Idaho DMV Vision Test: 20/40 Rule, Restriction B, Fail Outcomes

Idaho Learner's Permit Vision Requirements

You must meet 20/40 visual acuity or better in at least one eye, with or without corrective lenses; significant peripheral-vision loss triggers a medical review. This vision screening is a mandatory first step at a county sheriff's driver's license office.

Vision Standards and Testing Process

The screening uses a wall chart or table-top machine. You must read the 20/40 line.

• Standard Acuity: 20/40 or better in at least one eye.
• Peripheral Vision: Idaho does not publish a fixed numeric field requirement, but significant peripheral-vision loss will trigger a medical review or referral.
• Bioptic Telescopes: Allowed. Must meet specific acuity through the carrier lens and the telescope.

You can and should wear your glasses or contacts during the test. If you need them to pass, Restriction B is added to your permit, requiring corrective lenses whenever you while driving.

Getting a Permit with Glasses or Contacts

Yes, you can get a learner's permit if you wear glasses or contacts in Idaho. The requirement is meeting the 20/40 standard, not having perfect vision without correction.

• Bring and wear your corrective lenses to your DMV appointment.
• If you pass using them, your permit will display Restriction B, meaning you must wear corrective lenses whenever you drive.
• This restriction applies to all driving, including supervised practice and your eventual road test.
• Driving without required corrective lenses when your permit carries Restriction B is a traffic violation.

A teen in Boise arrived for his 3:00 p.m. permit test without his glasses, assuming his vision was 'good enough.' He failed the vision screening instantly and had to reschedule, losing his application fee and waiting two more weeks.

Failing the Vision Screening: Next Steps

If you cannot read the 20/40 line, the DMV will not issue your permit. An examiner may require a Vision Exam form completed by a licensed eye doctor before your application can proceed.

• Where to go: A licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist for a full eye exam.
• Exam Cost: Get a full eye exam from a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist.
• Returning to DMV: Bring the completed form back to the driver's license office. If it certifies you meet standards with correction, your application can proceed.

Can you come back the same day? No. You must complete the outside eye exam and return with the official form. Offices like the one in Meridian cannot retest you with newly purchased glasses on the spot; they require the specialist's documentation.

An applicant in Idaho Falls scored 20/70 on the DMV's chart. She went to a local optometrist, got a prescription, and purchased glasses. She had to return to the DMV the next day with the completed Vision Specialist Report to finally pass the screening.

Common Issues and How to Avoid Them

Schedule an eye exam before your DMV visit if it's been over a year. Failing the screening means a wasted trip and a mandatory doctor's visit anyway.

Bring your most current prescription glasses, not reading glasses, to the vision test. An applicant in Nampa brought dollar-store reading glasses, failed the distance test, and was turned away.

Verify all information on the Vision Specialist Report before leaving your eye doctor's office. A missing signature or incorrect acuity notation will cause the DMV to reject the form, forcing a second trip to the doctor.

Download the Idaho Driver's Handbook PDF to study all permit rules and test topics.

For practice tests and county office details, visit itd.idaho.gov/dmv/young-drivers/.