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HLS 26RS-363 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 777
BY REPRESENTATIVE MCMAKIN
MOTOR VEHICLES: Requires driver's license renewal knowledge examination
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 32:402.1(A)(2)(introductory paragraph) and to enact R.S.
3 32:408(I), relative to a mandatory driver's license renewal knowledge examination
4 for Class "E" licenses; to eliminate the third-party tester requirement to provide
5 certificates of examination successful completion; to provide for a deadline to pass
6 the knowledge examination; to provide for requirements within the renewal
7 knowledge test; to provide for various formats of the knowledge examination; to
8 provide for a score requirement of the knowledge examination; to provide for
9 temporary renewal licenses; to provide for uniformity for all drivers; to provide for
10 an annual report by the office of motor vehicles; to implement a public education
11 program; to provide for an effective date; and to provide for related matters.
12 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
13 Section 1. R.S. 32:402.1(A)(2)(introductory paragraph) is hereby amended and
14 reenacted and R.S. 32:408(I) is hereby enacted to read as follows:
15 §402.1. Driver education; required
16 A. No application for a license for the operation of a motor vehicle shall be
17 received from any person making application for the first time unless there is also
18 submitted with the application, on a form approved by the secretary of the
19 Department of Public Safety and Corrections, public safety services, written
20 evidence of the successful completion by the applicant of one of the following:
21 * * *
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HLS 26RS-363 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 777
1 (2) A "prelicensing training course" administered by a Class "D" and "E"
2 driver education provider licensed and contracted pursuant to R.S. 40:1461 for any
3 person eighteen years or older if a driver education course is not completed. The
4 prelicensing training course shall consist of a minimum of six hours of classroom
5 instruction and a minimum of eight hours of actual driving instruction, including the
6 administering of the skills test. A person shall not be allowed to receive more than
7 four hours of actual driving instruction on any single calendar day. A properly
8 licensed third-party examiner may, at his discretion, administer the skills test to the
9 student prior to the conclusion of the eight hours of actual driving instruction. Upon
10 successful completion of the instruction and skills test, the third-party tester shall
11 provide the student with a department-approved certificate of successful completion
12 in a sealed envelope to be delivered to the department. If the student fails to
13 successfully complete the skills test, the third-party examiner shall issue a
14 department-approved certificate indicating completion of the driver education course
15 but failure of the skills test. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections,
16 public safety services, shall establish rules and regulations to administer and define
17 the requirements of the course. Oversight review of these rules shall be conducted
18 by the House and Senate committees on transportation, highways and public works
19 in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act. The rules shall provide for:
20 * * *
21 §408. Examination of applicants required; classes of licenses
22 * * *
23 I.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, each applicant
24 for the renewal of a Class "E" driver's license shall successfully complete a driver's
25 knowledge examination as provided in this Subsection.
26 (2) The renewal driver's knowledge examination required by this Subsection
27 shall be administered not more than once every eight years.
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HLS 26RS-363 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 777
1 (3)(a) The renewal driver's knowledge examination shall be developed and
2 administered by the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor
3 vehicles, or an authorized third party, and shall include the following criteria:
4 (b) Assessment of the driver's knowledge of the following:
5 (i) Traffic laws of this state.
6 (ii) Roadway signage and markings.
7 (iii) Safe driving practices, including but not limited to distracted driving
8 laws and emerging roadway conditions.
9 (4)(a) The form of the examination shall be administered through one of the
10 following methods:
11 (i) Electronically via a secure online platform.
12 (ii) In person at official office of motor vehicle locations.
13 (iii) Electronically via mobile or remote service units, if made available by
14 the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor vehicles.
15 (b) The examination shall be made accessible in various formats, including
16 but not limited to:
17 (i) Multiple language options.
18 (ii) Audio or written large-print formats.
19 (iii) Any other reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable
20 state and federal law.
21 (5)(a) The applicant for a driver's license renewal shall achieve a minimum
22 passing score of eighty percent of the knowledge examination. Any applicant who
23 fails the examination shall be permitted not fewer than three attempts without an
24 additional fee.
25 (b) Failure to successfully complete the knowledge examination at the time
26 of renewal shall not result in the immediate suspension or revocation of driving
27 privileges.
28 (c)(i) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor
29 vehicles, shall issue a temporary renewal license that is valid for a period not to
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HLS 26RS-363 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 777
1 exceed ninety days, during which the applicant may retake and successfully complete
2 the examination.
3 (ii) If the driver fails to successfully complete the knowledge examination
4 within the ninety days, the driver's license shall be automatically suspended until
5 successful completion of the examination.
6 (7) No additional fee shall be charged for the administration of the
7 knowledge examination when taken in conjunction with a license renewal.
8 (8) The provisions of this Section shall apply uniformly to all drivers for
9 Class "E" renewals and shall not impose additional requirements based solely upon
10 the age of the driver.
11 (9) The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor
12 vehicles, shall submit an annual report to the House and Senate Committees on
13 transportation, highways and public works no later than February first and the report
14 shall include the following:
15 (a) The number of knowledge examinations administered.
16 (b) The pass and failure rates.
17 (c) The administrative costs associated with the implementation of this
18 Subsection.
19 (d) Any recommendations for statutory or regulatory changes.
20 Section 2. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections, office of motor
21 vehicles, shall implement a public education program prior to January 1, 2028 to apprise the
22 public of new driver's license renewal examination requirements, including the availability
23 of practice knowledge examinations and educational materials.
24 Section 3.(A) This Section and Section 2 of this Act shall become effective upon
25 signature of the governor or, if not signed by the governor, upon expiration of the time for
26 bills to become law without signature by the governor, as provided by Article III, Section
27 21 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If vetoed by the governor, and subsequently approved
28 by the legislature, this Act shall become effective on the day following such approval.
29 (B) Section 1 of this Act shall become effective on January 1, 2028.
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HLS 26RS-363 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 777
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 777 Original 2026 Regular Session McMakin
Abstract: Mandates the completion of a driver's knowledge examination for the renewal
of Class "E' driver's licenses.
Present law requires a third-party tester provide students a dept.-approved certificate of
successful completion of the instruction and skills test in a sealed envelope to be delivered
to the dept.
Proposed law retains present law but removes the requirement that a third-party tester
provide students a dept.-approved certificate of successful completion of the instruction and
skills test in a sealed envelope to be delivered to the dept.
Present law requires drivers applying for Class "E" licenses to pass a written knowledge and
skills test upon their initial application for the credential.
Proposed law requires drivers renewing Class "E" licenses to pass a driver's knowledge
examination based on the requirements provided for in proposed law.
Proposed law requires the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections (DPS&C), office of motor
vehicles (OMV), or an authorized third party to develop and administer the knowledge
examination based on an assessment of the driver's knowledge of traffic laws of this state,
roadway signage and markings, and safe driving practices, including but not limited to
distracted driving laws and emerging roadway conditions.
Proposed law requires the form of the examination be administered through one of the
following methods:
(1) Electronically via a secure online platform.
(2) In person at official OMV locations.
(3) Electronically via or remote service units, if made available by the OMV.
Proposed law requires the examination be made accessible in various formats, including but
not limited to:
(1) Multiple language options.
(2) Audio or written large-print formats.
(3) Any other reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable state and
federal law.
Proposed law requires the driver obtain a minimum of 80% on the knowledge examination
prior to renewal of the license. Further allows drivers to take the examination three times
without an additional fee.
Proposed law specifies that failure to timely complete the examination will not result in the
suspension or revocation of the driver's license. Further specifies that the dept. may offer
a temporary renewal license that is valid for a period not to exceed 90 days, during which
the applicant may retake and successfully complete the examination. Additionally requires
the driver's license be automatically suspended if the knowledge examination is not
successfully completed within the 90 days.
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HLS 26RS-363 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 777
Proposed law specifies that no additional fee can be charged for the administration of the
knowledge examination when taken in conjunction with a license renewal.
Proposed law requires that the examination apply uniformly to all Class "E" driver renewals
and not impose additional requirements based solely upon the age of the driver.
Proposed law requires the DPS&C, OMV, submit an annual report to the House and Senate
Committees on transportation, highways and public works no later than Feb. 1st and include
the following:
(1) The number of knowledge examinations administered.
(2) The pass and failure rates.
(3) The administrative costs associated with the implementation of this Subsection.
(4) Any recommendations for statutory or regulatory changes.
Proposed law requires the DPS&C, OMV, to implement a public education program prior
to the effective date of the proposed law, including the availability of practice knowledge
examinations and educational materials.
Makes implementation of the public education component of proposed law effective upon
signature of the governor. Makes implementation of the renewal examination applicable to
Class "E" licenses effective on Jan. 1, 2028.
(Amends R.S. 32:402.1(A)(2)(intro. para.); Adds R.S. 32:408(I))
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