Louisiana Learner's Permit

A Louisiana Temporary Instructional Permit (TIP) is the first stage of the state's graduated driver license program. It lets a 15-year-old practice driving with a licensed adult while completing driver education and building the supervised hours needed to advance to an Intermediate License at age 16.

Minimum age and prerequisites

An applicant must be at least 15 years old on the date of application. Louisiana also requires concurrent enrollment in a state-approved driver education course before the permit is issued. The TIP cannot be earned through testing alone — driver education is mandatory, and the OMV will not waive it for academic accommodations or out-of-state programs unless they meet the Louisiana 30-hour classroom and 8-hour behind-the-wheel curriculum.

Documents required

The applicant and a parent or legal guardian must visit a Louisiana OMV field office in person with:

• Proof of identity — certified U.S. birth certificate or valid U.S. passport.
• Proof of Social Security number — Social Security card, W-2, or SSA-1099.
• Two proofs of Louisiana residency from separate sources, each dated within 60 days — utility bill, bank statement, school enrollment letter, or parent's lease and a piece of mail addressed to the minor at that residence.
• Proof of school attendance or completion — a current enrollment letter, recent report card, or high school diploma. Louisiana withholds permits from students who have dropped out.
• A driver education enrollment certificate from a licensed Louisiana driving school.
• A completed DPSMV1799 application signed by the parent or guardian, who provides financial responsibility for the minor's driving.

Knowledge test

Permit applicants take the same 40-question Class D and E knowledge exam used by adult Class E applicants, with a passing score of 80%. The exam draws from the Louisiana driver's manual and emphasizes signage, right-of-way, school-zone speed limits, the move-over law, and the state's 0.02% under-21 BAC threshold. A vision screening (20/40 corrected in at least one eye) is administered the same day.

Fees

The Temporary Instructional Permit fee is roughly $15, plus a $6 office handling fee. A second written-test attempt within the same visit is usually free; additional retests cost a few dollars each.

Driving rules during the permit

While holding a TIP, the new driver may operate a vehicle only when:

• A licensed adult at least 21 years old (or 18 if a sibling, spouse, or court-appointed guardian) is seated in the front passenger seat.
• The supervising adult holds a valid Louisiana driver's license.
• All occupants are wearing seatbelts.
• The driver is not using any cell phone, including hands-free, except in an emergency.

Required supervised practice

Before applying for an Intermediate License, the permit holder must log 50 hours of supervised driving, including 15 hours at night. Parents or guardians sign a notarized affidavit certifying the hours; Louisiana does not require a printed log, but the OMV can request one if the affidavit is questioned. The permit must be held for at least 180 days (six months) before the next stage.

Driver education

Louisiana requires a state-licensed driver education course that totals 30 hours of classroom instruction and 8 hours of behind-the-wheel training. Public schools, private schools, and commercial driving schools all offer the program. Many parishes also accept the parent-taught driver education option for students who can't access a school-based course, although the parent-taught option still requires a state-licensed driving school to administer the behind-the-wheel hours.

Common pitfalls

The most frequent reasons Louisiana permit applications get delayed: missing the school enrollment letter (the OMV won't issue without it for under-18 applicants), bringing only one proof of residency, and arriving without the parent who must sign the financial responsibility affidavit in front of the OMV clerk. Bring originals, not photocopies. If you're approaching the renewal of an existing permit, see the Louisiana license renewal page for the process. For families that move parishes during the permit period, the address change rule still applies — within 10 days.