Driver's license in Georgia
What Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) publishes about getting a license, checked August 27, 2026.
- Licence fee and term
- $32 for a regular driver's license, and it is valid for 8 years. That is one of the cheapest and longest-lasting licenses in the country.
- Source: Georgia DDS - Fees and Terms · Checked August 27, 2026
- Learner's permit and the retest trap
- A Class CP learner's permit costs $10 and lasts 2 years. The catch worth knowing: the fee is paid before the test starts, it is not refunded if you fail, and it must be paid again for every attempt.
- Source: Georgia DDS - Fees and Terms · Checked August 27, 2026
- Deadline after you move in
- You must apply for a Georgia licence within 30 days of becoming a Georgia resident. Every Customer Service Center can transfer an out-of-state licence.
- Source: Georgia DDS - New Georgia Residents and Out-of-State Transfers · Checked August 27, 2026
- Does Georgia require lawful presence
- Yes. You must show proof of identity, residential address, and US citizenship or lawful presence, and your full Social Security number goes on the online form. This is the opposite of California, which still issues a licence to people who cannot prove lawful presence.
- Source: Georgia DDS - Class C License · Checked August 27, 2026
- LIMITED-TERM cards for non-citizens
- Non-citizens who are lawfully present get a card printed with LIMITED-TERM, valid for exactly their approved length of stay, up to five years. It carries the same privileges as a regular licence and is meant to be accepted for banking, car rental and shopping. DDS states plainly that an expired LIMITED-TERM card does not mean the holder is in the country illegally.
- Source: Georgia DDS - Limited Term DL/IDs · Checked August 27, 2026
- Submit the form before you go
- You must submit the online License/ID/Permit Form before visiting a Customer Service Center. It stays on file for 60 days and must be resubmitted after that. If a road test is required, book it right after submitting the form.
- Source: Georgia DDS - Class C License · Checked August 27, 2026
- $5 discount for doing it online
- Some transactions done through Online Services get a $5 discount, and that discount is not shown in the posted fee table.
- Source: Georgia DDS - Fees and Terms · Checked August 27, 2026
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The oldest line on this page was checked August 27, 2026