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

How to get a first Utah driver license or learner permit, transfer an out-of-state license, renew online or in person, replace a lost license, and what REAL ID and Utah ID cards require, based on Driver License Division pages.

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

Utah driver licenses, learner permits and ID cards are issued by the Driver License Division (DLD) of the Utah Department of Public Safety. The Utah DMV, part of the State Tax Commission, handles only vehicles. This guide covers the common cases in order: a learner permit and first license, moving to Utah with a license from somewhere else, renewing, replacing a lost license, REAL ID and ID cards. It covers the regular license for U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals and permanent residents; DLD has separate pages for limited-term licenses and the Driving Privilege Card. For booking a visit and the document list, see the Utah DMV visit guide.

Learner permit

You can apply for a learner permit from age 15. Schedule an appointment at a DLD office and bring proof of identity, Social Security number and Utah address. At the office you have your photo taken, present your documents, take the eye test and pay the fee ($19.00). You then take a 50-question closed-book written knowledge test, based on the Utah Driver Handbook. When you pass, you get the permit the same day. Test scores and permits are valid for 18 months. You can test twice in one day, and after three failures you pay a second fee.

What happens next depends on your age:

  • 15: hold the permit for 6 months and until you turn 16. A co-signing adult and a driver education course are required.
  • 16 and 17: hold the permit for 6 months. A co-signing adult and a driver education course are required.
  • 18: no holding period and no co-signer, but driver education is required.
  • 19 and older: hold the permit for 90 days unless you complete a driver education course, which is optional at this age.

Every age group needs 40 hours of practice driving, 10 of them after sunset. For drivers 19 and older this does not apply if you complete driver education. Under 18, the person beside you must be a licensed parent, a legal guardian, an approved driving instructor or the adult who signed for financial responsibility. From 18, it can be any licensed driver aged 21 or older. DLD accepts an out-of-state learner permit toward the 6-month holding period.

Your first Utah license

You must be at least 16 to apply for a regular Class D license. Before your first license, you must pass a driving skills test. You can take it at DLD in your own registered vehicle with working seat belts, or through your driver education course or a third-party tester. If you have never been licensed anywhere, you must also complete the online Traffic Safety and Trends Exam and pass it with 100%.

Then schedule your license appointment ("Adult 21 and Over" or "Minor 20 and Under"). At the office you check in, have your photo taken, present your documents, take the eye test and pay. DLD lists the fee as $52.00 for adults and $39.00 for minors. Applicants under 18 need a parent or legal guardian to sign for financial responsibility. You get a temporary license the same day. The card arrives by mail in about 4 to 6 weeks and expires after eight years for adults or five years for minors.

Restrictions for 16- and 17-year-old drivers

  • Night: no driving between midnight and 5 a.m., unless you are with a licensed driver aged 21 or older, or are driving to or from work, for an emergency, for agricultural work or for a school-sponsored activity.
  • Passengers: for the first six months, or until you turn 18, no passengers outside your immediate family. The exceptions are a licensed driver aged 21 or older in the passenger seat, agricultural operations and emergencies.

Moving to Utah with a license

New residents use the same "Original, Out-of-State/Country" process. DLD accepts a valid license from another state or country as proof of driving privilege, and you must surrender a U.S. state license when you apply. Bring your current license plus the identity, Social Security and Utah address documents. You take a 25-question open-book written test and may be required to pass a driving skills test. Foreign documents must be translated into English by a certified translator. The DLD pages used here do not state a deadline for new residents to switch.

Renewing your license

You can renew up to six months before your license expires. If you are eligible to renew online, DLD mails you a letter with a PIN about 90 days before expiration. You may not be eligible online if:

  • you have citations, a suspension or a revocation
  • you renewed online last time
  • your license has been expired for more than one year
  • there is an indication of medical impairment
  • another state has put a hold on your license

Otherwise, schedule an in-person renewal. Bring your current license, plus two address documents if you have moved (unless you changed your address online first). The fee is $52.00, or $27.00 if you are 65 or older; online renewal costs $42.00, or $22.00 at 65 and older. You take the eye test, and you may need the written test, for example if your license has been expired for more than a year. The renewed license is valid for eight years. If you lost your PIN letter, DLD customer service can give you the PIN at 801.965.4437 or toll-free 888.353.4224.

Replacing a lost or stolen license

You need a replacement for a lost or stolen license, or a name or address change, if your license expires more than six months from now. If it expires within six months, renew instead. Schedule an appointment and bring at least one document from the Required Documents list to prove your identity, plus a police report if you filed one. No test is required, the fee is $23.00, and your expiration date stays the same.

REAL ID

The Utah Department of Public Safety says a REAL ID-compliant Utah license or ID card has a gold star in the upper right-hand corner, and that more than 95% of Utahns already have one. If your card has no star, you need to provide proof of identity, Social Security number and Utah residency to get one. A license without the star still lets you drive; REAL ID matters for boarding domestic flights and entering federal facilities. By law you may hold only one REAL ID-compliant card at a time, for example not a Utah license and a Colorado ID. See REAL ID explained and How can I tell if my license is REAL ID compliant?.

Utah ID cards

A regular ID card for U.S. citizens is for identification only and does not let you drive. If you are under 16, a parent or legal guardian must sign for you. You apply by appointment with the same identity, Social Security and address documents as for a license. You can renew up to six months before expiration, online if you are eligible, or in person for $23.00. The card is valid for five years. With written verification of homelessness you may qualify for a free ID. If you stop driving, DLD can mail you a free ID card once in exchange for a valid regular Utah license.

For vehicle paperwork, see the Utah vehicle registration guide. For offices near you, see the Utah 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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