IN
Michigan requires all Level 1 learner's license holders to carry their original physical card while driving. No digital copy or mobile version exists for teen drivers in the GDL program.
No. A phone photo or screenshot of a Michigan permit is not the legal driving credential. Carry the physical permit while driving; Michigan's mobile-ID or digital-wallet options do not create a valid digital GDL permit.
Never use your phone to show a digital permit during traffic stops. Level 1 and Level 2 drivers face phone use restrictions under Kelsey's Law (MCL 257.602c), creating separate violations starting at $100.
Third-party road test examiners reject digital permits before the test begins. Michigan SOS clerks require the physical card for replacements and corrections. TSA checkpoints require the physical card for ID. Law enforcement may cite you even if LEIN confirms the permit is valid without the physical card.
Schedule Tuesday morning appointments at 9:00 AM in Livonia to avoid afternoon crowds that increase rushed check-ins and forgotten physical permits.
For Michigan permit process details, see the Michigan permit guide.
If the physical permit is lost, use an official Michigan SOS replacement channel rather than a phone image. Replacement may be available online, at a self-service station, or at an SOS office depending on the transaction.
A phone photo or screenshot is not a replacement credential. An official temporary paper credential issued by SOS, when provided for a transaction, is different from a phone image; the permanent Level 1 credential remains a physical hard card.
For replacement fees, documents, and channel-by-channel steps, see the Michigan lost or stolen permit replacement guide.
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