Can you wear glasses during the DMV vision screening?
Yes, you can absolutely wear glasses or contact lenses during your DMV eye test. Millions of drivers take and pass their vision screening with corrective lenses every day. In fact, if you need prescription lenses to see clearly at distance, you should always bring them to the DMV counter.
What about reading glasses?
A common question applicants search for is: can you use reading glasses for the DMV eye test? The short answer is generally no for distance acuity.
Reading glasses (cheaters or plus lenses) are designed to magnify objects within arm's reach (about 14 to 16 inches). Because the primary DMV vision exam measures distance visual acuity at an optical simulation of 20 feet (6 meters), wearing pure reading glasses will actually blur your distance vision and cause you to fail line 5. You must use distance lenses, bifocals, or progressives rather than single-vision reading glasses for the distance check.
What is the 'B' Corrective Lenses Restriction?
If you take and pass the vision test while wearing glasses or contacts, the licensing officer will place a corrective lenses restriction on your driver's license (commonly denoted with code B on most state licenses). This restriction legally requires you to wear your corrective lenses whenever operating a motor vehicle. Driving without your glasses when this restriction is active is a traffic violation that carries fines and potential citations.
Can you remove the restriction later?
Yes. If your vision improves (for example, after LASIK or cataract surgery), or if you can meet the 20/40 benchmark without lenses, you can return to the DMV, retake the vision screening uncorrected, and have the restriction removed from your physical card.
How to prepare before going to the counter
Before your appointment, test your eyesight at home with and without your corrective eyewear. Use our free practice DMV vision screener to verify which eye reaches 20/40. If your current glasses still feel blurry at 10 or 20 feet, visit an eye doctor for an updated prescription before visiting the DMV.