Looking for help on earning your learner's permit?

Easy Steps to Getting a Permit

Learning to drive is a rite of passage that teens all over the world treasure.

You are 15 years old, soon to turn 16. We know what's on your mind. You want to learn how to drive, right? Of course, who doesn't? After all, learning to drive is a rite of passage that teens all over the world treasure. The problem is, no one ever explained to you how to earn that rite of passage. Do you go to the corner gas station and say, "Give me a license!"? Can you just order it online from Amazon or eBay? We all wish it was that easy, but alas, it is not. Earning a learner's permit is a process that can seem mysterious at first, but is really not all that complicated once someone explains it to you.

Learner's Permit Help 101

Step 1: Take Drivers Ed

The growing trend in today's digital world is the use of online driver's education to fulfill state drivers ed requirements.

Before rushing to the DMV and getting a permit, the first thing you want to do is get educated. In fact, unless you are an adult, most states require that you complete a state approved drivers education course before applying for a learner's permit. There are a lot of options out there and requirements vary from state to state, but the growing trend in today's digital world is the use of online driver's education to fulfill state drivers ed requirements.

Step 2: Study Like a Rock Star

Online drivers ed is a great start to your preparation as a future driver, but if you want to pass the permit test at the DMV, you will want two additional things: read the DMV Driver Handbook and take as many practice DMV tests as you can. Visit the DMV website to get a digital copy of the handbook, and you can find DMV practice test questions from many online driving schools or by using drivers ed test Apps from the App Store.

Step 3: Fill Out DMV Forms

Once you have completed drivers ed and you have the documentation to prove it, go to your local DMV and apply for your permit. You can probably go online to find all of the forms you need to fill out, thus saving yourself from having to spend an extra hour at the DMV filling out paperwork. Note: the DMV will probably charge a permit application fee, so bring your wallet with you.

Step 4: Take a Written Permit Test

Take a deep breath, remember how awesome you are, and take comfort in all of the hard work and preparation you've done up until this point.

Now you're ready for the big day, the day you earn your permit. You've completed drivers ed, studied the DMV handbook, taken 50,000 practice tests and handed in your DMV paperwork. Now all that's left is passing that thing they call an exam. You can do it! Take a deep breath, remember how awesome you are, and take comfort in all of the hard work and preparation you've done up until this point.

Step 5: Comb Your Hair

You've passed the permit test, now comes the hard part... you've got to look good for the camera because it's DMV glamour shot time. Your license picture may be the single most important picture you take in your life... or at least the picture your friends laugh at for the next 4 years.