Texas Driver's License Issue Date
Your Texas driver's license issue date is marked as "ISS" on the front of the card, printed under the date-of-birth row and right next to the expiration date (EXP). On a sample Texas Class C license, ISS might read 06/14/2022 — that is the day the Texas Department of Public Safety printed your current card.
"ISS" is short for "Issue Date" — the day your current license card was printed. It is not necessarily the day you first became a licensed driver in the state.
What does "DD" mean on a Texas driver's license?
DD is the Document Discriminator — a unique serial number Texas DPS assigns to each individual card it prints. If you replace a lost license, the new card has a new DD even though your driver license number stays the same. Banks and rental car companies sometimes check the DD when verifying ID authenticity.
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What is "REST" or "RSTR" on a Texas license?
RSTR stands for Restrictions — for example, "A" for corrective lenses or "B" for an outside mirror requirement. The Texas Driver Handbook lists every restriction code.
What does "END" mean?
END stands for Endorsements, which apply to commercial drivers (CDL). A standard Class C Texas license usually shows "NONE" here.
How long is a Texas driver's license valid?
A standard Texas Class C driver license is valid for 8 years if you are between 18 and 84, and 2 years if you are 85 or older. New drivers under 18 receive a license that expires the day before their 18th birthday.
Need an older issue date?
If you need the date you were first licensed in Texas (for an insurance discount, employment screening, or a CDL application), that information lives in your full driving record — not on the plastic card. Request it from the Texas Department of Public Safety at https://www.dps.texas.gov/section/driver-license.
For a visual tour of every state's driver license design, see our full guide.
