Driving Tests

How to Get Your Temps in Ohio at 15½ (TIPIC Steps for 2026)

informational·how to guide·Published June 24, 2026

How old do you have to be to get your temps in Ohio?

You must be at least 15 years 6 months old to get your temps (the TIPIC) in Ohio. Pass the 40-question knowledge test (75 percent to pass) and the vision screening. Then buy the TIPIC at a deputy registrar license agency within 60 days of passing. If you are under 18, bring a responsible person to co-sign. The permit costs $26.50 (U.S. dollars) and is valid for one year.

Where the Ohio temps facts come from

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), part of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, sets the steps on its page for temporary permits and probationary licenses. The rules for who can ride with you come from Ohio Revised Code 4507.05, the permit law. The fee comes from the BMV fee page. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Ohio BMV (bmv.ohio.gov) before you drive.

How to get your temps in Ohio, step by step

1
Check your age
You can start at 15 years and 6 months. Ohio calls the permit a temporary instruction permit identification card (TIPIC). Most people say "temps."
2
Study
Read the Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws (the Ohio driver manual) and take the BMV sample knowledge test first.
3
Pass the knowledge test
The test has 40 multiple-choice questions on motor vehicle regulations and traffic signs. You need 75 percent, which is 30 correct answers. Take it online with BMV Online Services, or in person at select deputy registrar locations or any driver exam station.
4
Pass the vision screening
You must pass both the knowledge test and the vision screening. If you test online, a deputy registrar license agency does the vision screening when you buy the permit.
5
Buy the TIPIC within 60 days
Go to a deputy registrar license agency within 60 days of passing the test. Bring acceptable documents for your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number (if you have one), Ohio residency and citizenship or legal presence. If you have an Ohio identification card, you give it up when the TIPIC is issued.
6
Bring a co-signer if you are under 18
A minor who is not emancipated must come with a responsible person who agrees to accept the obligation of Ohio Revised Code 4507.07. That person shows a driver license or ID card to co-sign for the TIPIC.

Taking the Ohio knowledge test online or in person

For the online test, use a computer or laptop with a working webcam, not a touch-screen phone or tablet. If you are at least 15½ but under 19, a supervising adult must be present.
For the test in person, bring documents that prove your full legal name, date of birth and Social Security number (if you have one).
If you fail, wait at least 24 hours before you try again. In person, you can take the test as many times as you need. Online, you get two attempts in a six-month period.

What the TIPIC costs

The operator temporary permit costs $26.50, and the deputy registrar fee is included. The Ohio temps permit cost guide has more on fees.

Who can ride with you on your temps

You are 15½ but not yet 16

An "eligible adult" must sit in the seat beside you. That person can be an instructor of a driver training course approved by the Ohio Department of Public Safety. With a current Ohio driver license, it can also be your parent, guardian or custodian, or a person 21 or older who acts in place of a parent (in loco parentis). The adult must not be over the legal alcohol limit.

You are 16 or older, adults included

A licensed driver at least 21 years old must sit in the seat beside you and must not be over the legal alcohol limit.

You are under 18 and want to drive from midnight to 6 a.m.

You may not, unless your parent, guardian or custodian with a current Ohio driver license sits beside you. The BMV page also lists a licensed driver 21 or older named on a notarized BMV 2438; ask the BMV before you use this option.

Rules for every drive on your Ohio temps

Carry your TIPIC every time you drive. Test yourself with a practice question about a TIPIC left at home.
One safety belt for each person: the number of people in the vehicle may not be more than the safety belts the maker installed. The driver and each passenger wear a properly adjusted belt.
One year: the permit is valid for one year.

Ohio knowledge test languages

The knowledge test is in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Japanese, Russian, Somali and Spanish, in text and audio. It is also in American Sign Language, in text and video. For another language, schedule a proctored test with your own interpreter at a driver exam station. You must be able to understand directions and read traffic signs printed in English.

What comes after your temps if you are under 21

Hold the TIPIC at least six months before a probationary license, if you are under 18.
Finish driver education at a licensed driver training school: 24 hours of classroom or online instruction and 8 hours of driving. Ohio Revised Code 4507.21 requires an approved course for each applicant under 21. The driver education guide has the details.
Drive 50 hours, with at least 10 at night, and complete the BMV 5791 Fifty-Hour Affidavit.
Pass the driving and skills tests. Schedule them at BMV Online Services. The road test has two parts: driving and maneuverability. Bring your TIPIC and a vehicle in good condition.

Key takeaways

You can get temps at 15 years 6 months. Pass the 40-question knowledge test (75 percent) and the vision screening, then buy the TIPIC within 60 days.
If you are under 18, a responsible person co-signs. The permit costs $26.50 and is valid for one year. Carry it every time you drive.
Under 16, an eligible adult such as your licensed parent sits beside you. From 16, and for adults, a licensed driver 21 or older does.
Under 18, do not drive from midnight to 6 a.m. unless your licensed parent, guardian or custodian sits beside you.
Next step: practice on the free Ohio temps (Class D knowledge) practice test. Its questions are in English only.

Ohio temps: common questions

Can my parent ride with me when I am 15½?

Yes. Before you turn 16, your parent, guardian or custodian can sit in the seat beside you if he or she holds a current Ohio driver license and is not over the legal alcohol limit. An instructor of an approved driver training course also counts. See the question on who can supervise a permit holder.

Can my friend who is 19 ride with me when I am 17?

No, not as your supervisor. At 16 or older, the person in the seat beside you must be a licensed driver at least 21 years old who is not over the legal alcohol limit. From midnight to 6 a.m., a driver under 18 also needs a parent, guardian or custodian with a current Ohio driver license.

How long must I hold my temps before a probationary license?

If you are under 18, you must hold the TIPIC for at least six months. In that time, finish driver education (24 hours of classroom or online instruction and 8 hours of driving) and 50 hours of practice driving, with at least 10 at night. Then pass the driving and skills tests.

What happens if I break the temps rules?

Breaking a permit condition is a minor misdemeanor under Ohio Revised Code 4507.05. The conditions include the TIPIC in your possession, the right adult in the seat beside you and a safety belt for each person. For a driver under 18, driving from midnight to 6 a.m. without an allowed parent, guardian or custodian is also a minor misdemeanor.

Can I get my temps in Ohio if I am 18 or older?

Yes. Adults take the same 40-question knowledge test and vision screening, then buy the TIPIC at a deputy registrar license agency within 60 days. The co-signer rule is for minors. With the TIPIC, you practice only with a licensed driver 21 or older. If you are 18 to 20, you also need driver education and 50 hours of practice driving before the license.