Fixing Errors on Your Georgia Permit: Name, DOB and Address Corrections

If your Georgia learner's permit has wrong information, you must fix it immediately at a Department of Driver Services (DDS) Customer Service Center. Driving with incorrect details can lead to legal issues and delay getting your full license.

How do you correct a name or DOB error on a Georgia learner's permit?

Errors typically fall into two categories, which determine the correction process and cost.

Types of Permit Errors and Correction Fees

A $10 replacement fee applies for user-caused errors on the permit.

What if your Georgia permit has the wrong height, eye color or other physical detail?

Update the incorrect information with DDS. Changes to identifying details such as height, weight, photo, or other information that cannot be handled online require a Customer Service Center visit.

What if Georgia DDS printed the wrong license class or restriction on your permit?

Contact or visit DDS rather than trying to change it online. Restrictions cannot be added or removed through Online Services because DDS may require testing or supporting documentation.

Correction Process and Timeline

You cannot fix permit mistakes online. Visit a DDS Customer Service Center in person.

Full Georgia permit rules are at the Georgia learner's permit guide.

• Bring Required Documents: For a name correction, bring a certified Birth Certificate or Passport. For an address fix, bring two proofs of Georgia residency like a utility bill or bank statement from the last 60 days.
• Evidence of Error: If it was a DDS error, bring your original application receipt to help waive the fee.
• REAL ID: If your permit isn't REAL ID compliant, bring all required identity documents to upgrade during the correction.

After your visit, pick up your corrected permit at the DDS center or receive it by mail within approximately 10 business days.

Is changing your address after moving treated the same as correcting a DDS mistake? No. A new address is an update to your information, not a printing error. Georgia allows one free name or address change during the term of the original license, permit, or ID; later changes may carry a fee.

Can you take your road test while waiting for a corrected permit card?

You must hold a valid permit for the road test. If the corrected plastic card is still being mailed but DDS has issued a valid interim or replacement document, confirm that document is acceptable for your appointment. Do not arrive with an expired or invalid permit.

Can You Drive with an Incorrect Permit?

No. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. section 40-5-33) requires you to notify DDS of a name or address change within 60 days. Risks of driving with wrong info include:

• Citations from law enforcement for an invalid license.
• Automatic disqualification from your road test if permit info doesn't match your other documents.
• Potential misdemeanor charges for knowingly using a permit with false information.

Check your permit for errors before leaving the DDS counter. Report any mistakes immediately to avoid these issues.

Georgia DDS permit corrections: what's free, what costs $10 & how long

DDS-caused errors are corrected free of charge. Applicant-caused name or DOB errors require a $10 replacement fee, original supporting documents, and an in-person DDS visit.

Real-World Correction Examples

• Augusta - Name Mismatch: A religious name had been added to the birth certificate after birth - but it never appeared on the Social Security card. DDS flagged the mismatch at the counter. An SSA correction appointment was needed, adding roughly 3 weeks before the application could proceed. Post-birth name additions are not auto-updated at the SSA; you must initiate the correction yourself.
• Atlanta (South Dekalb Center): A learner in Decatur had their birthdate entered incorrectly by the clerk. They returned the next day with their birth certificate and receipt. The error was corrected for free, but a 30-day wait for the new permit still delayed the road test appointment.
• Lawrenceville (Gwinnett Center): A user forgot to include their apartment number on the application, causing a wrong address. They paid the $10 fee and presented a lease and a Georgia Power bill. Their road test was almost canceled because the permit address didn't match their ADAP certificate, but they resolved it with the new documents.
• Macon: A learner moved after getting their permit but didn't update their address within 60 days. They were stopped for a minor traffic violation and received a citation for failure to update their license information, on top of the original violation.

Actionable Tips to Avoid Problems

• Verify every character on your permit at the DDS counter before you leave to avoid a return trip for a free agency error correction.
• Bring your original application documents and receipt for any correction visit to immediately prove a clerk error and avoid paying the $10 fee unnecessarily.
• Schedule your road test only after receiving your corrected permit in the mail to prevent automatic disqualification due to mismatched documents. The full Georgia permit document requirements are on the Georgia learner's permit guide.