How to Get a Drivers License in Texas at 18: Step by Step

Updated October 2026 · Reviewed by Billy Forte

Here is how to get a drivers license in Texas at 18: finish a six-hour adult driver education course, watch the free ITAD video, then apply at DPS and pass the vision, knowledge and driving tests. You do not need a learner license first, because Texas issues those only to ages 15 to 17. The same steps apply to every first-time applicant from 18 through 24.

Key Facts

The course: a TDLR-approved adult course of 360 minutes, with the ADE-1317 certificate. See step 1.
ITAD: a free 1-hour DPS video, printed and dated within 90 days of the driving test. See step 2.
Booking: at txdpsscheduler.com, up to six months ahead. See step 3.
Fee: $33 for a new license at ages 18 to 84. See step 5.
Tests: vision, knowledge, then driving, at DPS or a DPS-certified school for the road test. See steps 6 and 7.
The card: a temporary license first, then the card by mail in 2-3 weeks, DPS says. See step 8.

Who This Path Is For

The DPS Apply for a Texas Driver License page sets one path for adults. Applicants “18 through 24 years of age and applying for your first Texas driver license” must take a six-hour adult course.

A few groups follow a different path:

Ages 25 and older. DPS lists no driver education requirement. See our first license over 25 guide.
New residents with a valid license. Adults 18 and older with a valid out-of-state license, or one not expired over two years, skip the course, ITAD and the knowledge and skills tests.
Teens 15 to 17. They use the learner license path. Adults do not, as our guide to getting a license without a permit explains.

Texas has no DMV for driver licenses. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) issues them, and TDLR licenses the course providers.

How to Get a Drivers License in Texas at 18: The Steps

These eight steps follow the order on the DPS apply page and the handbook:

Finish a TDLR-approved six-hour adult course and get the ADE-1317.
Watch ITAD after the course and print the certificate.
Book a DPS appointment at txdpsscheduler.com.
Bring Form DL-14A and your documents, plus proof of insurance or a no-vehicle statement.
Give thumbprints and a photo, and pay $33.
Pass the vision test and the knowledge test.
Pass the driving test at DPS or a DPS-certified school.
Get a temporary license, then the card by mail.

Step	Where it happens	What you leave with
Adult course	A TDLR-licensed provider	ADE-1317 certificate
ITAD	impacttexasdrivers.dps.texas.gov	Printed ITAD certificate
Office visit	A DPS driver license office	Passed vision and knowledge tests
Driving test	DPS or a certified school	A passed skills test
After passing	DPS	Temporary license, then the card

The DPS steps to a first Texas driver license at 18, from the adult course to the driving test

Step 1: Finish the Adult Course

The course must be approved by TDLR, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Transportation Code § 521.1601, in Chapter 521, bars DPS from licensing anyone under 25 without a driver education certificate.

TDLR rules set the length. Under 16 TAC 84.502 and 16 TAC 84.503, it runs 360 minutes, with at least 330 minutes of instruction.

You can take it in person or online. Online providers must issue the certificate by the 15th working day after you finish.

The course has its own tests on highway signs and traffic laws. In person, you need at least 70 percent on each.

Online, the final exam has at least 30 questions, and three failed finals means failing the course. Our course test guide explains both.

Courses also have a new topic. Under SB 1366, courses completed on or after Sept. 1, 2026, must include information about work zones.

Check any provider with TDLR’s provider license search. Our adult driver education guide covers the course in depth.

Step 2: Watch ITAD and Print It

ITAD stands for Impact Texas Adult Drivers. The DPS ITD page lists it as a 1-hour video about the dangers of distracted driving.

The ITAD FAQ sets the key rules:

It is free.
It “should be completed after the 6 hour Adult Driver Education Course.”
The certificate is “only valid for 90 days.”
“You must print the certificate and submit a paper copy.”

Applicants 18 and older may take ITTD instead, under DPS rule 15.62. Our ITAD guide covers devices and modules.

Step 3: Book a DPS Appointment

DPS office services are by appointment only. You book through the DPS scheduler, up to six months ahead. Road tests can be booked up to 180 days ahead, after you apply.

Arrive no earlier than 30 minutes before your time. DPS cancels the slot if you are more than 30 minutes late. See our appointment guide and our DPS wait-time guide for openings.

Step 4: Bring Form DL-14A and Your Documents

You fill out Form DL-14A online or at the office. You also bring proof of:

U.S. citizenship or lawful presence.
Texas residency, with two documents.
Identity, in one of three ways.
Your Social Security number.
Insurance for each vehicle you own, or a statement that you own none.

Our document guide lists what counts in each group. Non-citizens can read our guide for immigrants, and our requirements checklist covers the non-document items.

Step 5: Thumbprints, Photo and Fee

At the office, you give your signature and thumbprints and have your photo taken. Then you pay.

The DPS fee page lists $33 for a new license at ages 18 to 84, good for eight years. ITAD is free, and each provider sets its own course price. See our cost guide.

If you hold a Texas ID card, DPS says you must surrender it. Texas law allows a license or an ID, not both. Our license vs ID guide explains why.

Step 6: Vision and Knowledge Tests

Every original applicant takes a vision test at the office. Under 37 TAC 15.51, 20/40 or better without glasses means no restriction. See our vision test guide.

The knowledge test needs 70 percent or better, the handbook says. Texas law (Transportation Code § 521.1655) lets a TDLR-licensed course give the highway sign and traffic law parts. A test passed in the course counts for those parts, so ask your provider whether its course includes it.

There is a time limit. Under 37 TAC 15.55, applicants under 25 whose certificate is dated two or more years before they apply get no exams waived. Our waiver guide has the details.

Step 7: The Driving Test

The Texas Driver Handbook says the driving exam is given “only after all other exams are passed and evidence of financial responsibility is presented.” You bring a car with valid registration and insurance.

The examiner grades control, observation, positioning and signaling. The application is not approved with more than 30 points deducted, a law violation, refused instructions, or dangerous driving or a crash.

You can test at DPS or with a school DPS has certified. See our driving test guide and our third-party testing guide.

Step 8: Temporary License and Card

Once you pass, DPS gives you a temporary license. The handbook says you may use it for 45 days or until the card arrives.

DPS says your card “will typically arrive by mail within 2-3 weeks.” Track it on the DPS Where’s My Driver License page. Our timeline guide shows how the stages fit together.

If You Do Not Pass a Test

You get three attempts per application and fee. The handbook says DPS holds your application for 90 days. After 90 days or three failed exams, you need a new application and fee.

Keep your ITAD certificate within its 90-day window while you retest. Our failed driving test guide covers the next steps.

What We Found on the Official Pages

On the DPS pages we checked on October 26, 2026, the adult apply page listed no learner license step. It said “Pass the written knowledge and a practical driving skills test” and did not mention a waiver.

The handbook said that after “certain courses,” the knowledge exam is not taken at the office. It did not name those courses.

Summary card of who handles each part of a first Texas license, from DPS and TDLR to TxDMV

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Each item comes from a DPS page, a DPS rule or a TDLR rule:

Watching ITAD before the course. DPS says to take it after.
Letting ITAD expire. It is valid for 90 days.
Bringing ITAD on a phone. DPS wants a printed copy.
Waiting two years after the course. Under 25, an old certificate waives no exams.
Keeping a Texas ID. You surrender it when you apply.
Testing in an uninsured car. The vehicle needs valid registration and insurance.

First License Guides in This Series

Each guide covers one part in depth:

Documents for a first license: identity, residency and lawful presence.
Booking a DPS appointment: the scheduler and arrival rules.
A license at 18 without a permit: why adults skip it.
A first license over 25: the steps with no course.
How long it takes: every time rule in one table.
Licenses for immigrants: lawful presence and the DHS check.
Requirements checklist: course, ITAD, vehicle and tests.
What it costs: the DPS fee table.
License vs ID card: the one-card rule.

How Requirements Can Vary

Texas driver license rules come from state law, Texas DPS rules and TDLR rules, and they apply statewide. What you need still depends on your age, whether you hold a license from another state, and which tests you have already passed.

Laws, fees and office procedures can change. Check the Texas DPS and TDLR websites for current rules before you book an appointment or enroll in a course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a learner’s permit at 18?

No. A learner license is only for drivers 15 to 17, and adults go straight to the full license steps.

Is the adult course required at 18?

Yes, for first-time applicants 18 through 24. Adults with a valid out-of-state license are exempt.

What comes first, the course or ITAD?

The course. DPS says ITAD should be completed after the six-hour adult course.

How much does a first license cost at 18?

DPS charges $33 for a new license at ages 18 to 84. ITAD is free, and the course price is set by each provider.

Do I still take the knowledge test?

A test passed in a licensed course can count for the highway sign and traffic law parts. Ask your provider whether its course includes it. If your certificate is two or more years old and you are under 25, no exams are waived.

Can I take the driving test at a driving school?

Yes, at a school DPS has certified for third-party skills testing. DPS says it does not regulate those schools’ fees.

How long until my card arrives?

DPS says it “will typically arrive by mail within 2-3 weeks.” You can drive on the temporary license for 45 days or until it comes.

What if I fail the driving test?

You can try again. You get three attempts per application and fee within 90 days.

Conclusion

A first Texas license at 18 starts with a TDLR-approved adult course and the free ITAD video. Then you book DPS, bring your documents, pay $33 and pass the vision, knowledge and driving tests.

Check the DPS and TDLR pages for your own case before you book. To begin, see Driving Logic’s online Texas adult driver education course.

Sources

Billy Forte is the owner of Driving Logic, a state-approved driver improvement course provider serving Texas and other U.S. states.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Texas driver license and driver education rules are set by Texas law, Texas DPS and TDLR, and they can change. Check the official DPS and TDLR websites for current requirements before you apply.