Minor School License

MINOR SCHOOL LICENSE (SCHOOL PERMIT)

Driving to school using a minor school license is a big responsibility that needs to be taken seriously in order to keep everyone safe and protect your right to drive.

HOW DOES A STUDENT GET A SCHOOL PERMIT?

• Be at least 14 1/2 years old and have had an instruction permit with a clean driving record for six consecutive months immediately prior to applying.
• Take and pass a Iowa-approved driver education course.
• Live 1 mile or more from the school you are enrolled in, unless a special need exists (see below). If you have more than one residence, where you live is the location you reside the majority of the time.
• You must have your superintendent AND your parent or guardian sign the Affidavit for School License available at any driver’s license issuance site, online or at the District Office.
• Along with providing your completed Affidavit for School License, you may be required to complete a drive test at the driver’s license issuance site.

WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH A SCHOOL PERMIT

This license allows you to drive without adult supervision between the hours of 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. for the following.

• Drive from your home to your school or school sponsored activities using the most direct and accessible route. Activities must be sponsored through the school you are enrolled in.
• Drive to a school that is not the school you attend to participate in extracurricular activities. Activities must be in a bordering school district and must be held at a site, facility, or school designated for the activity under a sharing agreement between schools or conducted at a site or facility that the school district you are enrolled in has designated to accommodate extracurricular activities.
• Drive to and from your home to the closest school bus stop.
• Stop for fuel while on route or at the closest filling station off route.

WHAT YOU CAN'T DO WITH A SCHOOL PERMIT

• Use an electronic device including but not limited to a cell phone, smartphone, tablet, MP3 player while driving.
• Carry more than one non-relative minor passenger. A relative means someone that is your brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, or another minor living in your household.
• Drive to a school that is not the school you attend to participate in extracurricular activities if the activities are not in a contiguous (bordering) school district and are not held at a site, facility, or school designated for the activity under a sharing agreement between schools or are not conducted at a site or facility that the school district you attend has designated to accommodate extracurricular activities.
• Transport more passengers than the number of seat belts in your vehicle.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I MESS UP?

Your license will be suspended if you are convicted of a traffic violation (including, but not limited to, speeding, reckless driving, failure to obey a traffic signal), violate any of the restrictions on your license, or are involved in a crash you caused or contributed to.

• First offense: Your license will be suspended for 30 days and you must pay a fee to reinstate your school permit.
• Second offense: Your license will be revoked for 30 days and you must pay a fee to reinstate to an instruction permit for six months before you are eligible for a school permit.

Any time you have a violation, or any time your license gets suspended or revoked, your six-month period to have a clean driving record will start over.

MAY A DUAL-ENROLLED STUDENT GET A SCHOOL PERMIT?

If you have completed an Iowa-approved driver education course, you are eligible for a school permit for the purpose of driving to the district academic program or activity that takes place 1 mile or more from the student's home, unless school transportation is an option. The school permit is not valid for driving to home school academics or activities.

CAN A MINOR STUDENT WHO HAS COMPLETED DRIVER EDUCATION IN ANOTHER STATE GET AN IOWA SCHOOL PERMIT?

To obtain an Iowa school permit, the student must provide an Iowa driver education completion certificate from their Iowa school. If a student completed driver education in another state, they can ask their Iowa school district if the course meets the same program requirements as the Iowa school district’s course. If it does, the Iowa school may issue a driver education completion certificate. This decision is made by the local school district and is at their discretion.

SPECIAL NEED EXCEPTIONS

The Iowa DOT requires the school board to determine if a special need exists for a student to be granted a school permit that lives less than a mile from the school.

• The most direct route to and from school is deemed unsafe or has road construction that is anticipated for an extended period of time.
• Parent/guardian work hours that are consistently scheduled at a time that interferes with the student attending school or participating in school-sponsored activities unless the student is permitted to drive.
• Either the student or parent/guardian have a medical need or physical disability that interferes with the student attending school or participating in school-sponsored activities unless the student is permitted to drive.

Download and fill out the Minor School License Paperwork or a paper copies may be obtained at the Administration Office at 304 W. Nishna Rd., Shenandoah, IA 51601.