Michigan driver's license and state ID: first license, renewal, replacement and REAL ID

How to get a first Michigan license as a teen (Graduated Driver Licensing) or adult, convert an out-of-state license, renew or replace your card, and choose between standard, REAL ID and enhanced cards, from the Michigan Department of State.

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

In Michigan, driver's licenses and state ID cards are issued by the Michigan Department of State (the Secretary of State) at its branch offices. Renewals and replacements can often be done online, by mail or at a self-service station. This guide covers a first license for teens and adults, moving to Michigan, renewal, replacement, and the three card types: standard, REAL ID and enhanced. For scheduling a visit and the full document list, see the Michigan Secretary of State visit guide.

A first license if you are under 18

Michigan teens learn to drive through the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system. It has two segments of driver education and three license levels. Driver education is taught by state-certified, independently owned providers. The department warns that online-only courses do not meet the requirements.

1. Segment 1: you can enroll at 14 years and 8 months. It includes at least 24 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours behind the wheel. You need at least 70% on the state exam.
2. Level 1 Learner's License: available from 14 years and 9 months. You visit an office with a parent or guardian, pass a vision test, show your documents and have your photo taken. The fee is $25. You may drive only with a licensed parent, guardian or designated adult aged 21 or older.
3. Segment 2: after holding Level 1 for at least three months and logging at least 30 hours of supervised driving, including 2 at night. It includes at least six hours of classroom instruction.
4. Driving skills test: given by independent driver testing businesses, not the state. You must be at least 15, have completed Segment 2 and held Level 1 for six consecutive months. You also need at least 50 logged hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night. A parent or guardian must be present at the test.
5. Level 2 Intermediate License: you must be at least 16 and have a record free of crashes and violations for the 90 days before it is issued. You may not drive between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., may carry only one passenger, and may not use a phone except in emergencies.
6. Level 3 Full License: removes the passenger and night restrictions.

Under Kelsey's Law, teens with a Level 1 or Level 2 license may not use a phone while driving, except in an emergency.

A first license if you are 18 or older

If you have not been licensed in the previous four years, you do not need driver education. The steps are:

1. Pass the written knowledge test. It is free at an office, or online at home for a $6.50 convenience fee.
2. Pass a vision test at an office, show your documents and have your photo taken.
3. Practice with a licensed adult for at least 30 days on the Temporary Instruction Permit (TIP) you receive.
4. Pass the on-road driving skills test with an authorized driver testing business. The department notes that the state does not regulate these businesses' fees.

The license is then mailed to you. A standard first license costs $25 and an enhanced license $45. The department says applicants who meet all requirements are issued a REAL ID-compliant license unless they opt out. Drivers under 21 get a vertical license marked "Under 21". They must apply for a new one in person near their 21st birthday.

Moving to Michigan

The department says new residents must apply for a Michigan license or ID as soon as they establish residency. Michigan law provides no grace period. A valid license from another U.S. state or territory, or from Canada, can be converted at an office:

• Bring your current out-of-state license and the standard documents: legal presence, Social Security number, identity, and two proofs of Michigan residency.
• No written test is required. You take a vision test and have your photo taken.
• The photo license is mailed in about two weeks.

You can pre-apply online when you schedule the visit.

Renewing

Licenses expire every 4 years on your birthday. You can renew up to 1 year early, and up to 4 years after expiration (late fees may apply). A standard renewal costs $18, or $25 if late; an enhanced renewal costs $38.

You can renew:

• Online, with your license number and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
• By mail, with the renewal notice and the return envelope that come with it.
• At a self-service station, for a $4.25 service fee.
• At an office, where you take a vision test and a new photo.

The department says that in most cases you only need to visit an office every 12 years. Some drivers cannot renew remotely. Reasons include having renewed remotely the last two times, a photo older than 12 years, a license expired more than four years, turning 21, and not being a U.S. citizen (legal presence must be checked at each renewal).

Replacing a lost or stolen license

You can replace a license, ID or permit:

• Online, under "More Driver Services".
• At a self-service station, which also prints a temporary credential.
• At an office, as long as your license or ID has not expired or been cancelled.

A standard duplicate costs $9 and an enhanced one $24. Replacement by mail is only for people who are out of state. If your card was stolen, the department says to report it to your local police.

REAL ID and enhanced cards

Michigan still issues standard cards. A REAL ID-compliant card shows a star in a gold circle (the older design, being phased out by January 2029) or a star in a silhouette of Michigan. Both are valid. Enhanced licenses and IDs are automatically REAL ID-compliant.

To convert an existing card, visit an office with:

• Your current Michigan license or ID
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or legal presence
• A name change document, if your name differs from that document

There is no extra charge if you convert while renewing or replacing your card. Otherwise there is a correction fee of $9 for a license or $10 for an ID.

An enhanced license or ID can also be used instead of a passport to re-enter the U.S. by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean. You must apply in person. The legal presence documents accepted for it are U.S. citizenship documents, such as a U.S. passport or a certified birth certificate.

To check a card you already have, see How can I tell if my driver's license is REAL ID compliant? and REAL ID explained.

State ID cards

A first standard state ID costs $10 and needs the same documents as a license; you apply at an office. The department says the fee is waived for applicants aged 65 or older and for people who are legally blind. An ID renews every 4 years, like a license: $10 for standard, $30 for enhanced.

For titles and plates, see the Michigan vehicle title and registration guide, and for offices the Michigan office list.