Driving Tests

Moving to Idaho: Transfer Your Driver's License (30 Days, Knowledge Test)

informational·how to guide·Published August 10, 2026

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

The Idaho Transportation Department (ITD) says to apply for an Idaho license within 30 days of moving, even if your old license has not expired. You surrender your out-of-state license and pass the 40-question Class D knowledge test: 34 correct, per the Idaho Driver's Handbook. You also take a skills test if your old license has been expired 25 months or more.

Where these Idaho license facts come from

The 30-day guidance, vision screening and vehicle steps come from the ITD New to Idaho page. The test rules, pass mark, languages and military rule come from the Idaho Driver's Handbook. The document list comes from the ITD required documents page. Fees, the student rule, the test order and the teen rules come from the ITD license, test guide and young drivers pages, the ITD GDL fact sheet and the ITD proof of identity release of June 2026. The surrender, retest and returning-resident rules come from Idaho Code 49-301, 49-313 and 49-319. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Idaho Transportation Department DMV (itd.idaho.gov/dmv) or your county driver's license office before you drive.

Do you have to get an Idaho license when you move?

Yes, in most cases. ITD guidance says to get an Idaho driver's license or ID card within 30 days of moving to Idaho, whether your out-of-state license has expired or not.
Idaho law says you can hold only one U.S. driver's license at a time. You get a Class D license only after you surrender every other U.S. license you hold. So you hand in your old license when you apply at the county driver's license office.

Which tests do you take when you transfer a license to Idaho?

Which tests do you take when you transfer a license to Idaho?
Test	Do you take it?	Details
Vision screening	Yes	You need 20/40 vision in at least one eye, with or without glasses or contacts.
Class D knowledge test	Yes, unless you held an Idaho license before	40 questions. You can miss up to 6, so you need 34 correct. Fee: $5.
Skills test	If your old license has been expired 25 months or more, or your vision does not meet the minimum standard	Fee: $35 ($6.50 to the county office and up to $28.50 to the skills test examiner).

Idaho license rules for students, military families, teens and returning residents

You are a student at an Idaho college or university, or you are on active duty in the U.S. military, or you are the spouse or a dependent of an active-duty member

You do not need an Idaho license if you hold a valid license from another state and claim residency in that state.

You are under 17 and already hold a license from another state

You do not need a supervised driving period or proof of a driver education course.

You are under 17, finished driver training in another state, but were never licensed there

Show proof that you finished an approved driver training course from that state. You must also complete a supervised driving period before you get a license.

You are under 18

A birth parent or legal guardian must come with you to the county driver's license office to sign consent. You also show proof that you attend, or graduated from, a recognized high school or equivalent program.

You held an Idaho license before and you are coming back

Idaho law says no knowledge test is required for a new Class D license if you held an Idaho license before. Confirm this with the county driver's license office before you go.

How to transfer your out-of-state license to Idaho

1
Gather your documents
Collect proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, identity and Idaho residency. The list below gives the details.
2
Go to a county driver's license office
You apply and take the knowledge test at a county driver's license office. There is no online knowledge test. As a new Idaho DMV customer, you show valid government photo ID in person when the DMV creates your profile.
3
Pass the vision screening and the knowledge test
Pay the $5 knowledge test fee. If you wear glasses or contacts for the vision screening, your license gets a lens restriction, and you must wear them whenever you drive. Try our free question on the lens restriction after Idaho's vision screening.
4
Surrender your old license
Hand in any driver's license or ID card from another state, a U.S. territory or the District of Columbia.
5
Take a skills test if you need one
Contact a skills test examiner of your choice between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The handbook says the tests may be taken in either order, but the ITD test guide says to pass the knowledge test first. Confirm the order with your county office.
6
Pay for your license
A 4-year Class D license for age 21 and over costs $35.

What is the Idaho knowledge test like for new residents?

The questions come directly from the Idaho Driver's Handbook, so study the handbook first. The test is offered in English, Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Korean, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Swahili, Vietnamese and American Sign Language.
If you fail, wait three days (the law says three calendar days) and pay the $5 fee again. Try our free question on the wait after a failed knowledge test. Our Idaho knowledge test guide covers the format in more detail.
The handbook says web practice tests, except the ITD sample questions on itd.idaho.gov, do not represent the real test well. Our free practice tests are in English only and help you review the handbook topics.

What happens at the Idaho skills test?

Third-party contractors give all Class D skills tests in Idaho. Tests are scheduled only in daylight hours and in acceptable weather. To pass, you must not have more than 12 errors or commit a critical driving error. Five errors of the same skill count as a critical driving error.

What to bring to the county driver's license office

Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, such as a government-issued U.S. birth certificate or a valid U.S. passport. Photocopies and laminated documents are not accepted.
Proof of identity. An out-of-state driver's license or ID card is a primary identity document. A photo document may be accepted up to 5 years past its expiration date.
Proof of Idaho residency with your name and principal Idaho address, from the last 12 months.
Your Social Security number, for electronic verification.
Proof of a name change, if your citizenship or lawful presence documents show a different name from the one you want on your license.
A second, different proof of Idaho residency, if you want a Star Card (Idaho's REAL ID). A Star Card is optional. See our guide to Idaho license documents and the Star Card.

What about your car after you move to Idaho?

ITD says you must also title and register your vehicle within 30 days of moving to Idaho. Bring the vehicle to the DMV, because a DMV employee inspects its vehicle identification number (VIN). Your liability insurance must meet the Idaho minimums: $25,000 for injury or death of one person in one accident, $50,000 for two or more people and $15,000 for damage to the property of others.

Key takeaways

ITD says to get an Idaho license within 30 days of moving, even if your old license has not expired.
Surrender your old license and pass the 40-question knowledge test (34 correct). The test is $5, and a 4-year license for age 21 and over is $35.
You also take a $35 skills test if your old license has been expired 25 months or more.
Students at an Idaho college or university and active-duty military families with a valid license from another state can keep it if they claim residency in that state.
Next step: practice on the free Idaho Class D practice test.

Moving to Idaho: common questions

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

ITD says to get an Idaho license within 30 days of moving, even if your out-of-state license is still valid. Idaho law also lets you hold only one U.S. driver's license, so you surrender the old one when you get your Idaho license. Title and register your car within the same 30 days.

Can I transfer an expired out-of-state license to Idaho?

Yes. You still surrender it and pass the Class D knowledge test. If it has been expired for 25 months or more, you also take the skills test. As proof of identity, a photo document such as a driver's license may be accepted up to 5 years past its expiration date.

Can I get a veteran designation on my new Idaho license?

Yes. Veterans can ask for a veteran's designation on an Idaho driver's license or ID card. There is no extra charge to add it when you get a new or renewed license, so ask for it when you transfer your license. If you add it at a different time, you pay a duplicate fee. Bring acceptable proof of veteran status. The ITD Veteran Designation Guide lists the military documents that you can use.

Can I drive myself to the Idaho skills test?

Only if you have a valid driver's license. ITD does not let a person without a valid license drive to the skills test. If your out-of-state license has been expired 25 months or more, you need the skills test, so plan a ride with a licensed driver.