Missouri permit test locations are the driver examination stations run by the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP), not the Department of Revenue license offices. The Patrol lists about 154 testing locations, and its searchable station map at mshp.dps.missouri.gov shows the address, testing days, hours and phone number for each one. You do not need an appointment for the written test, but many sites are open only one or two days a week, so check the schedule before you drive over.
How Missouri permit test locations work
Missouri splits the job between two agencies. The Highway Patrol gives the Class F written test, the vision check and the driving test. The Department of Revenue (DOR), through its license offices, sells the permit after you pass. So the place you test and the place you buy your permit are usually two different buildings.
According to MSHP, the Patrol runs full-time driver testing at 16 locations, plus 118 part-time travel sites, 10 CDL skills sites and 5 sites that combine CDL skills testing with regular driver testing. MSHP also says examination stations are provided in each county of the state, so most families have a site within a reasonable drive.
| Type of site | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Full-time station | Open on weekdays, usually listed 8:00 to 5:00. The easiest choice if you can go any weekday. |
| Part-time travel site | Examiners visit on set days only, such as every Friday or the 2nd and 4th Tuesday. Check the day before you go. |
| CDL and driver combination site | Gives regular written and driving tests plus CDL skills tests. CDL skills tests there are by appointment only. |
| CDL skills site | For commercial skills tests. Not the place for a car permit test. |
Where to find a Missouri permit test near you
Searching for an MO permit test near me usually turns up DOR license offices first, which is why so many people end up at the wrong building. To find the right place:
- Open the MSHP driver examination station map or the station table on mshp.dps.missouri.gov.
- Filter by your city or county.
- Read the hours and the comments column for that site. That is where MSHP posts closures, early closings and suspended services.
- Note the phone number so you can call the station if the weather looks bad or the date is near a holiday.
- Plan to arrive early in the testing window, not near closing time.
A few examples from the MSHP list
These are examples from the MSHP station table as we checked it in October 2026. Hours and days change, so confirm on the official list before you go.
| Area | Station address | Testing days listed |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis County | 7232 N Lindbergh Blvd, Hazelwood | Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 5:00 |
| St. Louis County | 703 Big Bend Rd, Manchester | Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 5:00 |
| Kansas City | 615 E 13th St, Room G1 | Weekdays, 8:00 to 5:00 |
| Kansas City area | 6012 NE Antioch Rd, Gladstone | Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 5:00 |
| Columbia | 403D Vandiver Dr | Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 5:00 |
| Jefferson City | 1617 Southridge Dr | Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 5:00 |
| Joplin | 1110 E 7th St (Joplin Plaza) | Monday to Friday, 8:00 to 5:00 |
| Springfield area | Nixa, Ozark, Republic and Branson travel sites | Set days each week only |
Part-time sites are where people get caught out. The Liberty site, for example, is listed for Fridays only, and the Platte City site for Thursdays only. In the Bootheel and southeast Missouri, Troop E publishes a monthly schedule that rotates examiners between towns such as Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau and Sikeston. If your nearest site is part-time, a full-time station a little farther away can save you a wasted trip.
What to bring to the exam station
MSHP's driver examination FAQ asks teens taking the written test for one of these:
- A certified birth certificate.
- A valid, unexpired passport.
- A Missouri ID card.
Adults usually show a certified birth certificate, a valid passport or a state ID, and a valid Missouri license or permit also works if it has not been expired more than six months. MSHP does not accept school ID cards, Social Security cards or birth certificates that have been laminated or altered. Bring glasses or contacts if you wear them, because you also take a vision check.
Test day at a Missouri exam station
- No appointment: MSHP says you do not need one for the written test or a regular driving test. CDL skills tests are the exception.
- No fee: the Patrol does not charge for written or regular driving tests.
- Format: you can usually take the written test on a touch screen computer or tablet, on paper, or ask for it to be read to you.
- Languages: MSHP offers the Class F written test in 20 languages, including a sign language video version.
- Retries: you may take any written test up to two times per day, statewide.
- Timing: MSHP says arriving before closing time does not guarantee a test, because testing depends on staff and how many people are waiting. Many station listings also say tests must be finished 10 minutes before closing.
Go early in the day and early in the week. A full waiting room at 3:30 can mean no test that day, and a second try after a fail is only possible if there is time left.
After you pass: buying the permit
When you pass, the examiner gives you a testing receipt that shows which tests you passed. That receipt is not a permit. MSHP says it is not legal for any type of driving until you buy a license or permit at a DOR license office. Take it to a license office with your identity, Social Security and residency documents, and pay the $10 instruction permit fee. The minimum age for a Missouri instruction permit is 15.
Where do I take the Missouri permit test?
At a Missouri State Highway Patrol driver examination station. Use the MSHP station map or table to find the nearest site and its testing days. DOR license offices sell the permit but do not give the written test.
Do I need an appointment for the Missouri permit test?
No. MSHP says you do not need an appointment for a written test. Testing depends on staff availability, so arrive early.
Is there an MO permit test near me on weekends?
The station listings we checked show weekday hours. Some part-time sites test only one or two days a week, so check the MSHP map for your area.
Can I take the Missouri permit test at a license office?
No. The written test is given by the Highway Patrol at its exam stations. You go to a DOR license office after you pass to buy the $10 permit.
How many times can I take the test in one day?
MSHP allows any written test up to two times per day, statewide.
