Mississippi Driver's Permit Requirements
Everything you need to get your Mississippi learner's permit — age, fees, documents for the written test, supervised-hours rules, and what the road test itself checks — summarized from the official DPS pages and linked to the source.
MississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
MississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Driver License, Class RChecked 2026-08-09Official source
MississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
Last verified 2026-07-13 · Source: Mississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's Permit ↗
Fees and rules change — always confirm current requirements on the official page above before you go.
The Mississippi licensing timeline
Each stage below carries what DPS itself publishes, the people it applies to, the page it came from, and the date we last checked it. Where DPS publishes no figure, the card says so instead of guessing one.
1Eligibility
Minimum permit age15MississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
Mississippi regular learner's permit applicants must be at least 15 years old and provide proof of being enrolled in school
2Documents
DPS lists these for the knowledge-test visit:
- Completed and signed Mississippi driver license application
- Original birth certificate or another acceptable identity document
- Social Security card or official government correspondence showing all 9 digits
- Two proofs of Mississippi residency
- Legal name-change documents if applying under a new name
- School attendance form for applicants ages 15-17, unless married with a marriage license
The knowledge test and the permit itself are handled in the same visit.
MississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
3Required education
Required driver educationWe have not verified a driver-education requirement on DPS's own pagesMississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
4Application
The Mississippi Driver Service Bureau lists the regular learner's permit as valid for 2 years at $7.00
What the permit itself takes, once you pass:
- Updated school attendance form and signed Road Testing Waiver Affidavit, required after the 12-month permit hold to move to the Class R license (no separate skills/road test is currently required)
5Knowledge test
Questions on the official testDPS does not publish thisMississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
Official passing scoreDPS does not publish thisMississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
Wait before a retakeDPS does not publish a verified retake waitMississippiDPSMS official knowledge-test sourceChecked 2026-08-12Official source
6Permit restrictions
Permit validity24 monthsMississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
The learner's permit is valid for only 2 years
7Supervised driving
Supervised driving for applicants under 1750 hours (10 at night)MississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Driver License, Class RChecked 2026-08-09Official source
The 50-hour figure is logged on a Waiver of Road-Testing Affidavit that substitutes for the skills test; Mississippi's own Class R page states the affidavit is not required for applicants 17 or older. That is a graduated-licensing rule, and this state cuts it off at 17 rather than 18 — an applicant who is already 17 follows a different path, so check the official source below rather than assuming this figure is yours to meet.
8Road test
Minimum permit hold12 monthsMississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
Permit holders must keep the learner's permit for at least 12 months before obtaining the Class R driver's license; applicants age 17 and older are not required to hold the permit for 12 months and may get the permit and driver's license the same day
Mississippi does not currently require a road test for a regular driver's license.
9Full licence
Unrestricted driving ageDPS does not publish a verified ageMississippiDPSMississippi DPS Driver Service Bureau — Regular Learner's PermitChecked 2026-07-13Official source
How to get your permit in Mississippi
- At 15+, gather the Mississippi application, identity document, Social Security proof, two residency proofs, and your school attendance form if you're 15-17
- Study the Mississippi Driver's Manual and go to a Driver License Station to take the in-person knowledge exam and eye exam
- Pay the $7 learner's permit fee and receive the regular learner's permit, which is valid for 2 years
- Hold the permit at least 12 months before the Class R driver's license if you're following the standard learner path
- When the hold period is complete, bring your valid permit, an up-to-date school attendance form, and the signed road-test-waiver affidavit to move to the Class R license
What is different about Mississippi
Rules that are set by Mississippi rather than nationally, and where they depart from what most states do. Compared against DMV Prep's verified rules for all 51 jurisdictions — unverified figures are left out of both sides of every comparison.
- Minimum permit hold: 12 months here. The most common minimum permit hold is 6 months (33 of 46 states we have verified).
- Permit validity: 24 months here. The most common permit validity is 12 months (9 of 19 states we have verified).
Frequently asked questions
How old do you have to be to get a permit in Mississippi?
You can get a learner's permit in Mississippi at 15. Mississippi regular learner's permit applicants must be at least 15 years old and provide proof of being enrolled in school.
How much does a Mississippi permit cost?
The Mississippi permit fee is $7. The Mississippi Driver Service Bureau lists the regular learner's permit as valid for 2 years at $7.00.
How long do you have to hold your permit in Mississippi?
Permit holders must keep the learner's permit for at least 12 months before obtaining the Class R driver's license; applicants age 17 and older are not required to hold the permit for 12 months and may get the permit and driver's license the same day.
How many practice driving hours does Mississippi require?
Mississippi requires 50 hours of supervised practice driving for applicants under 17, including 10 at night. That is a graduated-licensing rule, and this state cuts it off at 17 rather than 18 — an applicant who is already 17 follows a different path, so check the official source below rather than assuming this figure is yours to meet.
Where can I practice for the Mississippi permit test?
Right here — take a free Mississippi practice test, review every answer, and build readiness in your browser. The free DMV Prep app adds offline study and native reminders.
