Your learner’s permit at 16, made simple

Getting a learner’s permit at 16 in New Jersey

For a 16-year-old, the first step toward a license is the special learner permit. It is the only permit available at 16, and it is arranged through a licensed driving school together with six hours of behind-the-wheel training. We have helped Union-area teens through this process since 2005 and keep it simple for families.

What you need

• Age 16 and enrollment in a six-hour behind-the-wheel course with a licensed driving school.
• The special learner permit form, signed by a parent or guardian (we give you the form and explain it).
• 6 Points of ID — original documents or certified copies, not photocopies or laminated papers — plus proof of address and a Social Security number.
• Passing the knowledge test (80% — 40 of 50 questions) and the vision test.
• The fees: the permit itself costs $10, and the red reflective decals for the license plates are $4 a pair.

How it works with us

1. Call us and we book your six-hour course and explain the documents.
2. Paperwork and tests. The permit is purchased by the instructor, and you take the knowledge and vision tests.
3. Six hours behind the wheel in our dual-control car, spread over at least two days.
4. Validation. Once the six hours are complete and the school has endorsed your permit, it is validated at a licensing center — and you can start supervised practice with a parent.

After you have your permit

Your permit is valid for two years. Plan on at least six months of supervised practice and — for permits issued on or after February 1, 2025 — 50 practice hours with 10 after dark before the road test, which you can take from age 17. While you hold the permit: no driving from 11:01 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., no phones of any kind behind the wheel, limited passengers, and red decals on both plates.

Ready for the next step? See our teen driver education program or try the free practice test.

This school is licensed by the State of New Jersey. License #000184. Fully insured.