Driving Age by State 2025
State | Learner's Permit Age↓ | Mandatory Holding Period (Months) | Required Supervised Driving Experience (Hours) | Passenger Restrictions | Restricted License Age | Nighttime Driving Restrictions | Nighttime Driving Restrictions Duration | Unrestricted License Age | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Connecticut | 16 | 6 | 40 | No passengers other than parents, driving instructor or members of the immediate family | 16.30 | 11 PM - 5 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | Delaware | 16 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger | 16.50 | 10 PM - 6 AM | 6 months driving or the issuance of a class D license | 17 |
 | District of Columbia | 16 | 6 | 40 | No passengers | 16.50 | 11 PM - 6 AM (Sep-Jun) | 12 AM - 6 AM (Jul-Aug) | 6 months driving or until age 21 | 18 |
 | Kentucky | 16 | 6 | 60 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 20 (unless supervised by a driving instructor) | 16.50 | 12 AM - 6 AM | 6 months driving or age 18 | 17 |
 | Massachusetts | 16 | 6 | 40 | No passengers younger than 18 | 16.50 | 12:30 AM - 5 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | New Jersey | 16 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger (exception is limited to drivers' dependents) | 17 | 11 PM - 5 AM | 12 months driving or until age 21 | 18 |
 | New York | 16 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 16.50 | 9 PM - 5 AM | Until age 17 with driver education, until age 18 without | 17 |
 | Pennsylvania | 16 | 6 | 65 | First 6 months - no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 | Second 6 months - no more than 3 passengers | 16.50 | 11 PM - 5 AM | 12 months driving and age 17 | 17 |
 | Rhode Island | 16 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 16.50 | 1 AM - 5 AM | 12 months driving or until age 18 | 17.50 |
 | Maryland | 15.80 | 9 | 60 | No passengers younger than 18 | 16.50 | 12 AM - 5 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | Arizona | 15.50 | 6 | 30 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 18 | 16 | 12 AM - 5 AM | 6 months driving or until age 18 | 16.50 |
 | California | 15.50 | 6 | 50 | No passengers younger than 20 (limited exception for immediate family) | 16 | 11 PM - 5 AM | 12 months after initial license | 17 |
 | Hawaii | 15.50 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 18 (household members excepted) | 16 | 11 PM - 5 AM | 6 months driving and age 17 | 17 |
 | Nevada | 15.50 | 6 | 50 | No passengers younger than 18 | 16 | 10 PM - 5 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | New Hampshire | 15.50 | 0 | 40 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 25 | 16 | 1 AM - 4 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | Ohio | 15.50 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger during the first 12 months | 16 | 1 AM - 5 AM | 24 months | 18 |
 | Oklahoma | 15.50 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger | 16 | 10 PM - 5 AM | 6 months driving with driver education, 12 months without or until age 18 | 16.50 |
 | Virginia | 15.50 | 9 | 45 | First 12 months - no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | Thereafter - no more than 3 passengers younger than 21 | 16.40 | 12 AM - 4 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | Alabama | 15 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger | 16 | 12 AM - 6 AM | 6 months driving and age 17 | 17 |
 | Colorado | 15 | 12 | 50 | First 6 months - no passengers | Second 6 months - no more than 1 passenger | 16 | 12 AM - 5 AM | 12 months driving or until age 18 | 17 |
 | Florida | 15 | 12 | 50 | No restrictions | 16 | 11 PM - 6 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | Georgia | 15 | 12 | 40 | First 6 months - no passengers | Second 6 months - no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 16 | 12 AM - 5 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | Illinois | 15 | 9 | 50 | First 12 months - no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 | 16 | 10 PM - 6 AM (Sun-Thu) | 11 PM - 6 AM (Fri-Sat) | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | Indiana | 15 | 6 | 50 | No passengers | 16.40 | 10 PM - 5 AM | 6 months and age 18 or until age 21 | 21 |
 | Louisiana | 15 | 6 | 50 | Between 6 PM-5 AM - no more than one passenger younger than 21 | Between 5 AM-6PM - no restrictions | 16 | 11 PM - 5 AM | Until age 17 | 17 |
 | Maine | 15 | 6 | 70 | No passengers | 16 | 12 AM - 5 AM | 9 months | 16.80 |
 | Minnesota | 15 | 6 | 40 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 20 | Second 6 months - no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 | 16 | 12 AM - 5 AM | 6 months driving or until age 18 | 17 |
 | Mississippi | 15 | 12 | 0 | No restrictions | 16 | 10 PM - 6 AM (Sun-Thu) | 11:30 PM - 6 AM (Fri-Sat) | 6 months driving or until age 18 | 16.50 |
 | Missouri | 15 | 6 | 40 | First 6 months - no more than 1 passenger younger than 19 | Thereafter - no more than 3 passengers younger than 19 | 16 | 1 AM - 5 AM | Entire intermediate stage | 17.90 |
 | Nebraska | 15 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 19 | 16 | 12 AM - 6 AM | 12 months driving or at age 18 | 17 |
 | New Mexico | 15 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 15.50 | 12 AM - 5 AM | 12 months driving or until age 18 | 16.50 |
 | North Carolina | 15 | 9 | 60 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 16 | 9 PM - 5 AM | 6 months driving or until age 18 | 16.50 |
 | Oregon | 15 | 6 | 50 | First 6 months - no passengers younger than 20 | Second 6 months - no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 | 16 | 12 AM - 5 AM | 12 months driving or until age 18 | 17 |
 | South Carolina | 15 | 6 | 40 | No more than 2 passengers younger than 21 (unless transporting students to and from school) | 15.50 | 6 PM - 6 AM | 12 months driving and age 17 | 16.50 |
 | Tennessee | 15 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger | 16 | 11 PM - 6 AM | 12 months driving or until age 18 | 17 |
 | Texas | 15 | 6 | 30 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 16 | 12 AM - 5 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | Utah | 15 | 6 | 40 | No passengers | 16 | 12 AM - 5 AM | Until age 17 | 16.50 |
 | Vermont | 15 | 12 | 40 | No passengers | 16 | none | None | 16.50 |
 | Washington | 15 | 6 | 50 | First 6 months - no passengers younger than 20 | Second 6 months - no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 | 16 | 1 AM - 5 AM | 12 months driving or until age 18 | 17 |
 | West Virginia | 15 | 6 | 50 | First 6 months - no passengers younger than 20 | Second 6 months - no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 | 16 | 10 PM - 5 AM | 12 months driving and age 17 or until age 18 | 17 |
 | Wisconsin | 15 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger | 16 | 12 AM - 5 AM | 9 months driving or until age 18 | 18 |
 | Wyoming | 15 | 0.30 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 18 | 16 | 11 PM - 5 AM | 6 months driving or until age 17 | 17 |
 | Michigan | 14.80 | 6 | 50 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 16 | 10 PM - 5 AM | 6 months driving and age 17 or until age 18 | 17 |
 | Idaho | 14.50 | 6 | 50 | Licensees 16 and younger can have no more than 1 passenger younger than 17 | 15 | 10 PM - 5 AM | Until age 16 | 16 |
 | Montana | 14.50 | 6 | 50 | First 6 months - no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 | Second 6 months - no more than 3 passengers younger than 18 | 15 | 11 PM - 5 AM | 12 months driving or until age 18 | 16 |
 | Alaska | 14 | 6 | 40 | No passengers younger than 21 | 16 | 1 AM - 5 AM | 6 months driving or until age 18 | 16.50 |
 | Arkansas | 14 | 6 | 0 | No more than 1 passenger younger than 21 | 16 | 11 PM - 4 AM | Until age 18 | 18 |
 | Iowa | 14 | 12 | 20 | Parental discretion | 16 | 12:30 AM - 5 AM | 12 months driving and age 17 or until age 18 | 17 |
 | Kansas | 14 | 12 | 50 | No more than 1 passeger younger than 18 | 16 | 9 PM - 5 AM | 6 months driving or age 17 | 16.50 |
 | North Dakota | 14 | 6 | 50 | No restrictions | 15 | 9 PM - 5 AM | Until age 16 | 16 |
 | South Dakota | 14 | 9 | 50 | First 6 months - no passengers | Thereafter - no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 | 14.80 | 10 PM - 6 AM | Until age 16 | 15.50 |
- Driving age laws may change at any time. Data shown should not be considered legally authoritative. Interested parties are encouraged to confirm current guidelines with local authorities.
- Wyoming’s mandatory holding period is 10 days. Wyoming is the only state whose holding period is measured in days rather than months.
Each U.S. state establishes its own driving laws. These include speed limits, cell phone use, and seat belt laws. Despite these laws to promote road safety, some states still have the worst drivers. States have adopted graduated license programs to help teens learn and adapt to safe driving. Each state establishes its own driving laws, and ages can vary greatly.
Driver’s licenses are issued by each state, including the District of Columbia, rather than by the federal government. Drivers are required to obtain a license in their state of residence, but all states recognize each other’s licenses as valid forms of identification for non-resident age requirements.
States have specific ages for learner’s permits, restricted licenses, full licenses, and rental cars. Graduated license programs have been so effective that states are considering adopting similar programs for older teens (18 to 20-year-olds) who are becoming first-time drivers.
Once a teen is of age to get his/her learner’s permit, a set number of hours of professional instruction are typically required to receive the permit. Some states require every driver to attend some type of driver’s education before obtaining a learner’s permit.
Restricted licenses have regulations on drivers for a period of time after receiving their license, typically anywhere between the first six months to the first year and a half. Restricted licenses typically prohibit the driver from driving at night past a specific hour or having more than one passenger under a specific age in the car.
Once drivers reach the full license age, they are eligible for a full, unrestricted license. Some states require that the driver must not have been convicted of violating a traffic law with their restricted license to receive their full license. In some states, such as Oklahoma, the law requires drivers to have their restricted license for at least six months and then allows drivers to be eligible for a full license. Drivers must go to their state’s DMV to obtain a new license.
The youngest age in any state that a driver can obtain a learner’s permit is 14 years old, and the highest age is 16 years old. Restricted licenses can be obtained anywhere from 14.5 years to 17 years old, and full licenses are granted between 16 to 18 years old.
