It's the early morning of December 21 here in the States, the world around us seems to be unchanged. We all hope that it will remains so, however we think that it is great day to go ahead and get a drivers license, just think what a memory that will be. You can brag to your friends for the rest of your life: “I got my drivers license the day the world was about to end”. With a catch phrase like that, you'll be a hit at every party!
Since we've been running this site, people have been asking the same questions over and over again, so we decided to go ahead and put these questions together and answer them once and for all (yeah, we wish :) )
5. I am already 18, do I have to apply for a permit before I get my drivers license?
The answer to this question depends on your state of residence, but in most cases, you do need to get a learners permit before you apply for a drivers license. The good thing is that, since you are an adult, most states don't require you to take any drivers education courses or hold your permit for any certain period of time and you can usually go ahead and obtain a drivers license as soon as you have the permit on your hands.
4. Do I need to take a drivers education course or driving lessons at a driving school before I get my drivers license?
There is no easy answer here, once again, it depends on where you live and your current age. The rule of thumb is that if you are at least 18 years of age, you can get a driving license without having to take any educational programs, if you are younger, the state may require you to take either a drivers education course or professional driving lessons (in some cases, you have to do both). However, there are always exceptions to this rule, for example, if you were 22 and you were applying for a Texas drivers license, you would have to take a short 6-hour drivers education program. Adult trying to get a New York driver license also have to attend a driving safety program before they can be licensed. Make sure to check out your state rules on the drivers license page of the site.
3. Any chance I can skip taking the permit test?
Generally, you cannot skip taking neither the permit test, nor the driving test, but there are always exception to the rule (oh, those exceptions... there are always exceptions...). If you live in Texas, are over 18 years of age and took a drivers education program, you are not required to take the permit test at the DPS. You must still take the driving test, though. Some states allow you to do the driving test with a local driving school, as opposed to doing it at the DMV, usually this option is more preferable, since you can take driving lessons with the school first and they will teach you exactly what you need to know before you sit the real exam.
Although you cannot avoid taking the permit test in most cases, you can certainly prepare for it. We offer practice permit tests for every state, they are free and you can take them as many times as you want, so make sure to check them out.
2. How much is for a drivers license?
Reasonable question: we always want to know how much it will cost us. No easy answer here either. If you are looking at the fees charged by the state, it is usually around $50, can be a bit more of a bit less. However, if the state requires you to go through a driving school and do a drivers ed course, the story is completely different and you are looking at spending an extra $50-150 dollars. The matters get even worse if professional driving lessons are involved, as an hour of driving instruction cost about $60 and you may be required to complete from 6 to 14 hours of driving.
1. Can you help me get my license?
Yes, we can. We can help you by providing you with free DMV practice tests, drivers handbooks and relevant information about obtaining a drivers license in your state. However, we cannot take the knowledge exam or the driving test for you and we cannot mail you your drivers license, you have to prove that you are worthy to be on our public roads by studying and then doing all of the required testing at the DMV.
When we were done writing this article, the world was still in one piece, we were not destroyed by an asteroid, extra-terrestrial life, another planet crashing into ours or hordes of zombies rising and attacking everyone in site. We wish all who decide to get a drivers license on this “doomsday” all the best and don't forget to let us know how you did!