HIGHWAY SAFETY RESEARCH & COMMUNICATIONS

Young driver licensing systems in the U.S.

Intermediate & unrestricted stages

June 2013

In many states, the law doesn't set a specific age at which restrictions are lifted. In those cases, the table below reflects the lowest possible age at which someone could hold an unrestricted license, given the minimum time periods required for the learner's permit and intermediate stages.

State Intermediate stage:
restrictions on driving while unsupervised
Unrestricted stage:
minimum age at which
restrictions may be lifted
Minimum
age
Unsupervised
driving prohibited
Restriction on passengers
(family members excepted
unless otherwise noted)
Nighttime restrictions Passenger restrictions
Alabama 16 midnight-6 am secondary enforcement no more than 1 passenger secondary enforcement 171 171
Alaska 16 1 am-5 am first 6 months—no passengers 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
Arizona 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 162 11 p.m.-4 a.m. no more than 1 passenger 18 18
California 163 11 p.m.-5 a.m. secondary enforcement first 12 months—no passengers younger than 20 (limited exception for immediate family) secondary enforcement 17 17
Colorado 16 midnight-5 a.m. secondary enforcement first 6 months—no passengers; second 6 months—no more than 1 passenger secondary enforcement 17 17
Connecticut 16, 4 months4 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. 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 16, 6 months5 10 p.m.-6 a.m.5 no more than 1 passenger5 17 17
District of Columbia 16, 6 months6 September–June: 11 p.m.-6 a.m. Sun.–Thur., 12:01 a.m.-6 a.m. Sat.–Sun.; July–August: 12:01 a.m.-6 a.m. first 6 months—no passengers; thereafter, no more than 2 passengers 18 18
Florida 16 11 p.m.-6 a.m. (age 16); 1 a.m.-5 a.m. (age 17) none 18 no
Georgia 167 midnight-6 a.m. 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 168 11 p.m.-5 a.m. no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 (household members excepted) 17 17
Idaho 159 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 1610 starts 10 p.m. Sun.-Thur., 11 p.m. Fri.-Sat., ends 6 a.m. first 12 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 18 17
Indiana 16, 6 months (16, 9 months without driver education)11 First 180 days, 10 p.m.-5 a.m.; thereafter, 11 p.m.-5 a.m. Sun.–Fri.; 1 a.m.-5 a.m. Sat.–Sun. first 180 days-no passengers 18 17 (17, 3 months without driver education)
Iowa 1612,13 12:30 a.m.-5 a.m. parental discretion 14 (effective 01/01/14) 1715 no
Kansas 1616 9 p.m. - 5 a.m. first 6 months - no more than one passenger younger than 18 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
Kentucky 16, 6 months17 midnight-6 a.m. no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 unless supervised by a driving instructor secondary enforcement 17 17
Louisiana 1618 11 p.m.-5 a.m. 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 1619 midnight-5 a.m.19 first 9 months—no passengers19 16, 9 months 16, 9 months
Maryland 16, 6 months midnight-5 a.m.20 first 5 months—no passengers younger than 18 secondary enforcement 18 16, 11 months
Massachusetts 16, 6 months21 12:30 a.m.-5 a.m. (between 12:30 a.m.-1 a.m. and 4 a.m.-5 a.m. the night driving and passenger restrictions are subject to secondary enforcement; 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 1622 10 p.m.-5 a.m. no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 17 17
Minnesota 1623 midnight-5 a.m. 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 1624 10 p.m.-6 a.m. Sun.-Thur., 11:30 p.m.-6 a.m. Fri.-Sat. none 16, 6 months no
Missouri 16 1 a.m.-5 a.m. 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 1525 11 p.m.-5 a.m. 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 16 midnight-6 a.m. secondary enforcement first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 19 secondary enforcement 17 16, 6 months
Nevada 1626 10 p.m.-5 a.m. secondary enforcement first 6 months—no passengers younger than 18 secondary enforcement 18 16, 6 months
New Hampshire 16 1 a.m.-4 a.m. first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 25 18 16, 6 months
New Jersey 1727 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. no more than 1 passenger (exception is limited to drivers' dependents) 18 18
New Mexico 15, 6 months28 midnight-5 a.m. no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
New York 16, 6 months29 prohibited at all times in NYC (five boroughs); all times in Nassau and Suffolk Counties except for limited (5 a.m.-9 p.m.) travel to work, school and driver’s education, proof required; otherwise 9 p.m.-5 a.m. no more than 1 passenger younger than 2129 17 (18 without driver education)29 17 (18 without driver education)29
North Carolina 1630,31 9 p.m.-5 a.m. 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 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 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. none 16 none
Ohio 1632 midnight-6 a.m. (age 16), 1 a.m.-5 a.m. (age 17) secondary enforcement no more than 1 passenger unless supervised 18 17
Oklahoma 16 10 p.m.-5 a.m. no more than 1 passenger33 16, 6 months (17 without driver education) 16, 6 months (17 without driver education)
Oregon 1634 midnight-5 a.m. 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 11 p.m.-5 a.m. first 6 months— no more than 1 passenger younger than 18; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers 17 17
Rhode Island 16, 6 months35 1 a.m.-5 a.m. first 12 months–no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 17, 6 months 17, 6 months
South Carolina 15, 6 months 6 p.m.-6 a.m. EST; 8 p.m.-6 a.m. EDT no more than 2 passengers younger than 21 unless transporting students to and from school 16, 6 months 16, 6 months
South Dakota 14, 6 months (14, 3 months with driver education) 10 p.m.-6 a.m. none 16 no
Tennessee 16 11 p.m.-6 a.m. no more than 1 passenger 17 17
Texas 1636 midnight-5 a.m. secondary enforcement no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 secondary enforcement 18 (effective 09/01/13) 18 (effective 09/01/13)
Utah 1637 midnight-5 a.m. first 6 months—no passengers38 secondary enforcement 17 16, 6 months38
Vermont 1639 none first 3 months—no passengers without exception; second 3 months—no passengers secondary enforcement (effective 07/01/13) no 16, 6 months
Virginia 16, 3 months40 midnight-4 a.m. 41 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 1642 1 a.m.-5 a.m. secondary enforcement first 6 months—no passengers younger than 20; second 6 months—no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 secondary enforcement 1743 1743
West Virginia 16 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. first 6 months—no passengers younger than 20; second 6 months–no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 17 17
Wisconsin 1644 midnight-5 a.m. no more than 1 passenger 16, 9 months 16, 9 months
Wyoming 1645 11 p.m.-5 a.m. no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 16, 6 months45 16, 6 months45

1In Alabama, restrictions end after holding the intermediate license for at least 6 months and reaching age 17.

2In 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.

3In 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.

4In 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.

5In 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.

6In the District of Columbia, license applicants younger than 21 must go through the intermediate stage until they have completed it or until age 21.

7In Georgia, license applicants younger than 17 must have completed driver education.

8In Hawaii, license applicants younger than 18 must have completed driver education.

9In 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.

10In Illinois, license applicants 18 and older are not required to have driver education or to go through an intermediate license stage.

11In 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.

12In Iowa, driver education is required for an intermediate license and for an unrestricted license if applicant is younger than 18.

13In 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.

14At 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.

15In Iowa, restrictions end after holding an intermediate license for at least 1 year and reaching age 17.

16In 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.

17In Kentucky, license holders younger than 18 must complete a driver education course or a state-sponsored traffic school.

18In 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.

19In 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.

20In Maryland, the nighttime driving restriction only applies to intermediate license holders younger than 18.

21In Massachusetts driver education is required of license applicants younger than 18.

22In 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.

23In Minnesota, license applicants younger than 18 must have completed driver education. Provisional license holders must be crash free to qualify for a full license.

24In Mississippi, license applicants 17 and older are exempt from the requirement to get an intermediate license.

25In Montana, license applicants younger than 16 must have completed driver education.

26In 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.

27In 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.

28In New Mexico, license applicants younger than 18 must have completed driver education.

29In 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).

30In North Carolina, driver education is required for license applicants younger than 18.

31In 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.

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

33In 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.

34In 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.

35In Rhode Island, driver education is required of license applicants younger than 18.

36In Texas, the minimum license age is 18 for applicants who have not completed driver education.

37In Utah license applicants who are younger than 19 must have completed driver education.

38In Utah, passenger restrictions end when a driver has been licensed for 6 months or when the driver turns 18, whichever occurs first.

39In Vermont, driver education is required for license applicants younger than 18.

40In 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.

41In Virginia, the night driving restriction and passenger restrictions apply to learner's permit holders.

42In Washington, driver education is required for license applicants younger than 18.

43In Washington, intermediate license holders with a crash or violation history are ineligible for an unrestricted license until age 18.

44In Wisconsin driver education is required for license applicants younger than 18.

45In 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.

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