Key points
A temporary instruction permit (TIP) is valid for 180 days.
Source: Handbook p. 7
“A temporary instruction permit (TIP) is valid for 180 days.”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 7On a TIP you must practice at least 30 days before the driving skills test.
Source: Handbook p. 7
“You must complete a minimum of 30 days of practice driving on a TIP before taking the driving skills test.”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 7You can take the knowledge test online at home for a $6.50 convenience fee.
Source: Handbook p. 6
“You also have the option of taking an online version of the test at home on your own computer or laptop for a $6.50 convenience fee.”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 6If your foreign or out of state license has been expired at least 4 years, you must get a TIP and pass a driving skills test.
Source: Handbook p. 3
“If you have an expired foreign driver’s license or an out-of-state license that has been expired for at least four years, you must apply for a TIP and pass a driving skills test”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 3Drivers licensed for the first time are on probation for at least 3 years.
Source: Handbook p. 8
“Drivers licensed for the first time are placed on probation for a minimum of three years.”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 8A license is usually valid for 4 years and expires on your birthday; under 21 it expires on your 21st birthday.
Source: Handbook p. 10
“Your driver’s license is usually valid for four years and expires on your birthday in the year shown on the license. If you are under age 21, your driver’s license expires on your 21st birthday.”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 10You must renew in person at a Secretary of State office every 12 years.
Source: Handbook p. 10
“You must renew your driver’s license every 12 years at a Secretary of State office.”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 10Your license may be suspended or revoked if you fail to report a change of address.
Source: Handbook p. 10
“Your driver’s license may be suspended or revoked if you fail to change your address with the Secretary of State.”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 10A first time applicant with 2 or more moving violation convictions in 3 years will not be issued a license.
Source: Handbook p. 1
“You have two or more convictions for moving violations on your driving record within three years of the date that you apply for a license.”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 1Michigan law allows you to hold only one valid driver's license at a time.
Source: Handbook p. 1
“Michigan law allows drivers to hold only one valid driver’s license at a time.”
What Every Driver Must Know, Handbook p. 1
Numbers to know
| Number | What it means | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| 180 days | how long a TIP is valid | Handbook p. 7 |
| 30 days | minimum practice on a TIP before the skills test | Handbook p. 7 |
| $6.50 | fee to take the knowledge test online | Handbook p. 6 |
| 4 years | expiration that requires a new TIP and skills test | Handbook p. 3 |
| 3 years | minimum probation for new drivers | Handbook p. 8 |
| 4 years | usual license term | Handbook p. 10 |
| 21st birthday | when a license issued under 21 expires | Handbook p. 10 |
| 12 years | how often you must renew in person | Handbook p. 10 |
| 2 convictions in 3 years | moving violations that block a first license | Handbook p. 1 |
3 questions from the Michigan practice test
1. How long is a Michigan temporary instruction permit valid?
- 180 days
- 30 days
- One year
- Two years
Show answer
180 days. A temporary instruction permit, or TIP, is valid for 180 days and allows you to practice driving with a licensed adult before taking the driving skills test; it is issued to people who have never been licensed. A motorcycle TIP is also good for 180 days, requires constant visual supervision by a licensed motorcycle operator at least 18, and bars night riding and passengers.
2. When does a Michigan driver's license expire for a driver under 21?
- Four years after issue
- At age 18
- At age 25
- On the driver's 21st birthday
Show answer
On the driver's 21st birthday. A Michigan license is usually valid for four years and expires on your birthday in the year shown, but if you are under age 21 your license expires on your 21st birthday. The Secretary of State mails a renewal notice well in advance to the address on file, which is why address changes must be reported. Under 21 licenses are printed vertically.
3. What does it cost to take Michigan's written knowledge test online at home?
- A $6.50 convenience fee
- $25
- It is free
- $50
Show answer
A $6.50 convenience fee. The written knowledge test is given at Secretary of State offices at no charge, and you also have the option of taking an online version at home on your own computer or laptop for a $6.50 convenience fee. After passing the written and vision tests and paying the fee, a temporary instruction permit valid for 180 days is issued for supervised practice.
Practice this topic
Lock it in with laws and paperwork questions from the free Michigan practice test. Every answer comes with a plain English explanation.
Source: the What Every Driver Must Know, Chapter 1: Your Driver's License. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.