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home | life in ann arbor | transportation | getting a driver’s license

Getting a Driver's License

• State of Michigan Driver's License
• State of Michigan Personal Identification Card

State of Michigan Driver's License

In order to get a Michigan driver's license, you must pass a written test, a road sign test, a vision test, and a driving test.

The first step is to prepare for the written test and road sign test by studying the booklet What Every Driver Must Know.

If you are younger than 18, be sure to read the section of What Every Driver Must Know that describes the special regulations that pertain to you. Information for those younger than 18.

The Written Test and Road Sign Test

TEST INFORMATION: You can take the written test and road sign test at any Michigan Secretary of State Office. (Tests are available in a number of different languages.) You will also be asked to take a vision test.

LOCATION: The branch offices closest to campus are:

You can get to the Secretary of State offices by public (AATA) bus -- remember that you can ride free by showing your M-Card when you get on the bus.

IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: You will need the following documents:

1. Your Social Security card, or evidence that you have a valid Social Security number. See Column 1, Your Social Security number or letter of ineligibility for a list of documents you can use to demonstrate you have a valid Social Security number.
   
   If you are not eligible for a social security number (see Determining Eligibility for a Social Security Number and Card), you can request a "letter of ineligibility" from the Ann Arbor Social Security Office. You will receive the letter right away; you will not have to make a second trip to the Social Security office. See Applying for a Social Security Number and Card for directions to the Ann Arbor Social Security Office.
2. YOUR PASSPORT
3. YOUR I-94 CARD
4. PROOF OF YOUR MICHIGAN ADDRESS: Two documents showing your Michigan address are required. See Column 4, Proof of Michigan residency list for acceptable documents. Students can use an unofficial transcript printed by the Office of the Registrar as one of the two documents.
5. YOUR I-20 or DS-2019: If your visa (the visa stamp inside your passport) is no longer valid, you will also have to bring your I-20 (F students) or your DS-2019 (J students and scholars.)

DOCUMENT VERIFICATION (if necessary): If the documents you give to the Secretary of State's office include the "Letter of Ineligibility for a Social Security Number" or an I-20 or DS-2019 (because your visa is no longer valid), the Secretary of State's office will fax copies of your documents to their head office in Lansing, Michigan for verification. Once your documents have been verified, the Secretary's of State's office will contact you. You can then return to the Secretary of State's office to apply for your license.

PERMIT FEE: $25.00 that must be paid with cash, check or money order.

The Road Test

PRACTICE PERIOD: After you pass the written test and receive a temporary instruction permit, you are required to wait for a 30-day practice period before taking the road test. However, if you have in your possession a Driver's License from your country, the 30-day practice period will be waived. The foreign license must be translated into English unless the parts of the license that list the name, date of birth, country of issue, issue date, type of license and expiration date are in English. Please see the second part of the identification requirements sheet for translation guidelines.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR THE ROAD TEST: You must also have a passport and a valid registration for the vehicle to be used in the road test, along with proof of its insurance. The vehicle must be in good mechanical condition.

State of Michigan Personal Identification Card

If you do not need a driver's license, but do need extra identification, you can get a State of Michigan Personal Identification card at any Michigan Secretary of State office for $10. The identification requirements are the same as the identification requirements for a driver's license as described above. However, the Secretary of State office will not issue you an ID card if you have a Michigan driver's license, a driver's license from another state, or a driver's license from another country.

Last reviewed: 3/08