Kinds of Driver’s Licenses

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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 (learner’s permit)
  • a provisional driver’s license
  • a minor’s driver’s license
  • a regular driver’s license

A learner’s permit allows you to learn to drive under the direct supervision of another responsible person with a regular driver’s license. To get a learner’s permit, you must:

  • be 14 years old
  • have your parent’s permission
  • pass a written knowledge test
  • pass a vision exam
  • provide your social security number, as well as proof of your physical address, date of birth, and your name (you can find a list of the documents that will be accepted as proof of these requirements in the State of Alaska Driver Manual)
  • pay a fee

When you drive with a learner’s permit, a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old must sit in the passenger seat next to you. They must have at least one year of driving experience. A learner’s permit from another state is not valid in Alaska. A learner’s permit is valid for 2 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 6 months and have 40 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 have to wait 6 months before you can apply for a provisional license.

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

  • be at least 16 years old
  • have your parent’s consent
  • have held a learner’s permit for at least 6 months
  • have at least 40 hours of driving experience
  • pass an alcohol and drug awareness knowledge test
  • pass a road skills test
  • provide your social security number, as well as proof of your physical address, date of birth, and your name (you can find a list of the documents that will be accepted as proof of these requirements in the State of Alaska Driver Manual)
  • pay a fee

When you drive with a provisional license, you may not carry passengers who are younger than 21, except your siblings. You also may not drive between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Once you turn 18, these restrictions no longer apply. You may, but are not required, to obtain a minor’s driver’s license after you have held a provisional license for 6 months.

After you have held a provisional license for at least 6 months, you can graduate to a regular driver’s license unless you have been convicted of a traffic violation, illegal drug use, or violating alcohol laws. If you have been convicted of any of these laws, you will have to wait another 6 months before you can apply for the regular driver’s license.

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

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 you turn 21. When you turn 21, you must pass a drug and alcohol awareness test to renew your license and be issued a regular 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 6 months
  • provide your social security number, as well as proof of your physical address, date of birth, and your name (you can find a list of the documents that will be accepted as proof of these requirements in the State of Alaska Driver Manual)
  • 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, 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!