North Dakota Driver's License Full Cost Breakdown: State Fees, Driver's Ed, and Retake Costs by Age

The minimum North Dakota state-fee path is $40 when the knowledge test is taken in person and $45 when the Class D knowledge test is taken online through KnowTo Drive. Driver education, private lessons, retakes and other optional or age-specific costs are additional.

Complete North Dakota Driver's License Cost Breakdown by Age

The core state fees do not change just because the applicant is older or younger, but the required training and waiting rules can change by age.

Driver education or private training is a separate provider cost and may apply based on age or the licensing path.

Minimum total state cost to get a North Dakota Class D license

The minimum state-fee path is $40 with the $5 in-person knowledge test or $45 with the $10 KnowTo Drive online test, assuming first-attempt passes and a standard NDDOT road test.

Does taking the North Dakota permit test online increase the total licensing cost?

Yes. The online knowledge test is $10 instead of $5 in person, so the minimum state-fee path is $5 higher when KnowTo Drive is used.

North Dakota licensing costs are state fees and which are private costs

The knowledge test, permit, NDDOT road test and Class D license are state fees. Driver education, private lessons, vehicle repairs and similar provider costs are separate private expenses.

Does a road-test waiver reduce the total North Dakota licensing cost? If NDDOT accepts a qualifying waiver and no NDDOT road test is taken, the $5 road-test fee is not part of that path. The training used to qualify for the waiver can cost much more than $5, so a waiver should not be treated as an automatic overall savings.

Does Waiting Until 16 or 18 Reduce North Dakota Licensing Costs?

Waiting until 18 does not remove the instruction-permit step. Adults still obtain a permit after the knowledge test before taking the road test.

The minimum state-fee total remains $40 with the in-person knowledge test or $45 with KnowTo Drive online. The possible savings from waiting come from age-specific driver-education requirements, not from eliminating the permit, road test or license fees.

How Much More Does the North Dakota License Cost With Test Failures?

Each failed test attempt adds the applicable test fee to the base licensing total.

• In-person knowledge retake: +$5 per additional attempt.
• KnowTo Drive online retake: +$10 per additional attempt.
• NDDOT road-test retake: +$5 per additional attempt.

For example, an in-person path with one extra knowledge attempt and one extra road test rises from $40 to $50. An online path with one extra online knowledge attempt and one extra road test rises from $45 to $60.

How much more does each failed knowledge or road test add?

An additional in-person knowledge attempt adds $5, an additional KnowTo Drive online attempt adds $10, and an additional NDDOT road-test attempt adds $5.

What Hidden Costs Catch North Dakota Applicants Off Guard?

Costs outside the standard state fees can include driver education, optional private lessons, replacement certified identity documents, a medical evaluation if NDDOT requires one, and vehicle repairs needed before a road test.

For identity documents, NDDOT requires acceptable originals or certified copies where applicable; a simple photocopy or a notarized copy should not be treated as a replacement for an original or certified document.

Keep private training prices on the Behind-the-Wheel Training Cost page and document requirements on the Required Documents page.

Avoiding Extra North Dakota Licensing Costs

• Schedule the required Driver License Site appointment online or call 1-855-633-6835. NDDOT currently does not allow walk-ins at Driver License Sites.
• Use the current Application for Driver License, Permit or Identification Card (SFN 6763) when that form is required.
• Bring the required original or certified documents rather than relying on photocopies or notarized copies that do not meet the document rule.

Use the dedicated Appointment and Required Documents pages for the full visit checklist.