Idaho driver license and ID card: first license, renewal, replacement and Star Card

How to get a first Idaho driver license, the rules for young drivers, moving to Idaho with another state's license, renewing or replacing your card, the Star Card (Idaho's REAL ID) and Idaho ID cards, from ITD's own pages.

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

Idaho driver licenses and ID cards are issued under the rules of the Idaho Transportation Department's Division of Motor Vehicles (ITD DMV), at county driver's license offices run by each county sheriff. This guide covers the common cases: a first license, the extra rules for young drivers, moving to Idaho, renewing, replacing a card, the Star Card and ID cards. For booking a visit and the full document list, see the Idaho DMV visit guide.

Your first Idaho license

The standard license is the Class D operator's license. ITD says anyone who drives on Idaho's public roads must have a valid license. If you have never been licensed, you:

  • Bring your documents: proof of citizenship or lawful presence, identity, Idaho residency and any name change. Your Social Security number is verified electronically.
  • Pass a vision screening: at least 20/40 in one eye, with or without glasses or contacts.
  • Pass the knowledge test at a county driver's license office. ITD offers a driver's handbook and practice tests in English and Spanish.
  • Pass the skills test with an independent skills test examiner. You contact the examiner of your choice to arrange it.

ITD says you must pass the knowledge test before the skills test, unless you are under 17 and on a supervised instruction permit. If you do not have a valid license, you may not drive yourself to the skills test.

The skills test takes about 30 minutes and starts with a vehicle check. You must show working items such as the brake lights, turn signals, headlights, wipers and horn, and demonstrate arm signals. You pass with no more than 12 errors and no critical driving error. Critical errors include disobeying a traffic sign, striking an object, or speeding by more than 10 mph. If you fail, you wait three days before scheduling another test. If you pass, take the sealed test envelope back to the county office to be issued your license.

ITD's fee table lists:

  • Knowledge test: $5
  • Skills test: $35, of which $6.50 goes to the license office and up to $28.50 to the examiner
  • Instruction permit: $20
  • 4-year license (21 and over): $35

Young drivers

ITD says that if you are under 17, you must complete an approved driver training program:

  • 30 hours of classroom instruction
  • 6 hours of in-car observation
  • 6 hours of behind-the-wheel driving with an instructor

To attend the program you need a driver training instruction permit, which ITD lists at $21.50. Public school courses are open to Idaho residents from age 14½. Applicants under 18 must also show proof of school enrollment or completion, such as a verification of compliance letter. A parent or legal guardian must come to the office to sign as your liability signer, and can withdraw consent at any time before you turn 18.

ITD's restrictions for new young drivers:

  • Under 17: for the first six months, no more than one passenger under 17 unless they are related to you.
  • Under 16: you may drive only in daylight, unless a licensed driver aged 21 or older is in the front seat with you.

Licenses for 15- to 17-year-olds are vertical, with a green border. They expire five days after your 18th birthday.

Moving to Idaho with another state's license

ITD says you must apply for an Idaho driver's license or ID card within 30 days of moving to Idaho, whether or not your old license has expired. The same applies to commercial licenses. Two groups are exempt if they hold a valid license from another state and claim residency there:

  • Students at an Idaho college or university
  • Active-duty military members and their dependents

ITD says you may have to take the knowledge test, the skills test or both. A skills test may be required if your license has been expired for 25 months or more. It may also be required if your license is from a foreign country other than Germany, Korea or Taiwan, or if your vision does not meet the standard.

Renewing your license

ITD says a Class D renewal is valid for four or eight years. Drivers aged 21 to 62 may choose the eight-year option, listed at $60.00. You can renew up to 25 months before your license expires.

In many cases you can renew online through DMV Online, which tells you whether you are eligible. ITD gives a $5.00 discount on online license renewals, though not on ID cards. If you are not eligible online, renew at any county driver's license office.

Replacing a lost card

Card replacements are among the transactions ITD lists on DMV Online. You can also apply at a county office with the duplicate or replacement card form. The fee table lists a duplicate license or permit at $20.00.

Star Card (REAL ID)

The Star Card is Idaho's REAL ID-compliant license or ID card. ITD says it is not mandatory. Without one, you will need a passport or another federally accepted ID to board a flight or enter a federal building. Otherwise, a card without the star can still be used to drive and prove your identity.

To get a Star Card, you visit a driver's license office with documents proving your identity, your Social Security number and your Idaho residency. You need two proofs of residency, such as a mortgage statement or a current utility bill. ITD's "Add the Star" tool builds a personal document list, and printable checklists are available.

U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents may be able to renew a Star Card online. Others must renew in person to show continued lawful presence. See How can I tell if my driver's license is REAL ID compliant? and REAL ID explained.

Idaho ID cards

ITD says Idaho ID cards are available to residents of all ages to prove age and identity. You bring the same kinds of documents as for a license, and two proofs of residency get you a Star Card ID. ITD lists the fees as:

  • Under 21: $10
  • 4 years (21 and over): $15
  • 8 years (21 and over): $25

ITD also offers free IDs in some cases:

  • For voting, if you are 18 or older and say on the application that you need the card to vote. You must surrender any driver's license you hold.
  • For people experiencing homelessness who receive services or housing from an Idaho relief agency or shelter.
  • For drivers who give up their license for medical or vision reasons, with Form 3220.

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

Sources · checked October 29, 2026

We wrote this summary ourselves from the official pages above on the date shown. Agencies change rules without notice: the official page always wins. DMVorganization.org is independent and not a government agency.

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