Driving Tests

Mississippi Learner's Permit at 15: Requirements, Cost, Who Can Ride

informational·how to guide·Published August 27, 2026

How do you get a learner's permit at 15 in Mississippi?

In Mississippi you can get a regular learner's permit at 15. You need proof of school enrollment, and you must pass a knowledge exam and an eye exam. The permit costs $7.00 and is valid for 2 years. You may drive only with a licensed driver who is at least 21 and sits in the seat beside you.

Where the Mississippi permit rules come from

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety (DPS) Driver Service Bureau sets the steps on its learner's permit page. The age, the 2-year validity and the supervisor rule come from the law text in Laws of 2021, H.B. 550, which amends section 63-1-21. The one-year permit rule comes from Laws of 2024, S.B. 2695, which amends section 63-1-9. Other details come from the Mississippi Driver's Manual and the DPS fee list, document list, school attendance form, hardship license page and MS Mentor Guide, and from the text of section 63-11-30 in Laws of 2017, S.B. 2685. 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.

What you need to get a permit at 15

Age and school: be at least 15 and show proof that you are enrolled in school.
A signed application: a completed application with notarized signatures.
Birth certificate: an original birth certificate or another acceptable document. Photocopies are not accepted.
Social Security number: your SSN card, or an official government paper that shows all 9 digits.
Two proofs of Mississippi residency: each shows your name and a Mississippi address, not a P.O. box. If you are under 21, you may use documents that show your parent's or guardian's address.
School Attendance Form: required for ages 15 to 17. It is not valid if it is more than 30 days old.

How to get your Mississippi learner's permit

1
Study the Mississippi Driver's Manual
The computerized exam is based on the information in the manual. Download a free copy, or buy a printed copy at a driver license station for $3.00. The state has no study app for the permit exam.
2
Get your documents and signatures ready
Collect the documents above. Get the School Attendance Form, and have the signers of your application notarize their signatures.
3
Make an appointment
Book your visit at dps.ms.gov/appointment. The Driver Service Bureau highly recommends an appointment for all applicants.
4
Pass the knowledge exam and the eye exam
You take both in person at a driver license station and must pass both before you get the permit.
5
Pay $7.00 and carry the permit
The Regular Learner's Permit costs $7.00 and is valid for 2 years. Keep it with you every time you drive.

Who can ride with you on a Mississippi permit?

Under the law, a permit holder may drive only when a licensed operator who is at least 21 years old actually sits in the seat beside the driver. The permit must also be in your immediate possession, so keep it with you on every drive. A licensed sibling or friend who is 18, 19 or 20 does not meet the rule. Driving without a valid license or permit is illegal, even with a parent or another licensed driver beside you. The practice question on who must sit beside a learner's-permit holder checks this rule.

Who signs your application and which school form you need

You are under 17

Both of your parents must sign your application if both are living and both have legal custody of you. Each signer must have the signature notarized. A signer is liable for your negligence or willful misconduct and can later file a sworn written request to cancel your permit.

Your parents are not living or do not have legal custody of you

Your legal guardian or your employer signs, and the signature must be notarized. If you have none of these, a responsible adult who accepts the legal obligations signs.

You are home-schooled

Get a blank Certification of Attendance from the DPS website, and have your parents sign it. The form has a box for nonpublic schools, which include home instruction programs.

You are under 18 and married

You do not need a school attendance form. Show your marriage license instead.

What happens at the driver license station

At the vision exam, your eyes are checked to make sure you see well enough to drive safely. Leave cell phones, ear buds, smart watches and other electronics outside the testing area. If you are caught with them or cheating, the test is cancelled at once, and you cannot test again for 6 months. An appeal must reach DPS within 30 days. The guide to the Mississippi computerized permit exam explains the testing rules in more detail.

How long you hold the permit before your license

At 15 or 16, you must hold the permit for 12 months or until your 17th birthday, whichever comes first, before you qualify for a regular license. For example, a permit at 15 and one-half makes you eligible for the regular license at 16 and one-half. Under the law, a conviction for driving under the influence (section 63-11-30) or for a moving violation restarts the one-year count. When the 12 months are complete, you bring your valid permit, an up-to-date school attendance form and a signed Waiver of Road Testing Affidavit. The steps for the Class R license at 16 cover that visit.

Driver's ed from 2027 and the teen hardship license

From July 1, 2027, all new drivers need certified driver's education for a regular license, but anyone under 18 can still get a learner's permit. A parent or legal guardian of a 15- to 17-year-old can ask DPS for a hardship license after the teen has held the permit for 30 days without traffic infractions. Except on trips to school, work or medical care, or to take siblings to school, the hardship licensee needs a licensed supervisor, 21 or older, beside the driver. The law's under-18 unsupervised hours (6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 6 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday) start only with a regular license.

Practice tips for your first permit drives

DPS offers the MS Mentor Guide, a model guide from the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), for the adult who teaches you to drive.
Start in an empty parking lot to practice speeding up, stopping and moving forward and backward. Busy city traffic and limited-access highways are poor first places.
Turn off the radio and other electronic devices, including your phone and your supervisor's phone. At first, drive with no other passengers.

Key takeaways

You can get a Mississippi regular learner's permit at 15 with proof of school enrollment and a passed knowledge exam and eye exam. It costs $7.00 and is valid for 2 years.
You may drive only with a licensed driver who is at least 21 and sits in the seat beside you. Keep the permit with you.
Under 17, both parents sign your application, and each signature must be notarized. The school attendance form is valid for 30 days.
Hold the permit 12 months, or until your 17th birthday, before you qualify for the regular license. A DUI or moving violation conviction restarts the year.
Next step: practice on the free Mississippi Class R practice test.

Mississippi learner's permit: common questions

How much is a learner's permit in Mississippi?

The Regular Learner's Permit costs $7.00 and is valid for 2 years. You can pay with cash, a debit card or a credit card, but not with a personal check. When you upgrade later, the Class R license costs $24.00 for 4 years or $47.00 for 8 years.

Can I take the Mississippi permit test online?

No. Every knowledge exam is taken in person at a driver license station, and you take the eye exam there too. If reading is hard for you, the computerized exam has a headset, and the machine reads the questions and answers aloud.

Can I ride a motorcycle on my Mississippi learner's permit?

No. The regular learner's permit lets you drive a motor vehicle other than a motorcycle, and only with a licensed driver who is 21 or older in the seat beside you. A separate Motorcycle Learner's Permit costs $1.00.

What happens if I fail the eye test for my permit?

If the eye test shows that you may need glasses, you must have your eyes tested by an eye specialist or an optometrist. You get a vision form (DE26) for the specialist to fill out. You must pass both the eye exam and the knowledge exam before you get the permit.

Do I need to hold the permit for a year if I am 17?

No. DPS says applicants 17 and older do not have to hold the permit for 12 months and may get the permit and the license on the same day. At 15 or 16, plan on 12 months or until your 17th birthday, whichever comes first. The free question on the permit holding period tests this rule.

Can I use a permit from another state toward the Mississippi wait?

Yes. The months that you held a valid learner's permit from another state count toward the 12 months that you must hold a permit before you get a Mississippi license. If you are 16 or 17 and held another state's driver's license for at least 6 months, you do not need a Mississippi permit first.