Mississippi DMV Exam FAQ 2026
How do I get my first driver's license in Mississippi?
Mississippi licenses drivers through the Department of Public Safety, Driver Service Bureau. Teens start with a Regular Learner's Permit at 15, hold it for one year, and then upgrade to a Class R Regular Driver's License at 16. Applicants who first apply at 17 or older may skip the permit stage and apply directly for a Regular Driver's License, and may complete the Computerized Exam the same day. In every case you must pass the vision exam and the Computerized Exam, provide two proofs of identification and two proofs of residency, and supply an affidavit from a parent, teacher, or guardian certifying that they witnessed you drive for at least fifty hours.
What is the minimum age for a learner's permit in Mississippi?
You must be at least fifteen years old to apply for a Regular Learner's Permit. If you are 15 to 17 you must also show proof of enrollment in school using a Certification of Attendance form that is not more than thirty days old. The permit costs $7.00 and is valid for two years. It entitles you to drive only when accompanied by a licensed driver aged twenty-one or older who is physically occupying the seat next to you.
How long do I have to hold a learner's permit before getting my license?
You must hold the Regular Learner's Permit for one year before you can upgrade to a Regular Driver's License. There is an important exception: if you turn seventeen before you have held the permit for a full year, you become eligible for a Regular License at that point. So a teen issued a permit at 15 and a half is eligible for a license at 16 and a half, while a teen who first applies at 16 becomes eligible when they turn 17.
How many questions are on the Mississippi written test and what score do I need?
Mississippi calls its written knowledge exam the Computerized Exam, and it is administered on a computer at a Driver Service Bureau station. It is a multiple-choice test drawn entirely from the Mississippi Driver's Manual, focusing on state traffic laws, safe driving rules, and driver's license requirements. Test-prep providers consistently describe it as 30 questions with a passing score of 80%, meaning 24 correct answers and no more than 6 mistakes. The Driver Service Bureau does not publish the question count on its own site, so treat the format as the widely reported standard and study the manual thoroughly rather than aiming for a bare pass.
What documents do I need to apply for a Mississippi driver's license?
Mississippi requires two proofs of identification and two proofs of residency. For identification you need your Social Security card (or official government correspondence showing all nine digits) and an original or certified copy of your birth certificate — photocopies are not accepted. Each proof of residency must show a physical street address, not a post office box; acceptable items include a utility bill, bank statement, lease or mortgage papers, or a parent's Mississippi license if you are under twenty-one. If you are under eighteen you also need a Certification of Attendance from your school, and if you are under seventeen your application must carry the notarized signature of both parents who have legal custody.
Is there a road test for a Mississippi driver's license?
Mississippi's licensing path is built around the vision exam, the Computerized Exam, and the fifty-hour driving affidavit rather than a state-administered skills test. The Driver Service Bureau states that at this time no skills or road test is required of applicants seeking a regular driver's license, and applicants who are 16 submit a Waiver of Road Testing Affidavit signed by a parent, teacher, or guardian. Because that policy can change, confirm the current requirement on the Driver Service Bureau website before your appointment. Whether or not a test is given, the fifty supervised hours are the point: they are how you actually learn to drive safely.
How much does a Mississippi driver's license cost?
A Class R Regular Driver's License costs $24.00 for a four-year license or $47.00 for an eight-year license. A Regular Learner's Permit is $7.00 and is valid for two years. A duplicate license is $11.00 and a late fee is $1.00. An identification card is $17.00 for four years or $33.00 for eight years, and a motorcycle endorsement adds $5.00 for four years or $10.00 for eight. Driver Service Bureau offices accept cash, Visa, and MasterCard credit or debit cards, but they do not accept checks.
Do I need a REAL ID in Mississippi?
Mississippi issues REAL ID compliant credentials, marked with a gold star in the upper corner of the card. A REAL ID is what lets you use your driver's license alone to board a domestic flight or enter certain federal facilities; a standard credential still works fine for driving and everyday identification. Because the documents required for a compliant card are checked strictly, bring originals or certified copies rather than photocopies. Check the current document checklist on the Driver Service Bureau website before your visit.
What are the restrictions on a Mississippi learner's permit?
The core restriction is supervision: you may drive only when a licensed driver aged twenty-one or older is physically occupying the seat beside you. The permit is valid for two years, and you must hold it for one year before upgrading. Your Computerized Exam score is also valid for two years, so if you submit the fifty-hour driving affidavit within that window you do not have to retake the exam; wait longer than two years and you will have to test again and submit a new School Attendance Affidavit.
I'm moving to Mississippi with an out-of-state license — what do I do?
You must obtain a Mississippi driver's license within sixty days of moving, and a Mississippi license plate within thirty days. Bring a certified state-issued birth certificate, your original Social Security card or a printout from the Social Security office, and two proofs of residency. You must surrender all out-of-state licenses; if yours was lost you will need a notarized Affidavit of Inability to Surrender from the Driver's License office. If your out-of-state license is valid, the Computerized Exam is waived and you only take a vision screening — but if it has been expired more than thirty days you must take the Computerized Exam. Your driving record in other states is checked before a Mississippi license is issued.
How do I renew my Mississippi driver's license?
You may renew any time within six months of your expiration date, and Mississippi offers a four-year or an eight-year renewal at $24.00 and $47.00 respectively. Many drivers can renew online through the Driver Service Bureau website, and online renewals still qualify for the gold star REAL ID designation. Military personnel and out-of-state college students can also renew or replace a license or identification card online. If you are out of state on military service when your license expires, you may renew within ninety days of discharge or of returning to Mississippi without paying a delinquent fee, on proof of service by affidavit.
Are there special license rules for older drivers in Mississippi?
Mississippi does not set a separate, shortened renewal cycle for senior drivers the way some states do — the same four-year and eight-year options and the same fees apply at every adult age. What does apply to everyone is the vision standard: your eyes are checked to be sure you see well enough to drive safely, and if the screening suggests you need glasses you will be given a vision form (DE26) to have completed by an eye specialist or optometrist. If you require corrective lenses to pass, your license is restricted accordingly and you must wear them whenever you drive. If you are under a physician's care, the Department may ask for a certificate about your physical or mental condition before you test.
What happens if I fail the Mississippi Computerized Exam?
If you do not pass, you will need to retake the Computerized Exam. Mississippi does not publish a statewide mandatory waiting period or a cap on attempts, so ask the Driver Service Bureau station where you tested about scheduling your next try. One rule is strict and worth knowing in advance: all knowledge exams must be taken in person, and no cell phones, ear buds, smart watches, or other electronics are allowed in the testing area. If an applicant is caught with banned items or cheating, the test is cancelled immediately and that applicant may not test again for six months.
Does Mississippi require driver's education?
Not yet, but it will. Under a change written into the current Mississippi Driver's Manual, beginning July 1, 2027 applicants must provide signed documentation showing completion of a Driver's Education and Training Program certified by the State Board of Education or the Department of Public Safety. Until that date takes effect, the requirements are the vision exam, the Computerized Exam, and the fifty-hour driving affidavit. If you are applying close to that date, confirm the current rule with the Driver Service Bureau, since implementation details can change.
What is the minimum car insurance required in Mississippi?
Mississippi's Safety Responsibility Act requires every motor vehicle operated in the state to carry liability insurance of at least $25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in a single accident, $50,000 for two or more people in a single accident, and $25,000 for property damage of others in any single accident. A current, valid insurance card must be kept inside each vehicle, and you may show proof electronically on a phone or other device. If you are in a crash or a traffic stop and cannot provide proof of insurance, you can be cited and fined even if you were not at fault.
Does Mississippi use a point system for traffic violations?
No. Unlike many states, the Mississippi Department of Public Safety does not assign numeric points to moving violations. Convictions are still recorded on your driving record, and the Commissioner of Public Safety may suspend your license without a preliminary hearing if you are a habitually reckless or negligent driver, have been frequently convicted of serious traffic violations, or were involved as a driver in a crash causing death, personal injury, or serious property damage. Certain convictions carry a mandatory one-year revocation, including manslaughter or negligent homicide from a crash, any felony committed with a motor vehicle, failure to stop and render aid, and three reckless driving convictions within a twelve-month period.
What is the legal blood alcohol limit in Mississippi?
If you are 21 or older, you are under the influence when your blood alcohol content registers .08% or more. If you are under 21, Mississippi applies Zero Tolerance and the threshold is .02% or more. A driver under 21 whose BAC reaches .08% or higher is charged with a regular DUI rather than a Zero Tolerance DUI. Remember that impairment is not limited to alcohol: driving under the influence of any drug, including medical cannabis and prescription medication, is also illegal and can result in arrest.
What happens if I refuse a breath or chemical test in Mississippi?
By operating a motor vehicle in Mississippi you give implied consent to testing for intoxicating substances. You have the right to refuse an officer's request, but refusing carries its own penalty: you must surrender your license to the officer immediately, and the receipt you are given serves as a temporary driving permit valid for only forty-five days. Your license is then administratively suspended for ninety days for the refusal, with longer suspensions for subsequent refusals. If you are convicted of a first offense DUI and you also refused the test, a 90-day suspension is added on top of the DUI penalty.
What are the penalties for a DUI in Mississippi?
Under Mississippi Code Section 63-11-30, a first offense DUI is a misdemeanor carrying a fine of $250 to $1,000 and up to 48 hours in jail, with a 120-day license suspension. A second offense within five years brings a fine of $600 to $1,500, not less than five days nor more than six months in jail, and a one-year suspension. A third offense within five years is a felony punishable by a fine of $2,000 to $5,000 and one to five years in the custody of the Department of Corrections, and a fourth or subsequent offense carries $3,000 to $10,000 and two to ten years. Zero Tolerance penalties for drivers under 21 start at a $250 fine and a 120-day suspension for a first offense. Courts may order an ignition interlock-restricted license in place of suspension in many cases.
How do I get my license reinstated in Mississippi?
Reinstatement fees depend on why you were suspended: $175 for a conviction under the Implied Consent Law, DUI, or the Uniform Controlled Substances Act, $25 for failure to pay child support, and $100 for all other suspensions. Payment must be made by cashier's check payable to the Department of Public Safety — cash, money orders, and personal checks are not accepted. For suspensions due to DUI or unpaid tickets, mail the cashier's check to the Driver Service Bureau, PO Box 1459, Canton, MS 39046. If your license was deposited in lieu of bond or you failed to appear in court, you must also show a corrected court abstract from the judge before you can be reinstated.
