Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws
Novice drivers have higher crash rates. Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs allow young drivers to safely gain driving experience before obtaining full driving privileges. Most programs include three stages:
-
Learner Stage: supervised driving, cumulating with a driving test;
Learn More About Teen Driver Safety
Curbing Teen Driver Crashes: State Novice Driver Initiatives
Published 2012Protecting Teen Drivers: A Guidebook for States Published 2010
- Intermediate Stage: limiting unsupervised driving in high risk situations; and
- Full Privilege Stage: a standard driver's license.
During the 1990s, many states began enacting GDL laws. The programs and types of restrictions vary from state to state. Below are some highlights:
- Cell Phones/Texting: 31 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by novice drivers. (See GHSA's Cell Phone laws page for more information.)
- Nighttime Driving Restriction: 48 states and D.C. restrict nighttime driving during the intermediate stage.
- Passenger Restriction: 47 states and D.C. restrict the number of passengers during the intermediate stage.
- Novice Driver Decal: New Jersey is the only state with a measure requiring those younger than 21 without full-privilege licenses to display a decal on their vehicle identifying them as new drivers.
NOTE: GHSA does not compile any additional data on GDL laws other than what is presented here. For more information, consult the appropriate State Highway Safety Office.
| State | Learner Stage | Intermediate Stage | Full Privilege Min. Age (Years/ Months) |
||||
| Min. Age (Years/ Months) |
Min. Duration (Months) |
Required Supervised Driving Hours (Night Hours) |
Min. Age (Years/ Months) |
Nighttime Driving Restriction | Passenger Restriction (except family, unless noted) |
||
| Alabama | 15 | 6 | 30; 0 w/ driver's ed. | 16 | Midnight - 6 a.m. | No more than 1 | 17 |
| Alaska | 14 | 6 | 40 (10) | 16 | 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. | First 6 mos.–no pass. <21 | 16 / 6 |
| Arizona | 15 / 6 | 6 | 30 (10); 0 w/ driver's ed. | 16 | Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement) |
First 6 mos.–no more than 1 <18 (secondary enforcement) |
16 / 6 |
| Arkansas | 14 | 6 | None | 16 | 11 p.m. - 4 a.m. | No more than 1 | 18 |
| California | 15 / 6 | 6 | 50 (10) | 16 | 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement) |
First 12 mos.–no pass. <20 (secondary enforcement) |
17 |
| Colorado | 15 (w/ driver's ed.) 15 / 6 (w/ driver awareness program) 16 (w/out driver's ed. or program) |
12 | 50 (10) | 16 | Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement) |
First 6 mos.–no pass. <21; second 6 mos.–no more than 1 <21 (secondary enforcement) |
17 |
| Connecticut | 16 | 4 (w/ driver's ed.) 6 (w/out driver's ed.) |
40 | 16 / 4 | 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. |
First 6 mos.–no pass. except parents or instructor; second 6 mos––no pass. except parents, instructor or immediate family | Night: 18 |
| Passenger: 17 / 4 | |||||||
| Delaware 1 | 16 | 6 | 50 (10) | 16 / 6 | 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. | No more than 1 | 17 |
| D.C. | 16 | 6 | 40 (10 in intermediate stage) | 16 / 6 | Sept. to June 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. (Su-Th); midnight - 6 a.m. (Fr-Sa) July-Aug midnight - 6 a.m. |
First 6 mos.–no pass.; thereafter–no more than 2 | 18 |
| Florida | 15 | 12 | 50 (10) | 16 | Age 16 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. Age 17 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. |
No restriction | 18 |
| Georgia | 15 | 12 | 40 (6) | 16 | Midnight - 6 a.m. (secondary enforcement) |
First 6 mos.–no pass; second 6 mos.–no more than 1 <21; thereafter–no more than 3 (secondary enforcement) |
18 |
| Guam | 16 | No data | |||||
| Hawaii | 15 / 6 | 6 | 50 (10) | 16 | 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 <18 | 17 |
| Idaho | 14 / 6 | 6 | 50 (10) | 15 | Sunrise - sunset | First 6 mos.–no more than 1 <17 | Night: 16 |
| Passenger: 15 / 6 | |||||||
| Illinois | 15 | 9 | 50 (10) | 16 | Su-Th 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. Fr-Sa 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. |
First 12 mos.–no more than 1 <20 | Night: 18 |
| Passenger: 17 |
|||||||
| Indiana | 15 (w/ driver's ed) 16 (w/out driver's ed) |
6 | 50 (10) | 16 / 6 (w/ driver's ed) 16 / 9 (w/out driver's ed) |
First 180 days–10 p.m. - 5 a.m. After 180 days–11 p.m. - 5 a.m. (Su. - Th.); 1 - 5 a.m. (Fr. - Sat.) |
First 180 days–no pass. | Night: 18 |
| Passenger: 17 (w/ driver's ed) 17 / 3 (w/out driver's ed) |
|||||||
| Iowa | 14 | 12 (eff. 1/2014) |
20 (2) Learner 10 (2) Intermediate |
16 | 12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m. | First 6 mos.–no more than 1 <18 (eff. 1/2014) |
17 |
| Kansas 2 | 14 | 12 | 50 (10) | 16 | First 6 mos.–9 p.m. - 5 a.m. | First 6 mos.–no more than 1 non sibling | 16 / 6 |
| Kentucky | 16 | 6 | 60 (10) | 16 / 6 | Midnight - 6 a.m. | No more than 1 <20 unless supervised by instructor (secondary enforcement) |
17 |
| Louisiana | 15 | 6 | 50 (15) | 16 | 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 <21 between 6 p.m. - 5 a.m. | 17 |
| Maine | 15 | 6 | 35 (5) | 16 | Midnight - 5 a.m. | First 180 days–no pass. | 16 / 6 |
| Maryland | 15 / 9 | 9 | 60 (10) | 16 / 6 | Midnight - 5 a.m. | First 5 mos.–no pass. <18 (secondary enforcement) |
Night: 18 |
| Passenger: 16 / 11 | |||||||
| Mass. | 16 | 6 | 40; 30 w/ advanced driver training | 16 / 6 | 12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enf. 12:30 a.m. - 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. - 5 a.m.) |
First 6 mos.–no pass. <18 | Night: 18 |
| Passenger: 17 | |||||||
| Michigan | 14 / 9 | 6 | 50 (10) | 16 | 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 <21 | 17 |
| Minnesota | 15 | 6 | 30 (10) |
16 | First 6 mos.– Midnight - 5 a.m. |
First 6 mos.–no more than 1 <20; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 <20 | Night: 16 / 6 |
| Passenger: 17 |
|||||||
| Mississippi | 15 | 12 | None | 16 | Su-Th 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. Fr-Sa 11:30 p.m. - 6 a.m. |
No restriction | 16 / 6 |
| Missouri | 15 | 6 | 40 (10) | 16 | 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. | First 6 mos.–no more than 1 <19; thereafter–no more than 3 <19 | 18 |
| Montana | 14 / 6 | 6 | 50 (10) | 15 | 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. | First 6 mos.–no more than 1 <18; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 <18 | 16 |
| Nebraska | 15 | 6 | 50 (10); 0 w/ driver's ed. | 16 | Midnight - 6 a.m. (secondary enforcement) |
First 6 mos.–no more than 1 <19 (secondary enforcement) |
Night: 17 |
| Passenger: 16 / 6 |
|||||||
| Nevada | 15 / 6 | 6 | 50 (10) | 16 | No restriction | First 6 mos.–no pass. <18 (secondary enforcement) |
16 / 6 |
| New Hampshire | 15 / 6 | None | 40 (10) | 16 | 1 a.m. - 4 a.m. | First 6 mos.–no more than 1 <25 | Night: 17 /1 |
| Pass: 16 / 6 | |||||||
| New Jersey | 16 | 6 | None | 17 | 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 (exception limited to drivers' dependents) | 18 |
| New Mexico | 15 | 6 | 50 (10) | 15 / 6 | Midnight - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 <21 | 16 / 6 |
| New York | 16 | 6 | 50 (15) | 16 / 6 | 9 p.m. - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 <21 | 17 (w/ driver's ed.)
18 (w/out driver's ed.) |
| North Carolina | 15 | 12 | 60 (10) during Learner stage 12 (6) during Intermediate stage |
16 | 9 p.m. - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 <21; if <21 pass. is family, no other non-family pass. <21 | 16 / 6 |
| North Dakota 3 | 14 | 12 (for <16); otherwise 6 or until age 18 (whichever comes first) | 50 (for <16); otherwise none | 16; 15 for parent restricted license | Sunset or 9 p.m. (whichever is later) - 5 a.m. | No restriction (other than vehicle manufacturer recs.) | 16 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 15 / 6 | No data | |||||
| Ohio | 15 / 6 | 6 | 50 (10) | 16 | Age 16 Midnight - 6 a.m. Age 17 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement) |
No more than 1 unless supervised | Night: 18 |
| Passenger: 17 | |||||||
| Oklahoma | 15 / 6 | 6 | 50 (10) | 16 | 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 | 16 / 6 (w/ driver's ed.) 17 (w/out driver's ed.) |
| Oregon | 15 | 6 | 50 (100 w/out driver ed.) |
16 | Midnight - 5 a.m. (w/ licensed pass. >25 exempt) | First 6 mos.–no pass.<20; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 <20 | 17 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 | 6 | 65 (10) (5 inclement weather) |
16 / 6 | 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. | First 6 mos.–no more than 1 <18 | 17 (w/ driver's ed. and 12 mo. free of crash or conviction) 18 (w/out driver's ed.) |
| Rhode Island | 16 | 6 | 50 (10) | 16 / 6 | 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. | First 12 mos.–no more than 1 <21 | 17 / 6 |
| South Carolina | 15 | 6 | 40 (10) | 15 / 6 | EST 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. EDT 8 p.m. - 6 a.m. |
No more than 2 <21 unless to/from school | 16 / 6 |
| South Dakota | 14 | 180 days (less 90 days w/ driver's ed) | None | 14 + 180 days (less 90 days w/ driver's ed) |
10 p.m. - 6 a.m. | No restriction | 16 |
| Tennessee | 15 | 6 | 50 (10) | 16 | 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. | No more than 1 | 17 |
| Texas | 15 | 6 | 20 (10) | 16 | Midnight - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement) |
No more than 1 <21 (secondary enforcement) |
17 |
| Utah | 15 | 6 | 40 (10) | 16 | Midnight - 5 a.m. | First 6 mos.–no pass. (secondary enforcement) |
Night: 17 |
| Pass: 16 / 6 | |||||||
| Vermont | 15 | 12 | 40 (10) | 16 | No restriction | First 3 mos.–no pass. without exception; second 3 mos.–no pass. except family | 16 / 6 |
| Virgin Islands | No GDL law | ||||||
| Virginia | 15 / 6 | 9 | 45 (15) | 16 / 3 | Midnight - 4 a.m. (secondary enforcement) |
First 12 mos.–no more than 1 <18; until 18-no more than 3 <18 (secondary enforcement) |
18 |
| Washington | 15 15 / 6 (w/out driver's ed.) |
6 | 50 (10) | 16 | 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (secondary enforcement) |
First 6 mos.–no pass. <20; remainder–no more than 3 <20 (secondary enforcement) |
18 |
| West Virginia | 15 | 6 | 50 (10); 0 w/ driver's ed. | 16 | 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. | First 6 mos.–no pass. <20;second 6 mos.–no more than 1 <20 | 17 |
| Wisconsin | 15 / 6 | 6 | 30 (10) | 16 | Midnight - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 | 16 / 9 |
| Wyoming | 15 | 10 days | 50 (10) | 16 | 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. | No more than 1 <18 | 16 / 6 |
| Total States | Age (# of States) 14 (6) 14 / 6 (2) 14 / 9 (1) 15 (23) 15 / 6 (9 + Northern Mariana Islands) 15 / 9 (1) 16 (8 + D.C., Guam) |
Duration (# of States) None (1) 10 days (1) 4 mos. (1) 6 mos. (35 + D.C.) 180 days (1) 9 mos. (3) 12 mos. (8) |
46 + D.C. require at least some supervised driving 4 do not require any w/ driver's ed. 4 do not require any |
Age
(# of States) 14 + 180 days (1) 15 (2) 15 / 6 (2) 16 (34) 16 / 3 (1) 16 / 4 (1) 16 / 6 (8 + D.C.) 17 (1) |
48 + D.C. | 47 + D.C. | Age (# of States) 16 (3) 16 / 6 (12) 16 / 9 (1) 17 (15) 17 / 6 (1) 18 (7 + D.C.) Varies (11) |
1 Delaware's GDL law also includes a seat belt provision. If a teen driver with a permit or their passenger under age 18 is found not to be wearing a seat belt, the permit holder will have their license suspended for 2 months.
2 At age 15, novice drivers can drive without supervision to and from work or school.
3 Those with a restricted license may only operate a vehicle owned by their parents or legal guardian and are not permitted to drive a car with more passengers than the vehicle's manufacturer recommends.
Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.