Driver's license/ID

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Please note: After passing the knowledge test, you will need to come in to a service center to be issued your permit. We are currently only accepting appointments after May 1. In order to keep you safe from the spread of COVID-19, we serve a smaller of number of people in our centers at one time so it may take several weeks to get an appointment. Schedule an appointment

Skip the Trip

Skip the Trip allows students to take the web-based knowledge test that is required to obtain a driver’s instruction permit at a participating schools or agency instead of making the trip to an Iowa DOT or local county treasurer’s office to complete the test. This allows students to take the test in a familiar and comfortable environment and saves parents and students time away from work or school by potentially reducing the number of trips to the Iowa DOT or local county treasurer’s office. Only students enrolled with a participating school or agency are eligible to take the knowledge test.

Students who pass the knowledge test at their school will be sent an email verifying their passing results which can be taken to any county or state location in Iowa that issues driver’s licenses along with other required documentation to prove their identity. Build a customized list of the required documents necessary to receive your instruction permit.

Currently the following schools and agencies are offering Skip the Trip testing:

Skip the trip at home

Students can also take the web-based knowledge test that is required to obtain a driver’s instruction permit in the comfort of their own home. Your school does not need to participate in the skip the trip program to be able to do the home option. A parent will be required to administer the test and the student will need an electronic device (not a phone or tablet) connected to the Internet.

To apply to take the test at home, the child must be at least 14 years old and younger than 18. First, the parent will need to complete and submit the Application to Proctor Knowledge Exam form. Upon approval of the application, the parent and student will receive an email with instructions for taking and administering the test. The link sent in the email will expire after 72 hours. If it expires, you will need to fill out the application to apply again. After the test is completed, the student will receive an email with the test results and instructions.

Due to the high volume of applications coming through, it may take at least 4 weeks to process your application. If you prefer, you can schedule an appointment online to take the knowledge exam in a Service Center location.

School name City
Adair Casey Community Adair
AGWSR Ackley
Albia High School Albia
Aplington-Parkersburg Middle School Aplington
Bellevue Community School District Bellevue
Berg Middle School (Newton Community Schools) Newton
Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malson Jr-Sr High School Brooklyn
CAM Community School District Anita
Centerville High School Centerville
Central City High School Central City
Charter Oak-Ute Community School District Charter Oak
Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Clarion
Colo-Nesco Community School Colo
Creston Middle School Creston
Denison Job Corps Denison
Drive with Cops Urbandale
Safer Driving Solutions Richland
Durant High School Durant
East High School Des Moines
Easton Valley High School Preston
East Union Community School District Afton
English Valley Jr-Sr High School North English
Essex Community School Essex
Fairfield Middle Fairfield
Forest City High School Forest City
Fort Dodge Community School Fort Dodge
Greene County High School Jefferson
Hampton-Dumont High Hampton
Highland High School Riverside
Indianola High School Indianola
Keokuk High School Keokuk
Knoxville Middle School Knoxville
Lynnville-Sully High School Sully
Maharishi University of Management Fairfield
Melcher-Dallas High School Melcher-Dallas
Meskwaki Settlement Schools Toledo
Midland Middle School Wyoming
Mid-Prairie Middle School Kalona
MOC-Floyd Valley Orange City
Montezuma High School Montezuma
Moulton-Udell High School Moulton
Nashua-Plainfield Schools Nashua
Nevada Community School District Nevada
Newton Senior High Newton
North Butler School District Greene
North Mahaska Jr-Sr High School New Sharon
North Polk Middle School Alleman
North Tama Schools Traer
Ottumwa Job Corps. Ottumwa
Pella Christian Pella
Pella Community Pella
Pleasantville Community School District Pleasantville
Postville Community School District Postville
Roland Story Middle School Roland
Saint Malachy School Creston
Scavo High School Des Moines
Seton Catholic High School Farley
Tri-Center Schools Neola
Twin Cedars Jr-Sr High School Twin Cedars
Urbandale High School Urbandale
Union Schools La Porte City
Waukon Community Schools Waukon
West Hancock Community Schools Britt
Wilton Community School District Wilton
Woodbury Central High School Moville