardian's home.
If your name changed: a marriage license, divorce decree, adoption order or court order.

Will your new license have the Gold Star?

Yes. All Mississippi driver licenses and IDs are REAL ID compliant and automatically have the Gold Star, a gold star in the upper-right corner. Our Gold Star license guide lists more accepted proofs of residency.

Mississippi Class R license fees

Mississippi Class R license fees
License length	Fee (U.S. dollars, as of 2026)
4-year Class R license	$24.00
8-year Class R license	$47.00

How to transfer your license in Mississippi

1
Count your days
Plan to apply within 60 days of your move. Get your Mississippi tag within 30 days.
2
Gather your documents
Collect your old license (or the notarized affidavit), birth certificate, Social Security proof and two proofs of residency.
3
Book an appointment
An appointment is highly recommended. Use dps.ms.gov/appointment to pick a time at a driver license station.
4
Pass the vision screening
Take the knowledge test as well if your old license has expired.
5
Surrender the old license and pay
Hand over every out-of-state license, then pay the fee in cash or by debit or credit card. Personal checks are not accepted.

What if you are 16 or 17?

Under a 2024 act (Senate Bill 2695), if you are at least 16 and have held a valid license from another state for at least six months, you do not need a Mississippi learner's permit first. Months on a valid out-of-state learner's permit count toward the 12-month permit period. The Driver Service Bureau says that at 17 and older, you do not have to hold the permit for 12 months, and the 50-hour road test waiver affidavit is not required. Under 18, bring a school attendance form (valid for only 30 days), unless you are married or have graduated. Graduates bring a diploma or GED certificate.

A 2026 change for some out-of-state licenses

Since July 1, 2026, a 2026 act (Senate Bill 2322) makes a license or driving permit from another state invalid in Mississippi if it was issued to a person who could not prove lawful presence in the United States at that time. The holder may not drive here on it. An officer who stops a driver using such a license issues a citation for driving without a license and refers the person to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. If this affects you, read our guide for non-U.S. citizens and students.

Key takeaways

The manual says to get a Mississippi driver license within 60 days of moving, and a Mississippi tag within 30 days.
A valid out-of-state license means no knowledge test, but you pass a vision screening. An expired license means expect the test.
Surrender every out-of-state license. If one is lost, bring a notarized Affidavit of Inability to Surrender.
Bring a birth certificate, Social Security proof and two proofs of Mississippi residency. The fee is $24.00 for 4 years or $47.00 for 8 years.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free Mississippi Class R practice test. Our practice questions are free and in English only.

Moving to Mississippi: common questions

Can I keep driving on my old license after I move to Mississippi?

Only for a short time. The Mississippi Driver's Manual gives new residents 60 days to get a Mississippi driver license. Keep your old license until you apply, because you hand it in at the station. The practice question on what a new resident must do tests this rule.

Will tickets from my old state follow me to Mississippi?

Your record is checked. Mississippi looks at your driving record in other states before it issues a license. Convictions for certain violations also decide whether you are eligible for a regular driver's license.

What happens if I fail the vision screening?

If the eye test shows that you may need glasses, you must have your eyes tested by an eye specialist or optometrist. You get vision form DE26, and that specialist fills it out.

I am in the military or a college student. Do I need a Mississippi license?

Not always. Nonresident military personnel and their families may drive in Mississippi with a valid license from another state. Out-of-state college students may drive on their home-state license. A 2021 law also lets a nonresident aged 18 or older with a valid home license drive here for 60 consecutive days. The 60-day deadline above is for new residents.

Do I need to update my Social Security card after a name change?

Not before you apply. Bring a marriage license, divorce decree, adoption order or court order to change your name on the Mississippi license; only these four legal documents are accepted. The Social Security card does not have to show the new name at first, but update it before you renew.