Missouri Class F Instruction Permit: Two-Step DOR Process (2026)

You apply for a Missouri Class F Instruction Permit through a two-step, in-person process. First, pass your tests at a Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Examination Station. Second, take your passing score to a Department of Revenue (DOR) License Office to pay the fee and receive your permit.

You cannot apply online. The minimum age is 15, and this two-step process applies to everyone, whether you're 15 or an adult first-time Missouri driver. Your permit is valid for 12 months and can be renewed.

How Does Missouri's Two-Step MSHP-DOR Permit Process Work?

The application requires visits to two separate state facilities. MSHP for testing, DOR for issuance. Do not go to the DOR first.

1. Pass Required Tests at an MSHP Station. Visit a Highway Patrol Examination Station to take the vision, road signs, and written knowledge tests. Testing is free and usually walk-in, and you must score 80 percent, answering 20 of 25 questions correctly on the written test. Upon passing, you receive a sealed Driver Examination Record (Form 100). Do not open this envelope. Present it at the license office before it expires, as some records are not accepted after a set time period, so go to the license office soon after passing your tests.
2. Submit Documents and Pay at a DOR License Office. Take your sealed Form 100 and required documents to a DOR License Office. A parent or guardian must accompany you to sign consent. Submit your documents, have your photo taken, and pay the $10 Class F instruction permit fee, which covers both permit and processing costs. You will leave with a temporary paper permit. The plastic permit card is mailed to you after processing, usually within several business days.

Where Do You Go for an MSHP Test vs. a DOR Permit in Missouri?

Missouri splits testing and permit issuance between two distinct agencies, you cannot do both at the same location.

• For Testing: A Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) Examination Station. Use the MSHP station locator to find one. These are state-run and only administer tests.
• For Permit Issuance: A Department of Revenue (DOR) License Office. Use the DOR office locator and filter for 'License Offices.' These are privately contracted offices that handle payment and printing.

You cannot get your permit at the testing station. You cannot take the test at the license office. You can test and apply at any Missouri MSHP exam station and any DOR license office, even if your mailing address is in another Missouri county, regardless of your county of residence.

What Documents Does Missouri DOR Reject at the Counter

You must present original documents. Photocopies or hospital souvenir birth certificates are rejected, no exceptions at any Missouri DOR location.

• Proof of Identity & Lawful Status: Certified U.S. Birth Certificate, valid U.S. Passport, or Certificate of Citizenship.
• Proof of Social Security Number: Signed Social Security card or W-2 form.
• Proof of Missouri Residency: Utility bill, bank statement, or voter registration card with your Missouri address. If under 18, a parent can provide this.
• Parental Consent: Parental consent is normally given in person at the license office. Only keep Form 5434 for driving-instruction permission; it is not a standard substitute for in-office consent signing.

For full document lists and Real ID details, see the Missouri Department of Revenue driver license document guide and our Missouri permit documents guide and permit costs and fees page.

One Kansas City applicant found out the hard way: a laminated Social Security card got flagged for peeling at the DOR counter, a data integrity concern that triggers automatic rejection. The clerk caught the partial edge separation immediately, rejected the card, and sent the applicant to schedule an SSA replacement appointment. The replacement card arrived in 10 days. Missouri DOR clerks do not pass borderline cases.

Missouri's name-mismatch rule caught a Springfield applicant off guard. An Americanized name on the Social Security card didn't match the legal birth name on the birth certificate. The mismatch was flagged at the counter, an SSA correction was required, and the process took roughly 3 weeks. Name variations are a frequent rejection trigger at Missouri DOR counters.

At the St. Louis office, one applicant brought a baptism certificate from a religious institution as primary ID. Not a government record. Missouri DHSS certified copy required, with 2-week processing. Religious institution birth certificates have no standing at any Missouri DOR location.

How Do Missouri DOR Appointments and Walk-In Rejections Work?

Appointments are not usually required for the written test at MSHP stations, which are walk-in. License offices may accept walk-ins but appointments can reduce wait times.

• If documents are rejected at the license office, you can often return the same day if you can correct the issue quickly (e.g., retrieve a correct document from a car). If the correction requires leaving (e.g., going home for an original), you typically lose your place in line and must rejoin the queue or return another day. You do not need to reschedule a formal appointment if you didn't have one.
• You do not lose an appointment slot if something is wrong. If you have a scheduled appointment at a license office and your documents are incomplete, the office will usually try to process you within your appointment window if the fix is minor. For major issues, they may ask you to reschedule.
• If the office closes before processing you, you must rebook or return another day. This is why timing is critical, especially at MSHP stations which enforce a '10-minute rule': arrive early enough so your written test is finished at least 10 minutes before the station's posted closing or lunch time, or they will not start your exam.

How Do You Avoid Missouri Permit Delays and Test Failures?

Request your Missouri driving record using Form 4681 at least two weeks before moving. Get your Form 4901 log notarized before leaving the state. New state DMVs frequently reject unsigned or unnotarized out-of-state logs.

Use these actions to prevent common problems that cause rescheduling or rejection.

• Bring two proofs of Missouri residency even if the checklist says one, as some license office agents strictly enforce Real ID requirements. This prevents a rejection at offices like the one in Columbia on Business Loop 70.
• Study the road sign shapes and right-of-way rules specifically, as these are the most-failed sections of the written test. Failing means you cannot retest until the next business day, wasting a trip. Review the Missouri Driver Guide before your exam.
• Keep your sealed Form 100 intact and hand it over at the license office promptly after passing. Some applicants unknowingly void their results by breaking the seal or waiting too long.