Padnos International Center  


Padnos International Center
130 Lake Ontario Hall
Allendale, MI 49401
Phone: 616-331-3898
Fax: 616-331-3899
pic@gvsu.edu



Your guide to West Michigan.

Driver License Requirements
Age 18 or older

You can apply for an original driver’s license, renewal or State ID at a local Secretary of State office.  To see a list of documents that you will need, please click here.

1.  Present proof of identity
          * Student ID

2.  Present proof of Michigan residency
          * Utility bill or credit card bill issued within the last 90 days or
          * Account statement from bank issued within the last 90 days or
          * Transcripts or
          * Cell phone bill or
          * Housing contract/rental agreement

3.  Provide your Social Security Number. If you do not have a social security number you will need to obtain a letter of ineligibility from the social security administration. You will need to explain that you are not eligible for a Social Security Number (if you are an F-1 student without a job or a job offer, for example), and that you need the letter in order to apply for your driver’s license. You will receive the letter right away; you will not have to make a second trip to the Social Security Office.

4.  Proof of legal presence
          * Passport
          * Visa
          * I-94
          * DS-2019 or
          * I-20

5.  Pass a vision test and meet physical and mental standards set by the Secretary of State's office http://www.michigan.gov/sos/1,1607,7-127-1627_8669_8998-30007--,00.html

6.  Pass a knowledge test if you have never had a driver license or if it has been expired at least four years.

7.  Pay the appropriate license fee. Driver licenses cost $25 for an operator and $35 for a chauffeur license. Secretary of State does not accept credit or debit cards. Payment must be cash, check, or money order.

8.  Complete a minimum 30 days of practice driving on a temporary instruction permit (TIP).

9.  Pass a road skills test. This test will be administered by an independent testing agency approved by the Secretary of State http://www.sos.state.mi.us/bbos/3rdpt/counties/kent.html

Translating your driver's license

If you have a driver's license from another country (other than Canada), please make sure that it is translated into English. Having a translated driver's license will speed up your application for a Michigan driver's license. If you are already in the US and want to get your license translated, you can do so at GVSU Department of Modern Languages & Literatures 331-3203.  *You cannot translate your own documents.


There is a branch of the Secretary of State only few blocks away from the downtown campus on:

                    401 Fulton St W # 349C, Grand Rapids
                    Telephone (616) 458-3564

For more information call the Information Center at (517) 322-1460

Michigan Identification Card (Age 18 or older)

Michigan Identification Cards are issued to non-driving residents for identification purposes instead of a Michigan drivers license.  If you are planning on staying at Grand Valley for more than a year, you may want to get a Michigan ID to serve as an identification document.

For a list of  requirements for a Michigan Identification Card please visit the Secretary of State's website

The cost of the Michigan Identification Card is $10. Keep in mind that the Secretary of State does not accept credit or debit cards. Payment must be in cash, check or money order.
  Last Modified Date: July 21, 2009
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