The License is a means of progressing through Burnout Paradise with each class highlighting the player's current progression and the selection of vehicles available to them.
When entering Paradise City for the first time, the player is given a Learner's Permit license by Paradise City's Department of Motor Vehicles as they're introduced to the city by DJ Atomika, and is stamped with the date of its approval.
The image printed onto the player's licenses is the image associated with their profile or account. If the player does not have a profile image associated with their account, a default silhouette image is printed in its place.
Players progress through their license by winning events, although won events are cleared with each new license up to the Burnout License, which means players are allowed to win any events they choose to progress their license. Reaching the highest level for each license will require players to beat Road Rules, and collect Discoveries.
A completion percentage is also shown for each license, although progressing beyond 100% requires players to complete all career content and various Freeburn Challenges.
The Learner's Permit gives players access to all of Paradise City, as well as their first vehicle from the Junkyard, the Hunter Cavalry. It is the first license issued to all players and is required before they can progress through any accompanying licenses.
There are three different types of licenses in Burnout Paradise:
- Driver's License - Player's progression through the original content included in Burnout Paradise.
- Bike License - Player's progression through content included in the Burnout Bikes update.
- Island License - Player's progression through content included in the Big Surf Island Pack.
Driver's License[]
The Driver's License is used to show the player's progression through the original content offered in Burnout Paradise. Completing content released as part of post-launch updates, such as the Burnout Bikes update and Big Surf Island Pack, do not contribute to progression in the Driver's License, and progressing through the Driver's License does not contribute towards any additional licenses.
Learner's Permit[]
The Learner's Permit is issued at the start of the game.
As the first license issued, it gives players access to Paradise City and awards them the Hunter Cavalry.
D Class License[]
The D Class License is issued upon the player earning a total of 2 event wins.
Unlocking the license rewards the player with the Hunter Mesquite and introduces vehicles that must be Shut Down in order to be unlocked.
As the player earn event wins and progresses through their C Class License, multiple vehicles will enter Paradise City:
- Nakamura SI-7 - 3 event wins
- Hunter Vegas - 5 event wins
- Krieger Pioneer - 7 event wins
C Class License[]
The C Class License is issued upon the player earning 7 event wins, making a total of 9 event wins.
Unlocking the license rewards the player with the Nakamura Ikusa GT.
As the player earn event wins and progresses through their C Class License, multiple vehicles will enter Paradise City:
- Kitano Hydros Custom - 10 event wins
- Hunter Reliable Custom - 13 event wins
- Watson R-Turbo Roadster - 16 event wins
- Rossolini LM Classic - 19 event wins
- Hunter Manhattan - 22 event wins
B Class License[]
The B Class License is issued upon the player earning 15 event wins, making a total of 24 event wins.
Unlocking the license rewards the player with the Carson Fastback.
As the player earn event wins and progresses through their B Class License, multiple vehicles will enter Paradise City:
- Carson Fastback - 24 event wins
- Carson Grand Marais - 26 event wins
- Montgomery Hyperion - 30 event wins
- Krieger 616 Sport - 34 event wins
- Hunter Spur - 38 event wins
- Montgomery GT 2400 - 42 event wins
- Jansen P12 - 46 event wins
A Class License[]
The A Class License is issued upon the player earning 26 event wins, making a total of 50 event wins.
Unlocking the license rewards the player with the Rossolini Tempesta.
As the player earn event wins and progresses through their A Class License, multiple vehicles will enter Paradise City:
- Carson Inferno Van - 51 event wins
- Carson Opus - 56 event wins
- Carson Annihilator - 61 event wins
- Jansen X12 - 66 event wins
- Kitano Touge Sport - 71 event wins
- Hunter Takedown 4x4 - 77 event wins
- Carson 500 GT - 83 event wins
- Hunter Racing Oval Champ - 89 event wins
Burnout License[]
The Burnout License is issued upon the player earning 40 event wins, making a total of 90 event wins.
Unlocking the license rewards the player with the Carson GT Concept.
As the player earn event wins and progresses through their Burnout License, multiple vehicles will enter Paradise City:
- Hunter Citizen - 98 event wins
- Watson 25 V16 Revenge - 107 event wins
- Montgomery Hawker - 116 event wins
- Krieger Überschall 8 - 128 event wins
- Carson Thunder Custom - 140 event wins
- Carson Hot Rod Coupe - 154 event wins
- Krieger Racing WTR - 168 event wins
Burnout Elite License[]
The Burnout Elite License is issued upon the player winning all 120 events across Paradise City.
Unlocking the license rewards the player with a Gold Paint finish option.
Criterion Elite License (100%)[]
The Criterion Elite License is issued upon the player completing all of the offline content offered in Burnout Paradise and highlights the player has reached 100% completion of the game.
Unlocking the license rewards the player with a Platinum Paint finish option.
100% completion requirements:
- Win all 120 events
- Beat all 14 Stunt Runs
- Survive all 15 Marked Man events
- Beat all 16 Road Rage events
- Beat all 35 Burning Routes
- Win all 40 Race events
- Collect all Discoveries
- Land all 50 Super Jumps
- Smash all 120 Burnout Billboards
- Smash all 400 Smash Gates
- Own all Road Rules
- Beat all Time Road Rules
- Beat all Showtime Road Rules
- Find all 35 Drive Throughs
- Find all 5 Junkyards
- Find all 5 Paint Shops
- Find all 11 Auto Repairs
- Find all 14 Gas Stations
- Find all Paradise City Car Parks
Criterion Elite License (101%)[]
Reaching 101% completion of Burnout Paradise requires the player to have reached the requires towards 100% completion and participate in multiplayer Freeburn Challenges.
Completing 2 sections of Freeburn Challenges unlocks the Krieger Carbon Überschall 8 and the "Block Party" award.
101% completion requirements:
- Attain a Criterion Elite License (100%)
- Complete 2 sections of Freeburn Challenges
The two sections of Freeburn Challenges required for completion relates to the player beating all car challenges for various player-amount specific challenges, as Car Timed Challenges, Bike Challenges, and Island Challenges were not included with the original game.
Players have to complete all challenges for two sections under:
Criterion Elite License (102%)[]
Reaching 102% completion of Burnout Paradise requires the player to have reached the requires towards 100% completion and beat all multiplayer player-amount specific Freeburn Challenges.
102% completion requirements:
- Attain a Criterion Elite License (100%)
- Complete all 350 original Freeburn Challenges
Bike License[]
The Bike License is given to all players as part of the Burnout Bikes update for Burnout Paradise, alongside the re-releases Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box and Burnout Paradise Remastered.
As an additional license, progression through the Bike License does not effect progression through the Driver's License or Big Surf Island License.
Selecting either the Nakamura FV1100 or Nakamura Firehawk V4 from the "Paradise Bikes" section of the Junkyard will allow players to receive their Learner Bike License and being progressing through the Bike License.
Learner Bike License[]
The Learner Bike License is issued at the start of the game.
As the first Bike License issued, it gives players access to the Nakamura FV1100, Nakamura Firehawk V4, and bike specific events; Burning Rides and Midnight Rides.
Progressing through the Learner Bike License will allow the player to unlock the Nakamura FV1100-T1 by completing either all 19 Burning Ride or all 19 Midnight Ride events.
Rider License (100%)[]
The Rider License is issued upon the player completing all of the offline content offered as part of the Burnout Bikes update and highlights the player has reached 100% completion of the update's content.
Unlocking the license rewards the player with the Nakamura Firehawk GP Competition.
100% completion requirements:
- Beat all Bike events
- Beat all 19 Burning Rides
- Beat all 19 Midnight Rides
Rider License (101%)[]
Reaching 101% completion of the Burnout Bikes update requires the player to have attained the Rider License and beat all multiplayer Bike Challenges.
Achieving 101% completion unlocks the Chrome Paint finish for the FV1100, FV1100-T1, and Firehawk V4.
101% completion requirements:
- Attain Rider License
- Own all day and night Road Rules
- Beat all 64 daytime Road Rules
- Beat all 64 nighttime Road Rules
- Beat 2 Sets of Bike Freeburn Challenges
Island License[]
The Big Surf Island License is given to all players that purchase the Big Surf Island Pack but is included within the Burnout Paradise Remastered re-release.
As an additional license, progression through the Big Surf Island License does not effect progression through the Driver's License or Bike License.
Big Surf Island License[]
The Big Surf Island License is issued upon purchasing the pack or from the beginning of Burnout Paradise Remastered.
As the first Island License issued, it gives players access to the Carson Dust Storm and a pass for the toll bridge to Big Surf Island.
Progression through the license is tracked as a percentage, with Big Surf Island specific event wins, collected island discoveries, and island Road Rules contributing to its completion.
Reaching 50% completion of the Big Surf Island license will unlock the Hunter Olympus Governor.
Elite Island License (100%)[]
The Elite Island License is issued upon the player completing all of the content offered as part of the Big Surf Island pack and highlights the player has reached 100% completion of the pack's content.
Unlocking the license rewards the player with the Carson Annihilator Street Rod.
100% completion requirements:
- Win all 14 Island events
- Beat the Dust Storm Burning Route
- Survive both Island Marked Man events
- Win both Island Tour events
- Beat all 3 Island Stunt Runs
- Beat all 3 Island Road Rage events
- Win all 4 Island Race events
- Collect all Island Discoveries
- Land all 15 Mega Jumps
- Smash all 45 Island Billboards
- Smash all 150 Island Smash Gates
- Find all 5 Drive Throughs
- Find both Gas Stations
- Find the Junkyard
- Find the Paint Shops
- Find the Auto Repairs
- Own all Road Rules
- Beat all Time Road Rules
- Beat all Showtime Road Rules
- Beat all 10 Island Challenges