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

How to get a first Texas driver license or teen learner license, transfer an out-of-state license, renew or replace your card, and how REAL ID and Texas ID cards work, based on Texas DPS pages.

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

Texas driver licenses, learner licenses and ID cards are issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), not by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, which handles only vehicles. DPS says a driver license is valid for up to eight years and an ID card for up to six. All in-office services are by appointment. This guide covers the common cases in order: a first license (adult and teen), moving to Texas, renewing, replacing a lost card, REAL ID and ID cards. For booking a visit and the full document list, see the Texas DMV visit guide.

Your first Texas license (18 and older)

DPS lists three steps.

1. Gather your documents. You need proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence, proof of Texas residency, proof of identity and your Social Security number. You also need proof of insurance for each vehicle you own, or a statement that you do not own one. Add these if they apply to you:

  • An Impact Texas Drivers (ITD) certificate, if you will take a driving test. It must be dated within 90 days of your skills test.
  • A six-hour adult driver education course, if you are 18 to 24 and applying for your first Texas license. There is no driver education requirement at 25 and older.

2. Visit a driver license office with an appointment and a completed application (Form DL-14A). There you give your signature and thumbprints, have your photo taken, pay the fee and pass the vision exam. You also pass a written knowledge test and a driving skills test. You can take the tests at the DPS office or with an approved third-party provider.

3. Get your card. You receive a temporary license before you leave. The permanent card usually arrives by mail within 2 to 3 weeks.

If you already have a Texas ID card, you surrender it when you get a driver license. The DPS fee table lists a new Class A, B or C license at $33 for ages 18 to 84, valid for eight years.

Teens: learner license and provisional license

Texas uses a two-phase Graduated Driver License (GDL) program.

Phase I, learner license (ages 15 to 17). Requirements include:

  • Completing the classroom hours of driver education: 6 hours with the concurrent method or 24 hours with the block method.
  • A high school diploma or GED, or a Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form.
  • A parent or legal guardian at the appointment, or a notarized application they have signed.
  • Form DL-14B, your identity, residency and Social Security documents, and your driver education certificate.
  • The knowledge exam, if you did not pass it during driver education, and a vision exam.

While driving on a learner license, you must have a licensed adult aged 21 or older in the front passenger seat. You may not use a cell phone at all, even hands-free, except in an emergency. You must hold the learner license for at least six months, unless you turn 18 first. The fee is $16.

Phase II, provisional license (from age 16). You must have held the learner license for at least six months. You also need to complete driver education (classroom and behind-the-wheel) and the Impact Texas Teen Driver program. Provisional drivers under 18 may carry no more than one passenger under 21 who is not family. They may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m. except for work, school or emergencies, and may not use wireless devices while driving.

Moving to Texas

DPS says you can drive on a valid, unexpired license from another U.S. state, a U.S. territory, a Canadian province or a qualifying country for up to 90 days after moving to Texas. The FAQ How long can I drive in Texas on my out-of-state license? covers this. When you apply:

  • With a valid license from another U.S. state, a U.S. territory or Canada, you surrender it and do not take the knowledge or skills exams.
  • Applicants 18 and older with a valid out-of-state license, or one expired no more than two years, are also exempt from the ITD and adult driver education requirements.
  • Texas has license reciprocity with France, Germany, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and Taiwan, so the exams may be waived for valid licenses from those countries.
  • Before applying, register all your vehicles in Texas. DPS asks new residents surrendering an out-of-state license for evidence of Texas registration.
  • Applicants under 18 must take the skills exam. Out-of-state teens must also complete the six-month learner license holding period, or wait until 18.

Renewing your license

DPS says most licenses and ID cards can be renewed up to two years before or after the expiration date. You can renew online through Texas.gov, by phone or by mail if you are eligible; otherwise you renew in person with an appointment. The renewal fee for ages 18 to 84 is $33. The Texas license renewal guide explains the eligibility rules and the in-person steps in detail.

Replacing a lost or stolen license

If nothing on the front of your card changes, you can use the online card replacement on Texas.gov. You need your license or ID number, your date of birth, the last four digits of your Social Security number and the audit number from your most recent card. DPS cannot give you the audit number. Without that information, book an appointment and bring Form DL-14A and one proof of identity. A replacement costs $11 and keeps your current expiration date. If your card was stolen and used fraudulently, file a police report and bring a copy to the driver license office.

REAL ID

DPS began issuing REAL ID-compliant cards on October 10, 2016. They have a circle with an inset star in the upper right corner. If your card has the star, no action is needed. A card without the star stays valid until it expires, but since May 7, 2025, it is accepted only for state purposes such as driving, banking and voting, not for federal ones such as boarding domestic flights. To get a compliant card, request a duplicate in person or through Texas.gov. DPS's REAL ID Document Check tool lists the documents you need. See also REAL ID explained.

Texas ID cards

An ID card is valid for up to six years. You apply at a driver license office with an appointment, Form DL-14A, and proof of citizenship or lawful presence, Texas residency, identity and your Social Security number. Texas law lets you hold a driver license or an ID card, not both, so you surrender your license to get an ID. Fees: $16 if you are 59 or younger, $6 if you are 60 or older, and $11 for a replacement.

DPS says Texans who are 65 or older, U.S. citizens and holders of a REAL ID-compliant license can surrender that license for an ID card online through Texas by Texas, without an office visit.

For vehicles, see the Texas vehicle registration guide. For offices near you, see the Texas 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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