Delaware driver license and ID card: first license, renewal, replacement and REAL ID

How to get a first Delaware driver license or teen GDL permit, transfer an out-of-state license, renew or replace your card, get a federally compliant (REAL ID) card, and apply for a state ID, from the Delaware DMV's own pages.

Guide · Delaware · REAL ID · Driver licenses · Renewals · ID cards · updated October 29, 2026

Delaware driver licenses, learner's permits and ID cards are issued by the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), part of the Delaware Department of Transportation. You apply in person at one of its four offices: Wilmington, Delaware City, Dover or Georgetown. This guide covers the common cases in order: a first license (including the teen Graduated Driver License program), moving to Delaware with another state's license, renewing, replacing a lost card, federally compliant (REAL ID) cards and ID cards. For office hours and the document list, see the Delaware DMV visit guide.

Your first Delaware license (18 and older)

You start with a learner's permit. You pay when you apply, and you must pass all exams within twelve months. The permit is issued after you pass the eye screening and the knowledge exam on Delaware's rules of the road. The DMV's Class D Driver Manual covers what you need to know. A permit is valid for twelve months. While you practice:

• A licensed driver over 21 must sit beside you.
• No more than two other passengers may be in the vehicle.

You can take the road test at least 10 days after passing the knowledge exam. Book it online through "My Road Test" or by calling an office's road test line. Road tests are given every weekday except Wednesday. Bring your permit, the vehicle's registration card and insurance card, and a licensed driver aged 21 or older, who must stay on site. The test takes about 30 minutes and includes parallel parking, a three-point turn and backing up 50 feet. If you fail, you must wait at least ten days to try again. If you do not pass within the permit's twelve months, you reapply and repeat the testing.

The DMV's fee page and its new-residents guide list the Class D license fee as $50, which also covers the learner's permit that comes before the license. Most licenses are valid for eight years.

Teens: the Graduated Driver License (GDL) program

The GDL program is for applicants aged 16 to under 18. It is also open to applicants under 22 who receive special education services under an IEP. It is optional for those 18 and older.

• To apply, you need a Delaware Driver Education Certificate showing you passed a certified Delaware driver education course. You also need your identity, Social Security and residence documents. The two residence proofs are waived if your sponsor is a licensed Delaware driver living at your address.
• A sponsor must sign your application in front of a DMV employee. Usually this is a parent or legal guardian. The sponsor is jointly liable for damages you cause and can withdraw consent.
• First six months: you must be supervised at all times, and your sponsor certifies 50 hours of driving, 10 of them at night. The supervisor must be at least 25 and have held a Class D license for at least five years.
• After six months: you may drive unsupervised between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. you need supervision, except when going directly to or from work or church activities, or school activities on school property.
• Passengers: throughout the program, no passengers other than the supervisor and one other person, except immediate family when the supervisor is present.
• Phones: permit holders may not drive while using a cell phone or texting device.

The DMV says the permit automatically converts to a Class D license once you complete 12 months of valid driving authority. Breaking the permit rules counts as driving without a license and brings a suspension.

Moving to Delaware with another state's license

The DMV says you must apply for a Delaware license within 60 days of becoming a resident. Apply in person and bring:

• Your out-of-state license (you turn it in), or a current certified copy of your driving record
• Proof of citizenship or legal presence, such as a birth certificate or passport
• Proof of your Social Security number
• Two proofs of Delaware residence

You sign an application and pass an eye screening. Written and road exams may be given, but the DMV says they are normally waived if your license is valid. Suspended, revoked or restricted licenses cannot be transferred until those actions are cleared. Drivers licensed in another country or a U.S. territory must pass both the knowledge and road exams. The exceptions are Germany, Taiwan and France, which have reciprocity agreements for a Class D license. Military members and their dependents do not need a Delaware license until 60 days after leaving the service.

Renewing your license

You can renew at any DMV office or online, at any time in the 180 days before your license expires. The DMV sends a reminder about 60 days before your expiration date (your birthday). A late fee is charged if you renew after the expiration date.

In person, you turn in your old license, complete an application and pass an eye screening. A written and road exam may be given. If you have moved, you may need to show proof of residence. You may also be asked for proof of your Social Security number or legal presence. Active-duty military members, Defense Department employees and their dependents stationed outside Delaware can renew by mail.

Replacing a lost license

The DMV says you can get a replacement at any office for $20. If you are out of state when your license is lost or stolen, the DMV can give you temporary driving authority for up to 6 months. Its FAQ lists the details to send by fax.

If you change your name, you must visit an office within 30 days. Update your name with Social Security first and wait 48 hours. Address changes must also be reported within 30 days.

REAL ID (federally compliant cards)

Delaware has issued federally compliant licenses and ID cards since July 1, 2010. A compliant card has a star in the upper right corner. A non-compliant card says "Not for Federal Identification" at the top. You can still drive with a non-compliant license; the difference only matters for federal identification, such as boarding domestic flights.

To get a compliant card, you bring original or certified documents once: identity and legal presence, your Social Security number and two proofs of Delaware residence. For current card holders, the DMV calls this a one-time revalidation at renewal. You show the documents again only if you change your information or your immigration documents expire. A compliant card costs the same as a non-compliant one. To upgrade before your renewal is due, you pay the $20 duplicate fee. To check a card you have, see How can I tell if my driver's license is REAL ID compliant? and REAL ID explained.

ID cards

You can get an ID card if you are a Delaware resident and bring the documents on the DMV's list. A parent or court-appointed guardian, as listed on the birth certificate, must come with any applicant under 18. The card expires eight years from your next birthday. You can renew an ID card at any DMV office before it expires by bringing your current card. A replacement for a lost or stolen card is also available at any office.

For vehicle paperwork, see the Delaware vehicle registration and title guide, and for offices, the Delaware DMV office list.