This website is privately owned and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Driver's License offices in Wisconsin

Driver's License offices in Wisconsin



Search Driver's License offices in Wisconsin by county


Search Driver's License offices by state



Driver´s License in Wisconsin:

Emergency licenses for minors Minimum age for learner permit Minimum age for restricted permit
Yes 15 years old, 6 months 16 years old

The learner must held this license for 6 months and must achieve 30 hours of practise. The restrictions for passengers and night hours are removed after 9 months or when the driver turns 18 years old, whichever occurs first).

All drivers with a first license, regardless of their age, and the transfers from outside the State, under 21 years old and with less than 3 years of experience, are subject to improved penalties from the first infraction.

To be able to obtain a hardship license for a minor in Wisconsin, the minor must be at least 14 years old, or must be under 18 years of age; must present him/herself with a parent or a legal guard before an official examinator, he or she must bring a birth certificate to prove the age.

The interested must be able to use ani vehicle, farm truck, motorcycle (no more than 125 cc) or motor bike registered under the parent’s name, or a farm truck rented under the parents name.

The minor must successfully pass an exam, including the capability of the minor to drive in a safe way the type of vehicle he or she is willing to drive.

The hardship license is valid until the minor obtains the full driver's license (Non restrictions), or when he or she turns 18 years old, whatever occurs first. It is not allowed for the minor to drive during the night hours, nor even to drive in a city with more than 500.000 people; operate in a commercial or a rented vehicle (like a taxi).

These restrictions are stated in the 343.08 Section of Wisconsin Statutes and Annotations.

Minimum age for non restricted permit Validity of the permit
16 years old, 9 months 8 years

Driver´s License

In the States, the driver`s license is issued by every State or territory. A driver normally must obtain a driver's license from its State of residence, and this permit is valid for all the rest of the United States. A certain territory could also suspend the driving privileges around its limits to a driver who had violated the traffic rules. A lot of States shared a common system of classes with certain exceptions. In the case of commercial licenses, for example, those are standardized by federal regulations.

History

The first driver instructors were the car dealers, family members, friends, or organizations like the YMCA. Around 1930, a lot of High Schools offered vial education.

Special Licenses and Standard licenses.

Non Restricted licenses:

This is the most common license in America. There are some differences between some States on the class of license they use to distinguish a regular driver’s license and a special one, like the restricted one, the Chauffeur or motorcycle license. I.e.In Tennessee a Standard driver's license is called Class D, the Class M is for Motorcycles and the Class H is a hardship license.

Hardship license for minors:

A hardship license for minors is different than a hardship license given to the drivers whose licenses had been revoked or suspended.

Provisional licenses:

Its funcion is the same as a driver's license, but these are issued for drivers under 18 years of age, between 14 and 17 years old. Almost every State, except South Dakota, counts with some kind of graduated license, but the restriction time and the period that a new driver must held the license vary widely depending on the State.

The restrictions include:

  • Not being able to drive in dark hours, during the nights (unless the driver is 18 years old or if he or she have completed the online driving course) without any adult (generally 11pm like in Pennsylvania, o 1am like in Wisconsin). Nevertheless, some States (like North Carolina) increase this period from 9pm. Some States, like i.e. New York, offers some exemptions for special situations, like driving to or from work, School, medical reasons, religious activities; but there are others like Massachusetts that does not contemplate no exemption.
  • Restriction for carrying passengers under certain age. I.e. In California is not permitted to transport any passenger under 20 years old for the first year of the license, unless those passengers are direct family (siblings, cousins, nease/neffew or any other older than 21 with a valid drivers license).

Chauffeur's license:

This kind of license is generally called Class E. Some States only add an endorsement to a regular license, and others just don't require any special permit to drive a taxi or limousine. In Florida it was very common to issue licenses for limousines in the license Class D, designation that was eliminated in 2006. Regardless if the State issue or not the Chauffeur’s license, the driver must always obtain a permit from the State he or she is operating from.

Motorcycle license:

These vehicles sometimes do not require a motorcycle license, in some States any type of license, or any kind of insurance or registration. Unlike the UE, non State in America differentiates a motorcycle between a low or full power to issue a license. Some States require an additional permit to operate a Motorcycle with a sidecar.

Improved licenses:

This kind of license is issued for american citizens in Washington, Michigan, California, Vermont, New York and Minnesota, and se the nationality of the driver appart of the drivers permit. A EDL is a compatible document with a WHTI, acceptable document to cross land or sea borders incoming from Canada, Caribe or Mexico. TO apply for this kind of license it is necessary to bring an American passport and a birth certificate as proof of the nationality. The commercial license and the Motorcycle license also have the same option to be improved.

Permit for disabled persons

The permit for disabled persons is issued to those people who comply with a responsible standard driving and parking access. Special access is issued to improve their life when driving. In some States, like in Texas, the disable person can be forced to surrender his or her licenses depending on their disability.

Foreing government officials and diplomats.

The licenses issued by OFM are equal to a regular license issued by the State. This is one of a kind exemption to the states and territories who issue driver's licenses, the Office of Foreign Missions from the State Department issue driver's licenses for those government officials and diplomatis regardless of the State where they live.

Driver license laws.

The minimum age to obtain a restricted driver’s license in America goes between 14 year old, 3 months in South Dakota, to 17 years old in New Jersey. In most of the States, with the exception of South Dakota, the graduated license will be issued for junior drivers and teenager drivers, who carry the name of Provisional Driver, Junior Operator, Driver in trial period, or intermediate license.

These licenses have some restrictions, like the passenger limit or driving in dark hours for young people. I.e. Younger drivers under 18 in Utah are not allowed to drive other than family members for the first 6 months of issued the license.

Nevertheless, different from Australia and some States in Canada, the law to graduated licenses does not establish reduced speed limits, special plates L and P, restrictions to trailers, or restriction to certain highways and for some specific kind of cars.

Use of license as Identification and proof of age.

Due to the fact that there is not a National Id card in the United States, the drivers license, can be easily used to pursue some commercial or government transactions. As a result of this, the driver's license is very often stolen from its titular and used fraudulently.

The driver’s licence was not always used as ID. In most of the States, the licenses didn't even have a Photo until 1980. The mother association movement against young drivers under alcohol effects plus the establishment of the minimum age to purchase alcohol beverages, did that all drivers licenses added a photo around 1986. However, in New Jersey there was no obligation yet to add a photo in the license, this was reviewed and revoked later.

In Vermont, all license holders have the option to obtain a license with no photo. In Tennessee, all drivers older than 60 years old, could have a license with no photo, until January 2013, when that became mandatory to be able to vote. All non photo license holders can apply for a new one with a photo when the license expires. There are still 13 States that for religious reasons, allow drivers to have a license with no picture: Indiana, Kansas, Arkansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Minnesota, North Dakota, New Jersey, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Washington.

There are more additions that may vary between States, like the fingerprint, bar codes, magnetic bands, Social security numbers and fraud protection systems, most of them added to avoid identities stealing and fraudulent IDs. To avoid more false driver's licenses, the States have been working on digital improvements incorporating holograms and bar codes. Identification cards with no driver.

Some States, generally issue ID cards on the same agency that they issue the driving license, for people who don't drive.

Real ID

When an interested person applies for a Real ID, as a new applicant or to revenew an old one, he or she must present a citizen document (american passport, birth certificate, Social Security Number, Change of name certificate - if apply- and two proofs of residence on the State). The State will check the documents and will keep a copy. It is not permitted to have more than one Real ID at the time.

A Real ID can be easily identified depending on the State. These nes have a gold or black star on the upper right corner of the card. From October 2011, Connecticut also issued them. From January 2013, Ohia is issuing the Real ID under the name "Safe Identification Card".

California began to issue real IDs in 2018.

Improved Driver’s licenses

From May 2009, only the States of Washington, New York, Vermont and Michigan issued this kind of license. From January 2014, Minnesota was added to the list; now we will have Ohaio that is pending on the approval of the DHS to become on the 6th State to issue Real IDs.

The Secretary of National Security announced in March 2008, that the Improved drivers licenses issue in Washington was the first license approved by the “Occidental Hemisphere Travel Initiative”; According to the press communication of the National Security Department, they are also working with Arizona to develop new improved drivers licences there.

On September 15th, 2008, New York started to issue Improved drivers licenses that comply with the WHTI. Texas was on its way to implement this as well, but the governor Rick Perry stopped all the program, despite that we are talking of a state law authorized by the Texas Department of Public Safety to issue EDL and a final decision of the State general attorney, Greg Abbott, that the production of EDL in Texas will comply with the federal requirements.

Digital drivers licences.

The digital License does not require any additional hardware and includes a policy of "Do not touch" that allows the owner to be in possession of the mobile device at any moment.

In October 2018, the State Secretary of Louisiana, Kyle Ardoin, approved the digital ID for the identification of voting people at elections. In January 2019, the Alcohol and Tobacco Office in Louisiana approved the use of the digital ID through LA Wallet as a way of identification of age to purchase cigarettes and alcohol.


Tips for an excellent road test in Wisconsin:

If you go to take your driver's test and your a car Enthusiast, this will be one of the most exciting days of your life and, if you're not, it opens up a world of possibilities for traveling and do things you never could have done before.

If you follow these few simple tips you'll be well on your way and you'll pass it with flying colors.

Check your mirrors

Before leaving the parking lot and getting out on the road is important to check out your mirrors, adjust your seat position, adjust the steering wheel position and of course fasten your seatbelt.

Proper 9 and 3 hand position

It's important to keep both hands on the steering wheel at all times. Of course if you have a manual transmission vehicle you have to take one hand off the ship, but this will keep your test administrator feeling safe and you will be in the most control of your vehicle. Proper hand position is at 9 and 3, and i guarantee if you drive one-handed at the 12 position you're going to fail your test.

Proper lane changing

When changing lanes is important to do the following: First Signal, then look in your rearview mirror all by your side mirror, look over your shoulder, and if is safe, then you can go. Once you're in the lane that you're moving into all the way, then you can turn your turn indicator. Always signal if you're changing lanes no matter if there's no traffic around you, for the driver's test it is important to check both mirrors, look over your shoulder and use your turn signal.

When changing multiple lanes

If you're going over multiple Lanes always go from one lane to the next, pause for a little bit of time, then turn your turning indicator on, look at both mirrors over shoulder, go to the next line, pause and then go to the next. Shooting over across 4 Lanes of traffic is a good way to fail the test.

Pulling out onto a high speed street

Always give yourself plenty of time when pulling out onto a street with a high speed limit. It will not annoy the person providing your test if you wait there until it's safe. If you pull out in front of a car that is moving quickly and do not give yourself enough room you're going to lose points. Waiting until there's plenty of space, more so than you think you would need normally, it is the safe way to do it.

Fear to one side of the lane

Often beginner drivers tend of fear to one side of the lane or the other. On a single Lane road that means you might been too close to the double yellow or too close to the shoulder. To prevent that there is a technique that some people used that is helpful when you're learning , is to look farther ahead in the road and try to imagine the center of the road, picture a line in the center of the lane you're in passing through the center of your vehicle. This helps keep you in the center of your lane which is important for succeeding at the driver's test.

Stop or red light: proper way to do it

When you´re coming to a stop sign or an stop or red light is really important to stop before the white line in the road. That mean, when you're coming to a full stop, you should still be able to see the white line in front of the hood of your car. Then, if it's a blind turn, once you come to a full start, now you can start creeping out a little bit further and further so you can see the flow of traffic and make your right or left turn.

Always use a safe following distance between yourself and the car in front of you. The higher the speed limit is, the more the following distance between cars. That is because, if the person in front of you breaks all the sudden, you want to give yourself enough time to react.

Before you break

Before you break, always check your mirrors. If you come onto a stop abruptly and there's a car right behind you, they could run into you. If it's an emergency situation this obviously isn't always possible, but in the ideal case always check your rearview mirror before braking.

Keep your eyes always in movement

Always keep your eyes constantly scanning the road for pedestrian, any obstacles or turns that are coming up. That means checking your mirrors constantly: Your rearview mirror, your side mirrors, looking over your shoulder. Being attentive and showing that you're paying attention is going to make a great impression to pass your road test.

Cut corners

When making protective left turns people often cut corners. Passing over a double yellow or a white line is a great way to fail your driver's test so make sure to take it wide enough, stay in the guidelines when you're making left turns and not cut any corners.

Drive as smooth as possible

Be as smooth as possible in your movements. It means smooth braking, smooth acceleration, smooth steering inputs, etc. Being jerky is not going to go well.

Drive defensively

Drive defensively not aggressively this day is about proving that you are a safe driver not the next F1 star. Prove that on the racetrack.

Please, don't speed

Obviously don't speed. This is more difficult than it sounds. In general people are used to going 5 miles an hour over the speed limit or so when driving in a daily situation but for the test you cannot do that. Speed limit or below is required.

Also having a radar detector in your car for the test if won't be a great idea.

Pre-drive checklist:

The DMV wants to make sure that you are proficient with all the controls on the inside the car before you start your test.

Here's one sample of a pre-drive checklist:

  • The DMV will tell you to turn the car on, but don't start it.
  • Turn the turn signal on to the left and then the right.
  • Turn the headlights on and off.
  • Turn the windshield wipers on and off.
  • Turn on the emergency flashers in the morning.
  • The examiner may ask you, if you come out in the morning and there's frost on your front window, how do you defrost your front window? You selected froster, turn the fan on and select the “Heat”.
  • Any other examiner will ask you to show them your defrosters: Where are they located?
  • The examiner will then ask you to disengage the emergency parking brake and then, engage the emergency parking brake.
  • They make ask you to honk the horn.

This website is privately owned and is not affiliated with any government agency. Remember that we are never going to solicit any personal information, ID or credentials. To find a list of official websites, please click here


Search DMV offices by service


© 2024 dmvnearme.net - This website is privately owned and is not affiliated with any government agency. Official DMV links