Graduated licensing laws by state
Due to COVID-19, many states have made temporary operational changes. For the current status, please check with the state licensing authority.
March 2023
Learner stage | Intermediate stage | Unrestricted stage | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
State | Minimum entry age | Mandatory holding period | Minimum amount of supervised driving | Minimum entry age | Nighttime restrictions | Passenger restrictions (family members excepted unless noted) | Nighttime restrictions may be lifted | Passenger restrictions may be lifted |
AL | 15Footnote 1 | 6 monthsFootnote 1 | 50 hours (none with driver education) | 16 | midnight-6 a.m. | no more than one passenger | 17 and licensed for 6 months (min. age: 17) | 17 and licensed for 6 months (min. age: 17) |
AK | 14 | 6 months | 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night or in inclement weather | 16 | 1 a.m.-5 a.m. | no passengers younger than 21 | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
AZ | 15, 6 monthsFootnote 2 | 6 months | 30 hours, 10 of which must be at night (none with driver education) | 16 | midnight-5 a.m. secondary enforcement | no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 secondary enforcement | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
AR | 14Footnote 3 | 6 monthsFootnote 3 | none | 16Footnote 4 | 11 p.m.-4 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | until age 18 (min. age: 18) |
CA | 15, 6 monthsFootnote 5 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 5 | 11 p.m.-5 a.m. secondary enforcement | no passengers younger than 20 (limited exception for immediate family) secondary enforcement | 12 months after initial license (min. age: 17) | 12 months after initial license (min. age: 17) |
CO | 15Footnote 6 | 12 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16 | midnight-5 a.m. secondary enforcement | first 6 months—no passengers; second 6 months—no more than one passenger secondary enforcement | 12 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) | 12 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) |
CT | 16Footnote 7 | 6 monthsFootnote 7 (4 months with driver education) | 40 hoursFootnote 7 | 16, 4 monthsFootnote 7 | 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 | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | 12 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17, 4 mos.) |
DE | 16Footnote 8 | 6 monthsFootnote 8 | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at nightFootnote 8 | 16, 6 monthsFootnote 8 | 10 p.m.-6 a.m.Footnote 8 | no more than 1 passengerFootnote 8 | 6 months or the issuance of a class D license (min. age: 17) | 6 months or the issuance of a class D license (min. age: 17) |
DC | 16Footnote 9 | 6 monthsFootnote 9 | 40 hours in learner’s stage; 10 hours at night in intermediate stage | 16, 6 monthsFootnote 10 | 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.Footnote 10 | no passengersFootnote 10 | 6 months or until age 21, whichever occurs first (min. age: 18)Footnote 10 | 6 months or until age 21, whichever occurs first (min. age: 18)Footnote 10 |
FL | 15Footnote 11 | 12 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16 | 11 p.m.-6 a.m. for 16 year-olds; 1 a.m.-5 a.m. for 17 year-olds | none | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | none |
GA | 15 | 12 months | 40 hours, 6 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 12 | midnight-5 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 | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | until age 18 (min. age: 18) |
HI | 15, 6 months | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 13 | 11 p.m.-5 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 (household members excepted) | 6 months and age 17 (min. age: 17) | 6 months and age 17 (min. age: 17) |
ID | 14, 6 monthsFootnote 14 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 15Footnote 14 | sunset to sunrise | licensees 16 and younger can have no more than 1 passenger younger than 17 | until age 16 (min. age: 16) | 6 months or age 17 (min. age: 15, 6 mos.) |
IL | 15Footnote 15 | 9 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 16 | 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 | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | 12 months or until age 18 (min. age: 17) |
IN | 15Footnote 17 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16, 3 monthsFootnote 17 | first 6 months, 10 p.m.-5 a.m.; thereafter, 11 p.m.-5 a.m. Sun.–Fri.; 1 a.m.-5 a.m. Sat.–Sun.Footnote 18 | no passengersFootnote 18 | 6 months and age 18 or until age 21, whichever occurs first (min. age 18)Footnote 18 | 6 months or until age 21, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 9 or 17, 3 mos. without driver education)Footnote 18 |
IA | 14Footnote 19 | 12 monthsFootnote 19 | 20 hours, 2 of which must be at nightFootnote 20 | 16Footnote 19,Footnote 20,Footnote 21 | 12:30 a.m.-5 a.m. | parental discretion Footnote 22 | 12 months and age 17 or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) | none |
KS | 14Footnote 23 | 12 months | 25 hours, in learner phase; 25 hours before age 16; 10 of the 50 hours must be at nightFootnote 23 | 16Footnote 23 | 9 p.m. - 5 a.m. | no more than one passenger younger than 18 | 6 months or age 17, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) | 6 months or age 17, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
KY | 16Footnote 24 | 6 monthsFootnote 24 | 60 hours, 10 of which must be at nightFootnote 24 | 16, 6 monthsFootnote 25 | midnight-6 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 unless supervised by a driving instructor secondary enforcement | 6 months or age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) | 6 months or age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) |
LA | 15 | 6 months | 50 hours, 15 of which must be at night | 16 | 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 | until age 17 (min. age: 17) | until age 17 (min. age: 17) |
ME | 15Footnote 26 | 6 monthsFootnote 26 | 70 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 26 | midnight-5 a.m.Footnote 26 | no passengersFootnote 26 | 9 months (min. age: 16, 9 mos.)Footnote 26 | 9 months (min. age: 16, 9 mos.)Footnote 26 |
MD | 15, 9 monthsFootnote 27 | 9 monthsFootnote 28 | 60 hours, 10 of which must be at nightFootnote 29 | 16, 6 months | midnight-5 a.m.Footnote 30 | no passengers younger than 18Footnote 30 secondary enforcement | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | 5 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 11 mos.) |
MA | 16Footnote 31 | 6 monthsFootnote 31 | 40 hoursFootnote 32 | 16, 6 monthsFootnote 33 | 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) | 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) | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) |
MI | 14, 9 monthsFootnote 34 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 35 | 10 p.m.-5 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 6 months and age 17 or until age 18 (min. age 17) | 6 months and age 17 or until age 18 (min. age 17) |
MN | 15Footnote 36 | 6 monthsFootnote 37 | 40 hours, 15 of which must be at nightFootnote 38 | 16Footnote 39 | midnight-5 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger younger than 20; second 6 months—no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) | 12 months or at age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) |
MS | 15 | 12 months | none | 16 | 10 p.m.-6 a.m. Sun.-Thur., 11:30 p.m.-6 a.m. Fri.-Sat. | none | 6 months or age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) | none |
MO | 15 | 6 months | 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 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 | entire intermediate stage (min. age: 17, 11 mo.) | entire intermediate stage (min. age: 17, 11 mo.) |
MT | 14, 6 monthsFootnote 40 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at nightFootnote 41 | 15Footnote 42 | 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 | 12 months or at age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16) | 12 months or at age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16) |
NE | 15Footnote 43 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night (none with driver education) | 16 | midnight-6 a.m. secondary enforcement | no more than 1 passenger younger than 19 secondary enforcement | 12 months or at age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) | 6 months or age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
NV | 15, 6 months | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night (none with defensive driving course) | 16Footnote 44 | 10 p.m.-5 a.m. secondary enforcement | no passengers younger than 18 secondary enforcement | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
NH | 15, 6 monthsFootnote 45 | none | 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16 | 1 a.m.-4 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger younger than 25 | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
NJ | 16Footnote 46 | 6 monthsFootnote 46 | none | 17Footnote 46 | 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger (exception is limited to drivers' dependents) | 12 months or until age 21, whichever occurs first (min. age: 18) | 12 months or until age 21, whichever occurs first (min. age: 18) |
NM | 15Footnote 47 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 15, 6 monthsFootnote 48 | midnight-5 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 12 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) | 12 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
NY | 16 | 6 months | 50 hours, 15 of which must be at night | 16, 6 months | 9 p.m.-5 a.m. except for NYC (unsupervised driving prohibited at all times) and Long Island (limited daytime unsupervised driving)Footnote 49 | no more than 1 passenger younger than 21Footnote 49 | until age 17 with driver education; until age 18 without (min. age: 17)Footnote 50 | until age 17 with driver education; until age 18 without (min. age: 17)Footnote 50 |
NC | 15Footnote 51,Footnote 52 | 12 months | 60 hours, 10 of which must be at night, learner phase; 12 hours, 6 of which must be at night, intermediate phase | 16Footnote 53,Footnote 54,Footnote 55 | 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 | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
ND | 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 licenseFootnote 56 | 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 | until age 16 (min. age: 16) | none |
OH | 15, 6 months | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 57 | midnight-6 a.m. (first 12 months), 1 a.m.-5 a.m. (second 12 months) secondary enforcement | first 12 months—no more than 1 passenger | 24 months (min. age: 18) | 12 months (min. age: 17) |
OK | 15, 6 monthsFootnote 58 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at nightFootnote 59 | 16 | 10 p.m.-5 a.m. | no more than 1 passengerFootnote 60 | 6 months with driver education, 12 months without or until age 18 (min age: 16, 6 mos.) | 6 months with driver education, 12 months without or until age 18 (min age: 16, 6 mos.) |
OR | 15 | 6 months | 50 hoursFootnote 61(100 hours without driver education) | 16Footnote 61 | midnight-5 a.m. | first 6 months–no passengers younger than 20; second 6 months–no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 | 12 months or age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) | 12 months or age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) |
PA | 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 p.m.-5 a.m. | first 6 months— no more than 1 passenger younger than 18; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers | 12 months and age 17 if completed driver education or age 18 (min. age: 17) | 12 months and age 17 if completed driver education or age 18 (min. age: 17) |
RI | 16Footnote 62 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16, 6 monthsFootnote 63 | 1 a.m.-5 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 12 months or age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17, 6 mos.) | 12 months or age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17, 6 mos.) |
SC | 15 | 6 months | 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 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 | 12 months and age 17 if intermediate license has been held for at least 6 months (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) | 12 months and age 17 if intermediate license has been held for at least 6 months (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
SD | 14Footnote 64 | 9 months (6 months with driver education) | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night and 10 of which must be during inclement weather | 14, 9 months (14, 6 months with driver education) | 10 p.m.-6 a.m. | first 6 months—no passengers; thereafter—no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 | until age 16 (min. age: 16) | 6 months or at age 16, whichever occurs first (min. age: 15, 6 mos.) |
TN | 15Footnote 65 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at nightFootnote 65 | 16 | 11 p.m.-6 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger | 12 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) | 12 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) |
TX | 15Footnote 66 | 6 months | 30 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 67 | midnight-5 a.m. secondary enforcement | no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 secondary enforcement | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | until age 18 (min. age: 18) |
UT | 15Footnote 68 | 6 months | 40 hours, 10 of which must be at nightFootnote 68,Footnote 69 | 16Footnote 70 | midnight-5 a.m. | no passengers secondary enforcement | until age 17 (min. age: 17) | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
VT | 15 | 12 months | 40 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 71 | none | first 3 months—no passengers without exception; second 3 months—no passengers secondary enforcement | none | 6 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.) |
VA | 15, 6 monthsFootnote 72 | 9 monthsFootnote 72 | 45 hours, 15 of which must be at night | 16, 3 monthsFootnote 73 | midnight-4 a.m. Footnote 72 secondary enforcement | first 12 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 21; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers younger than 21 secondary enforcement | until age 18 (min. age: 18) | until age 18 (min. age: 18) |
WA | 15Footnote 74 | 6 months | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 75 | 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 | 12 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) | 12 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17)Footnote 76 |
WV | 15Footnote 77 | 6 monthsFootnote 77 | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night (none with driver education) | 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 | 12 months and age 17 or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) | 12 months and age 17 or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 17) |
WI | 15Footnote 78 | 6 monthsFootnote 78 | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at nightFootnote 78 | 16Footnote 79 | midnight-5 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger | 9 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 9 mos.) | 9 months or until age 18, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 9 mos.) |
WY | 15 | 10 days | 50 hours, 10 of which must be at night | 16Footnote 80 | 11 p.m.-5 a.m. | no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 | 6 months or until age 17, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.)Footnote 80 | 6 months or until age 17, whichever occurs first (min. age: 16, 6 mos.)Footnote 80 |