A driver's license, driving licence, or driving permit is a legal authorization, or the official document confirming such an authorization, for a specific individual to operate one or more types of motorized vehicles—such as motorcycles, cars, trucks, or buses—on a public road. Such licenses are often plastic and the size of a credit card.
In most international agreements, the wording "driving permit" is used, for instance in the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic. In American English, the terms "driver license" or "driver's license" are used. In Australian English, Canadian English and New Zealand English, the terms "driver licence" or "driver's licence" are used[1] while in British English the term is "driving licence". In some countries the term "driving license" is used.
The laws relating to the licensing of drivers vary between jurisdictions. In some jurisdictions, a permit is issued after the recipient has passed a driving test, while in others a person acquires their permit or a learner's permit before beginning to drive. Different categories of permit often exist for different types of motor vehicles, particularly large trucks and passenger vehicles. The difficulty of the driving test varies considerably between jurisdictions, as do factors such as age and the required level of competence and practice.
- ^ Western Australia and South Australia cards have driver's licence, while cards from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and New Zealand have driver licence.