What to bring to the Colorado DMV permit test
Bring the right documents and you can take the knowledge and vision tests on the same visit. The official requirements change from time to time, so check the DMV's own page before you go.
For the learner's permit and knowledge test
- Identification documents per the DMV Required Documents checklist (U.S. citizens/permanent residents) or Standard License documents (CO-RCSA)
- Driver education completion certificate (30-hour course for ages 15-15½; 4-hour awareness or 30-hour course for 15½-16)
- Written test completion form from a driving school or @Home test certificate, if applicable
- Parent, guardian or Colorado driver over 21 to sign the Affidavit of Liability DR 2460 in person (minors)
- Glasses or contacts for the vision exam
Fees
- Instruction permit (includes motorcycle), effective June 30, 2026: $20.00
- Instruction permit, CO-RCSA standard credential, effective June 30, 2026: $23.00
- @Home knowledge test (per attempt): $6.50 ($5 testing + $1.50 card fee)
- State retest fee after a failed written test: $11.50
- State retest fee after a failed drive (skills) test: $15.40
For the road test
- Instruction permit
- Signed driving log (50 hours, 10 at night) and behind-the-wheel certificate if under 16½
- Vehicle with current insurance and registration (if the driving school requires you to provide one); working brake lights, turn signals, seat belts, windshield, tires, and doors/windows that open from inside
After you pass: your permit
- Hold it for at least 12 months for minors before the road test.
- Log 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them at night.
- A person 21 or older with a valid Colorado license must be in the front passenger seat
- Passengers in vehicles driven by anyone under 18 must be belted, and passengers may not exceed the number of seat belts
Before you go
Take a practice test or two the day before, and the exam simulator to check you can pass in the real format. Bring originals, not photocopies, unless the DMV says copies are accepted.
Questions
How old do I need to be to take the Colorado permit test?
15.
How much does the Colorado permit test cost?
@Home test: $5 testing fee plus $1.50 card fee per attempt ($6.50). After a failed attempt, a state retest fee of $11.50 applies; it can be paid in an office or online. Check with the DMV before you go. Third-party testers may charge more.
Can I take the Colorado permit test online?
The Driving Knowledge (written) Test covers the handbook: road signs, driving under the influence, driving rules, safety rules and legal items. Take it at a DMV office, at a driving school, or online as the @Home Driving Knowledge Test (desktop or laptop with a webcam; 60 minutes). Test-takers under 19 need an adult over 19 as proxy for the @Home test.
Do I need an appointment?
Check the DMV's website: requirements for appointments differ by office and change often. Bring every document on the list above so you don't have to come back.
Source: Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles (Colorado Department of Revenue), checked 2026-10-27.