West Virginia driver's license and ID card: first license, renewal, replacement and REAL ID

How West Virginia's three-level graduated license works, how adults and new residents get a license, how to renew or replace a card, and what a REAL ID or state ID card requires, based on the West Virginia DMV's own pages.

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

West Virginia driver's licenses, instruction permits and ID cards are issued by the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), at its regional offices and exam centers. This guide covers the common cases in order: the graduated license for teens, a first license for adults, moving to West Virginia, renewing, replacing a lost card, REAL ID and ID cards. For booking and the general document list, see the West Virginia DMV visit guide.

Teens: the three-level graduated license

Drivers under 18 go through West Virginia's Graduated Driver's Licensing (GDL) program.

Level 1: instruction permit. You must be at least 15 and under 18, and pass a knowledge test. The DMV lists a fee of $7.50 per attempt. A parent or legal guardian must sign your application before you can be tested. The permit cannot be renewed and expires on your 18th birthday, with a 30-day grace period. While you hold it:

  • A licensed driver aged 21 or older must sit in the front seat.
  • You may drive only between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.
  • You may carry no more than two non-family passengers besides the supervising adult.
  • Everyone must wear a seat belt.
  • Zero alcohol tolerance applies.
  • You may not use a phone or text while driving.

Level 2: intermediate license. To move up, you must:

  • Be at least 16.
  • Have held the Level 1 permit for six months, with no infractions in those six months.
  • Have 50 hours of driving certified by a parent or guardian, 10 of them at night, or a driver education card.
  • Pass the road skills test.

Restrictions still apply at Level 2:

  • Passengers: in the first six months, no non-family passengers under 20. In the second six months, no more than one.
  • Night driving: between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., you need a supervising adult, except for work, school-sanctioned or religious activities, or an emergency.

Two violations at Level 2 lead to revocation until you turn 18.

Level 3: full Class E license. To get it, you must:

  • Be at least 17.
  • Have held Level 2 for at least a year, with no infractions in that year.

A Level 3 license expires on your 21st birthday.

Under-18 applicants must also be enrolled in or have graduated from an approved educational institution.

Adults: first license at 18 or older

If you are 18 or older and have never held a license, you get a regular Class E instruction permit. You apply as a first-time applicant with your documents and pass a vision screening and knowledge test. You may then drive with a licensed driver aged 21 or older in the front passenger seat. The permit cannot be renewed. The DMV's permit page says it is valid for 180 days, while its fee table lists instruction permits as valid for 90 days from issuance, so check the expiration date on your permit. After holding it for at least 30 days, you can take the road skills test.

Moving to West Virginia

The DMV says new residents who want to drive in West Virginia must apply for a West Virginia license within 30 days. If your out-of-state license is valid and not expired, you can transfer it. To do so, you must:

  • Pass a vision screening.
  • Complete a brief alcohol awareness course.
  • Surrender your old license.

If your license has expired, or you do not have it with you, bring a certified driving record from your previous state, dated no more than 30 days before you apply. Otherwise, you must take the vision, written and road skills tests. Transfer applicants bring the same documents as new applicants, which are listed in the visit guide. Special rules apply if you are under 18 and your previous state's license is not equivalent to Level 2.

Renewing

Under the DMV's "Drive for Five" program, licenses expire in a year when your age is divisible by five, and after a phase-in they are valid for five years. The DMV lists renewal fees at $5 per year of validity. Your renewal fee and new expiration year appear on your renewal card. You can renew:

  • Online through the DMV self-service portal
  • At a WV DMV Now kiosk
  • By mail
  • At a regional office

If nothing has changed, you only need your current license or ID card, or your renewal application. If your address has changed, bring two proofs of West Virginia residency. A legal name change needs proof of the change. If your West Virginia license has been expired for more than three years, you are treated as a first-time applicant and must be tested.

Replacing a lost or stolen license

For a lost, stolen or destroyed "Not for Federal Identification" license, bring one proof of identity and one proof of West Virginia residency. Bring two proofs of residency if your address has changed. For a duplicate REAL ID, you need the full set of documents again:

  • One proof of identity
  • One proof of your Social Security number
  • Two proofs of residency
  • Any name-change documents

The DMV lists the duplicate license fee as $7.50.

REAL ID

West Virginia offers two types of license and ID card:

  • "Not for Federal Identification" card: the standard card.
  • REAL ID ("For Federal Identification") card: marked with a gold star, which meets federal requirements for use at airports and designated federal facilities. The DMV notes that federal enforcement began on May 7, 2025.

A REAL ID costs an extra $10. First-time applicants need one proof of identity, one proof of Social Security number, two proofs of residency and any name-change documents. To upgrade a current card, you can use REAL ID HeadStart: you upload your documents online, then book an appointment once they are approved.

At the office you get a temporary card valid for 60 days, and the permanent card is mailed to you. See how to tell if your license is a REAL ID and REAL ID explained.

ID cards

Adults apply for a new ID card with the same documents as a new license. A Youth ID card is for children aged 2 to 15. A parent or guardian signs the application (form DMV-DS-23P) and provides the child's birth certificate, Social Security card and two proofs of residency. Youth ID cards cost $10 and are valid for two years. The DMV notes that anyone who holds a West Virginia ID card must still be tested to get a driver's license.

For vehicle paperwork, see the West Virginia vehicle registration and title guide.

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.

Related