Learning how to drive and getting a shiny new driver’s license is one of the major milestones in life. It’s also a huge step toward independence for teens and higher insurance costs for mom and dad. The process of obtaining a basic driver’s license in New Jersey is not especially difficult, but it isn’t exactly easy either. It’s pulling up the rear on the top 20 hardest licenses to get, so it’s somewhere in the middle. Since it’s slightly complicated, here is a quick guide to give you everything you need to ensure your teen’s success at the MVC agency. Here are the steps for getting a New Jersey driver’s license and the rules to follow.
How to Get a Driver’s License in New Jersey
To get a New Jersey driver’s license, your teen must first take a high school driving course or enroll in a licensed driving school.
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Need an online driver’s ed course?
With school closed, your teenager may not be able to take a traditional driver’s ed course. Or maybe the high school offers one but the schedule isn’t convenient for you. I know for my own soon-to-be driver, driver’s ed courses are offered after school at the same time as his sports practice.
There are now ways to take driver’s ed courses online. Driversed.com provides one of those options.
Your teen can start earning their license now. Driversed.com’s state-approved online drivers ed is fun and easy to follow. Learn at your own pace and get everything you need to become a safe, confident driver. Click here to learn more.
After the Driver’s Ed course, then what?
After completing a driver’s ed course, teenagers can begin the three-step process of obtaining a basic license. This takes over a year to do, so encourage your teen to apply for a student learner’s permit as soon as they become eligible at the age of 16.
The path to becoming a driver in New Jersey includes lots of practice, written tests, and identification proof. You will also need to pay a fee with each upgrade starting with a $10 permit fee.
To pass the written test, you will need to study the driving manual, which covers the safe driving rules in New Jersey. Before you take the formal knowledge exam, take this sample test to help you check your knowledge level. The full test consists of 50 multiple choice questions, and you are allowed to miss 10. If you get fewer than 40 questions correct, you are able to reschedule to retake the exam.
The best time to schedule your exam is in the morning while your brain is the most active. But that advice only helps you beat the test and get your New Jersey driver’s license if you have the knowledge, to begin with.
Before you get your basic license, you need to begin with a permit so you can start putting in your time toward the other two stages. Each stage has its own set of specific requirements, so make sure you follow each one carefully. Before you go to the MVC, make sure you have proof of address and your social security number. You will also need 6 points of Identification.
How to get 6 points of ID for a New Jersey driver’s license
There are primary and secondary forms of ID. You will need to bring at least one primary ID to obtain your permit. Each type of ID has a point value. Birth certificates and US passports each have a 4 point value. There are accepted forms of ID for both US citizens and non-US citizens. You can use no more than two secondary forms of ID.
3 Stages From Permit to New Jersey Driver’s License
To Get a Driving Permit in NJ
Bring your 6 points of ID, proof of address, $10, and completed application to the MVC. There you will submit a BA-412D form, which they provide at the office. You will also take a vision test and a written test.
After the written test, you will need 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a licensed instructor in a dual controlled vehicle. After that, you can do driver testing at a participating MVC agency to finally get your permit.
To Get a Probationary New Jersey Driver’s License
To get a probationary license, you must have 6 months of supervised driving experience. Check out these scenic drives in New Jersey, beautiful to see and great for driving experience. It’s worth noting that you cannot get a New Jersey driver’s license until you are 17 years of age. After you put in 6 months, you can take a road test. You will need your permit and a completed road test to get to the next level: probationary license.
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At the MVC, provide proof of a successful road test along with another completed application, proof of address, 6 points of ID, and a $6 fee. No new knowledge test is required.
To Get a Basic New Jersey Driver’s License
The steps to obtaining a basic New Jersey driver’s license are similar to the ones you take for a probationary license. However, you need one full year of driving. After you have had your probationary license for at least a year, you can once again submit an application for a license and pay a prorated upgrade fee to finally get your basic license.
The Rules for Supervised and Probationary Driving
When you have your permit, you cannot drive unless you are accompanied in the front seat by a passenger at least 21 years of age with a valid New Jersey driver’s license and three years of driving experience.
There are time conditions for both supervised and unsupervised driving that permit carriers and probationary licensees must follow. Driving after 11:01 pm and before 5:00 am is prohibited unless necessary for work or religious purposes.
Parents/legal guardians and dependants are allowed as passengers during the probationary driving period. Only one other passenger is allowed unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.
In addition to these rules, electronics– including cell phones and other wireless devices are not permitted even if they are hands-free. Drivers and passengers must wear seat belts at all times.
The state of New Jersey also requires supervised and unsupervised probationary drivers to display reflectorized decals on front and back license plates. These cost $4 per pair, and you will get them at the MVC agency where you obtain your permit or probationary license.
The Long Road Ahead
It’s a bit of a lengthy process to get a full driver’s license, but the transition from one step to the next is fairly smooth. The hardest part is passing the knowledge exam and getting that first permit. Before you go to the MVC agency closest to you, go to the agency list and make sure there are openings for the day you plan to go in. For more information about these licensing centers, read up on all the Frequently Asked Questions.
Remember to arrive prepared with all the documents you need and study well before applying. Best of luck to you and your soon-to-be teenage driver!
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