You’re eligible to get a Nevada learner’s permit when you’re 15 and a half years old—but you’ll need to get your ducks in a row first. Learn more here.

Written by Macy Fouse

Reviewed by Christelle Agustin

Updated on Jan 31, 2024

Table of Contents

How to get a Nevada learner’s permit
Nevada learner’s permit regulations

Nevada

, teens can apply for an instruction permit at 15.5 years old as long as they pass a written knowledge exam and a vision test, and certify that they meet the school attendance requirement.

Nevada teens have to be 15 and a half years old before they can apply for a learner’s permit.
With a learner’s permit, drivers must complete 50 hours of supervised driving.
A driver’s ed course isn’t required for a learner’s permit, but it’s a good idea to get it over with since it is required to apply for a driver’s license.

How to get a Nevada learner’s permit

First and foremost, Nevada teens can get their learner's permit (also called an instruction permit) no younger than 15.5 years of age. That doesn’t mean turning 15 isn’t exciting, though—you can officially enroll in a driver’s ed course once you turn the big one-five.

However, driver’s ed is just one major requirement to eventually getting your

full Nevada driver’s license

. Let’s go over the rest of the details!

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Drivers education requirements

Nevada drivers under 18 are required to complete a driver’s education course along with 50 hours of behind-the-wheel experience as part of the permit and license process. The driver’s ed course can either be an in-person classroom course or an approved online course. However, if there’s no classroom course offered within a 30-mile radius of your address and you don’t have access to the Internet, Nevada will allow a driver to complete 100 hours of driving experience in place of a driver’s ed course.

Before you enroll in a course, make sure it’s been approved by the Nevada DMV. You can take any approved course offered by a public or private high school or a DMV-licensed drive school. Check out

Schools for Training Drivers

for a list of licensed schools.

Pro Tip Keep in mind that while a driver’s ed course is not required to get your learner’s permit, it is mandatory before you can apply for your driver’s license at age 16.

School attendance requirements

Before you can get your Nevada learner’s permit, you’ll have to meet school attendance requirements and fill out the

Certification of Attendance

form. Have your principal or another school official fill out Section 1 of the form.

If you’re a homeschooled student or are exempt from attendance requirements due to a disability, you can have a parent or legal guardian complete the first part of Section 2.

What to bring to the DMV

There are a few requirements and documents you need to gather before you

make an appointment

and head to your local

Nevada DMV location

Here’s everything you can expect to do at your DMV appointment:

Prove your identity and address. Bring your Birth Certificate, Social Security Number, and two documents verifying your Nevada address.

Pass a vision test. You have to pass a basic vision test to make sure you have at least 20/40 vision in one eye. Drivers needing glasses or contact lenses will have “Restriction B” placed on their permit.

Pass the written knowledge exam. The knowledge test is based on the

Nevada Driver Handbook

and is administered on a touch-screen computer in English, Spanish, or audio. Drivers must get 20 of the 25 questions correct to pass.

Fill out and submit the required documents. Make sure you bring the following three documents with you to your appointment:

Certification of Attendance (DMV 301)

Application for Driving Privileges or ID Card (DMV 002)

, and

Minor Affidavit and Information Sheet (DP-38)

Pay the fees. Be prepared to pay the $22.25 licensing fee and the $25 testing fee, which covers the written exam and first skills test. If you have to retake the test, you’ll have to pay a $10 retest fee.

If all goes according to plan, you’ll get a temporary paper document that will serve as your learner’s permit until your real instruction permit comes in the mail within 10 business days.

MORE: How education level affects car insurance

Nevada learner’s permit regulations

When you finally have that learner’s permit in your hands, you can hit Nevada roads… As long as you have proper supervision, of course!

With a learner’s permit, you’re required to complete 50 hours of behind-the-wheel experience, with at least 10 of those hours driven at night. All hours must be completed with a licensed driver age 21 or older next to you the whole time. This driver will need to have had their

Nevada driver’s license

for at least one year.

If your driver’s ed course includes any behind-the-wheel training, you can count the time spent with a professional driving instructor toward your 50 hours.

Nevada instruction permits are valid for one year before expiring, so you’ll have to apply for renewal if you need a new one. When you turn 16, you can apply for a full driver’s license—as long as you’ve had your learner’s permit for at least six months beforehand and you haven’t had any moving violations on your driving record.

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