Can People With One Eye Get a Driver's License?

Yes — people with vision in only one eye can and do obtain driver's licenses in the United States. But whether a specific individual qualifies, and under what conditions, depends on their state's vision standards, the license class they're applying for, and how their functional vision measures against established thresholds.

How Vision Requirements Generally Work for Licensing

Every state sets minimum vision standards that applicants must meet to receive a standard driver's license. These typically include two components:

• Visual acuity — how clearly you can see at a distance, usually measured with or without corrective lenses
• Visual field — the width of your peripheral vision, measured in degrees

Most states require a minimum visual acuity of 20/40 in at least one eye, with or without correction. Some states set the threshold at 20/50 or 20/60. A person with one functioning eye can meet this standard if that eye reaches the required acuity level.

Visual field is where monocular drivers — those with usable vision in only one eye — often face closer scrutiny. Binocular vision naturally produces a wider field of view. Someone using only one eye typically has a narrower field, and some states set minimum horizontal field requirements (commonly around 70 to 140 degrees, depending on the state) that an applicant must meet.

👁️ The key point: states evaluate the functional vision you have, not simply how many eyes you're using.

What Happens During the Vision Screening

For most first-time applicants, the vision screening happens at the DMV using a standard vision testing machine. The examiner checks your acuity and may check your field of vision. If your results meet state minimums, you move forward in the licensing process.

If your vision doesn't meet the standard screening thresholds, many states will ask you to provide a vision report from a licensed eye care professional — an ophthalmologist or optometrist. That report documents your corrected and uncorrected acuity, your visual field, and any conditions affecting your vision. The DMV uses that report to determine whether you meet eligibility requirements, sometimes under a restricted license condition.

Restricted Licenses and Adaptive Conditions

Many states issue licenses with restrictions when a driver's vision falls outside normal parameters but still meets a functional minimum. For monocular drivers, common restrictions include:

Not every monocular driver receives restrictions — some meet standard thresholds without any. Others receive one or more of the above. The specific restrictions, if any, are determined by the state DMV based on the applicant's documented vision.

Monocular Vision and Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDLs)

This is where the rules become significantly stricter. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) standards govern CDL medical requirements, and those standards apply uniformly across all states for drivers operating vehicles in interstate commerce.

Federal physical qualification standards for CDL holders require distant visual acuity of at least 20/40 in each eye, with or without corrective lenses. They also require a horizontal visual field of at least 70 degrees in each eye.

For most monocular drivers, this means they do not meet the standard federal vision requirement for a CDL — not because state DMVs have made that determination, but because the federal standard specifies per-eye requirements.

However, there is a federal vision exemption program administered by the FMCSA. Drivers who cannot meet the standard vision requirement may apply for an exemption, which — if granted — allows them to operate commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce. These exemptions are evaluated individually and are not guaranteed.

State-only commercial driving (intrastate operations) may have different rules, since some states set their own physical standards for drivers who operate only within state lines. Requirements vary.

How States Differ on Monocular Licensing

There is no single national standard for standard (non-commercial) licenses. States have their own acuity thresholds, field-of-vision requirements, and policies for restricted licenses. A few things that vary:

• Minimum acuity thresholds — ranges typically fall between 20/40 and 20/200 depending on the state and whether restrictions apply
• Field of vision minimums — some states specify this precisely; others don't have a codified field requirement for standard licenses
• Reporting requirements — some states require periodic vision reports from eye care professionals for drivers with documented vision conditions
• Renewal screening — some states require vision screening at every in-person renewal; others do not

A monocular driver who qualifies in one state may face different requirements if they move and need to transfer their license to a new state.

The Variables That Shape Individual Outcomes

Whether someone with one eye can get a driver's license — and what that license allows — depends on:

• Which state they're applying in and that state's specific acuity and field standards
• The visual acuity of their functioning eye, with and without correction
• Their visual field measurement in that eye
• The license class they're seeking — standard passenger vs. commercial
• Whether they're applying for the first time or renewing an existing license
• Their eye care provider's documentation and how it aligns with DMV reporting requirements

🔍 Two people, both monocular, applying in the same state can end up with different outcomes depending on measured acuity, field of vision, and whether corrective lenses bring their vision into compliance.

The question of whether you qualify — and under what restrictions — comes down to your state's specific standards and how your vision measures against them. That's information your state DMV and your eye care provider are the right sources for.