HIGHWAY SAFETY RESEARCH & COMMUNICATIONS

Summary table: young driver licensing systems in the U.S.

April 2013


State Learner stage Intermediate stage:
restrictions on driving while unsupervised
Unrestricted stage:
minimum age at which
restrictions may be lifted
  Minimum
entry age
Mandatory
holding period
Minimum amount of
supervised driving
Minimum
age
Unsupervised
driving prohibited
Restriction on passengers
(family members excepted
unless otherwise noted)
Nighttime restrictions Passenger restrictions
Alabama 151 6 months1 30 hours1 (none with driver education) 16 midnight-6 am secondary enforcement no more than 1 passenger secondary enforcement 172 172
Alaska 14 6 months 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night or in inclement weather 16 1 am-5 am first 6 months—no passengers 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
Arizona 15, 6 months3 6 months 30 hours, 10 of which must be at night (none with driver education) 16 midnight-5 am secondary enforcement first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 secondary enforcement 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
Arkansas 144 6 months4 none 165 11 pm - 4 am no more than 1 passenger 18 18
California 15, 6 months6 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 166 11 pm-5 am secondary enforcement first 12 months—no passengers younger than 20 (limited exception for immediate family) secondary enforcement 17 17
Colorado 157 12 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 16 midnight-5 am secondary enforcement first 6 months—no passengers; second 6 months—no more than 1 passenger secondary enforcement 17 17
Connecticut 168 6 months8 (4 months with driver education) 40 hours8 16, 4 months8 11 pm - 5 am first 6 months—no passengers other than parents or a driving instructor; second 6 months—no passengers other than parents, driving instructor, or members of the immediate family 18 17, 4 months
Delaware 169 6 months9 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night9 16, 6 months9 10 pm-6 am9 no more than 1 passenger9 17 17
District of Columbia 1610 6 months 40 hours in learner’s stage; 10 hours at night in intermediate stage 16, 6 months11 September–June: 11 pm-6 am Sun.–Thur., 12:01 am-6 am Sat.–Sun.; July–August: 12:01 am-6 am first 6 months—no passengers; thereafter, no more than 2 passengers 18 18
Florida 1512 12 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 16 11 pm-6 am (age 16); 1 am-5 am (age 17) none 18 no
Georgia 15 12 months 40 hours, 6 of which must be at night 1613 midnight-6 am secondary enforcement first 6 months—no passengers; second 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 21; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers secondary enforcement 18 18
Hawaii 15, 6 months 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1614 11 pm-5 am no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 (household members excepted) 17 17
Idaho 14, 6 months15 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1515 sunset to sunrise first 6 months—licensees 16 and younger can have no more than 1 passenger younger than 17 16 15, 6 months
Illinois 1516 9 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1617 starts 10 pm Sun.-Thur., 11 pm Fri.-Sat., ends 6 am first 12 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 18 17
Indiana 1518 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 16, 6 months (16, 9 months without driver education)18 First 180 days, 10 pm - 5 am; thereafter, 11 pm-5 am Sun.–Fri.; 1 am-5 am Sat.–Sun. first 180 days-no passengers 18 17 (17, 3 months without driver education)
Iowa 14 12 months (effective 01/01/14) 20 hours, 2 of which must be at night19 1620,19 12:30 am-5 am parental discretion 21 (effective 01/01/14) 1722 no
Kansas 1423 12 months 25 hours, in learner phase; 25 hours before age 16; 10 of the 50 hours must be at night23 1623 9 pm-5 am first 6 months - no more than one passenger younger than 18 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
Kentucky 1624 6 months24 60 hours, 10 of which must be at night24 16, 6 months25 midnight-6 am no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 unless supervised by a driving instructor secondary enforcement 17 17
Louisiana 1526 6 months 50 hours, 15 of which must be at night 1626 11 pm-5 am no more than one passenger younger than 21 between the hours of 6 pm-5 am; no passenger restriction from 5 am-6 pm 17 17
Maine 1527 6 months27 35 hours, 5 of which must be at night27 1627 midnight-5 am27 first 9 months—no passengers27 16, 9 months 16, 9 months
Maryland 15, 9 months 9 months28 60 hours, 10 of which must be at night 16, 6 months midnight-5 am29 first 5 months—no passengers younger than 18 secondary enforcement 18 16, 11 months
Massachusetts 1630 6 months30 40 hours31 16, 6 months32 12:30 am-5 am (between 12:30 am-1 am and 4 am-5 am the night driving and passenger restrictions are secondarily enforced; enforcement is primary at all other times) first 6 months—no passengers younger than 18 (between 12:30 am–1 am and 4 am–5 am the night driving and passenger restrictions are secondarily enforced; enforcement is primary at all other times) 18 17
Michigan 14, 9 months33 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1634 10 pm-5 am no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 17 17
Minnesota 1535 6 months36 30 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1637 midnight-5 am first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 20; second 6 months—no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 16, 6 months 17
Mississippi 15 12 months38 none 1639 10pm-6am Sun.-Thur., 11:30pm-6am Fri.-Sat. none 16, 6 months no
Missouri 15 6 months 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night 16 1 am-5 am first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 19; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers younger than 19 17, 11 months 17, 11 months
Montana 14, 6 months40 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1541 11 pm-5 am first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 18; second 6 months—no more than 3 passengers younger than 18 16 16
Nebraska 1542 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night (none with driver education) 16 midnight-6 am secondary enforcement first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 19 secondary enforcement 17 16, 6 months
Nevada 15, 6 months 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1643 10 pm-5 am secondary enforcement first 6 months—no passengers younger than 18 secondary enforcement 18 16, 6 months
New Hampshire 15, 6 months44 none 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night 16 1 am-4 am first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 25 18 16, 6 months
New Jersey 1645 6 months45 none 1745 11 - 5 am no more than 1 passenger (exception is limited to drivers' dependents) 18 18
New Mexico 1546 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 15, 6 months47 midnight-5 am no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
New York 1648 6 months 50 hours, 15 of which must be at night 16, 6 months48 prohibited at all times in NYC (5 Boroughs); all times in Nassau and Suffolk Counties except for limited (5 am-9 pm) travel to work, school and driver’s education, proof required; otherwise 9 pm-5 am no more than 1 passenger younger than 2148 17 (18 without driver education)48 17 (18 without driver education)48
North Carolina 1549,50 12 months50 60 hours, 10 of which must be at night, learner phase; 12 hours, 6 of which must be at night, intermediate phase 1651,52 9 pm-5 am no more than 1 passenger younger than 21; if a family member younger than 21 is already a passenger then no other passengers younger than 21 who are not family members 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
North Dakota 14 <16: 12 months; 16: 6 months or until age 18, whichever comes first <16: 50 hours; ≥ 16: none 16; 15 for a parent requested restricted license The holder of a restricted license may only drive a car belonging to a parent or guardian and may not drive between the later of sunset or 9pm and 5am none 16 none
Ohio 15, 6 months 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1653 midnight-6 am (age 16), 1 am-5 am (age 17) secondary enforcement no more than 1 passenger unless supervised 18 17
Oklahoma 15, 6 months54 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night55 16 10 pm-5 am no more than 1 passenger56 16, 6 months (17 without driver education) 16, 6 months (17 without driver education)
Oregon 15 6 months 50 hours57(100 hours without driver education) 1657 midnight-5 am first 6 months–no passengers younger than 20; second 6 months–no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 17 17
Pennsylvania 16 6 months 65 hours, 10 of which must be at night and 5 of which must be in inclement weather 16, 6 months 11 pm-5 am first 6 months— no more than 1 passenger younger than 18; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers 17 17
Rhode Island 1658 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 16, 6 months59 1 am-5 am first 12 months–no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 17, 6 months 17, 6 months
South Carolina 15 6 months 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night 15, 6 months 6 pm-6 am EST; 8 pm-6 am EDT no more than 2 passengers younger than 21 unless transporting students to and from school 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
South Dakota 1460 6 months (3 months with driver education) none60 14, 6 months (14, 3 months with driver education) 10 pm-6 am none 16 no
Tennessee 1561 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night61 16 11 pm-6 am no more than 1 passenger 17 17
Texas 1562 6 months 20 hours, 10 of which must be at night63 1664 midnight-5 am secondary enforcement no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 secondary enforcement 17 17
Utah 1565 6 months 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night65,66 1667 midnight-5 am first 6 months—no passengers68 secondary enforcement 17 16, 6 months68
Vermont 15 12 months 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1669 none first 3 months-no passengers without exception; second 3 months-no passengers except family members no 16, 6 months
Virginia 15, 6 months70 9 months70 45 hours, 15 of which must be at night 16, 3 months71 midnight-4 am70 secondary enforcement first 12 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 21; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers younger than 21 secondary enforcement (effective 07/01/13) 18 18
Washington 1572 6 months 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1673 1 am-5 am secondary enforcement first 6 months—no passengers younger than 20; second 6 months—no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 secondary enforcement 1774 1774
West Virginia 1575 6 months75 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night (none with driver education) 16 10 pm-5 am first 6 months—no passengers younger than 20; second 6 months–no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 17 17
Wisconsin 15, 6 months76 6 months76 30 hours, 10 of which must be at night76 1677 midnight-5 am no more than 1 passenger 16, 9 months 16, 9 months
Wyoming 15 10 days 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night 1678 11 pm-5 am no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 16, 6 months78 16, 6 months78

NOTE: Passenger restrictions vary with regard to their durations, the ages of passengers to whom they apply, and the availability of exceptions. Most states have exceptions for passengers who are related to the driver or are members of the driver's household, and there are exceptions when a supervising driver is in the vehicle.


1In Alabama, the supervising driver must be a parent, guardian, or driving instructor. At age 16, permit holders may drive with a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old.

2In Alabama, restrictions end after holding the intermediate license for at least 6 months and reaching age 17.

3In Arizona, a driver education instructor can authorize an enrolled student who is age 15 to drive only while supervised by the authorizing instructor.

4In Arkansas, people age 14 can drive with an instruction permit after passing a written test. After passing a road test they are eligible for a learner's license. Unsupervised driving is not permitted by holders of either the instruction permit or learner's license. The combined holding period for the permit and restricted license is 6 months.

5In Arkansas, applicants for an intermediate license must be 16 and must be crash/violation free for 6 months. Licensees younger than 18 are prohibited from from transporting passengers who are unrestrained.

6In California, students enrolled in driver education may drive while supervised by an instructor. License applicants who do not take driver education must wait until age 18 for a license. They are not required to go through an intermediate license stage.

7In Colorado, the minimum permit age varies. Fifteen year-olds who are enrolled in driver education may apply for an instruction permit. Their supervising driver must be a parent, stepparent, grandparent, guardian, or driving instructor. A person age 15, 6 months may apply for an instruction permit which allows driving while supervised by a parent, stepparent, grandparent, or guardian. Although driver education is not required at this age, applicants for this permit must have completed a 4-hour driver awareness program. At 16, young drivers may apply for a permit that allows driving while supervised by a licensed driver age 21 or older.

8In Connecticut, either driver education or home training is required for license applicants younger than 18. Permit holders may not carry any passengers aside from the person providing instruction, parents, or guardians. Time spent practice driving with a professional instructor counts toward the 40-hour certification requirement. Before an applicant who is less than eighteen years of age may take the driver’s test, parents or guardians must attend two hours of instruction regarding teen driving laws and related issues with such applicant. Anyone 18 years of age or older must hold an adult learner’s permit for 3 months before obtaining a driver's license.

9In Delaware, a driver education student does not need a permit to drive with a driver education instructor. After completing the on-road requirements of driver education, a driver education student who is at least age 15 years, 10 months may apply for a Driver Education Learner's Permit, which allows the student to drive while supervised by an experienced driver. Upon completion of driver education, and if the student passes both the road and written tests, the student receives a Level 1 permit that for the first 6 months allows driving only while supervised. There also is a passenger restriction during the first 6 months of the Level 1 permit. No more than 1 passenger (family members excepted) is permitted in addition to the supervising driver. The Level 1 permit for the second 6 months is the equivalent of an intermediate license. During that period, holders may drive unsupervised between 6 am and 10 pm and may only carry 1 passenger. Applicants for a driver's license who are younger than 18 must have held a Driver Education Learner's Permit and/or a Level 1 permit for at least 12 months. Driver education is required for all license applicants younger than 18.

10In the District of Columbia, the learner's stage is mandatory for all license applicants, regardless of age. A nighttime restriction (9 pm-6 am) applies in the learner stage.

11In the District of Columbia, license applicants younger than 21 must go through the intermediate stage until they have completed it or until age 21.

12In Florida, for the first three months, learners permit holders may not drive after sunset and thereafter may not drive after 10 p.m.

13In Georgia, license applicants younger than 17 must have completed driver education.

14In Hawaii, license applicants younger than 18 must have completed driver education.

15In Idaho, license applicants younger than 17 must have completed driver education. There are 3 classes of learner's permits–a training instruction permit for persons 14, 6 months taking driver education; a supervised instruction permit for practice driving with a nonprofessional supervisor; and an instruction permit for persons younger than 17 who have completed driver education and supervised driving or for persons 17 and older without either driver education or supervised driving.

16In Illinois, enrollment in driver education is required for permit applicants age 15; without driver education, a permit applicant must be age 17, 3 months.

17In Illinois, license applicants 18 and older are not required to have driver education or to go through an intermediate license stage.

18In Indiana, driver education determines the minimum age for permits and the intermediate license. People enrolled in or who have completed driver education must be age 15 to have a permit; otherwise, they must be age 16. The minimum age for an intermediate license is 16, 6 months with driver education; age 16, 9 months, without.

19In addition to the certification in the learner stage, Iowa requires a certification of 10 hours of supervised driving, 2 of which must be at night during the intermediate stage.

20In Iowa, driver education is required for an intermediate license and for an unrestricted license if applicant is younger than 18.

21At the time of licensure, parents are permitted to waive a discretionary six month passenger limit of no more than one unrelated passenger younger than 18, effective Jan. 1, 2014.

22In Iowa, restrictions end after holding an intermediate license for at least 1 year and reaching age 17.

23In Kansas, drivers age 15 but not yet 16 may be granted a restricted license if they have completed driver training. Restricted license holders younger than 16 may not drive unless supervised other than to and from school or work via the most direct route and may not carry minor passengers other than siblings. To get a restricted license, applicants must have driven at least 25 of the 50 hours required for a full license and must have held an instruction permit for 12 months.

24The Kentucky law prohibits learner's permit holders from driving between midnight and 6 a.m. or from carrying more than 1 passenger younger than 20 unless supervised by a driving instructor.

25In Kentucky, license holders younger than 18 must complete a driver education course or a state-sponsored traffic school.

26In Louisiana, driver education is required for a permit and an intermediate license if the applicant is younger than 18. People 18 and older must have completed a prelicensing training course including a minimum of 8 hours of behind the wheel instruction.

27In Maine, driver education is required for a permit and a license if the applicant is younger than 18. The learner's permit holding period and the certification of practice driving applies to license applicants younger than 21. The period of license restrictions may extend beyond the person's 18th birthday.

28All license applicants younger than 25 must hold a learner's permit for nine months before taking the road test and all applicants 25 years and older must hold the permit for 45 days.

29In Maryland, the nighttime driving restriction only applies to intermediate license holders younger than 18.

30In Massachusetts, the night driving restriction for permit holders younger than 18 is midnight to 5 am, unless they are accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian.

31In Massachusetts, the requirement for supervised driving is 30 hours for applicants who have successfully completed a driver skills development program in a closed, off-road course licensed by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.

32In Massachusetts driver education is required of license applicants younger than 18.

33In Michigan, permit applicants younger than 18 must have completed the first segment of driver education.

34In Michigan, license applicants younger than 18 must have completed the second segment of driver education. Neither driver education nor an intermediate license is required for license applicants 18 and older.

35In Minnesota, permit applicants younger than 18 must be enrolled in driver education.

36In Minnesota, the permit holding period also applies to license applicants 18 and older unless they have completed driver education.

37In Minnesota, license applicants younger than 18 must have completed driver education. Provisional license holders must be crash free to qualify for a full license.

38In Mississippi, license applicants 17 and older are exempt from the 12 month learner’s permit holding period.

39In Mississippi, license applicants 17 and older are exempt from the requirement to get an intermediate license.

40In Montana, enrollment in or completion of driver education is required for permit applicants younger than 15.

41In Montana, license applicants younger than 16 must have completed driver education.

42In Nebraska, 14 year-olds who live 1.5 miles or more from school and who either live outside or attend school outside a metropolitan area may be issued a learner’s permit (called an “LPE permit”) and a limited license (called a “school permit”). The LPE permit authorizes supervised driving for the purpose of preparing for the school permit, which allows driving to and from school or anyplace while supervised by a parent or guardian.

43In Nevada, driver education is required of all licensed applicants younger than 18 unless there is no driver education program offered within a 30-mile radius of the applicant's residence.

44New Hampshire does not issue learner's permits. At age 15, 6 months a person can drive while supervised by a licensed driver 25 or older. License applicants who are younger than 18 must take driver education.

45In New Jersey, the permit becomes an intermediate license after 6 months for drivers younger than 21 and after 3 months for drivers 21 and older. The graduated licensing law applies to adults, except that the night driving and passenger restrictions are waived for new drivers 21 and older. If the applicant has not completed driver education, the minimum permit age is 17 and the minimum intermediate license age is 17, 6 months. Learner's permit holders may not drive between 11 pm and 5 am and may carry only 1 passenger in addition to the supervising driver or any parent, guardian or dependant.

46In New Mexico, permit applicants younger than 18 must be enrolled in driver education.

47In New Mexico, license applicants younger than 18 must have completed driver education.

48In New York, the minimum age for an unrestricted driver's license is 18 (17 if the applicant has completed driver education). Effective, September 1, 2003, New York enacted a passenger restriction that applies to permit holders and license holders younger than 18 (17 if the applicant has completed driver education).

49In North Carolina, driver education is required for permit applicants younger than 18.

50In North Carolina, learner’s permit holders may not drive between 9 pm and 5 am for the first 6 months.

51In North Carolina, driver education is required for license applicants younger than 18.

52In North Carolina, a person who is at least 16 years old but less than 18 years old must complete a minimum of twelve additional hours (six of which must be at night) of supervised driving to obtain a full provisional license.

53In Ohio, driver education is required of license applicants younger than 18.

54In Oklahoma, fifteen year-olds may drive, but only while supervised by an instructor.

55In Oklahoma, learner's permit holders may only operate a motor vehicle between the hours of 5:00 am and 10:00 pm.

56In Oklahoma, a person who has been issued an intermediate Class D license shall not operate a motor vehicle with more than one passenger unless all passengers live in the same household as the custodial legal parent or legal guardian or a licensed driver at least twenty-one years of age is actually occupying a seat beside the intermediate Class D licensee.

57In Oregon, driver education is required of license applicants younger than 18. However, it is waived for applicants who certify an additional 50 hours of supervised driving. The night and passenger restrictions do not apply to the holder of a provisional driver license who is 18 years or older.

58In Rhode Island, driver education is required of permit applicants younger than 18.

59In Rhode Island, driver education is required of license applicants younger than 18.

60In South Dakota, learner's permit holders may not drive between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless under the supervision of their parent or guardian who is occupying a seat beside them.

61Learner’s permit holders in Tennessee may not drive from 10 pm to 6 am.

62In Texas, people who are 15 years of age or older but less than 18 years of age must satisfactorily complete and pass the classroom phase of an approved driver education course to be issued a permit.

63In Texas, rules regulating supervised driving hours must be adopted by the commissioner of education no later than January 1, 2010 and implemented no later than May 1, 2010.

64In Texas, the minimum license age is 18 for applicants who have not completed driver education.

65In Utah, permit holders younger than 18 may only drive under the supervision of a driving instructor, a parent or guardian, or a responsible adult who accepted liability for the permit holder's driving by signing the permit application. Permit applicants younger than 19 must be enrolled in driver education.

66In Utah, supervised driving in the learner stage may include up to 5 hours in a driving simulator.

67In Utah license applicants who are younger than 19 must have completed driver education.

68In Utah, passenger restrictions end when a driver has been licensed for 6 months or when the driver turns 18, whichever occurs first.

69In Vermont, driver education is required for license applicants younger than 18.

70In Virginia, the night driving restriction and passenger restrictions apply to learner's permit holders.

71In Virginia, driver education is required for license applicants younger than 19 (18 if applicant holds a valid license from another state). Virginia is introducing a 90-minute segment for parents of driver education students in Northern Virginia and nearby counties.

72In Washington, permit applicants must be enrolled in driver education; otherwise the minimum permit age is 15, 6 months.

73In Washington, driver education is required for license applicants younger than 18.

74In Washington, intermediate license holders with a crash or violation history are ineligible for an unrestricted license until age 18.

75In West Virginia, learner’s permit holders younger than 18 may not drive 10 pm-5 am and may not carry more than 2 passengers in addition to the supervising driver.

76In Wisconsin, enrollment in driver education is required for permit applicants younger than 18. During the learner’s stage, permit holders may carry 3 passengers if supervised by a driving instructor in a dual-control vehicle. Permit holders 16 and older may carry 1 passenger 25 or older who has been licensed at least 2 years.

77In Wisconsin driver education is required for license applicants younger than 18.

78In Wyoming, all applicants for an unrestricted license who are younger than 17 must have completed driver education and must have held an intermediate license for at least 6 months.