Kinds of Driver’s Licenses

Kinds of Driver’s Licenses

Two people on a motorcycle

In Alaska there are several different kinds of driver’s licenses. The ones that young drivers need to know about are:

  • an instruction permit (also known as a learner’s permit);
  • a provisional driver’s license;
  • a minor’s driver’s license; and
  • a regular driver’s license.

An instruction or learner’s permit allows you to learn to drive under the direct supervision of another responsible person. To get an instruction permit, you must:

  • be 14 years old;
  • have your parent’s consent;
  • pass a written knowledge test;
  • pass a vision exam;
  • furnish your social security number, proof of your residence address, your date of birth and your name (you can find a list of the documents that will satisfy this requirement in the State of Alaska Driver Manual); and
  • pay a fee.

When you drive with an instruction permit, an adult licensed driver must sit in the passenger seat next to you. The adult driver must be at least 21 years old and have at least one year of driving experience. A learner’s permit from another state is not valid in Alaska; you must obtain an Alaska instruction permit before driving in Alaska. An instruction permit is valid for two years.

You must be at least 16 years old to be eligible for a provisional driver’s license.  However, even if you are 16, you must have held a valid instruction permit for at least six months and have forty hours of driving experience before you can apply for and obtain a provisional driver’s license. If you have been convicted of any traffic law violations, you will have to wait six months before you can apply for the provisional license.

To obtain a provisional driver’s license, you must:

  • be at least 16 years old;
  • have your parent’s consent;
  • have held an instruction permit for at least six months;
  • have at least 40 hours of driving experience;
  • pass an alcohol and drug awareness knowledge test;
  • pass a road skills test;
  • furnish your social security number, proof of your residence address, your date of birth and your name (you can find a list of the documents that will satisfy this requirement in the State of Alaska Driver Manual); and
  • pay a fee.

When you drive with a provisional license, you may not carry passengers under the age of 21, except siblings. You may not drive between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Once you reach the age of 18, these restrictions no longer apply to you. You may but are not required to obtain a minor’s driver’s license after you have held a provisional license for six months.

Yes, the penalty for violiating the restrictions of a provisional license is a $200 fine.  Also, a 2 point violation will appear on your driving record.

After you have held a provisional license for at least six months, you can graduate to a regular driver’s license unless you have been convicted of any traffic violations or illegal use of drugs and alcohol laws.  If you have been convicted of any of these laws, you will have to wait another six months before you can apply for the regular license.  If you are under 21 when you get a regular driver’s license, you will be issued a minor’s license that expires 90 days after your 21st birthday.  After you turn 21, you must pass the drug and alcohol awareness test to renew your license and be issued an “over 21” driver’s license.

To graduate to a regular driver’s license and remove the provisional license restrictions, you must:

  • be at least 16 years old;
  • have your parent’s consent;
  • hold a provisional license for at least six months;
  • furnish your social security number, proof of your residence address, your  date of birth and your name (you can find a list of the documents that will satisfy this requirement in the State of Alaska Driver Manual); and
  • pay a fee.

Some drivers living in certain rural communities in Alaska do not have to get an instruction permit. If you live in a rural community and are at least 16 years old, you can get a provisional driver’s license or an Off-Highway License, which is not subject to the restrictions that apply to a provisional driver’s license. You do not have to pass a road skills test to get an Off-Highway License.

If you have an Off-Highway license and thereafter successfully complete all the required tests, including the road test, you can get a regular driver’s license or a Valid Without a Photo License. A Valid Without Photo License is available if you live in rural Alaska and cannot easily get to an office of the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).


Driving in Alaska

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Driving in Alaska

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Financial Responsibility and Insurance

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Take a Quiz About Provisional Driver’s Licenses!

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Take a Quiz About Provisional Driver’s Licenses!

Test Your Knowledge!