Nevada requires that anyone under the age of 18 take a Drivers Education Course at any locally offered and DMV-licensed school, or take driver’s education online with a DMV-licensed school to meet the requirement in the application for a Driver’s License.
You may obtain a learners permit (called an Instruction Permit) at age fifteen and a half by presenting proof your identity, your social security number, passing a written test, an eye test and obtaining permission from your parents as well as them accepting financial responsibility for you. The permit will allow you to drive with a licensed driver who is over the age of 21 and has had at least one year of driving experience. Your permit is valid for a period of one year, and you must renew it at the DMV – if it expires for more than thirty days, you will have to re-take the written exam, and your parent will have to sign another Financial Responsibility statement.
The forms you will need to bring to the Department of Motor Vehicles are:
(keep in mind these must be signed in front of an examiner at the DMV office)
Driver License Application (DMV 002)
A parent/guardian must sign the Financial Responsibility Statement.
Minor Affidavit and Information Sheet (DLD-38)
This ensures that the beginning driver and the parent/guardian understand certain laws regarding minor drivers. It is also used to request cancellation of the minor’s permit or license.
You will be required to complete fifty hours of behind-the-wheel experience with a licensed driver, who is 21 or older and has been licensed for at least one year, seated next to you at all times. 10 hours of this experience must be completed in darkness. However, if driver education is not offered within a 30-mile radius of your home and you do not have Internet access, you may complete 100 hours of supervised experience, 10 hours of which must be in darkness.
You must keep a written log of the dates and times of your driving experience on the form provided by DMV. Your parent or guardian must sign this form and submit it when you apply for your full license. Fill in the form after each driving session and have it fully completed before you schedule your driving test.
DMV also provides the Beginning Driver Training Guide (40 pages – 1 mb) to help you and your parents make the most of your behind-the-wheel experience. This contains information on specific skills and how to practice them as well as information about Nevada traffic laws.
You must be 16 or 17 years old to apply for a full license. You must also:
- Hold a valid instruction permit for at least six months prior to applying
- Have no at-fault accidents in the six months prior to applying
- Have no moving violation convictions in the six months prior to applying
- Have no alcohol or drug convictions of any kind in the six months prior to applying
- Bring the following with you for your driving test:
- Parent/Guardian who must sign Financial Responsibility Statement and Affidavit for Minor to be Licensed
- Drivers Education Certificate of Completion
- Your Completed Beginning Driver Experience Log (Form DLD-130)
- Instruction Permit
- Vehicle with Registration and Insurance
You can take the road test in any passenger car that has been registered and insured although you may not use a rental car. The examiner will perform a vehicle safety inspection and check the Certificate of Registration and Evidence of Insurance card.
Traffic violations such as speeding or failure to yield will result in automatic failure of your road test. All examiners use a point system to grade other aspects of performance and if for some reason you fail the test, your examiner will explain why and instruct you on how to re-take it. A 30-day time limit may be imposed.
It is important that you understand the driving restrictions as they apply to you:
Passenger Restriction
Young Licensed Drivers under 18 years of age may not transport any passenger under the age of 18, except for immediate family members, for the first six months after the license was issued.
Statewide Driving Curfew
Licensed Drivers under 18 may not drive between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless they are traveling to or from a scheduled event such as school events or work. Law enforcement may ask for satisfactory evidence of the event. This applies to all drivers under the age of 18 until they turn 18, regardless of when the license was issued.
