Missouri Instruction Permit Fees: $12.50 Total and Hidden Costs (2026)

A Missouri Class F Instruction Permit costs $12.50. This includes a $3.50 state fee and a $9.00 office processing fee. You pay at the license office after passing all required tests.

Download the complete fee chart for all license types and costs.

What's Included in Missouri's Instruction Permit Fee?

The Missouri Department of Revenue separates testing from payment. The Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) administers the vision, road sign, and written knowledge tests for free. You pay the permit application fee after you pass.

Payment Methods: Cash, check, or card accepted. Credit card payments include a 2.15% convenience fee. Debit card payments under $50 incur a $0.40 fee.

Payment Plan: No. You pay the full permit cost upfront when the permit is issued.

Fee Waivers: Missouri does not offer discounts or waivers for standard permit fees.

How Much Do Missouri MSHP Permit Tests and Retests Cost?

Missouri charges no fee to take or retake the written knowledge test. The $12.50 permit fee is paid only after passing, at the DOR license office. Failed attempts cost nothing.

The 25-question knowledge test requires a score of 80% (20 correct answers).

• Test Fee: $0. The MSHP does not charge for the initial knowledge test.
• Retest Fee: $0. No charge if you fail and need to retake the written test.

If you fail the test three times, the examiner will require written authorization from the Department of Revenue before a fourth attempt. This causes delays but no extra money.

Realistic total cost if you fail 1-2 times: Still $12.50. Failing the test does not add any cost to your final permit price, a relief compared to other states that charge for retakes.

What Hidden Costs Should You Budget for a Missouri Permit?

The DOR charges a 2% plus $0.25 convenience fee on all card payments. Cash avoids this. Bringing the wrong documents wastes a trip but carries no fine, though rescheduling can delay your permit by weeks.

People often forget these situational expenses when budgeting for their driving permit.

• Passport Photos: $0. Your photo is taken at the license office and included in the $9.00 processing fee.
• Notary Fees: Possibly $5-$15. If you need to submit a notarized form like a parental consent affidavit (Form 96) for a minor, you must pay a notary public. The St. Charles License Office on First Capitol Drive frequently sees applicants turned away for missing this notarization.
• Document Replacement: $5.00. If you lose your Driver Examination Record (Form 100) before getting to the license office, the MSHP charges a $5 fee to reprint it. An applicant in Springfield wasted an afternoon after misplacing their Form 100 in the parking lot of the Cox Road examination station.
• Study Materials: $0. The official Missouri Driver Guide is free online. Avoid paid apps; use free practice tests that mimic the official 25-question format.

At the St. Louis DOR, one applicant brought the standard Class D fee, a Real ID permit costs $7 more. Transaction held; returned same afternoon. Missouri Real ID and standard permit fees are on separate rows of the fee chart; read both before visiting the office.

Avoid Missouri DOR Fee Delays and Payment Rejections

Missouri instruction permit fees total $12.50, covering a $3.50 state fee and $9.00 office processing fee. Pay at the DOR license office only after passing all required tests.

1. Verify document notarization requirements before your license office visit to avoid being sent away. The Independence location on 24 Highway regularly requires notarized proof of residency for teens living with a legal guardian other than a parent.
2. Schedule your MSHP test for a Tuesday or Wednesday morning to avoid long waits. The exam station in Jefferson City on Missouri Boulevard often has 90-minute lines on Monday and Saturday mornings, increasing the chance of missing your license office appointment later the same day.
3. Complete the Driver Experience Log (Form 4901) digitally and print a clean copy to prevent rejection. Handwritten logs with scribbled hours are often questioned. A Kansas City parent had their teen's 40-hour log rejected at the Platte County office for illegible entries, delaying the license upgrade by two weeks.

A Columbia applicant's voter registration card showed the old apartment address, rejected at the DOR counter. Current-address document required within 5 days. Missouri DOR cross-checks the address on every residency document against the application form. Bring documents with your current address, not ones from a previous move.

For the latest information, visit the Missouri Department of Revenue or the MSHP Driver Guide. See also our Missouri permit fee guide.