Which state has the cheapest driver's license?

Kentucky has the lowest original driver's license fee at $, and the license is valid for 4 years.

Which state has the most expensive driver's license?

Washington has the highest original driver's license fee at $89, with the license valid for 6 years.

Do driver's license fees include the road test?

Most states include a basic knowledge test and road test in the original license fee. A few states charge separate fees for retakes or skills tests. Check the state-specific page for the exact breakdown.

How often do I need to renew my driver's license?

Most states require renewal every 4 to 8 years. The renewal cycle varies by state and by age. See the license validity column in the table above, or visit your state's page for full renewal rules.

Driver's License Fees by State

Compare driver's license fees across all 50 states. The table below shows original license, learner's permit, and renewal costs, ranked from cheapest to most expensive. Click any state to see the full fee breakdown.

Cheapest state

Kentucky

$ original license

Most expensive state

Washington

$89 original license

States ranked

All 50 states covered

Rank	State	License fee	Permit fee	Renewal fee	Valid (yrs)
1	Kentucky	Contact DMV	—	—	4
2	Iowa	$4	$4	$4	8
3	Missouri	$10	$3.5	$10	3
4	South Carolina	$12.5	$2.5	$12.5	5
5	North Dakota	$15	$15	$15	5
6	Indiana	$17.5	$9.5	$17.5	6
7	New Mexico	$18	$10	$18	4
8	Alaska	$20	$15	$20	5
9	Hawaii	$20	$5	$20	4
10	Wyoming	$20	$20	$15	8
11	Nebraska	$21.5	$10.5	$21.5	4
12	Kansas	$23	$23	$20	4
13	Mississippi	$24	$7	$24	4
14	New Jersey	$24	$10	$24	4
15	Arizona	$25	$7	$25	12
16	Texas	$25	$16	$25	5
17	Utah	$25	$15	$25	5
18	Minnesota	$25.25	$13.25	$25.25	4
19	Colorado	$26	$16.8	$26	5
20	South Dakota	$28	$43	$28	5
21	Tennessee	$28	$8	$28	5
22	Idaho	$30	$15	$30	4
23	Illinois	$30	$20	$30	4
24	Maine	$30	$30	$30	6
25	Georgia	$32	$10	$32	8
26	Vermont	$32	$20	$32	2
27	Louisiana	$32.25	$32.35	$32.25	6
28	California	$33	$33	$34	5
29	Oklahoma	$33.5	$33.5	$33.5	—
30	Wisconsin	$34	$34	$34	8
31	Virginia	$35	—	$35	8
32	Pennsylvania	$35.5	$35.5	$35.5	4
33	Alabama	$36.25	$5	$36.25	4
34	Rhode Island	$38.5	$11.5	$61.5	5
35	Arkansas	$40	—	$40	8
36	Delaware	$40	$40	$25	8
37	North Carolina	$40	$20	$40	8
38	West Virginia	$40	$5	$10.5	5
39	Montana	$40.5	$40.5	$40.5	8
40	Nevada	$42.25	$23.25	$42.25	4
41	Michigan	$43	—	$18	4
42	Ohio	$44	$21.75	$44	4
43	Florida	$48	$48	$48	8
44	New Hampshire	$50	$10	$50	5
45	Oregon	$60	$23.5	$40	8
46	New York	$64.25	$64.25	$64.25	5
47	Connecticut	$72	$19	$72	6
48	Maryland	$72	$50	—	5
49	Massachusetts	$85	$85	$85	4
50	Washington	$89	$25	$54	6

Fees reflect the standard original Class D (passenger) driver's license. State-specific surcharges, REAL ID upgrades, and age-based fees may apply. Confirm current fees with the state DMV before visiting.

Key insights

Kentucky offers the lowest original license fee at $. States with low-cost structures often keep fees flat across transactions, so renewal and duplicate license fees tend to be affordable too.
Washington charges the highest original license fee at $89. Higher fees often correlate with longer license validity, which spreads the cost over more years.
Learner's permit fees are typically a fraction of the license fee. A handful of states bundle the permit into the original license fee, so the separate permit cost shows as low or zero.
Renewal fees generally match the original license fee. Some states discount renewal, some add a surcharge for REAL ID upgrades. The state-specific pages list every transaction type.

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