Mission

The mission of the District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles (DC DMV) is to promote the safe operation of motor vehicles and public safety, while providing outstanding customer service.

Vision

The vision of DC DMV is to be the leader in innovation and technology.

Every day, DC DMV directly serves an average of 3,200 District residents—and non-residents—more than almost any other District government agency. DC DMV provides service to more than 623,000 licensed drivers or identification card holders and 310,000 registered vehicles at four service centers. We service more than 2.7 million tickets annually, by collecting payments or providing citizens the means to contest the tickets. We also conduct over 178,000 vehicle inspections each year.

To achieve our mission, we have three operational program areas: Ticket Services, Driver Services, and Vehicle Services.

Learner Permits and Provisional Licenses

To learn to drive—and to practice driving in the District—you must have a valid DC DMV learner permit. You must be at least 16 years old to get a DC DMV learner permit, and you must pass vision screening and knowledge tests and provide documentation that proves your identity, residency, and eligibility, among other things.

DC DMV offers learners either a REAL ID or a Limited Purpose learner permit. You will be eligible for either a REAL ID or a Limited Purpose learner permit, depending on whether or not you have a valid Social Security number. Answers to frequently asked questions about both REAL ID and Limited Purpose credentials are available at the links below:

https://dmv.dc.gov/service/learner-permits-and-provisional-licenses

Driver Licenses

If you have lived in the District of Columbia for 60 days or more and you drive a vehicle in public, you must get a driver license from DC DMV—unless you are a student, diplomat, active military member, part-time resident, member of Congress, or presidential appointee and are thus eligible for driving privilege reciprocity with your home state or jurisdiction.

The types of documents you are required to provide DC DMV depend on the type of driver license you are seeking to obtain. To learn what documents you need to successfully complete your transaction, use DC DMV's online Document Verification Guide.

https://dmv.dc.gov/service/driver-licenses