State service guide

USVI learner's permit: starts at 16, requires a local physician form, and lasts 6 months

The USVI learner's permit path is more medical-form driven than most state DMV workflows. To begin, the applicant must be at least 16 years old and complete the First Time VI Driver's License medical/application form. The medical section must be signed and stamped by a licensed local physician, and the form is valid for one year. After that, the applicant takes the written knowledge exam by appointment and must score at least 75 percent. Passing applicants receive a learner's permit valid for six months and may drive only when accompanied by a licensed driver.

Open official source View U.S. Virgin Islands services
Minimum age 16 years old
Medical form rule The permit process starts with a medical/application form signed and stamped by a licensed local physician
Written-test score A passing grade of 75% or higher is required
Permit term The learner's permit is valid for 6 months

Overview

What this page helps you verify

A useful USVI learner-permit page should lead with the local-physician form and the age-16 entry point because those are the strongest territory-specific features of the process. The permit itself is relatively simple once issued: it lasts six months, it must be carried together with the medical/application form, and the learner must have a licensed driver in the vehicle. The real friction is at the front of the process, where the BMV requires advance appointment scheduling, the medical form, and in the case of minors a notarized consent form and relationship proof.

Last reviewed: 2026-05-17. This page was manually upgraded against service-specific official sources, but requirements can still change quickly.

Usually needed

Documents and information to prepare

  • The First Time VI Driver's License medical/application form completed by the applicant
  • A licensed local physician's signature and stamp on the medical section of the form
  • For applicants under 18, a notarized parent or guardian consent form plus legal documents that verify the relationship and the adult's identity
  • The fee for the written test and the learner's permit
  • Legal documents for the eventual driver-license issuance, especially if the applicant will later choose the REAL ID path

Typical flow

What the process often looks like

  1. Wait until age 16, then complete the medical/application form and have the medical section signed and stamped by a licensed local physician.
  2. If you are under 18, prepare the notarized parent or guardian consent form and the relationship documents before the BMV visit.
  3. Book the written knowledge exam by appointment, bring the completed medical/application form, and pass the test with at least a 75 percent score.
  4. After the permit is issued, carry both the learner's permit and the medical/application form and drive only with a licensed driver in the vehicle.
  5. When ready, schedule the road test using the permit and medical/application form.

Front-end requirements

The USVI starts the permit process with a local physician form before the written test even happens

That is the main difference from most states and it deserves to be explicit.

  • The first step in the permit process is the medical/application form.
  • The medical section must be signed and stamped by a licensed local physician.
  • The BMV says the form is valid for one year from the signed exam date.

Written test and issuance

The permit is issued only after a by-appointment written test with a published passing score

This is a structured appointment workflow, not a walk-in quiz.

  • The written knowledge exam is administered by appointment only.
  • The applicant must present the completed medical/application form before taking the test.
  • The BMV says a passing grade of 75 percent or higher is required.
  • After passing and paying the fee, the learner's permit is issued for six months.

Driving on the permit

The permit is a true supervised-driving credential and the USVI expects the paperwork to stay in the car

This is the practical operating rule to keep visible.

  • While driving, the applicant must carry both the medical/application form and the learner's permit at all times.
  • A licensed driver must accompany the applicant in the vehicle while they are driving.
  • For minors, a parent or guardian must also sign the permit at the BMV office after issuance and provide documents proving the relationship and identity.

Accuracy notes

Where people get tripped up

  • USVI learner-permit content should lead with the physician-signed medical form because that is the most territory-specific requirement.
  • The 75 percent passing score and six-month permit term are clear public rules and should stay near the top.
  • Minor applicants need special attention because both notarized consent and post-issuance permit signing by the parent or guardian appear in the current BMV guidance.

FAQ

Common questions

  • How old do I have to be to get a learner's permit in the U.S. Virgin Islands?

    The BMV says first-time applicants for a driver's license must be at least 16 years old to begin the learner's permit process.

  • Do I need a doctor to get a USVI learner's permit?

    Yes. The process begins with a medical/application form, and the medical section must be signed and stamped by a licensed local physician.

  • How long is a USVI learner's permit valid?

    The BMV says learner's permits are valid for six months.

Sources

Official references used for this page

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