The state of Connecticut requires that all applicants for a driver’s license who are under the age of 18 must first apply for a Driver’s Permit. After completing the instruction requirements for the Driver’s License, minors qualify to take the road test. If the road test is passed, then applicants receive their license issued by the state of Connecticut’s Department of Motor Vehicles.
1. The Driver’s Education Test
- The written examination is a 25-question test, and applicants must answer 20 questions correctly in order to pass. The Connecticut Driver’s Manual is online and available at the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles – Connecticut Driver’s Manual Webpage.
- Study the Manual prior to taking the test, as it is rather expensive ($40), and the cost is non-refundable. If the applicant fails the exam, the price of the exam must be paid again to re-take it.
2. Parental Consent
- In order to obtain a permit to drive in the state of Connecticut, prospective drivers must have the signed consent of a parent or guardian. Consent must be provided at the DMV, which means that applicants need to coordinate their parents’ schedules with those of the DMV. Be aware that the DMV only offers testing on certain days of the week-Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Hours are different on these days; therefore, be sure to check the DMV website for more details about permit test walk-in hours.
- Alternately, if a parent cannot come to the DMV during these hours, the applicant can take in a notarized consent form. This requires the consent form to be printed out and signed by the parent in the presence of an authorized notary in the state of Connecticut. Banks and postal offices will normally have a notary staff member. There is usually a small fee associated with this service.
3. Identifying documentation/fees
- Under normal circumstances, applicants must provide their social security card with the application.
- One primary identifying document must also be provided (usually a birth certificate or a certified copy of a birth certificate).
- One secondary document must be provided, such as the social security card.
- The fee for a driver’s permit in Connecticut increased on July 1, 2011 from $18 to $19.
How to Obtain a Driver’s Permit in Connecticut
There are a few main components to receiving a driver’s permit:1) the written driver’s test; 2) parental consent; and 3) identifying documentation/payment.
How to Obtain a Driver’s License in Connecticut
After minors acquire their learner’s permits, they only have a few more requirements to meet before receiving their Connecticut driver’s License. First, the individual must take a training course. This can be either at a secondary school, through a private business, or by completing home training. Each of these options will result in a CS-1 Driver Education Certificate, which must be presented at the DMV.
The next step is to pass the road test at the DMV. Make an appointment by calling the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles Phone Center, at (860) 263-5700 for individuals within Hartford or out-of-state, and for all others at: (800) 842-8222.
On test day, be sure to bring: 1)The CS-1 Driver Education Certificate issued to you by your Driver Education course; 2) the learner’s permit; 3) Your qualified trainer, who must sign the application for a driver’s license; 4) a vehicle for the road test; 5) insurance and registration for the vehicle to be used; and 6) the license fee, which in July, 2011 was between $72 and $84, plus an additional $40 for the examination, for a total of $112-$124.