Driving Tests

What to Bring to the Missouri License Office for Your Permit (and REAL ID)

informational·how to guide·Published September 29, 2026

What documents do I need for a Missouri permit?

You need two sets of papers. At the Highway Patrol test, a teen shows a certified birth certificate, a valid passport, or a Missouri ID card not expired by more than six months. At the license office, you show proof of identity, lawful status, Social Security number and Missouri residency, plus your Driver Examination Record. The Class F instruction permit costs $10 and lasts 12 months.

Where these document rules come from

These rules come from the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) driver license ID requirements and REAL ID page, the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) driver examination FAQ, the DOR documents checklist and general FAQ, a 2025 DOR REAL ID news release and the Missouri Driver Guide (August 2026), as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Missouri Department of Revenue (dor.mo.gov) before you drive.

Two visits, two sets of documents

Two visits, two sets of documents
Step	Highway Patrol test	License office (DOR)
What you do	Take the written, vision and road sign recognition tests	Apply and pay for the permit
What you show	Test ID only (list below)	Documents in four groups, plus the Driver Examination Record (Form 100)
Proof of address and Social Security number	Not needed	Needed
Who comes with a teen	Anyone	A parent or legal guardian

How to get the Missouri instruction permit

1
Pass the tests at a Highway Patrol station
At a Missouri State Highway Patrol examination station, take the written, vision and road sign recognition tests. Bring your test ID. Try the free practice question on when you can get a permit.
2
Keep your Driver Examination Record
When you pass, you get a Driver Examination Record (Form 100). It is not a permit or license, and you cannot drive on it.
3
Go to a license office with your documents
Take the record and your four groups of documents to a Missouri license office. A teen must come with a parent or legal guardian; the guide to the Missouri instruction permit at 15 covers the age rules.
4
Apply and pay
The Class F instruction permit costs $10, is valid for 12 months and can be renewed.

What to bring to the Highway Patrol test

Teen, written test: a certified birth certificate, a passport that is not expired, or a Missouri ID card that is valid or expired for six months or less.
Teen, driving test: your Missouri permit, valid or expired for six months or less. An expired permit is ID only: you cannot drive on it, except during the test with the examiner.
Adult: most adults show a certified birth certificate, a valid passport, or a state ID that is valid or expired for six months or less. A Missouri license or permit within the same six months also works.
After a name change: proof of each change, such as a court order, marriage license or divorce decree.
Non-citizen: a valid permanent resident card or work authorization card is enough. Other non-citizens with an allowed status most often bring a valid passport and visa with an I-94.

The four groups of documents at the license office

Identity: a document with your full legal name and date of birth. Many lawful status documents also prove identity.
Lawful status: a U.S. citizen may show a certified U.S. birth certificate, a valid U.S. passport, or a Certificate of Citizenship, Naturalization or Birth Abroad. A non-citizen shows the immigration documents for their status.
Social Security number: the original card (signed and not laminated), a W-2, a 1099 form, or a paystub with your name and number.
Missouri residency: a document with your name and home address. A permit or license that is not a REAL ID needs one.

Which papers do the Highway Patrol and the DOR refuse?

As test ID, the Patrol refuses school ID cards, Social Security cards, and any birth certificate that is laminated or altered. At the license office, a U.S. birth certificate must be an original certified copy with an embossed, stamped or raised seal from a vital records agency. A P.O. box does not count as a home address.

How to prove your Missouri address under 21

If you are under 21 and have no accepted residency document in your own name, a parent or legal guardian may provide one for you. Accepted examples include any two current utility bills (phone, electric, gas, water, sewer or cable), a property tax receipt, a voter ID card, or an official letter on government letterhead issued within the last 90 days. The DOR ID requirements page has the full list.

If your papers do not match the rules

Your name differs from the name on your identity or lawful status document

Bring certified name change papers, such as a marriage license or a court order, to the license office.

You have no Social Security number

Bring a letter from the Social Security Administration about the status of your number. A nonimmigrant F or J student who may not work in the United States does not need this letter.

Your license, ID card or permit expired

For a card that is not a REAL ID, it can prove identity if it expired within six months (184 days). For a REAL ID, bring a valid document.

What changes if you want a REAL ID?

Bring valid, original documents: one for identity, one for lawful status, one for your Social Security number and two for your Missouri residency, from two different sources. A parent's residency document counts as only one of the two. Tell the person who helps you, at the start of the visit, that you want a REAL ID. Plan for processing and mailing, typically 10 to 15 days. The temporary paper ID from the license office does not work for flights.

Do you need a REAL ID to drive in Missouri?

No. Under Missouri law, a REAL ID is your choice, and it does not affect the use of your license or ID card for driving, voting or age verification. Since May 7, 2025, you need a REAL ID or another accepted ID to board a federally regulated domestic flight or to enter federal facilities. A Missouri REAL ID has a star in the upper right-hand corner.

Key takeaways

The Highway Patrol checks only your test ID. The license office checks four groups of documents and issues the permit.
Bring the Driver Examination Record (Form 100) to the license office. You cannot drive on it.
Under 21, a parent's document can prove your address when you have none of your own.
A REAL ID is your choice. It needs two residency documents from two different sources.
Next step: practice for the written test on the free, English-only Missouri Class F practice test.

Missouri permit documents: common questions

Do I need a Social Security card for the Missouri written test?

No. The Highway Patrol does not ask for proof of residency or a Social Security card for the written or driving tests, and it does not take a Social Security card as test ID. You show proof of your Social Security number later, at the license office, when you buy the permit or license.

Can a teen's instruction permit be a REAL ID?

Yes. The DOR lists the documents for a REAL ID-compliant instruction permit. A new applicant who asks for a REAL ID brings two residency documents, and a parent's document counts as only one of them. A REAL ID is a choice, so a teen can also get a permit that is not a REAL ID with one residency document.

My teen lost their birth certificate. How do we replace it?

If your teen was born in Missouri, visit your local public health agency or Vital Records Office. If your teen was born in another state, contact the Vital Records Office of that state. Ask for a certified copy: the license office does not accept hospital-issued birth certificates, birth registration cards or birth transcripts.

Does a Missouri REAL ID cost more?

No. A REAL ID has the same transaction and processing fees as a card that is not a REAL ID, for a new card or a renewal. For the price of each permit and license and the test retake rules, see our guide to Missouri driver test fees and retakes.

Can I use my passport instead of a REAL ID to fly?

Yes. A valid U.S. passport or passport card meets the federal ID rules, so you do not need a REAL ID to board a federally regulated domestic flight. Without one of these, you need a REAL ID or another ID that the Transportation Security Administration accepts.