Supervised practice and driver education in Oregon

By the end of this topic you can

• You can work out whether you need 50 or 100 supervised hours.
• You can check that your supervising driver meets Oregon's rules.
• You can explain the benefits of an ODOT-approved driver education course.
• You can plan a varied practice schedule that covers the skills on the drive test.

What you need to know and understand

• Under-18 applicants need 100 hours of supervised driving, or 50 hours plus an ODOT-approved traffic safety education course.
• Hours only count if the supervisor is at least 21 and has held a valid license for at least 3 years.
• The supervisor must have a valid license and sit in the seat beside you.
• Driver education is optional in Oregon, but it halves the hours you need.
• DMV may waive the drive test if it has proof you passed an ODOT-approved driver education course within the past two years.
• For courses passed on or after October 14, 2024, the provider reports completion to DMV electronically.

50 hours or 100 hours?

Without driver education, you need 100 hours of supervised driving before you apply for a provisional license. With an ODOT-approved traffic safety education course, you need 50 hours, and DMV must receive proof that you completed the course.

The DMV teen pages and the manual do not set a separate night-driving hour target, but practicing in the dark, in rain and in heavy traffic is still one of the best uses of your time. Our deeper checklist guide to Oregon's 50 or 100 hours can help you track progress.

Who can sit beside you

• A licensed driver aged 21 or older, in the front passenger seat.
• For the hours to count, someone who has held a valid license for at least 3 years.
• A parent, relative, family friend or professional instructor can all qualify if they meet these rules.
• Supervisors should be calm, sober and ready to give clear directions early.

Why driver education is worth considering

An ODOT-approved course combines classroom learning with professional in-car lessons. Besides cutting the required hours to 50, passing the course within the past two years can let DMV waive your drive test. That can save time, because DMV suggests booking drive tests at least three weeks ahead.

Building a practice plan

1. Start in empty parking lots: steering, smooth braking and backing up.
2. Move to quiet residential streets with 25 mph limits, practicing turns and stop signs.
3. Add busier roads, lane changes, roundabouts and signals.
4. Practice parallel parking, hill parking and backing.
5. Finish with highways, night driving and poor weather, always with your supervisor beside you.

Common mistakes

• Logging hours with a supervisor who has had a license for under 3 years. Those hours will not count.
• Practicing the same easy route every time. Mix road types, times of day and weather.
• Assuming driver ed is required. It is optional, but without it you need 100 hours.
• Leaving hours to the last month. Spread them across your 6-month permit period.

Test yourself: Supervised practice and driver education in Oregon

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Oregon 50 or 100 Hours of Supervised Driving
• Oregon Permit Practice Test
• Oregon Provisional License Rules