Driving Tests

Getting Your First Vermont Driver's License at 18 or Older

informational·how to guide·Published August 13, 2026

How do you get a first Vermont driver's license at 18 or older?

At 18 or older, you pass the online permit test (16 of 20 correct, per the Vermont Driver's Manual), then apply and pay for your learner's permit. Practice with a licensed, unimpaired driver 25 or older beside you. Then pass the vision screening and the road test, by appointment. As of 2026, DMV fees add up to $125 with a 2-year license or $148 with a 4-year license.

Where these Vermont rules come from

The Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (Vermont DMV) sets out the permit steps on its learner's permit page and the prices on its fee page. 23 V.S.A. § 615 of the Vermont Statutes Annotated sets who may ride with a permit holder. This post also uses 23 V.S.A. §§ 617, 632 and 634, the DMV Driver's License, New License, Driver Education and road test pages, and the Vermont Driver's Manual. The information is as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Vermont DMV (dmv.vermont.gov) before you drive.

Who can get a Vermont Driver's License at 18 or older?

A Vermont Driver's License goes to people 18 or older who pass the required examinations. If you live in Vermont and plan to drive here, you need one. It covers any non-commercial vehicle except a school bus or a motorcycle, which need extra exams.

To apply, you show proof that you are a Vermont resident, or a visiting citizen of a foreign country with an authorized stay of at least 30 days left.

Steps to your first Vermont license at 18 or older

1
Take the online permit test
The permit test is online at mydmv.vermont.gov, not in a DMV office. It has 20 questions with four choices each, and you need at least 16 correct. You pay the test fee each time, and after a fail you wait at least one day. For this step, the DMV asks for an original or certified copy of your birth certificate, or a valid passport. A free practice question on the pass mark shows the rule.
2
Apply and pay for your learner's permit
Passing the test does not issue the permit by itself: you complete the permit application and pay the permit fee. The receipt is your temporary permit for 90 days, and you must carry it when you drive. The permit is good for two years and can be renewed.
3
Practice with a qualified supervisor
Until you pass the road test, a licensed, unimpaired driver 25 or older, or another supervisor that the law allows, must ride beside you. Before the road test, aim for at least 40 hours of practice with an experienced driver or instructor, with at least five of those hours in traffic.
4
Book the road test
All DMV visits are by appointment, and you schedule at mydmv.vermont.gov. The law provides a $29 scheduling fee that you pay before you may schedule. If you show up, it goes toward the exam fee. If you miss the test without 48 hours' notice or good cause, you lose it.
5
Bring a vehicle and a qualified driver
The vehicle must be registered, inspected with a valid sticker and insured, and you bring proof of insurance. A licensed, unimpaired parent or guardian, driver education instructor or person 25 or older comes with you, and that person's license must be valid. If you arrive by driving illegally, you are not tested that day.
6
Pass the vision screening and the road test
The examiner screens your vision. If you do not meet the 20/40 standard, you see an eye doctor of your choice, at your own cost. The road test comes only after you pass all other parts. Your license is issued after you pass the road test and pay the license fee.

Who can ride with you as an adult permit holder?

Your age does not change the rule. A licensed, unimpaired driver 25 or older may ride beside you. Under 23 V.S.A. § 615, an unimpaired licensed parent or guardian, a licensed or certified driver education instructor, or a licensed examiner of the DMV may also supervise you. The guide to who can ride with a Vermont permit holder covers the full rules, and a free practice question on permit supervisors tests them.

How long must an adult hold the permit before the road test?

A DMV permit FAQ says you must hold the learner's permit for one year before the road test, and it gives the Graduated License Law as the reason. The FAQ names no age, and the DMV page on that law says it applies to people under 18. Ask the Vermont DMV which waiting time applies to you before you plan your road test date.

Is driver education required at 18 or older?

You are under 18

A state-approved course is required: at least 30 hours of classroom, 6 hours behind the wheel and 6 hours of observation.

You are 18 or older

The required course is for applicants under 18. For novice drivers, DMV-licensed driving schools offer a state-approved 6+6 Adult Driver Education Course: at least 6 hours of classroom and 6 hours behind the wheel.

What the examiner checks on the Vermont road test

You stop and start on a hill.
You turn around using a side street.
You parallel park.
After a fail, you wait at least seven days before you try again. After three fails, the wait is at least one month.
The guide to the Vermont road test vehicle and maneuvers explains the vehicle rules and each maneuver.

Vermont first license fees at 18 or older (U.S. dollars, 2026)

Vermont first license fees at 18 or older (U.S. dollars, 2026)
Item	Amount	When you pay
Knowledge (permit) test	$39.00	Each time you take the test
Learner's permit, 2 years	$24.00	After you pass the test
Road test	$23.00	At the road test
Driver's License, 2 years	$39.00	After you pass the road test
Driver's License, 4 years	$62.00	After you pass the road test
Total with a 2-year license	$125.00	$39 + $24 + $23 + $39, one try at each test
Total with a 4-year license	$148.00	$39 + $24 + $23 + $62, one try at each test
Road test scheduling fee (law)	$29.00	Before you schedule; it goes toward the exam fee if you show up

Key takeaways

At 18 or older, the path is the online permit test, a learner's permit, supervised practice, then the vision screening and road test.
Whatever your age, a licensed, unimpaired driver 25 or older can ride beside you. The law also allows a licensed parent or guardian, an instructor or a DMV examiner.
Driver education is required only under 18. Adults can take the 6+6 adult course.
As of 2026, the DMV fees for one try at each test come to $125 with a 2-year license or $148 with a 4-year license.
Next step: practice on the free Vermont operator license permit practice test. It is free and in English only, and its questions are practice questions, not the official test.

First Vermont license at 18 or older: common questions

Can I skip the learner's permit if I am over 18 in Vermont?

Plan to get one. An unlicensed person may drive in Vermont only with a valid learner's permit and a qualified supervisor beside them (23 V.S.A. § 615). You need the permit to practice and to drive to the road test. The permit comes after you pass every part of the license exam except the road test.

I have a Vermont junior license and just turned 18. Can I get a full license?

You can when you meet two conditions: you must be 18, and you must have had no recalls, suspensions or revocations during the previous six months. The six months count back from the day you get the Driver's License, so a recent recall delays the change.

Can a suspension in another state stop me from getting my first Vermont license?

Not until the suspension, revocation or refusal is cleared and the DMV tells you in writing that your privilege is reinstated. This applies to a suspension, revocation or refusal in any state. The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles can also refuse a license when there is evidence that a person cannot or will not drive safely.

Can I bring someone to translate at my Vermont road test?

Yes. Under 23 V.S.A. § 632, you may bring a person of your choice to serve as an interpreter at the oral exam or the road test. That person may also translate the examiner's spoken directions during the road test. The free Vermont practice test on this site is in English only.

How long is a first Vermont driver's license good for?

A first Vermont license is valid for four birthdays, with some exceptions. If your birthday is June 1 and you get your first license on May 15, it is valid for three years and 16 days. If you get it on your birthday, it lasts exactly four years.