Connecticut DMV Vision Test Requirements: 20/40 Standard and Retest Rules

Connecticut requires 20/40 visual acuity in your better eye, which is the Connecticut DMV vision screening standard for first-time permit applicants.

Connecticut requires 20/40 visual acuity in your better eye, which is the Connecticut DMV vision screening standard for first-time permit applicants and a 140-degree horizontal field of view to pass the vision screening. You can wear glasses or contacts during testing. Before applying for your permit, make sure your corrective lenses prescription is current. Review vision test preparation tips before your appointment.

See the complete requirements in the Connecticut Driver's Manual.

Connecticut DMV Vision Standards for Learner's Permit Testing

The DMV uses an Optec 5000 vision tester at hub offices like Wethersfield, Hamden, and Norwalk. You look into the machine at the start of your appointment. Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 14-45a-1 sets these standards with no other impairing conditions allowed.

• Visual Acuity: 20/40 vision or better in at least one eye
• Peripheral Vision: 140-degree horizontal field of view required
• Corrective Lenses: Glasses or contacts permitted during testing. A 'B' restriction gets added to your permit, making them legally required while driving.

At the New Haven DMV, Leo kept his appointment during post-surgery recovery even though his vision was still affected. He failed the eye chart, CT DMV grants no same-day waivers for surgical recovery. His ophthalmologist cleared him within 30 days and he rebooked successfully.

Connecticut's Optec 5000 machine requires your forehead pressed firmly against the bar. At the Bridgeport office, one applicant failed the peripheral test because of improper positioning, a false fail. He passed on the next attempt by pressing correctly. Press your forehead firmly to avoid that mistake.

Can You Pass the Connecticut DMV Vision Test If Only One Eye Meets the Vision Standard?

Yes, in some cases. Connecticut’s driver manual says that if an applicant is blind in one eye, the other eye must be at least 20/40 with a minimum visual field of 100 degrees.

Does Connecticut DMV Test for Color Blindness During the Learner’s Permit Vision Screening? The published Class D screening standards focus on visual acuity and peripheral vision. Connecticut DMV does not list a separate color-blindness score in its learner-permit vision-test requirements.

What Happens If You Fail the Connecticut DMV Vision Screening

Your appointment stops immediately. The DMV agent hands you Form P-142OP (Eye Care Professional's Medical Report) and you cannot retest that same day. Download Form P-142OP here to bring to your eye doctor.

1. Schedule an appointment with a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist for a full eye exam
2. The doctor completes Form P-142OP, certifying your vision within 90 days of examination
3. Book a new DMV appointment and bring the completed form to proceed with testing

Where to go for an eye exam: You must visit a licensed optometrist or ophthalmologist. General practitioners cannot complete the form.

How much an outside vision exam costs: Costs vary by provider, typically $50 to $150 without insurance. The DMV doesn't cover this cost.

Can you return the same day: No. Failing the vision test ends your appointment. You must get an outside exam and return on a different day with completed Form P-142OP.

Press your forehead firmly against the Optec machine's bar. This prevents false fails on the peripheral light test and saves you from appointment cancellation. Schedule at hub offices only for access to the Optec 5000 tester.

Can an Eye Doctor’s Exam Replace the DMV Vision Screening?

A private eye exam does not replace the normal in-person DMV vision screening for a new learner’s permit. If DMV requires medical review or additional documentation, follow the instructions it gives for that review.

What Driving Restrictions Apply If You Need Corrective Lenses at the CT DMV?

A 'B' restriction gets added to your permit if you need glasses or contacts to pass. Driving without them is a violation with fines. Check Connecticut permit fees before your appointment.

The total fee for a learner's permit is $59 ($40 testing fee plus $19 permit fee). Retests cost $40.

Complete Form R-229 accurately before arrival to avoid being turned away at the counter for missing information. This wastes your scheduled appointment slot and forces you to rebook.