Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws

November 2009

Studies show that 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;
  • 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. Currently, except for North Dakota, all states have all three stages, although the programs vary from state to state. Below are some highlights:

  • Cell Phones/Texting: 21 states and the District of Columbia restrict cell phone use by novice drivers. 10 ban texting. (See GHSA's Cell Phone laws page for more information.)
  • Nighttime Driving Restriction: 47 states and the District of Columbia restrict nighttime driving during the intermediate stage.
  • Passenger Restriction: 44 states and the District of Columbia 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.

State

Learner Stage

Intermediate Stage

Full Privilege
Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Required
Supervised
Driving (Hrs.)
(Nighttime hours in parenthesis)

Min. Age
(Yrs./ Mos.)

Min.

Dura-
tion
(Mos.)

Min. Age
(Yrs./Mos.)

Night-
time Driving Restriction

Passenger
Restriction*
(* family members exempt)
Alabama 15 6 16 Midnight - 6 a.m. No more than 3 teens plus parent/guardian 17 30
(0 w/ driver's ed.)
Alaska 14 6 16 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no passengers <21* 16 / 6 40 (10)
Arizona 15 / 6 6 16 Midnight - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <18* 16 / 6 30 (10)
(0 w/ driver's ed.)
Arkansas 14 6 16 11 p.m. - 4 a.m. No more than 1 18 None
California 15 / 6 6 16 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. First 12 mos.–no pass. <20 unless supervised by >25-yr. old driver* 17 50 (10)
Colorado 15 (w/ driver's ed., classroom & behind-the-wheel course)

15 / 6 (w/ defensive driving course)

16 (w/out driver's ed.)		 12 16 Midnight - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no pass. <21; second 6 mos.–no more than one pass. <21*
(secondarily enforced)		 17 50 (10)
Connecticut 16 4 (w/ driver's ed.)

6 (w/out driver's ed.)		 16 / 4 11 p.m. -
5 a.m. 		First 6 mos.–no pass. except parents or driving instructor; second 6 mos––no pass. except driving instructor or immediate family Night: 18 40
Passenger: 17 / 4
Delaware 1 16 6 16 / 6 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. No more than 1 pass.* 17 50 (10)
D.C. 16 6 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. unless supervised by >21-yr. old driver*; thereafter–no more than 2 pass. <21* 18 50 (40 in learner stage; 10 at night in intermediate stage)
Florida 15 12 16 Age 16
11 p.m. - 6 a.m. Age 17
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.		 None 18 50 (10)
Georgia 15 12 16 Midnight - 6 a.m. First 6 mos.–no pass.; second 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <21*; thereafter–no more than 3 pass. 18 40 (6)
Guam 16 No data
Hawaii 15 / 6 6 16 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. No more than 1 pass. <18* 17 None
Idaho 14 / 6 6 15 Sunrise - sunset Drivers <16: First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <17* Night: 16 50 (10)
Passenger: 15 / 6
Illinois 15 9 16 Su-Th
10 p.m. - 6 a.m.

Fr-Sa
11 p.m. - 6 a.m.		 First 12 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <20* Night: 18 50 (10)
Passenger:
17
Indiana 15 / 6
(w/ driver's ed)

16
(w/out driver's ed)

(eff. 6/30/10)		 6
(eff. 6/30/10) 		16 / 6
(w/ driver's ed) 16/ 9 (w/out driver's ed) (eff. 6/30/10)		 First 180 days–Su-Th
11 p.m. - 5 a.m.

Fr-Sa
1 a.m. - 5 a.m. (eff. 6/30/10) 		First 180 days–no pass. unless supervised by >25-yr. old driver*
(eff. 6/30/10)		 17 50 (10)
(eff. 6/30/10)
Iowa 14 6 16 12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m. Limited to the number of safety belts in vehicle 17 30 (4)
(10, incl. 2 @ night, must occur in Intermediate stage)
Kansas 2 14 12
(eff. 1/10)

16

 Fist 6 mos.–9 p.m. -
5 a.m.
(eff. 1/10)		 First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass.*
(eff. 1/10)		 16 / 6
(eff. 1/10)		 50 (10)
Kentucky 16 6 16 / 6 Midnight - 6 a.m. No more than 1 pass. <20 17 60 (10)
Louisiana 15 6 16 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. None 17 35
Maine 15 6 16 Midnight - 5 a.m. First 180 days–no pass. unless supervised by licensed driver with 2+ consecutive years of full licensure*
(secondarily enforced) 		16 / 6 35 (5)
Maryland 15 / 9 9 16 / 6 Midnight - 5 a.m. Drivers <18: First 5 mos.–no pass. <18* Night: 17 / 9 60 (10)
Passenger:
16 / 11
Massa-
chusetts		 16 6 16 / 6 12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no pass. under 18 unless supervised by >21-yr. old driver* Night: 18 40 (30 w/ advanced driver training)
Passenger: 17
Michigan 14 / 9 6 16 Midnight - 5 a.m. None 17 50 (10)
Minnesota 15 6 16 First 6 mos.–
Midnight - 5 a.m.		 First 6 mos.–no more than 1 passenger <20; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 passengers <20 Night: 16 / 6 30 (10)
Passenger:
17
Mississippi 15 12 16 Su-Th
10 p.m. - 6 a.m.

Fr-Sa
11:30 p.m. - 6 a.m.		 Must have at least 1 adult >21 16 / 6 None
Missouri 15 6 16 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <19*; thereafter–no more than 3 pass. <19 17 / 11 40 (10)
Montana 14 / 6 6 15 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass <18; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 passengers <18 16 50 (10)
Nebraska 15 6 16 Midnight - 6 a.m. First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <19* Night: 17 50 (10)
(0 w/ driver's ed.)
Passenger:
16 / 6
Nevada 15 / 6 6 16 None First 6 mos.–no pass. <18* Pass: 16 / 6 50 (10)
New Hampshire 15 / 6 None 16 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <25* Night: 17 /1 40 (10)
(eff. 6/16/09)
Pass: 16 / 6
New Jersey 16 6 17 11 p.m. - 5 a.m.
(eff. 5/10)		 No more than 1 pass.
(eff. 5/10) 		18 None
New Mexico 15 6 15 / 6 Midnight - 5 a.m. No more than 1 pass. <21* 16 / 6 50 (10)
New York 16 up to 6 16 / 6 9 p.m. - 5 a.m. No more than 2 pass. <21 unless supervised by >21-yr. old driver* 17 (w/ driver's ed.) 18 (w/out driver's ed.) 20
North Carolina 15 12 16 9 p.m. - 5 a.m. No more than 1 pass. <21*; if family member <21 is passenger, no other non-family memb. pass. <21 16 / 6 None
North Dakota 14 6 No intermediate license stage 14 / 6 None
Northern Mariana Islands 15 / 6 No data
Ohio 15 / 6 6 16 Age 16
12 p.m. - 6 a.m.

Age 17
1 a.m. - 5 a.m.		 No more than 1 pass. for 16 yr. old drivers* Night: 18 50 (10)
Passenger: 17
Oklahoma 15 / 6 (w/ driver's ed.)

16 (w/out driver's ed.) 		6 16 (w/ driver's ed.)

16 / 6 (w/out driver's ed.) 		10 p.m. - 5 a.m. No more than 1 pass.* (licensed drivers >21 exempt) 16 / 6 (w/ driver's ed.)

17 (w/out driver's ed.)		 50 (10)
Oregon 15 6 16 Midnight - 5 a.m. (w/ licensed pass. >25 exempt) First 6 mos.–no pass.<20; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 pass. <20* 17 50
(100 w/out driver's ed.)
Pennsylvania 16 6 16 / 6 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. None 17 (if crash and conviction free and completed driver’s ed.)

18 (automatically becomes a regular license when the junior driver turns 18)		 50
Rhode Island 16 6 16 / 6 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. First 12 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <21* 17 / 6 50 (10)
South Carolina 15 6 15 / 6 EST
6 p.m. - 6 a.m.

EDT
8 p.m. - 6 a.m.		 No more than 2 pass. unless supervised by >21-yr. old driver* (to/from school exempt) 16 / 6 40 (10)
South Dakota 14 6 (3 w/ driver's ed.) 14 / 6
(14 / 3 w/ driver's ed.)		 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. None 16 None
Tennessee 15 6 16 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. No more than 1 pass. unless supervised by >21-yr. old driver* 17 50 (10)
Texas 15 6 16 Midnight - 5 a.m. No more than 1 pass. <21* 16 / 6 None
Utah 15 6

16

 Midnight - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no pass. <21* Night: 17 40 (10)
Pass: 16 / 6
Vermont 15 12

16

 None First 3 mos.–no pass.; second 3 mos.–no pass. except family 16 / 6 40 (10)
Virgin Islands No GDL law
Virginia 15 / 6 9 16 / 3 Midnight - 4 a.m. First 12 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <18; until 18, no more than 3 pass. <18* 18 45 (15)
Washington 15 6 16 1 a.m. - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no pass. <20*; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 pass. <20 18 50 (10)
West Virginia 15 6 16 10 p.m. - 5 a.m. First 6 mos.–no pass. <20*;second 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <20* 17 50 (10)
(0 w/ driver's ed.)
Wisconsin 15 / 6 6 16 Midnight - 5 a.m. No more than 1 pass.* 16 / 9
(Probationary license - requires a sponsor until age 18) 		30 (10)
Wyoming 15 10 days 16 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. No more than 1 pass. <18* 16 / 6 (w/ driver's ed.)

17 (w/out driver's ed.) 		50 (10)
Totals Age (# of States)
14 (6)
14 / 6 (2)
14 / 9 (1)
15 (21)
15 / 6 (8 + Northern Mariana Islands)
15 / 9 (1)
16 (8 + D.C., Guam)
Varies (3)		 Varies 1 state (ND) has no intermediate license stage Age (# of States)
14 / 6 (1)
16 (2)
16 / 6 (11)
16 / 9 (1)
17 (13)
17 / 6 (1)
17 / 11 (1)
18 (6 + D.C.)
Varies (14)		 42 + D.C. require at least some supervised driving

8 do not require any

4 waive the requirement for driver's ed.
Age (# of States)
15 (2)
15 / 6 (2)
16 (32)
16 / 3 (1)
16 / 4 (1)
16 / 6 (8 + D.C.)
17 (1)
Varies (3) 		47 + D.C. 44 + D.C.

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.

Sources:Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), American Automobile Association (AAA) and State Highway Safety Offices.