Teen driver laws by state: how GDL rules compare in 2026
How states set permit ages, practice hours, night limits, passenger rules and parent duties
Picture two friends who turn 16 on the same day, one in South Dakota and one in New Jersey. The South Dakota teen may have been driving alone for over a year, since that state issues restricted licenses as early as 14½ [1]. The New Jersey teen must wait until 17 [1].
Every state and the District of Columbia (DC) uses GDL to phase in driving privileges. But each sets its own ages, hours, curfews and passenger rules [4]. Those choices matter: in 2024, 2,899 U.S. teenagers ages 13 to 19 died in crashes [6].
This guide compares state GDL laws as of October 2026, explains parent duties and summarizes the research. Treat national numbers as orientation only. For what each stage is for, see our graduated driver licensing roadmap.
How GDL laws are built, in legal terms
GDL statutes share a three stage frame: a supervised learner permit, an intermediate license with limits, and then a full license [5]. Your state may call the middle stage junior, provisional or probationary.
Five legal terms explain most differences:
- Minimum entry age: the youngest age for each stage.
- Holding period: how long a teen must hold the permit before the road test.
- Certification: a signed statement, often by a parent, that practice hours were completed.
- Contingent advancement: moving up requires a clean record. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that almost all states delay full licensure for some violations [4].
- Secondary enforcement: police may cite the violation only after stopping a teen for another reason. By our count, at least 14 states enforce the night limit, the passenger limit or both this way [1, 2].
Exceptions for work, school, emergencies and family members also vary widely [1, 11, 14].
National ranges at a glance (October 2026)
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
| Provision | National range | Most common rule | Strongest benchmark | States meeting it (our count) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Learner permit minimum age | 14 to 16 | 15 (25 states) | 16 (IIHS, CDC) | 7 states and DC |
| Permit holding period | None (New Hampshire) to 12 months | 6 months (35 states and DC) | 12 months (CDC) | 7 states, plus North Dakota for applicants under 16 |
| Supervised practice hours | None to 70; Oregon requires 100 without driver education | 50 (28 states) | 70 (IIHS, CDC) | Maine |
| Intermediate license minimum age | 14½ (South Dakota, with driver education) to 17 | 16 (36 states) | 17 (IIHS) | New Jersey |
| Night limit start | 6 p.m. (South Carolina, standard time) to 1 a.m.; none in Vermont | Midnight (16 states) | 8 p.m. (IIHS); 9 or 10 p.m. (CDC) | 15 states start by 10 p.m. on at least some nights |
| Young passenger limit | No limit (3 states) to no young passengers | 1 young passenger (29 states) | No teen passengers (IIHS, CDC) | 16 states and DC, at least at first |
| Novice phone ban | No ban to all use banned, including hands free | All use ban: 37 states and DC (GHSA); 33 states and DC (IIHS) | None set; NHTSA rates these laws unproven | Not applicable |
| Earliest age all limits can end | 16 to 18; some limits last to 21 in New Jersey, Indiana and DC | Varies by state | 18 (CDC) | At least 5 states and DC |
Drive With Care’s tally of the IIHS table (October 2026), with GHSA’s June 2025 review used for 6 states. Benchmarks are from IIHS and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [1 to 4, 7, 8].
No state matches every benchmark: by our count, none pairs a permit age of 16 with the 12 month permit stage that CDC also recommends [1, 2, 8].
Learner permits: ages, holding periods and practice hours
Ages and holding periods. Most states issue permits at 15 or 15½. A 6 month permit stage is the norm [1, 2]. New Hampshire sets no minimum holding period. GHSA lists Wyoming’s as 10 days [1, 2]. Connecticut cuts the wait from 6 months to 4 for driver education graduates [1].
NHTSA’s Countermeasures That Work guide links a 9- to 12 month permit stage to 26% fewer fatal crashes among 16 year olds than stages of up to 4 months [4]. A national IIHS study suggests much of that benefit comes from delaying the age of solo driving [10].
Practice hours. By our count, 33 states set a base requirement of 50 hours or more [1, 2]. Fifteen states and DC require 20 to 45. Arkansas and Mississippi require none. Oregon requires 100 hours for teens who skip driver education. Alabama and Nebraska waive hours for teens who complete it [1].
NHTSA rates required hours as unproven, because studies have not tied higher mandates to fewer fatal crashes [4]. Awareness may be one reason: in phone interviews with parents in 5 states, only 32% knew how many hours their teen needed [4]. Our supervised driving practice plan shows how to make those hours count.
Intermediate licenses: night, passenger and phone limits
Most states issue the intermediate license at 16 [1]. IIHS reports that raising the licensing age from 16 to 17 is linked to a 13% lower fatal crash rate among 15- to 17 year olds [6].
Night limits
Every state except Vermont limits night driving for intermediate drivers, GHSA reports [2].
Timing is where many laws fall short. In a study of 2009 to 2014 data, drivers ages 16 and 17 took about 11% of their trips between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. Yet those hours held 31% of their fatal crash involvements [4]. Their night fatal crashes were almost twice as common before midnight as after [4].
Even so, by our count, 23 states start their limit at midnight or later [1, 2]. Research summarized by NHTSA linked 9 p.m. limits to 18% fewer fatal crashes, compared with 9% for 1 a.m. limits [4].
Passenger limits
GHSA reports that 47 states and DC limit passengers during the intermediate stage, most often to 1 young passenger [1, 2]. The age that counts as young ranges from under 17 in Idaho to under 25 in New Hampshire [1].
When teen passengers were banned outright, fatal crash rates for drivers ages 15 to 17 were 21% lower than when 2 or more were allowed [4]. Check how your state treats siblings and household members.
Phone limits
GHSA counts 37 states and DC that ban all phone use by novice drivers, based on its June 2025 review [2]. IIHS (updated July 2026) counts 33 states and DC with full teen bans, including hands free use [3]. Trackers classify partial and stage based rules differently. Our distracted driving laws by state guide lists each state.
NHTSA rates these bans as unproven, citing a North Carolina study that found no drop in teen phone use after the ban [4]. IIHS suggests parents require a blocking app or the phone’s do not disturb while driving setting [7].
Full licensure: when the limits lift
Limits lift after a set number of months, at a set age, or whichever comes first [1]. By our count, the earliest age all limits can end ranges from 16 in South Dakota to 18 in states such as Georgia and Texas [1]. New Jersey, Indiana and DC can keep some limits in place until 21 [1].
Violations can slow the timeline. In Ohio, a conviction in the first 6 months of licensure may mean a parent must ride along for 6 months or until the teen turns 17 [14]. NHTSA finds little evidence that such penalties work, partly because awareness is low and enforcement is rare [4].
Five state snapshots from official sites (October 2026)
- California (West): Permits start at 15½ after driver education, with a parent or guardian’s signature [11]. Teens then need 6 months, driver training and 50 practice hours (10 at night) [11]. For the first 12 months, provisional drivers may not drive from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. They also may not carry passengers under 20 unless a parent, guardian or licensed driver 25 or older rides along [11].
- Florida (Southeast): Learners hold the permit 12 months or until 18, log 50 hours (10 at night) and drive only in daylight for the first 3 months [13]. Licensed 16 year olds may drive only from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., and 17 year olds from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. [13]. Work trips and trips with a licensed driver 21 or older are exempt [13]. There is no passenger limit [1].
- New York (Northeast): Teens need 50 practice hours, 15 after sunset, certified on form MV-262 [12]. Upstate, junior drivers generally may not drive unsupervised from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Unsupervised driving is barred in New York City [1]. Limits end at 17 with driver education, or at 18 without it [1].
- Ohio (Midwest): Teens log 50 hours, 10 at night, on a signed affidavit [14]. For 12 months after licensing, they may not drive from midnight to 6 a.m. without a parent or guardian [14]. They also may not carry more than 1 passenger from outside the family without a parent, or use any mobile device [14].
- New Jersey (Northeast): New drivers under 21 log 50 supervised hours, 10 in darkness, certified on form BA-CSD, then drive 1 year on a probationary license [15]. GHSA notes it is the only state requiring decals that identify these new drivers [2].
What the law asks of parents
Parents’ legal duties usually fall into four areas:
- Signing. In California, a parent or guardian signs the permit application and accepts financial responsibility [11]. In Ohio, a parent or other responsible adult cosigns and accepts an obligation set by state law [14].
- Certifying practice. Practice hours are often certified on a state form, such as New York’s MV-262 or Ohio’s 50 hour affidavit [12, 14]. Sign only for hours that truly happened.
- Withdrawing consent. California parents may cancel a teen’s license with a state form [11]. New York parents may use form MV-1W while a teen under 18 holds a junior license [12]. In Florida, the adult who signed can rescind responsibility and cancel the license [13].
- Riding along. Ohio can require a parent to ride along after an early violation [14].
Because a signature may carry financial consequences after a crash, ask your insurer or a local attorney what signing means in your state.
Best practice: a written family agreement
NHTSA urges parents to write a parent teen driving contract, model safe driving and enforce GDL rules [5]. CDC’s free Parent Teen Driving Agreement, part of its Parents Are the Key campaign, puts rules and consequences in writing [9]. CDC suggests posting it at home and updating it as your teen earns privileges [9]. IIHS adds that you don’t have to seek a permit the day your teen becomes eligible [7].
Do stronger GDL laws work?
Yes, especially the strongest provisions.
- Law strength: An IIHS study of 1996 to 2007 data tied good rated laws to 30% lower fatal crash rates among 15 to 17 year olds than poor rated laws [10].
- Core limits: NHTSA gives GDL its top 5 star rating. Programs with a 6 month permit, a night limit by 10 p.m. and at most 1 teen passenger were linked to 38% fewer fatal crashes among 16 year olds [4].
- Overall effect: CDC cites an analysis that found GDL cut injury crashes by about 19% and fatal crashes by about 21% among 16 year old drivers [8].
- Long term trend: Teen crash deaths fell 50% between 1996, when the first U.S. three stage program began, and 2024 [6]. Safer vehicles likely helped too.
The 18 to 20 gap
NHTSA notes that GDL applies only to drivers under 18 in most states. But about one third of first time license holders are 18 or older [4]. A few states close part of the gap:
- New Jersey requires 50 practice hours of all new drivers under 21. Its night and passenger limits can last until 21 [1, 15].
- Indiana and DC can keep some limits until 21 for new drivers who haven’t met the time requirement [1].
- Ohio requires 18- to 20 year olds to finish driver education and log 50 supervised hours [14].
IIHS says recent studies support extending GDL to new drivers ages 18 to 20 [6]. Our guide to learning to drive as an adult covers adult probation rules in Maryland and New York.
Compare your state: an 8 point worksheet
Fill this in from your state’s official pages, then compare each answer with the national benchmarks above.
Comparison compiled by Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
| # | Provision | What to write down | Your state’s rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Learner permit age | Minimum age; any course required first; who must sign | ______________ |
| 2 | Permit holding period | Months required; any shortcut for driver education | ______________ |
| 3 | Supervised practice | Total hours; night or bad weather hours; supervisor’s minimum age; certification form | ______________ |
| 4 | Intermediate license age | Minimum age; road test; clean record rule | ______________ |
| 5 | Night limit | Start and end times; work, school or emergency exceptions | ______________ |
| 6 | Passenger limit | How many; age cutoff; family exceptions; how long it lasts | ______________ |
| 7 | Phone rule | Is hands free banned too? Until what age or stage? Penalty | ______________ |
| 8 | Full license | Months or age needed; what a ticket does to the timeline; rules for ages 18 to 20 | ______________ |
Date checked: ____________ Official page used: ____________
How to verify your state's GDL law in 5 minutes
- Minute 1: Find the official site. Use USA.gov’s directory to reach your licensing agency. Skip lookalike sites that don’t end in .gov.
- Minute 2: Open the teen pages and driver manual. Note each page’s last updated date, then start filling in the worksheet.
- Minute 3: Read the definitions and exceptions. Check who counts as family, the supervisor’s minimum age, which trips are exempt, and how each limit is enforced.
- Minute 4: Find the paperwork. List the consent, practice certification and withdrawal forms.
- Minute 5: Cross check and save. Compare your notes with the IIHS and GHSA summaries. If they differ, trust the state, call the agency, and save the link with today’s date.
Recheck at every stage change and before any trip to another state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the youngest age to get a learner’s permit?
As of October 2026, 6 states allow a permit at 14: Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota and South Dakota [1]. Most states start at 15 or 15½. In 7 states and DC, teens wait until 16 [1, 2].
Which states have the strictest teen driving laws?
No state leads on everything. New Jersey has the latest intermediate license age. Maine requires the most practice. South Carolina has the earliest night limit [1]. IIHS’s strongest law benchmarks make a better yardstick [7].
What time is the teen driving curfew in my state?
Start times range from 6 p.m. in South Carolina in winter to 1 a.m. in states such as Rhode Island. Vermont has no night limit [1, 2]. Check exceptions for work and school.
Can my teen drive friends with a provisional license?
Often not, at least at first. Most states allow no more than 1 young passenger. In 16 states and DC, none are allowed at first [1, 2]. Family exceptions vary.
Can a parent take away a teen’s driver’s license?
In some states, yes. California, New York and Florida let a parent or guardian withdraw consent or cancel the license through the state [11 to 13]. Ask your licensing agency how it works locally.
The bottom line
Recommendation from Safety Behind the Wheel Foundation
Treat your state’s GDL law as the floor. Look up all 8 provisions, then set family rules that move toward the benchmarks: an earlier night limit, no teen passengers at first and no phone use. Recheck the official rules at every new stage.
Related articles
- Graduated driver licensing: a parent’s roadmap from permit to full license
- Supervised driving practice plan: a 6 stage guide for parents and teens
- Distracted driving laws by state: 2026 guide to phone and texting rules
- Learning to drive as an adult: a step by step guide for first timers
- State traffic safety laws: how to look up and verify your state’s rules
Sources and further reading
- 1Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Graduated licensing laws (state-by-state table). Current as of October 2026. iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers/graduated-licensing-laws-table
- 2Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Teens & Novice Drivers (state law summary). Issue overview updated June 2026; laws last reviewed by state highway safety offices June 2025. ghsa.org/state-laws-issues/teens-novice-drivers
- 3IIHS. Distracted driving (research area overview). Updated July 2026. iihs.org/research-areas/distracted-driving
- 4National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Countermeasures That Work, 11th Edition, 2023. Chapter 6, Young Drivers (GDL, learner’s permit, nighttime and passenger restrictions, supervised hours, cell phone restrictions, violation penalties). DOT HS 813 490. November 2023. nhtsa.gov/book/countermeasures-that-work/young-drivers
- 5NHTSA. Teen Driving. No date shown; accessed October 3, 2026. nhtsa.gov/road-safety/teen-driving
- 6IIHS. Teenagers (research area overview). Updated August 2026. iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers
- 7IIHS. Young driver safety. Updated May 2026. iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers/young-driver-safety
- 8Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Preventing Teen Motor Vehicle Crashes (teen drivers prevention page). August 4, 2025. cdc.gov/teen-drivers/prevention
- 9CDC. Parent-Teen Driving Agreement (Parents Are the Key). Updated July 28, 2025. cdc.gov/teen-drivers/parents-are-the-key/driving-agreement.html
- 10McCartt AT, Teoh ER, Fields M, Braitman KA, Hellinga LA. Graduated licensing laws and fatal crashes of teenage drivers: a national study. Traffic Injury Prevention 11(3):240 to 248. June 2010 (IIHS bibliography record). iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2038
- 11California Department of Motor Vehicles. California Driver’s Handbook, Section 2: Getting an Instruction Permit and Driver’s License. Last modified June 11, 2025. dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/getting-an-instruction-permit-and-drivers-license
- 12New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. Information for Parents (younger driver resources). No date shown; accessed October 3, 2026. dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/younger-driver/information-for-parents
- 13Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. Driving Safety: Teen Drivers. No date shown; accessed October 3, 2026. flhsmv.gov/driver-licenses-id-cards/teen-drivers
- 14Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. First-issuance driver license requirements (temporary permit, probationary license and ages 18 to 20). No date shown; accessed October 3, 2026. bmv.ohio.gov/dl-gdl.aspx
- 15New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission. First Driver License. Revised September 2025. nj.gov/mvc/license/firstlic.htm
This article reflects the priorities of teen driver policy research and traffic safety law. It is general education, not legal advice for any individual, family or case. Laws, forms and data change, so verify current rules with your state’s official licensing agency. Reviewed October 2026.
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