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

How to get a first Ohio driver license, transfer an out-of-state license, renew, reprint or replace your card, and what a compliant (REAL ID) card or free state ID requires, based on the Ohio BMV's own pages.

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

Ohio driver licenses, temporary permits and state ID cards are issued by the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) through deputy registrar license agencies. Driving tests are given at driver exam stations. This guide covers a first license for adults, moving to Ohio with another state's license, renewing, replacing a lost card, compliant (REAL ID) and standard cards, and state ID cards. For where to go and how to check in, see the Ohio BMV visit guide.

Your first Ohio license

Every new driver starts with a temporary instruction permit identification card (TIPIC).

1. Knowledge test and vision screening. The knowledge test has 40 multiple-choice questions on traffic laws and signs, and you need 75 percent to pass. You can take it online, or in person at a driver exam station or some deputy registrar locations. If you test online, the vision screening is done at the deputy registrar when you buy the permit. If you fail, you must wait at least 24 hours to retest. In person there is no limit on attempts; online you get two attempts in six months.
2. Buy the TIPIC at a deputy registrar within 60 days of passing. Bring proof of your full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number (if assigned), Ohio residency and citizenship or legal presence.
3. Practice. Adults with a TIPIC may drive only with a licensed driver aged 21 or older.
4. Pass the driving and skills test, scheduled online. Bring your TIPIC and a vehicle in good condition.
5. Buy your license at a deputy registrar within 60 days of passing the test, with the same documents as for the permit.

Extra steps by age

• Under 18: you can start at 15 years and six months. You need driver education, 50 hours of supervised driving (10 at night), at least six months with the permit and a probationary license with restrictions. See Getting a first driver license in Ohio as a teen for the full path.
• Ages 18 to 20: you must complete a Class D driver education course before the driving test. It has 24 hours of classroom or online instruction and 8 hours of driving. You also log 50 hours of supervised driving, at least 10 of them at night, on form BMV 5791.
• 21 and older: if you fail the driving or maneuverability portion on your first attempt and have not completed a driver training course in the previous 12 months, you must complete an abbreviated adult driver training course before trying again.

Applicants under 21 who fail a driving test must wait two days before retesting.

Moving to Ohio

The BMV says you become an Ohio resident once you take a job, sign a lease, buy a home or enroll children in school. Within 30 days of establishing residency, you must transfer your out-of-state license or ID card, title and registration. See also How long do new Ohio residents have to transfer their driver license?

If you are at least 16 and hold an unexpired out-of-state license (not a CDL), you apply at any deputy registrar. Bring the license and documents proving your legal name, date of birth, Social Security number, citizenship or legal presence and Ohio address. You will take a vision screening and complete form BMV 5745. Applicants under 18 need a parent or guardian as cosigner. If your out-of-state license has expired, or you have never been licensed, you go through the full testing process above.

Renewing your license

You can renew a license that is current or expired less than six months at any deputy registrar, or online before it expires. When you renew, you choose a four-year or eight-year license, depending on your qualifications. Some limits apply:

• Age 65 or older: your license expires in four years, and you cannot renew online or choose eight years.
• Under 21: your license expires on your 21st birthday, and you cannot renew more than 30 days before it.
• Expired more than six months: you must get a temporary permit and pass all required tests again.

If you do not bring your current Ohio license to renew, you must prove your name, date of birth, Social Security number, Ohio residency and legal presence.

Temporarily out of state? If you meet the BMV's conditions, you can ask for a renewal packet by mail. For example, you must have an Ohio address on record and must not be suspended. Request it online, by chat, by phone at 844-644-6268 or by email.

Replacing a lost license

The BMV distinguishes two options:

• Reprint, online, if your license or ID is valid and unexpired and nothing on it needs to change. You can order only one online reprint per card.
• Duplicate, at a deputy registrar, if you also need to change your address, name or other details.

Either way, the card keeps its original expiration date. If you are under 21, you cannot request a reprint or duplicate within 30 days of your 21st birthday.

Compliant (REAL ID) or standard card

You choose between two cards, which cost the same:

• A compliant card has a star in the upper part. It can be used to fly within the U.S. and to enter federal facilities and military bases. It cannot replace a passport for international travel.
• A standard card can be used for those federal purposes only together with a passport or other TSA-accepted document.

For a compliant card, you need proof of your full legal name, date of birth, legal presence and Social Security number. You also need two documents from different sources showing your Ohio street address, plus proof of any name change. The BMV publishes the accepted documents in printable lists and an interactive checklist. If you want a compliant card before your renewal date, the BMV suggests renewing early. To check your current card, see How can I tell if my license is REAL ID compliant? and REAL ID explained.

State ID cards

Ohio ID cards are for Ohio residents who do not hold a valid driver license. There is no minimum age, and cards are valid for four or eight years. You prove the same five things as for a license. Children under 18 must come with a parent or guardian.

The BMV says the ID card is free if you are an Ohio resident aged 17 or older who does not hold a valid license. This includes replacements for a lost or stolen ID. If you have a license, you can choose to downgrade to a state ID. For ages 16 and under, the ID card page lists $10 for a four-year card and $19 for an eight-year card; the BMV's fee page, which includes the deputy registrar fee, lists $13 and $25. Permanently and irreversibly disabled children qualify for a free card with form BMV 5755. Many people can renew an existing ID online. Applying for an Ohio ID cancels a driver license from another state.

For vehicle paperwork, see the Ohio vehicle registration and title guide, and for locations the Ohio BMV office list.