Vermont · Handbook chapter 1 · 4 min read

How to get a Vermont learner's permit: the online 20-question test, the 16-correct pass mark, age and parent consent, documents, fees, retakes and the road test.

Why this chapter matters

Before you can practice driving in Vermont you need a learner's permit, and the permit starts with an online knowledge test. Knowing the format, the pass mark and the paperwork saves you a wasted attempt and a second test fee.

The knowledge test

• The test is taken online through myDMV (mydmv.vermont.gov). It is no longer given in a DMV office.
• It has 20 questions. Each has four answers and only one is correct.
• You must answer at least 16 correctly to pass.
• If you fail, you must wait at least one day before trying again. You may retake it as many times as you need, but you pay the test fee each time.
• The manual may not be used during the test.
• If your child is on an Individualized Education Program, you may read the test aloud, but you may not give the answers.

Who can take it

• You must be at least 15 years old.
• If you are 15, 16 or 17, a parent or legal guardian must sign the application before you take the test, unless you are an emancipated minor. A foreign exchange student uses form VL-036, signed by a parent or legal guardian; a host parent cannot sign.
• Under 18, you need a clean driving record for the previous two years.
• A resident of another state who is enrolled in a Vermont driver education course can also get a Vermont permit, with a letter from the school.

After you pass

Passing the exam does not issue the permit by itself. Since May 1, 2025 you must complete the permit application and pay the fees. Your receipt then serves as a temporary learner's permit for 90 days, and you must carry it when you drive. DMV checks the information on your application and contacts you if something needs correcting.

Proof of identity

You need documents in four groups: identity and date of birth, Social Security information, Vermont residency and current address, and lawful status (only for a REAL ID or Enhanced Driver's License).

• Documents must be originals or copies certified by the agency that issued them. Photocopies and faxes are not accepted.
• Your residential address must be a street address, not a post office box.
• A minor provides a Vermont Residency Certification and one residency document from a parent, plus proof of the relationship.
• An Enhanced Driver's License also needs proof of US citizenship.

Fees (as of July 1, 2024)

Fees can change, so check the DMV website.

The other tests

• Vision: the standard is 20/40. If you do not meet it, you are referred to an eye doctor of your choice and at your expense.
• Road test: given only after you pass all other parts. You supply a vehicle that is registered, inspected and insured, with working safety belts and a parking brake that holds on a grade. No animals may ride along. After a failed road test you wait at least one week (the web page says seven days); after three failures the wait is at least one month.
• All DMV office visits are by appointment only.

Licenses for adults and new residents

• A full Driver's License is for people 18 or older. It covers any noncommercial vehicle except a school bus or motorcycle.
• A new resident with a valid license must get a Vermont license within 60 days. If the old license expired more than three years ago, you take the vision, written and road tests.
• A Vermont license expired more than 14 days is not valid for driving. Report a name or address change within 30 days.