Nevada licenses are issued by the Nevada DMV, and the transfer happens in person at a DMV office. The same visit can cover your vehicle registration, so it’s worth handling both at once.
The short version
- You have 30 days after becoming a Nevada resident to get a Nevada license, and your vehicles have the same deadline.
- Drivers 21 and older with a valid U.S. or Canadian license usually skip the knowledge and driving tests.Everyone takes a vision test.
- A standard license costs $41.50 for eight years, or $17.50 for four years if you’re 65 or older.
Do you need to transfer?
- Not if you’re here temporarily. Active-duty military members and their spouses and dependents, out-of-state students, and people living in Nevada temporarily don’t have to switch.
- Visiting or here on a visa? Visitors can’t get a Nevada license. Foreign nationals may qualify for a license or a Driver Authorization Card, depending on their immigration status.
- Never licensed, or licensed in another country? You’ll take the knowledge and driving tests like a new driver.
- Commercial driver? CDL transfers go through a Nevada CDL office, not a regular DMV office.
Nevada’s 30-Day Deadline for New Residents
The Nevada DMV’s registration rules give new residents 30 days to get a Nevada driver’s license and register their vehicles. You count as a resident once you do any of the following:
- Declare Nevada as your legal residence
- Live and work, or run a business, in Nevada
- Use Nevada as the home state for your vehicles
- Claim Nevada residency to get state-specific benefits
You’ll need a Nevada street address, since P.O. boxes aren’t accepted. If your old license expires before your appointment, print the appointment confirmation email and carry it to show law enforcement.
Documents You Need to Transfer a License to Nevada
The DMV’s New Resident Guide lists what to bring:
- One proof of identity
- Proof of every name change, if your name differs across documents
- One proof of your Social Security number
- Two proofs of your Nevada home address, such as a utility bill or lease
- Your current out-of-state license, permit or ID card
- DMV-approved translations of any documents that aren’t in English
Whether you leave with a REAL ID or a standard license depends on which documents you bring. The DMV’s document checklist (DMV 505) compares the two.
Veterans who want a veteran designation should also bring a DD-214 or other proof of honorable discharge.
How to Transfer Your License to Nevada Step by Step
- Gather your documents using the DMV 505 checklist.
- Book a DMV appointment. Our guide to making a Nevada DMV appointment walks through it. If you live in a city, don’t go to a rural office, because rural offices can turn urban residents away when they’re full.
- Plan for your car. The same visit can cover registration, so bring Nevada insurance, your out-of-state plates and any required emissions report. At the Carson City, Henderson, Las Vegas and Reno offices, finish the VIN inspection at the station outside before your appointment. See our guide to transferring a vehicle title in Nevadafor the title side.
- Take the vision test. Everyone takes one, and the standard is 20/40. If you need glasses or contacts to pass, your license gets Restriction B.
- Take the knowledge or driving test only if required (see below).
- Pay and leave with an interim document. Nevada mails every license, and you can track yours in a MyDMV account.
When Nevada Requires Testing for a License Transfer
Drivers 21 and older with a valid license from a U.S. state, U.S. territory or Canada can skip the knowledge and skills tests. Drivers under 21 take the knowledge test. You’ll also take it if any of these apply:
- Your license expired or was surrendered more than a year ago, and you’ll take the driving test too after four years
- You have three or more moving violations in the past four years
- Your license was suspended, revoked, canceled or disqualified in the past four years
- You have a DUI conviction in the past seven years
- Your license has restrictions that need reevaluation
- You’re applying for a different class of license
If you need the knowledge test, you can take it online through KnowToDrive Nevada on a computer with a camera, according to the DMV’s testing page.
Nevada License Transfer Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard license, valid 8 years | $41.50 |
| License for drivers 65 and older, valid 4 years | $17.50 |
| Motorcycle endorsement transfer | +$5.00 |
| Knowledge and skills testing, if required | $25.00 |
| Typical transfer: driver under 65, no tests | $41.50 |
DMV offices accept cash, checks for the exact amount, money orders, Visa, MasterCard and Discover. The DMV’s license fee page has the full schedule, and our list of Nevada DMV fees covers vehicle charges too.
Nevada License Transfer FAQs
Yes. Nevada accepts a valid or expired license from another state. If it’s been expired for more than a year, you’ll take the knowledge test, and after four years, the driving test too.
No, it’s your choice. The documents you bring decide whether you get a REAL ID or a standard license, and the DMV 505 checklist shows what each needs.
Yes, within the same 30 days. Out-of-state insurance isn’t accepted, so switch to a policy from a Nevada-licensed insurer before your visit. If your car needs an emissions test, the result is valid for 90 days.
Usually, yes. Nevada transfers most endorsements from other states for an extra $5. Towing multiple trailers, or a trailer over 10,000 pounds, needs a special Nevada endorsement and more testing.
Most licenses last eight years. Drivers 65 and older get a four-year license. Nevada gives you 30 days, and one well-prepared DMV visit can cover both your license and your car. Collect your identity, Social Security and two address documents before you book.
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