Driving Tests

PennDOT DL-180 Physical: Who Can Sign It and How Long It Is Valid

informational·how to guide·Published July 29, 2026

Who can complete the PennDOT DL-180 physical, and how long is it valid?

A licensed physician, a certified registered nurse practitioner (CRNP), a physician assistant or a chiropractor completes the health section of the PennDOT DL-180. Get the physical no earlier than six months before your 16th birthday. Before you get your learner's permit, the physical is valid for one year. After you get the permit, it is valid for three years.

Where these rules come from

This guide uses the PennDOT page on how to get a learner's permit, the DL-180 form and the PennDOT driver licensing FAQs. It also uses Title 75 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (sections 1505, 1508 and 1508.1), 67 Pa. Code section 75.6, the Pennsylvania Driver's Manual (PUB 95 and the online manual) and PennDOT publication PUB 178. The information is correct as of 2026. Confirm the rules with PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services (pa.gov/dmv) before you drive.

Who can complete the DL-180 physical in Pennsylvania?

The health section is on the back of the DL-180. Your health care provider must complete every item in it.
PennDOT's regulation names four provider types for a person who never held a driver's license in Pennsylvania or another state: a licensed physician, a CRNP, a physician assistant or a chiropractor.
The provider check boxes on the form match this list: M.D., D.O., C.R.N.P., P.A. and D.C.
The provider reports the findings to PennDOT on the DL-180, then signs it and writes the physical date. The one-year validity counts from that date.
The provider signs a statement that the facts are true. A false statement on the form can bring a fine of up to $2,500 (U.S. dollars) and up to 1 year in prison.

What does the provider check on the form?

The provider checks the listed medical conditions that would prevent control of a motor vehicle, such as uncontrolled epilepsy or uncontrolled diabetes. Any recommendation or extra comment must come with the form on the provider's letterhead. If the examiner at the Driver License Center cannot tell whether the form meets the medical standards, your permit may be delayed and you may need more medical exams. If you have a condition that seriously impairs your ability to drive, you may need a dual-control learner's permit and lessons with a certified instructor.

When must you get the physical?

Get it before you go to the Driver License Center. The physical date can be no earlier than six months before your 16th birthday, and the DL-180 prints this limit at the top. You cannot apply for the permit before you turn 16. So the physical can come first, but the permit visit cannot. The practice question about what a 15-year-old may do to start the permit process tests this rule. The physical is one step of the full process. See our step-by-step guide to the Pennsylvania learner's permit for the other forms.

How long is the DL-180 physical valid?

How long is the DL-180 physical valid?
Time limit	How long	What it means for you
Physical, before you get the permit	1 year from the physical date	Get your permit within this year, or you need a new physical.
Physical, after you get the permit	3 years from the physical date	You can renew the permit as long as the physical is valid.
Learner's permit	1 year from the issue date	Renew it if you did not pass the road test in time.
Road test	Within 3 years of the physical date	If you miss it, start over with a new DL-180, physical and knowledge test.

What happens when the physical runs out?

Your permit and your physical have separate dates. The physical does not give you a three-year permit. When the permit runs out, or when you do not pass the road test after three tries, you can apply to extend it with form DL-31. You do not need a new physical for this unless three years have passed since the date of your last physical.

What are the vision rules on the DL-180?

Pennsylvania law requires an eyesight screening with the physical. The DL-180 vision box asks whether your combined vision is 20/40 or better. It has fields for uncorrected and corrected sight in each eye and both eyes, and for visual fields. Check boxes cover qualified with or without restrictions and corrective lenses, and an eye examination report can be attached.
If your health care provider or an optometrist did not test your vision, the Driver License Center tests it. If you normally wear corrective lenses, wear them each time you drive, as the practice question on what to do when your glasses are not with you shows.

What if your vision does not meet the standard?

Your vision fails the screening at the Driver License Center

The examiner gives you a Report of Eye Examination form (DL-102). Ask an optometrist, ophthalmologist or family physician to test your vision and complete it. Then go back to the center to continue testing.

You have poor vision in one or both eyes

You may still get a license. PennDOT may require glasses or contact lenses, daylight driving only, or only vehicles with side mirrors.

Your best corrected eye is 20/200 or better but your combined vision is worse than 20/100

State law lets you apply for a bioptic telescope learner's permit. This path has extra steps, so ask PennDOT before you plan on it.

Steps to get the DL-180 done

1
Check your date
Count back six months from your 16th birthday. Do not have the physical before that day.
2
Print the DL-180
Get the form from PennDOT and fill in the applicant part on the front. Leave the examinee signature line in the health section blank until the visit.
3
Book the physical with an eligible provider
Choose a physician, CRNP, physician assistant or chiropractor. Ask the provider to complete the health section in full.
4
Sign in front of the provider
Sign the examinee line while the provider watches. Before you leave, check that the provider signed, wrote the physical date and completed every item.
5
Take the form to the Driver License Center
Bring the DL-180 on or after your 16th birthday, with glasses or contact lenses if you wear them. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian also completes the DL-180TD consent form. The knowledge test needs no appointment. It has 18 multiple-choice questions, and you need 15 correct answers to pass.

Key takeaways

A licensed physician, CRNP, physician assistant or chiropractor completes the health section on the back of the DL-180.
Get the physical no earlier than six months before your 16th birthday. You cannot apply for the permit before you turn 16.
The physical is valid one year before you get the permit and three years after. The road test must come within three years of the physical date.
The form asks if your combined vision is 20/40 or better. The Driver License Center tests your vision if no one did before. Bring glasses or contacts.
Next step: practice on the free Pennsylvania Class C permit practice test.

DL-180 physical: common questions

Can a nurse practitioner sign the DL-180?

Yes. In Pennsylvania, a certified registered nurse practitioner (CRNP) is one of the four provider types in PennDOT's regulation, and the form has a C.R.N.P. check box. A physician assistant also has a box. Ask the office to confirm that your provider holds the CRNP title.

Can I get the DL-180 physical at 15?

Yes, but only in the last six months before you turn 16. A physical done earlier than six months before your 16th birthday does not meet the PennDOT rule. If you are 15 years and 9 months old, you can have it done now and apply on or after your birthday.

Does the DL-180 expire if I wait to take the permit test?

Yes. The form is valid for one year from the physical date. If you do not get your permit within that year, you need a new physical. If you fail the knowledge test, the examiner gives your forms back. Keep them in a safe place and bring them when you test again.

Do I need another physical after my permit expires?

Not always. You do not need another physical unless three years have passed since the date of your last physical. Until then, you can keep renewing the permit, because the physical stays valid for three years after you get the permit.

Do I need glasses at the Driver License Center?

Bring them if you wear glasses or contact lenses. If your health care provider or an optometrist did not test your vision, the center tests it before the knowledge test. If you fail the screening, you get form DL-102 for an optometrist, ophthalmologist or family physician to complete, and you can come back to continue testing.