Master the OR

Oregon

Driving Written Test!

New Oregon Driver’s License

Who Needs a License, and which License is for you?

Driving is a luxury that many residents of Oregon wish to obtain and the process can be simple if you first know which license to apply for and the necessary steps to achieve you’re driving goals. There are several reasons to obtain a license from private use to recreation and even commercial operation for a successful driving career. Oregon offers several license types to suit your needs with age restrictions including:

• Classic Drivers License – You must over the age of 18 to receive this license.
• Commercial class A, class B, class C. You must be over 18 and posses or qualify for the classic driver’s license.
• Classic Provisional License – Permission to operate a non-commercial vehicle for 16 and 17 year olds.
• Motorcycle License – Anyone over the age of 16 wishing to operate a motorcycle may apply for this license.
• Farm License this is an endorsement available to all persons operating a classic or commercial license over the age of 16 and allows you to operate special farm equipment.

What are the Requirements for a classic or provisional License?

The classic and provisional licenses require that you meet age requirements, are a US citizen or have legal presence and a resident of Oregon. You must be at least 16 years old to apply for a provisional license, and over 18 to qualify for a classic. You will need to bring the following required proofs when applying:

• Proof of your full legal name
• Proof of your identity
• Proof of your legal presence
• Proof of residency
• Provide your social security card
• Teen drivers under 18 must also provide either a certificate of completion for an approved driver’s education program 50 hours of logged driving practice, or 100 hours of recorded drive time in order to complete the road test portion of the application process. In addition, minors must provide proof of enrollment, graduation or exemption from high school. A GED is also acceptable for this requirement.

All new drivers’ license applicants must pass the state vision test in order to continue on to testing. You will also be required to pay the appropriate cost of a license in the form of a check, cash or money order.

What Tests do I need to take to get a License?

• Safe driving practices test is required for minors applying for their first license and can be taken within 30 days of your 16th birthday. You must receive an 80% on this 35 question test to pass. There is no fee for this test and minors must take this in addition to the standard written test.
• Written Knowledge test is the standard test for all applicants receiving their classic driver’s license. It consists of 35 multiple choice questions taken directly from your Oregon Drivers Manual and you must correctly answer 28 in order to pass.
• Road Testing is required for minors as part of the licensing process to assure they have master control of the vehicle and can follow state rules on the road.

Taking a Drivers Education Course

All minors’ ages 16 and 17 applying for a Class C driver’s license must first complete an approved Drivers Education Course. The program is designed to help young drivers become safe drivers and reduce the number of accidents on Oregon’s roads. Be wary that not all drivers education courses are the same so it is important you chose an approved instructional course if you wish to satisfy requirements for your license.

Preparing for the Written Test

All test questions come from information within the. Many great resources are available to assist you in preparing including an Audio version online of each driver manual so you can listen on the go. Special resources for teen drivers such as the parent guide to teen driving provide addition information geared especially for new drivers. You can find reliable resources online such as cheat sheets and practice tests www.dmvcheatsheets.com with over 100 multiple-choice questions to assist you in preparing. These and many other resources are available at DMVcheatsheets.com.

What to Bring on Test Day

• Your required documents to prove legal name and date of birth, citizenship or legal presence, residency, and identity.
• You can download the application online and print it out in advance. Filling it out ahead of time will make the process quicker.
• If a minor, you must also bring a certificate of completion from an approved driver’s education course and your driving log with 50 hours, or 100 hours without driver’s education. You must also bring a “parental consent” form.
• All drivers must also provide proof of insurance if they plan to take the road test or register a vehicle. If they will be operating a vehicle belonging to another person, they must show proof they are listed as a driver on the policy.
• Bring your appropriate testing fees in the form of a check, cash or money order. A classic non-commercial license is $60.

Proof of Insurance

You can still receive a license without insurance, however if you intend to take the road test you will be required to provide the appropriate forms of insurance before the test can begin. If you are registering a vehicle liability insurance must also be presented at the time of application. There are serious penalties in the state of Oregon for driving uninsured.

Taking the Diver Test

Most DMV offices have road testing available at the location. You may call your nearest DMV office to check availability and schedule your test in advance, but be sure that you can provide a vehicle that will pass a safety inspection and is properly insured or the test will be rescheduled. Practicing with your supervisory adult and reading up on testing Tips www.dmvcheatsheets.com found in articles from sites such as DMVcheatsheets.com will assist you in your preparation for this portion of testing. You must demonstrate that you have mastered driving skills and can properly obey traffic laws in order to pass this test.

Taking the Written Test

Fees for the written test must be paid before testing and if you do not pass, you will be required to pay the fees each time you repeat a test. Your Oregon Drivers Manual in combination with cheat sheets at DMVcheatsheets.com provide you will all the material necessary to pass the written test, as well as the Safe Driving Practices test required for minors. All of the questions on the multiple choice test come from these guides. Use the Audio manuals and mobile cheat sheets for added study time while on the go. Be sure to take as many practice tests generated by DMVcheatsheets.com to assure you are ready to pass the test on your first try. You must answer 28 out of 35 questions correctly to meet the 80% passing grade requirement.

Renewing your Oregon Drivers License

Who needs to renew their License?

Your driver’s license must be renewed every 8 years either in person at your local DMV office. You can renew your drivers license for up to one year after expiration but if it exceeds the time limit you will be required to repeat the application process including testing.

How do I renew my OR License?

You must apply at your local DMV in person to renew your license. If you meet renewal requirements, you may complete the process. You must fill out a new driver’s license application proof of identity, residency and citizenship. In addition, proof of insurance must be shown if you have a registered vehicle. After paying the renewal cost and passing a vision test if over age 50, you will take a new photo for your license. If your license is more than one year expired, you must meet all of the requirements for a classic driver’s license including passing the knowledge and vision tests.

Preparing to renew my Oregon Drivers License

After locating your nearest DMV branch and confirming the hours of operation, gather your required proof. You must pay the renewal cost in the form of check, cash or money order to be sure you have the correct method of payment upon arrival. Some branch offices are now equipped with an ATM just in case you have forgotten this step.

What is the Cost to renew my License?

The price of renewal fees will depend on the license you are renewing. The standard Class C non-commercial renewal fee is $40.

Steps to renew your License

When prepared in advance, the renewal process is easy and quick. Fill out a new driver’s license application in advance to save time and appear in person at your local DMV office. Present the application along with required proofs of:

• Your "full legal name
• Legal Presence in the US, Identity and date of Birth
• Present your social security card
• Show proof of your residency in Oregon
• Take the vision test administered by the DMV branch employee if you are over the age of 50
• Pay the appropriate renewal fees
• Take a new photo for your license. The new license will arrive in the mail within a few weeks time

Getting an Oregon Learners Permit

Who Needs a Learners Permit?

First time drivers 16 and 17 years of age must apply for a learners permit to receive permission to practice on roadways with a supervising driver. Many excellent resources are available to parents of teen drivers in an attempt to reduce the number of accidents on roadways:

• WhyDriveWithEd – a driver’s education course that will assist in producing confident young drivers. This course is ODOT approved and reduces the number of on the road practice hours to 50.
• Online resources such as The Oregon Parent Guide to Teen Driving and the Oregon Driver Manual
• Websites dedicated to assisting young drivers in becoming safe drivers such as DMVcheatsheets.com offering comprehensive articles full of useful tips for preparing to get behind the wheel. Also practice tests and cheat sheets that will prepare you for the testing process at your DMV.

Requirements to Getting a Learners Permit

Minors under the age of 18 must provide proof of residency, citizenship and identity at the time of application. A school ID with photo can be used to prove identity. In addition, minors must also provide proof of enrollment, completion or exemption in school.

• A parent or guardian must provide parental consent. You must pass a vision test and Safe Drivers Knowledge Test before you will be issued your permit.
• Pay the initial cost of a limited term learner’s permit with check, cash or money order.
• Pass the safe driving practices written test and “Knowledge test” with an 80% score, or 28 out of 35 questions answered correctly.

Driving with a OR Learners Permit

The state of Oregon has strict regulations concerning your practice time on a learners permit. Your approved licensed driver over the age of 21 must be with you at all times while on the road. While not mandatory, it is beneficial to generate a Parent-teen Driving Contract either from a pre-made outline or from scratch. This will help you and your approved driver to understand the expectations during training and set firm rules and guidelines. You must complete 50 hours of supervised driving time with a certification of completion for a driver’s safety course or 100 hours. A minimum of 10 hours must be completed during nighttime hours. Use your driving log to record practice times as proof. Read more on Oregon’s learner’s Permit at DMVcheatsheets.com.

What is the ‘WhyDriveWithEd’ program?

One in five teens will be involved in an accident their first year on the road, and currently auto accidents are the leading cause of death of minors in the US. WhyDriveWithEd was created to assist both teen drivers in being even more prepared for safe driving on Oregon roadways, and parents in helping their child develop driving habits they will use through out adulthood. The benefits of using this approved program are a confident teen driver less likely to be involved in a crash. Teens that use this program need only complete 50 hours of behind the wheel practice to qualify for the drivers test, otherwise you must record 100 hours to be approved.

Steps to Getting an Oregon Learners Permit

In order to receive your learners permit you must complete the following steps:

• Enroll in a driver’s safety course and receive your certification of completion to reduce the number of logged driving hours from 100 to 50
• You must apply in person at your local DMV office up to one hour before closing time to allow for testing.
• Fill out the drivers permit application and present it with your required proof of citizenship, identity, residency and proof of enrollment, completion or exemption.
• Present your "parental consent
• Complete the vision test and Safe Drivers Knowledge Test with a passing score.
• Pay the appropriate learners permit cost. Your permit is valid for 2 years and you must complete 6 months of driving time before continuing the licensing application process.