Licensing
Learner's Permit Rules by State: Age, Hours, Hold (2026)
6 min readFact-checked against official state and federal sources
Reviewed by Chad HenryAfter 25 years of teaching driver education
The four numbers every teen driver needs
Every state uses graduated driver licensing (GDL), but the details vary widely. Before you book a permit test, you need to know four things for your state:
- The earliest age you can get a learner's permit.
- How long you must hold it before the road test or intermediate license.
- How many supervised practice hours you must log, and how many at night.
- Whether driver's education is required.
| State | Min. permit age | Hold permit | Supervised hours | Driver's ed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 15 years old | 6 months (under 18) or until 18th birthday | 50 hours behind-the-wheel (parent/guardian verified) OR an SDE-approved driver education course, required before Stage II (under 18) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Alaska | 14 years old | 6 months (ages 16-17) before provisional license | 40 hours, including at least 10 hours in progressively challenging conditions (e.g., inclement weather, night driving) — certified by parent/guardian/employer for provisional license (under 18) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Arizona | 15½ years old | 6 months (or until age 18) | 30 hours, including at least 10 hours at night (before Class G license, under 18) | Not verified yet |
| Arkansas | 14 years old | 30 calendar days from permit issue before the skills test (Arkansas State Police); Learner's License held until age 16 for Intermediate License | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| California | 15½ years old | 6 months (or until age 18) | 50 hours incl. 10 at night, supervised by a licensed driver 25+ (plus 6 hours professional behind-the-wheel training) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Colorado | 15 years old | 12 months (under 18) | 50 hours incl. 10 at night (under 18) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Connecticut | 16 years old | 120 days with commercial/secondary-school training or 180 days with home training (ages 16-17); 90 days for adults 18+ | 40 hours (ages 16-17) | Yes - an approved driver education course is required. |
| Delaware | 16 years old | 12 months (first 6 months supervised only); adults 18+: road exam no sooner than 30 days after passing the knowledge exam | 50 hours incl. 10 at night (certified by sponsor after first 6 months) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Florida | 15 years old | Not verified yet | Not verified yet | Not verified yet |
| Georgia | 15 years old | 1 year and 1 day | 40 hours incl. 6 at night (required for the Class D license at 16-17, not for the permit) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Hawaii | 15½ years old | 180 days for ages 15.5-17 (90 days for adults) | Not verified yet | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Idaho | 14½ years old | 6 months on the Supervised Instruction Permit | 50 hours incl. 10 at night | Required for applicants under 17. |
| Illinois | 15 years old | 9 months (under 18) | 50 hours incl. 10 at night | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Indiana | 15 years old | 180 days | 50 hours incl. 10 at night | Required for applicants under 16 (driver education lets you get the permit at 15; it is optional at 16 and older). |
| Iowa | 14 years old | 12 months total with a clean record for the 6 consecutive months before applying for the intermediate license | 20 hours incl. 2 between sunset and sunrise (for the intermediate license) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Kansas | 14 years old | Under 17: hold the instruction permit 1 year from issuance or until 17th birthday, whichever occurs first | 50 hours incl. 10 at night, supervised by a licensed adult 21+ (affidavit required) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Kentucky | 15 years old | 180 days (ages 15-20); 30 days for applicants 21+ | 60 hours incl. 10 at night (Practice Driving Log signed by parent/guardian) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Louisiana | 15 years old | 180 days (age 15: minimum 180 days AND until age 16; age 16: 180 days OR until age 17) | 50 hours incl. 15 at night | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Maine | 15 years old | 6 months (applicants under 21) | 70 hours incl. 10 at night, with a parent/guardian or licensed driver at least 20 years old (applies under 21) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Maryland | 15 years 9 months old | 9 months (reset to 9 months after any moving-violation conviction/PBJ) | 60 hours incl. 10 at night, with a supervising driver age 21+ licensed 3+ years (Rookie Driver practice log) | Yes - an approved driver education course is required. |
| Massachusetts | 16 years old | 6 consecutive months (Junior Operators under 18, with a clean record); no hold period published for 18+ | 40 hours supervised driving (30 hours if a driver skills development program is completed) - Junior Operators under 18 | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Michigan | 14 years 9 months old | 6 months on Level 1 before the road skills test (teens); adults must hold the TIP at least 30 days | 50 hours incl. 10 at night (Level 1 teens) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Minnesota | 15 years old | 6 months (under 18, with no moving/alcohol violations); no hold period published for 18+ | 50 hours incl. 15 at night (40 hours incl. 15 at night if a parent/guardian completes the parent awareness class) - under 18 | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Mississippi | 15 years old | 12 months (under 17); applicants 17+ can get permit and license the same day | 50 hours certified by a parent/teacher/guardian affidavit (required for applicants under 17 to get the Regular License / road test waiver) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Missouri | 15 years old | 182 days (beginning the day after issuance) before the intermediate license | 40 hours incl. 10 at night (between sunset and sunrise), certified by a parent/guardian/qualified person | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Montana | 15½ years old | 6 months for applicants under 18 (MCA 61-5-132(1)(a)); no statutory hold for 18+ | 50 hours incl. 10 at night with traditional traffic-ed course; 75 hours incl. 15 at night with an alternative (DOJ-approved) course (MCA 61-5-132) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Nebraska | 15 years old | 6 months holding an LPE, SCP or LPD before a POP (age 16-17); no hold period stated for adults 18+ applying directly for a Class O license | Not required for the LPD itself. To move to the Provisional Operator's Permit (POP, age 16) applicants must either complete a DMV-approved driver safety course OR submit a 50-hour certification form incl. 10 hours between sunset and sunrise, signed by a parent/guardian/licensed driver 21+. | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Nevada | 15½ years old | 6 months for applicants under 18 (must also be 16 to take the road test) | 50 hours incl. 10 at night (under 18); 100 hours incl. 10 at night if no driver-ed course is within 30 miles and no online course is taken | Required for applicants under 18. |
| New Hampshire | 15½ years old | Not verified yet | 40 hours of supervised driving in addition to the approved Driver Education program (under 18), logged on the Driver's Out-Of-Class Log Sheet signed by a parent/guardian | Required for applicants under 18. |
| New Jersey | 17 years old | 6 months of supervised practice driving for under-21 GDL permit holders; 3 months for 21 and older | Under 21: minimum 50 practice hours incl. 10 during darkness, certified on MVC form BA-CSD at the time of licensure; no hour requirement for 21+ | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| New Mexico | 15 years old | 6 months | 50 hours incl. 10 at night (required before the provisional license) | Yes - an approved driver education course is required. |
| New York | 16 years old | 6 months (under 18) before scheduling the road test | 50 hours incl. 15 after sunset (Class DJ/MJ, certified on form MV-262 before the road test) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| North Carolina | 15 years old | 9 months (temporarily 6 months through Dec 31, 2025 under 2025 HB 584) | 60 hours incl. 10 at night (G.S. 20-11 driving log, max 10 hrs/week) - see notes on 2025 HB 584 | Required for applicants under 18. |
| North Dakota | 14 years old | 12 months if starting at age 14 (NDDOT: hold a valid learner's permit at least one year; 6 months only for permits issued before Jan 1, 2012) | 50 hours of practice driving in variable conditions | Required for applicants under 16. |
| Ohio | 15½ years old | 6 months | 50 hours incl. 10 at night (with parent/guardian, before the probationary license) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Oklahoma | 15 years old | 180 days before eligible for the drive test (GDL, under 18) | 50 hours incl. 10 at night (Affidavit of Driver Training / 50-Hour Driver Training Sign-off) | Required for applicants under 16. |
| Oregon | 15 years old | 6 months (under 18, before provisional driver license) | 100 hours, or 50 hours with an approved Driver Ed course (under 18) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Pennsylvania | 16 years old | 6 months from permit issue date (under 18) before road test | 65 hours incl. 10 at night and 5 in bad weather (under 18, parent/guardian certification form DL-180C) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Rhode Island | 16 years old | Not verified yet | Not verified yet | Required for applicants under 18. |
| South Carolina | 15 years old | 180 days (must hold beginner's permit at least 180 days before full licensure, 56-1-50) | 40 hours incl. 10 at night (statutory requirement for conditional/special restricted license, 56-1-175 and 56-1-180) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| South Dakota | 14 years old | 275 days (180 days if driver's ed completed) before upgrading to a Restricted Minor's Permit; permits issued before July 1, 2020: 180 days (90 with driver's ed) | 50 hours of adult-supervised driving on the Instruction Permit, including 10 hours in inclement weather and 10 hours after dark (for permits issued July 1, 2020 or after) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Tennessee | 15 years old | 180 days before moving to the Intermediate Restricted License (minimum age 16) | 50 hours (including 10 hours at night), verified by a parent, legal guardian or driving instructor | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Texas | 15 years old | 6 months (unless you turn 18 first) before applying for the provisional license | 30 hours behind the wheel (10 at night) with a licensed adult 21+ (parent-monitored), in addition to the 7 hours behind-the-wheel and 7 hours in-car observation of the driver education course | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Utah | 15 years old | 6 months (age 15: 6 months and until age 16; ages 16-17: 6 months; age 18: none; 19+: 90 days unless a driver education course is completed) | 40 hours (10 after sunset) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Vermont | 15 years old | 1 year for applicants under 18 (junior operator's license, 23 V.S.A. § 607); permit is valid 2 years (23 V.S.A. § 617) | 40 hours of practice driving, at least 10 at night, in addition to the 6 hours behind-the-wheel of driver education (23 V.S.A. § 607) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Virginia | 15½ years old | Not verified yet | 45 hours, at least 15 after sunset (under 18; certified by parent/guardian) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Washington | 15½ years old | 6 months (may include out-of-state permit time) | 50 hours (40 daylight + 10 night) with a driver licensed 3+ years | Required for applicants under 18. |
| West Virginia | 15 years old | 6 months (must hold Level 1 six months before Level 2) | 50 hours, 10 at night (certification form required for Level 2) | No - driver education is not required for the learner permit. |
| Wisconsin | 15 years old | 6 months (violation-free) before a probationary license if under 18 | 50 hours, 10 during hours of darkness (under 18) | Required for applicants under 18. |
| Wyoming | 15 years old | 10 days minimum before applying for full driving privileges | 50 hours of behind-the-wheel driving (proof required when applying for full privileges) | Not verified yet |
Reading the table
- Ages are the earliest you can apply. Some states let you apply earlier if you are enrolled in driver education.
- Holding periods start on the date the permit is issued. Moving to another state can reset the clock, though some states credit out-of-state permit time.
- Supervised hours are usually certified by a parent or guardian on a state form. Night hours are a separate minimum, not extra on top of the total.
- Adults (usually 18+) often skip the holding period and supervised hours entirely.
For the full stages after the permit, see our graduated driver licensing explainer.
Next step: pass the knowledge test
Whatever your state's rules, the permit starts with the written test. Pick your state for free practice tests built from the official handbook, or download the free PDF for your state.