How to Pass the Louisiana DMV Exam 2026
Step 1: Confirm Eligibility and Gather Your Documents
Make sure you qualify before you begin
Louisiana licenses drivers through the Office of Motor Vehicles (OMV). You may apply for a Class E learner's permit once you turn 15. Gather your paperwork before you visit an OMV field office so your trip is not wasted.
- An original state birth certificate or other proof of identity
- Your Social Security card
- Two documents proving your Louisiana residency
- Proof of current high school enrollment or a graduation equivalent if you are under 18
- Proof of liability insurance on any vehicle you bring
If you are under 18, a parent or legal guardian must come with you to sign your application. Bring originals or certified copies rather than photocopies.
Step 2: Complete the Required Driver Education
Louisiana requires classroom and behind-the-wheel training
Unlike many states, Louisiana requires formal driver education before your first license. The course you need depends on your age when you apply.
- Under 18: 30 hours of classroom instruction plus 8 hours of behind-the-wheel training
- 18 and older who never entered the graduated program: a 38-hour driver education course
- 18 and older, alternative option: a 6-hour pre-licensing course plus an 8-hour behind-the-wheel course
Use a driving school licensed by the OMV, since your certificate of completion must be accepted by the state. Many schools send the proof to the OMV electronically.
Step 3: Study the Official Class D & E Driver's Guide
Prepare for the knowledge test
The Louisiana knowledge test is written directly from the official Class D & E Driver's Guide published by the Office of Motor Vehicles. Every question comes from that manual, so studying it is the single best preparation.
- Learn the sign shapes and colors, traffic signals, and pavement markings
- Memorize the numbers: the 70 mph maximum speed, the 3-second following distance, the 100-foot turn signal rule, and the parking distances
- Review Louisiana-specific rules such as the 0.02 limit for drivers under 21, the 15/30/25 insurance minimums, and the requirement to stop at least 30 feet from a stopped school bus
Work through Louisiana practice tests until you score above 80% consistently, and pay special attention to any question you get wrong twice.
Step 4: Pass the Vision and Knowledge Tests to Get Your Learner's Permit
Take the tests and earn Stage 1 of the graduated program
At the OMV office, a licensed driving school, or an approved third-party tester, you take a vision screening and the written knowledge exam. The exam is given on a computer in most offices.
- The knowledge test has 40 multiple-choice questions and you must score at least 80%, meaning 32 correct answers with no more than 8 mistakes
- The vision screening requires 20/40 vision in one or both eyes, with or without corrective lenses
- If you need glasses or contacts to reach 20/40, your license carries restriction code 01 and you must wear them whenever you drive
Once you pass both tests you receive your Class E learner's permit and Stage 1 of Louisiana's Graduated Driver Licensing program begins.
Step 5: Practice Driving and Log Your Supervised Hours
Build real experience behind the wheel
You must hold your learner's permit for at least 180 days before you can move up, and you cannot advance until your 16th birthday. Use that time to build genuine driving experience in a range of conditions.
- You may drive only when accompanied by a licensed adult at least 21 years old, or a sibling at least 18 years old
- Complete at least 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience
- At least 15 of those 50 hours must be night driving
Before an intermediate license is issued, a parent or legal guardian must sign a statement attesting that you completed those 50 hours, so keep an honest log as you go.
Step 6: Pass the Road Skills Test and Know Your Intermediate Restrictions
Prove you can drive safely, then drive within the rules
At 16, after holding the permit 180 days, you take the road skills test through the OMV or a certified third-party tester. You must pass with at least 80% accuracy, and you supply a safe, registered vehicle with the insurance card inside it.
- Expect to demonstrate smooth starting and stopping, signaling 100 feet before turns, lane changes, intersections, backing, and parking
- Once licensed, you may not drive between 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless a licensed adult at least 21, or a sibling at least 18, is with you
- Between 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. you may not carry more than one passenger under 21 who is not immediate family
Note that the two restriction windows differ: the passenger limit begins at 6 p.m. while the nighttime curfew begins at 11 p.m. You keep the intermediate license until your 17th birthday.
Step 7: Receive Your Louisiana Driver's License and Get Insured
Get licensed and drive responsibly
Once you complete Stages 1 and 2, or apply as a first-time driver at 17 or older, the OMV issues your full Class E driver's license. Adults 18 and older who never entered the graduated program go straight to the full license after their required course and tests.
- Carry at least Louisiana's minimum liability insurance of 15/30/25: $15,000 for bodily injury to one person, $30,000 for two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage
- By law your insurance card must be in the vehicle at all times, and it must show the company name, policy number, effective dates, vehicle description, insured's name, and NAIC number
- If you cannot show proof when stopped, your license plate can be seized and you have three business days to provide it
Keep your record clean. A DWI conviction costs you your license for a year on a first offense, and refusing a chemical test suspends your driving privileges for 365 days on its own.
What it costs
Louisiana charges a basic Class E license fee, with a discount for older drivers, and some field offices add a small service fee.
- Basic Class E license up to age 69: $32.25
- Age 70 and older: $18.75
- Certain OMV field offices may add a service fee of up to $6.00
A Class E license expires on your birthday about six years after it is issued. Fees and document lists change from time to time, so confirm the current requirements before your visit: Louisiana OMV — expresslane.la.gov
These links should help guide you through the application and testing process. Each official state agency page contains the latest requirements and resources to ensure you have everything needed to obtain your Louisiana driver’s license.
