What to Bring to the Ohio DMV for Your Permit Test
Don't get sent home. Here's the complete checklist — documents, fees, forms, and what to leave at home.
Before You Go
- →Make an appointment online to skip the long lines
- →Pre-fill your application on the BMV website to save time
- →Arrive at least 15 minutes early; they won't let you in if you're late
- →Bring your study guide or use the free online practice tests
- →Make sure your parent/guardian knows exactly when you are going
- →Check that your name matches your ID documents exactly
- →Get a good night's sleep; the test is easier if your brain is fresh
Required Documents
Proof of Identity (Primary Document)
- ✓U.S. Passport or Passport Card
- ✓Certified U.S. Birth Certificate
- ✓Permanent Resident Card (Green Card)
- ✓Valid Foreign Passport with I-94
- ✓Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization
You must bring the original document; photocopies are not accepted. If you want a REAL ID, make sure your birth certificate is a certified copy with a raised seal.
Proof of Social Security Number
- ✓Social Security Card
- ✓W-2 Form
- ✓Pay Stub with full SSN
- ✓SSA-1099 Form
- ✓Non-SSA-1099 Form
If you don't have a card, you can't just say you have one; you need a document from the SSA. If you are under 18 and don't have an SSN, you must visit a Social Security office first to get one.
Proof of Ohio Residency
Bring 2 of these:
- ✓Utility bill (electric, gas, water, sewer) in parent's name
- ✓Bank statement
- ✓School report card or transcript
- ✓Lease agreement or mortgage statement
- ✓Official mail from a government agency
For a standard license, one document is usually enough, but for a REAL ID, you strictly need two different documents showing your Ohio address. Since you are a teen, these usually need to be in your parent's name, with a note linking you to the address.
Parental / Guardian Consent (applicants under 18)
- ✓BMV Form 5710 (Minor's Affidavit of Consent)
- ✓Parent or legal guardian must sign the form in front of a notary public
- ✓Parent/guardian must appear in person with you at the BMV
- ✓If parents are divorced, the custodial parent usually signs
- ✓Legal guardians must bring court documents proving guardianship
If your parents are divorced, the parent with legal custody must sign. If you are in foster care, the caseworker or agency representative must sign. No exceptions: the adult must be there with you.
Fees & Payment
$25.75
This fee covers the permit application and the knowledge test. If you fail the test, there is a small fee to retake it. The fee is non-refundable even if you don't pass.
Accepted payment:
Forms
Application for Driver License or Identification Card (Form BMV 5753)
Available at: Available at the BMV office or pre-fill online at bmv.ohio.gov
Do not sign the form until you are standing in front of the BMV clerk. If you sign it early, they will make you fill out a new one.
What NOT to Bring
- ✗Your cell phone (turn it off or leave it in the car)
- ✗Large backpacks or bags (storage is limited)
- ✗Friends or siblings who aren't applying (they can't wait inside)
- ✗Food or drinks (no eating in the testing area)
- ✗Your own pen (use the one provided)
- ✗Pets (service animals only)
- ✗Sunglasses (you need to take them off for the photo and vision test)
At the Office
- →The test is computer-based and takes about 20 minutes
- →You need 15 out of 20 questions correct to pass
- →If you fail, you can usually retake it the same day for a small fee
- →Once you pass, you get an interim paper permit immediately
- →Your official plastic card will arrive by mail in about 2 weeks
Official Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) info: bmv.ohio.gov
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