Bond, James Bond. He has a license to kill. But if you're reading this, you're only looking for a license to operate a motor vehicle. Which decidedly is not a license to kill. And we're here to teach you the basics so you don't even kill anyone by accident. 

If you drive on public roads and are 17 years of age or older, you have to have a New Jersey driver's license. Period. If you don't need one, then you can stop reading right now.

And this makes sense, right? If it's a "public" road, it means everyone has paid for it with their hard-earned tax dollars. And if it's public, innocent people will be driving on it, walking on it, and biking on it. If you just want to drive up and down your parents' driveway, then hey, you're good. You don't need a license to do that. As long as Mom and Dad are cool with it, rock on.

Exceptions

Military: If you're military personnel driving a United States government vehicle on official business—or in Afghanistan, Iraq, or somewhere where a New Jersey driver's license really isn't a big concern—then you don't need a New Jersey license, as long as you have a valid license from your home state. Family members of servicemen and women stationed in New Jersey are exempt as well, unless that person gains employment off base.

Students: If you're a nonresident attending college in New Jersey, then you don't need a New Jersey driver's license. But you'll need a license from your home state, obviously. 

Off-Road: Snowmobiles, cats, honkers, buggies, jeepers, bleepblops and other off-road vehicles don't require you to have a license if you have to cross a road as long as they're registered (a.k.a. have a license plate and necessary stickers). You can't drive 'em on the roads, but you can cross the road like the chicken, just to get to the other side. You just can't cross freeways in any of these unless you like eating metal at 65 miles per hour.