Young driver licensing systems in the U.S.

Overview & ratings criteria
Learner stage
Intermediate & unrestricted stages
All stages
By state

Intermediate & unrestricted stages

October 2011

OPTIMAL PROVISIONS:

Minimum age: 16, 6 months
Unsupervised driving prohibited: 9/10 pm–5 am
Restriction on passengers: no more than 1 teenage passenger
Nighttime restrictions end at age 18
Passenger restrictions end at age 18

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.

Table
Map: minimum age for unsupervised driving
Map: night restriction start times
Map: restrictions on passengers

Restrictions on passengers for drivers with intermediate state licenses
(family members excepted unless otherwise noted)

(hover over map for more detail)


	Arizona first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 secondary enforcement


	California first 12 months—no passengers younger than 20 (limited exception for immediate family) secondary enforcement


	Colorado first 6 months—no passengers; second 6 months—no more than 1 passenger secondary enforcement


	Connecticut 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


	District of Columbia first 6 months—no passengers; thereafter, no more than 2 passengers


	Georgia first 6 months—no passengers; second 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 21; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers secondary enforcement


	Hawaii no more than 1 passenger younger than 18 (household members excepted)


	Idaho first 6 months—licensees 16 and younger can have no more than 1 passenger younger than 17


	Illinois first 12 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 20


	Kansas first 6 months - no more than one passenger younger than 18


	Florida none


	Indiana first 180 days-no passengers


	Iowa none


	Louisiana no more than one passenger younger than 21 between the hours of 6 pm-5 am; no passenger restriction from 5 am-6 pm


	Kentucky no more than 1 passenger younger than 20 unless supervised by a driving instructor secondary enforcement


	Maryland first 5 months—no passengers younger than 18 secondary enforcement


	Massachusetts 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)


	Minnesota first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 20; second 6 months—no more than 3 passengers younger than 20


	Missouri first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 19; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers younger than 19


	Montana first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 18; second 6 months—no more than 3 passengers younger than 18


	Nebraska first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 19 secondary enforcement


	Nevada first 6 months—no passengers younger than 18 secondary enforcement


	New Hampshire first 6 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 25


	New Jersey no more than 1 passenger (exception is limited to drivers' dependents)

Young driver licensing systems in the U.S.

Intermediate & unrestricted stages

Restrictions on passengers for drivers with intermediate state licenses (family members excepted unless otherwise noted)

Restrictions on passengers for drivers with intermediate state licenses
(family members excepted unless otherwise noted)


	North Carolina 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


	Oregon first 6 months–no passengers younger than 20; second 6 months–no more than 3 passengers younger than 20


	Pennsylvania first 6 months— no more than 1 passenger younger than 18; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers


	Rhode Island first 12 months–no more than 1 passenger younger than 21


	South Carolina no more than 2 passengers younger than 21 unless transporting students to and from school


	Texas no more than 1 passenger younger than 21 secondary enforcement


	Utah first 6 months—no passengers secondary enforcement


	Vermont first 3 months-no passengers without exception; second 3 months-no passengers except family members


	Virginia first 12 months—no more than 1 passenger younger than 18; thereafter, no more than 3 passengers younger than 18 secondary enforcement


	Washington first 6 months—no passengers younger than 20; second 6 months—no more than 3 passengers younger than 20 secondary enforcement