Driving Tests

What to Bring to PennDOT for Your Learner's Permit (DL-180, DL-180TD, ID)

informational·how to guide·Published July 30, 2026

What documents do you bring to PennDOT for a learner's permit?

Bring the completed DL-180 with the physical filled in, one original proof of identity such as a U.S. passport or a birth certificate with a raised seal, and your signed Social Security card. Under 18, add the parent consent form DL-180TD. At 18 or older, add two proofs of residency. Pay by card, check or money order: PennDOT takes no cash.

Where these document rules come from

The rules come from the PennDOT page Get a Learner's Permit and PennDOT publication PUB 195US for U.S. citizens. The forms DL-180 and DL-180TD, PUB 195NC for non-U.S. citizens, and the PennDOT pages on proof of identity and residency, payments, a missing Social Security card and REAL ID give the other details. This guide is current as of 2026 and lists the documents for U.S. citizens. Confirm the rules with PennDOT Driver and Vehicle Services (pa.gov/dmv) before you drive.

Your document checklist

The Non-Commercial Learner's Permit Application (DL-180). A health care provider completes the back. Do not mail it: you must apply in person at a Driver License Center.
If you are under 18: the Parent or Guardian Consent Form (DL-180TD), completed.
One original proof of date of birth and identity. Photocopies are not accepted.
Your Social Security card. It must be signed.
If you are 18 or older: two proofs of residency.
The fee, paid by debit or credit card, check or money order. The permit cost and retake rules give the amounts.
Glasses or contact lenses, if you wear them. If your health care provider or optometrist did not test your vision, the Driver License Center tests it.

What to bring by age

What to bring by age
Document	Under 18	18 or older
DL-180 with the physical completed	Yes	Yes
DL-180TD parent or guardian consent	Yes	No
One proof of identity (original)	Yes	Yes
Signed Social Security card	Yes	Yes
Two proofs of residency	No (the list is for 18 or older)	Yes

Which proof of identity works?

Bring one of these originals: a U.S.-issued birth certificate with a raised seal, a Certificate of U.S. Citizenship, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a Certificate of Naturalization or a valid U.S. passport. A birth certificate from Puerto Rico must have an issue date of July 1, 2010 or later. A birth certificate from outside the U.S. is not accepted.
All your papers must show the same name and date of birth, or a link between them. If the name on your original paper is not your current name, bring a paper that connects the names, such as a marriage certificate, a divorce decree or a court order.

Do you need two proofs of residency?

At 18 or older, yes. Each proof must show your name and official Pennsylvania street address: for example a lease or mortgage document, a W-2 or pay stub, tax records, a utility bill, a Pennsylvania vehicle registration card, an auto insurance card or postmarked mail.
If you are under 18, PUB 195US asks only for one proof of identity and your Social Security card.
With no bills in your name, bring the person you live with and their license or photo ID. That person signs an affidavit that you live with them. You still need a second proof, such as official mail with your name and the same address.

Must a parent come with you?

You are under 18 and the signer comes with you

The signer must be a parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse who is at least 18. The signer signs the DL-180TD in front of the driver license examiner at the Driver License Center.

You are under 18 and the signer cannot come

No parent has to be there. The signer signs the DL-180TD in front of a notary, and you bring the signed form.

Your last name differs from the signer's last name

Bring proof of the relationship. PennDOT requires it when last names are different.

You are 18 or older

You do not need the DL-180TD. You bring your own papers.

What if you have no Social Security card?

You have a W-2 or 1099 from one of the last two tax years, a Medicare card, a U.S. uniformed military ID card or a U.S. military veterans photo ID

PennDOT accepts one of these in place of the card for a standard (non-REAL ID) application. The Medicare card and the military IDs must show your own Social Security number.

You have none of those documents

Bring two documents from a second list, such as a pay stub or an unexpired health insurance card that shows your full name and Social Security number.

The Social Security Administration sent a letter that says a new card will come in the mail

That letter counts as one document on the second list. It must show your full name and Social Security number.

You want a REAL ID

The no-card option does not apply. For a REAL ID, PennDOT asks for your Social Security card.

Do you need a REAL ID for a learner's permit?

No. REAL ID is optional, and you do not need it to drive. You need a REAL ID, or another federally accepted ID such as a passport, to board domestic flights or to enter a military base or some federal facilities. Children under 18 who fly inside the U.S. with a companion who has acceptable ID do not need one.
A REAL ID has a gold star in the top right corner. As of 2026, it costs a one-time $30 fee plus the standard fee. You give one identity document, one document that proves your Social Security number and two proofs of Pennsylvania residency.

When can you start the paperwork?

You must be at least 16 to apply. A health care provider can complete the back of the DL-180 up to six months before your 16th birthday, and the form is valid for 1 year from the date of the physical. So you can get the physical before you turn 16 and apply on or after your birthday. The question on when a 15-year-old may start the permit process tests this rule, and the DL-180 physical form guide explains the exam. After you pass the knowledge test, the examiner gives you a learner's permit that is valid for one year.

Key takeaways

Bring the completed DL-180, one original proof of identity and your signed Social Security card.
Under 18, add the DL-180TD. A parent does not have to come if the signer signs it in front of a notary.
At 18 or older, add two proofs of residency with your name and Pennsylvania street address.
With no Social Security card, other documents work for a standard (non-REAL ID) application. REAL ID is optional.
Next step: practice on the free Pennsylvania Class C permit practice test.

Learner's permit documents: common questions

Can I bring a copy of my birth certificate to PennDOT?

No. PennDOT accepts only original documents as proof of date of birth and identity. A U.S.-issued birth certificate must have a raised seal. If you cannot find the original, you can use a valid U.S. passport or another document from the identity list instead.

Is a passport card enough as proof of identity?

Yes. If you use a valid U.S. passport as your proof of identity, PennDOT accepts either the standard passport or the passport card. You still bring your signed Social Security card and the DL-180, and the DL-180TD if you are under 18.

Can a spouse sign the DL-180TD?

Yes. A spouse who is 18 or older can sign the consent form, as can a parent, a guardian or a person in loco parentis. The signer signs in front of a notary, or in front of the driver license examiner at the Driver License Center.

What does my parent agree to on the DL-180TD?

The parent gives full consent and confirms that the teen must complete at least 65 hours of supervised behind-the-wheel practice before the road test, with at least 10 hours at night and 5 hours in bad weather. If the parent withdraws consent before the teen turns 18, PennDOT cancels the license.

What documents do non-U.S. citizens bring?

The lists in this guide are for U.S. citizens. Non-U.S. citizens use PennDOT publication PUB 195NC and must show documents from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that prove lawful presence. An extra federal check of these documents can take 30 or more federal working days, so plan your visit early.