Learner's Permit: Age, Requirements and Restrictions
A learner's permit (also called an instruction permit) is the first step toward a driver's license. It lets you practice on real roads, but always with a licensed adult beside you. Here's what it is, the minimum age in 51 states, what you'll need and the usual restrictions.
"A permit isn't a license. It's the car keys with Grandpa in the passenger seat." — Grandpa
What is a learner's permit?
It's a credential from your state's DMV (or equivalent agency) that lets you learn to drive under supervision. Teens usually must hold one for a set time before they can get a license.
Adults can get one too. In many states it's the normal starting point if you've never held a U.S. license.
Learner's permit age in 51 states
Minimum age from each state's handbook or official page, including Washington, D.C. (checked October 2026):
| State | Minimum age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 15 | Stage I learner license; under 18 must hold it 6 months before a Stage II license. Handbook |
| Arizona | 15 years, 6 months | Valid 12 months; hold 6 months (or until 18) before a license. Handbook |
| Arkansas | 14 | Instruction permit. Handbook |
| California | 15½ | Minors need driver education and a parent/guardian signature. Handbook |
| Colorado | 15 / 15½ / 16 | 15 with 30-hour driver ed; 15½ with a 4-hour driver awareness program; 16 otherwise. Hold 12 months (or until 18). DMV |
| Connecticut | 16 | Applicants 18 or older get an adult learner's permit and must hold it at least 90 days. Handbook |
| Delaware | 16 | GDL Level One learner permit, after Delaware driver education. Applicants 18 or older get a temporary instruction permit after the eye and knowledge exams. Manual |
| District of Columbia | 16 | Provisional license at 16½ after 6 months with the permit; drivers 16 to 20 are in the GRAD program. Manual |
| Florida | 15 | TLSAE course, vision test and knowledge exam (English-only since 2026). Handbook |
| Georgia | 15 | Class C Instructional Permit (CP). Manual |
| Illinois | 15 / 17 and 3 months | 15 if enrolled in driver ed; 17 and 3 months without. Handbook |
| Indiana | 15 / 16 | 15 if enrolled in driver education; 16 otherwise. Manual |
| Kansas | 14 | Class C instruction permit. Handbook |
| Maryland | 15 years, 9 months | Under 18: hold it 9 months without violations and log 60 practice hours, 10 at night. Manual |
| Massachusetts | 16 | RMV |
| Michigan | 14 years, 9 months | Level 1 Learner's License, after Segment 1 driver education. Handbook |
| Minnesota | 15 | After driver education classroom hours; provisional license at 16 after 6 months with the permit. Manual |
| Nevada | 15½ | Under 18 must hold it 6 months. Handbook |
| New Jersey | 16 / 17 | 16 for the special learner permit through a driving school; 17 for the examination permit. Manual |
| New Mexico | 15 | Must be enrolled in an approved driver ed course; provisional license at 15½ after 6 months. Manual |
| New York | 16 | DMV |
| North Carolina | 15 | After completing driver education (Level 1 Limited Learner Permit). Handbook |
| Ohio | 15½ | Temporary instruction permit. Digest |
| Oklahoma | 15 / 16 | 15 if enrolled in approved driver education; at 16 driver education is optional. Service Oklahoma |
| Oregon | 15 | License at 16; under 18 must hold the permit at least 6 months. Manual |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | Under 18: hold it 6 months and log 65 hours (10 at night, 5 in bad weather) before the road test. Manual |
| South Carolina | 15 | Beginner's permit; hold it 180 days if 17 or under, 30 days if 18 or older. Manual |
| Tennessee | 15 | Learner permit (Class PD); under 18 it can't be used from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Manual |
| Texas | 15 | Learner license for ages 15–17 with driver education. Handbook |
| Utah | 15 | License at 16 after holding the permit 6 months. Handbook |
| Virginia | 15 years, 6 months | Under 18: driver education, 9 months with the permit and 45 practice hours, 15 after sunset. From January 1, 2027, first-time applicants ages 18 to 20 must hold the permit 90 days and complete driver education. DMV |
| Washington | 15 / 15½ | 15 if enrolled in driver training; 15½ otherwise. Guide |
Common requirements
They vary, but you'll almost always need to:
- Pass the written knowledge (and signs) test.
- Pass a vision test.
- Bring documents proving identity, age and residence (plus a Social Security number or an accepted alternative, depending on the state). See our documents guide.
- If you're under 18: a parent or guardian signature and, in many states, enrollment in driver education.
- Pay the permit fee.
Learner's permit restrictions
With a permit you can't drive alone. Details vary, but typically:
- A licensed adult must sit in the front passenger seat. Their minimum age depends on the state (in Florida, for example, 21 or older).
- Some states limit hours. In Florida, learners drive only in daylight for the first 3 months, then until 10 pm.
- Many states require logged practice hours (day and night) before the road test.
- There's a minimum holding period before a license: 6 months in Arizona and Nevada, 9 months in Maryland and Virginia, 12 months in Colorado (for minors).
- Teens often face passenger and phone rules. In California, for example, minors may not use a phone while driving, even hands-free, except in an emergency.
Check your state's DMV
This table is a summary. Ages, courses and restrictions change with new laws, and there are exceptions. Before you go, check your state's official page (linked above) or its driver handbook.
Get ready for the permit test
The first hurdle is the written test. Practice with Grandpa: a unit for your state and a practice exam in your state's official format.
Practice with Abuelito
Video lessons, voiced questions and practice tests in your state's format.