New Jersey Permit Vision Test: 20/50 Required, Lenses Allowed

New Jersey requires at least 20/50 visual acuity in the better eye, with or without corrective lenses, to pass the permit vision screening. The MVC tests this at the agency counter before you pay the $10 permit fee.

Vision Requirements for a New Jersey Learner's Permit

You must meet a visual acuity standard of at least 20/50 in the better eye, with or without corrective lenses. This is a mandatory safety screening at the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC).

NJ MVC Vision Test: 20/50 Standard and Screening Process

The MVC agent will verify your eyesight meets these legal criteria before you pay the $10 permit fee.

• Visual Acuity: 20/50 vision or better in at least one eye.
• Corrective Lenses: If you need corrective lenses to meet the 20/50 acuity standard, the MVC adds a restrictive code (commonly labeled "Corrective Lenses Required") to your permit.
• Peripheral Vision: Adequate side vision is screened to detect merging vehicles or pedestrians.
• Color Perception: You must distinguish red, green, and amber traffic signals.

The vision screening occurs at the MVC counter. You can wear your glasses or contacts during the test.

• Optec Machine: Most agencies use this tabletop device. You read letters/numbers and identify side lights.
• Snellen Wall Chart: You can request this if you have trouble with the machine. You stand 20 feet away to read the 20/50 line.

What Happens If You Fail the Vision Screening

Failing the initial MVC vision test is not the end of your application.

1. The agent will stop the test and issue you a Vision Screening Report (Form ST-14).
2. You must take the ST-14 to a licensed New Jersey optometrist or ophthalmologist for a thorough eye exam.
3. If the doctor corrects your vision to 20/50 or better, they will certify the form.
4. You return the signed ST-14 to the MVC to proceed.

Where to go for an eye exam: You go to any licensed New Jersey optometrist or ophthalmologist. They must complete the official MVC ST-14 form.

How much does an outside vision exam cost: The cost varies by provider but varies by provider; the MVC does not publish an official fee range.

Check the New Jersey learner's permit guide for current rules and fees.

Complete New Jersey permit details are on the New Jersey permit guide.

Can you come back the same day: No. You cannot retest at the MVC the same day with your glasses. You must get the ST-14 form completed by an outside eye doctor and return on a different day.

Examples of Passing, Failing, and Retesting the Vision Screen

• Pass in Newark: A teen in Newark wears his contact lenses to the MVC agency on Frelinghuysen Avenue. He reads the 20/40 line on the Optec machine, passes, and receives his permit with a 'Corrective Lenses' restriction.
• Failure in Cherry Hill: An applicant at the Cherry Hill MVC fails the wall chart test without her glasses. She guesses at the letters, prompting the agent to stop the test. She leaves with an ST-14 form and schedules a next-day appointment with an optometrist on Haddonfield Road.
• Pass After Correction in Wayne: A driver at the Wayne Licensing Center initially fails the machine test. She visits a nearby eye clinic on Route 23, gets a new prescription, and her doctor certifies the ST-14. She returns two days later, presents the form, and passes the knowledge test.

Does New Jersey test both eyes for a learner permit?

The MVC screening checks whether you meet the published 20/50 visual-acuity standard, with or without corrective lenses. The basic permit page does not publish a separate 20/50 requirement for each eye.

Can I get a New Jersey permit if I have vision in only one eye?

Having reduced vision in one eye does not by itself answer whether you will pass. You still have to meet the MVC screening standard. If you do not pass at the agency, the MVC requires follow-up with a doctor using Form ST-14.

Is peripheral vision checked during the NJ MVC vision test?

The MVC's basic permit page publishes the 20/50 acuity standard but does not give a separate peripheral-vision number for a standard learner permit. If the screening leads to a medical referral, follow the ST-14 process provided by the MVC.

Getting a Learner's Permit While Wearing Glasses in New Jersey

Yes, you can get a learner's permit if you wear glasses or contact lenses. You must wear them during the MVC vision screening.

Corrective Lenses Restriction and Process

If you need glasses to pass the eyesight test for a permit, your permit will have Restriction Code 1 ('Corrective Lenses').

• You must wear your glasses or contacts every time you drive.
• Driving without them is a violation of NJ law and can result in fines.

Accepted visual aids for the vision screening driving permit:

If my prescription changes, do I need to update the corrective-lenses restriction? A new prescription does not let you ignore an existing restriction. If you can now meet the MVC standard without corrective lenses, ask the MVC about removing the restriction before driving without them.

Removing the Corrective Lenses Restriction

If your vision improves via LASIK or other means, you can have the restriction removed.

1. Visit an MVC Licensing Center.
2. Request to remove the restriction and retake the vision test without any aids.
3. If you pass the 20/50 standard unaided, pay a duplicate license fee (typically $11) for a new permit without Code 1.

What Happens When Glasses or Contacts Cause a Test Problem

At the Jersey City office: glasses broke that morning before the appointment. Failed the vision test; returned next day with repaired glasses and passed. New Jersey allows a next-day retest for vision once corrective eyewear is repaired or replaced.

How to Prepare for the NJ MVC Vision Test

• Bring your current prescription glasses or contacts to avoid an immediate failure and the need for an outside eye exam.
• Request the Snellen wall chart if you wear bifocals to prevent misreading the Optec machine due to lens alignment issues.
• Complete all sections of the ST-14 form with your eye doctor to avoid MVC rejection and a second clinic visit.