Page 5 - FINAL GA Drivers Manual Updated July 2021

SECTION 1

GENERAL LICENSING has a valid license issued by his or her home sion proof of payment of such tuition paid
INFORMATION state. This includes their spouse or dependent for the current or immediately preceding
son or daughter who has a valid license is-
period of enrollment.
sued by their home state;
This Section Covers • Any person who is on active duty in the Applicants under age 18 —
armed forces of the United States and who automobile or motorcycle
Requirement to Obtain a has in his or her immediate possession a valid
Georgia Driver’s License ....................................... 4 license issued in a foreign country by the In addition to the requirements listed above,
Applicants under age 18 ....................................... 4 armed forces of the United States. However, applicants under 18 years of age must present
this license will only be accepted for a period
proof of the following:
Previous License, Instructional Permits, of not more than 45 days from the date of his
or Identification Cards........................................... 4 or her return to the United States; • All applicants under 18 years of age must have
a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult
Vision Requirements ..............................................4 • Any person temporarily driving or operat- present to sign the application and complete
Classes of Licenses ............................................... 5 ing a farm tractor or farm equipment on a a Responsible Adult Affidavit;
highway for the purpose of conducting farm
Fees/Forms of Payment ........................................ 5 business; • Completion of Alcohol and Drug Awareness
License Restrictions...................................5 • Any member of the reserve components of Program (ADAP);
Expired License ...................................................... 6 the armed forces of the United States who is • Satisfaction of school enrollment; see page
30 for requirements;
Carrying and Displaying operating a motor vehicle owned by or leased
Your License ........................................................... 6 to the United States government. However, the • For a Class D license or for a Class M In-
motor vehicle must be operated in accordance
structional Permit (MP) at age 16 or age
Real ID Documentation Requirements............. 6 with the duties of the person as a member of 17 proof of completion of a DDS approved
the reserve components of the armed forces; driver education program plus evidence of
• Any person seeking to obtain a driver’s li- at least forty (40) hours of supervised
cense while he or she is taking the driving driving, six of which must be at night.
examination to obtain a license. This person Additional details concerning these require-
must be accompanied by a Responsibile
Adult with a valid driver's license and be at ments can be found on pages 30-32 of this man-
least 21 years of age or a certified driver ual or on our website at dds.georgia.gov.
Requirement to obtain a examiner or agent of the department;
Georgia Driver’s License • Any migrant farm worker who works in this Previous Licenses,
state less than 90 days in any calendar year Instructional Permits or
Georgia law requires that any person want- and who possesses a valid driver’s license Identification Cards
ing to operate a motor vehicle on the roadways issued by another state;
of this state obtain a Georgia driver’s license or • Any resident who is 15 years of age or over
permit within 30 days of becoming a resident. a
A person meeting at least one of the following non-commercial training vehicle and while In most cases, when applying for renewal,
criteria is considered a Georgia resident accord- under the direct personal supervision of a replacement or transfer of any license, instruc-
ing to Georgia law (O.C.G.A. §40-5-1): DDS-licensed driving instructor. A driving tional permit, or identification card (ID Card)
previously issued in Georgia or any other state
• A person who has a permanent home or instructor must test the eyesight of any un- or foreign jurisdiction, customers must surren-
abode in Georgia and, when absent, has the licensed person who will be receiving actual der, the previously-issued license/permit/ID
intent of returning; in-car training prior to the training, and the to DDS. In some cases, surrender of all valid
person must meet the vision requirements
• A person who accepts employment or en- listed on page 8 of this manual; licenses/permits/ID cards will be required.

gages in any trade or occupation in Georgia out of country driver’s license, permit, or ID,
or who enters his/her children in school; • personal may retain their out of country document upon

• Any person that has been in the state for 30 transportation vehicle on any roadway issuance of a Georgia-equivalent document.
days or more. publicly maintained for the use of personal U.S. citizens will not be allowed to retain any
transportation vehicles only, or when cross- licenses, permits, or identification cards issued
Not required to obtain a Georgia ing a street or highway used by other types to them by foreign countries.
Driver’s License/Permit of motor vehicles at a location designated for
such crossing by a motorized cart;
• Any employee of the United States govern- • A nonresident of Georgia who is attending Vision Requirements
ment who is operating a motor vehicle owned a school in this state, as long as:
Customers for initial issuance of a driver’s
by or leased to the United States government a. He or she is at least 16 years of age and has license must demonstrate the ability to meet
or that is being operated on official business. in his or her immediate possession a valid
This exemption does not apply if the em- license issued to him or her in his or her minimum vision requirements. The
ployee is required by the United States gov- home state or country and a valid inter- minimum acceptable vision for a non-
ernment or any agency of the United States national driving permit if the license is in commercial license is 20/60 in one eye, with or
without corrective lenses, and a horizontal field
Government to have a state driver’s license; a language other than English; provided, of vision of at least 140 de-grees. If you are
• A nonresident who is at least 16 years of age however, that any restrictions which would unable to pass the vision screen-ing
and who has in his or her immediate posses- apply to a Georgia driver’s license apply administered at the DDS Customer Service
sion a valid license issued to him or her in to the privileges given to this person; and Center, you will be given a Vision Report Form
his or her home state or country. However, b. He or she is currently enrolled or was en- (DS-274) which must be completed by a licensed
any restrictions that would apply to a Georgia rolled during the immediately preceding optometrist or opthalmologist and submitted to
driver’s license as a matter of law would apply period of enrollment in a school in this DDS. The completed form will be evaluated to
to any person who has an out-of-state license. state, has paid the tuition charged by the determine if you are eligible to obtain a driver’s
school to nonresidents of Georgia for the license. This form may also be used to document
• A nonresident who is on active duty in the current or immediately preceding period
armed forces of the United States if he or she of enrollment, and has in his or her posses- the need for bioptic lenses for driving and is avail-
able on our website, dds.georgia.gov.
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