In the USA most places have no viable transportation alternative to cars. As a result drivers licenses are a critical factor in functional independence and fundamental human needs. Even though there are permitting and test requirements to get a license, there is no effective limit on how many times the written, or driving skills tests can be taken. There is also no chain of accountability between those administering the tests and the drivers they approve for licensing. This means that anyone can take the written test a few dozen times until they have seen the finite number of questions several times over and eventually pass. Likewise, taking the driving test many times will inevitably result in the person encountering a “forgiving” skills test proctor.

The Department of Motor Vehicles or DMV, like every government institution in the USA has been subject to a continuous political assault by the Republican party of the oligarchs. The workers are understaffed, underpaid, and it is a notoriously miserable place to work. The results of such an inadequate and negligent political structure produces predictable results.

We also lack any effective mechanism to take the elderly off the road, and because losing a license ends their independence, we have a large number of elderly pushed to drive when they do not qualify.

Swede here, I got mine back in 2022, total cost was about 60000 SEK.

I am 36 now, so I started late, and it took about a year of spread out lessons to get it.

1. The first risk course, this takes several hours, and goes through the dangers of driving, as long as you take part you will pass.

2. Theory, takes about a week or so of evening classes, then you study on your own, you have to pass the theory test with in half a year before you can take the practical test

3. Practical lessons throughout.

4. The second risk course, also called the skidpan, this is fun, it is the first time you get to drive a car without an instructor beside you, just on a track, but still, you get to experience driving on a slippery surface and trying different manouvers, to see how the car reacts. You need to accellerate hard and then slam on the breaks at a specific point on dry and wet surface, then you need to try a swerving manouver as if a moose is about to cross the path of the car, there are also a few more steps to this, this is often considered the highlight of learning to drive.

5. Theory test, you go into a testing room, are asked many questions, and given a score, the questions tend to be focused on scenarios on what you would do here, or if X/Y is right in this case or not.

6. Practical test, you can’t take the practical test unless you have passed both risk courses and the theory test, they all have to be passed recently enough for them to be valid at the time of the practical test. If they are not valid, you won’t get to do the test. The testing officer comes out and meets you, and explains the test, what they will be looking at and how you will be judged, what an instant fail will look like, and what they expect of you. The test is very relaxed, you drive around for a bit, through some crossings, roundabouts and motorways, you get to perform a few manouvers like parking, reveresing around a corner, turning around and stuff like that. At the end of the test the testing officer will give you feedback on the test and how well you did and what you should think about in the future, if you passed you will immediately get a note in the government systems that confirm that you have a license to drive cars so you can manage with just your national ID untill you get your proper license in the mail.

Well, first you buy a box of cereal…

In the UK I had to do around 20 lessons, you got to take your test only when your instructor decided you were ready. And you had to have passed a theory test within the last three months I believe. The test was an hour of various maneuvers and questions. I passed on my second attempt. This was twenty years ago.

Then I moved to the US and it was a 5 minute drive around a car park while the test lady complained about her menopausal symptoms, and then “I can tell you can drive” and I passed.

Recently got mine on December last year. Living in the Philippines by the way. Spent around 200 USD (including driving courses).

1. A theoretical driving course is now required by our government. This is a 2-day (15 hours) course where you are in a classroom setting and the fundamentals of driving are taught (road etiquette, signs, how to drive, etc). There is also an exam at the end which you are required to pass before you are given a certificate of completion.

2. The certificate received after completing the theoretical course will be used to obtain a student permit. This permit allows you to drive a car provided that someone with atleast a non-professional driving license accompanies you. Also, you will need to wait atleast a month before you can apply for a non-professional license.

3. With the student permit, you can enroll for a practical driving course. Our government again requires atleast 8-hours of practical driving lessons from a training center that is accredited by them. This is another course wherein you are taught how to actually drive a car.

4. After receiving the certificate for completing the practical course, and provided that 1 month has passed since you have been given a student permit, you may now apply for a non-professional license. Applying for this license involves a theoretical exam (60-item multiple choice questionnaire) and a practical exam, wherein an instructor will test your driving skills. If you’ve passed all of those, you just need to pay for the licensing fee and wait for you license to be released on the same day. Acquiring a non-professional license allows you to drive by yourself. Although if you want to drive a car for commercial use (such as trucks, buses, etc.), you will need to apply for a professional license.