Photo: Minime5468, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In Colorado, a driver who gets a license before 18 holds a minor license with passenger and curfew restrictions for the first 12 months, or until turning 18 if that comes first. This guide sets out each rule, the exceptions, and the fines, community service and points for breaking them, using the Colorado DMV and CDOT figures and the current phone statute.
Colorado minor license restrictions at a glance
| Rule | When it applies | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | First 6 months | No passengers under 21 unless a parent or another licensed adult driver is in the vehicle |
| Passengers | Months 7 to 12 | No more than one passenger under 21 at a time |
| Passengers | After 1 year or at 18 | No age limit, but no more passengers than seat belts |
| Curfew | First year | No driving between midnight and 5 a.m. |
| Cell phone | All drivers | Hands-free only, no texting (C.R.S. 42-4-239 from January 1, 2025). DMV guidance still says under-18s may not talk or text at all; see the note below |
| Seat belts | Until 18 | You and every passenger must be belted |
CDOT’s penalty table also treats more than one passenger in the front seat as a violation.
Exceptions to the passenger limit
- Your siblings may ride with you at any time.
- You may carry passengers under 21 during a medical emergency.
Exceptions to the midnight to 5 a.m. curfew
You may drive during curfew hours in your first year if you are:
- accompanied by a parent or legal guardian (the handbook also lists an instructor)
- driving to or from school or a school-authorized activity, with a signed statement from the school
- driving to or from work, with a signed statement from your employer
- dealing with a medical emergency
- an emancipated minor
Keep the signed statement in the car. The DMV’s Parent’s Supervised Driving Program suggests teens drive no later than 9 p.m., because research shows most teen crashes happen between 9 p.m. and midnight.
Penalties for breaking Colorado teen license rules
Minimum fines from the CDOT GDL resource guide (2025):
| Violation (minor license) | Minimum fine | Community service | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unauthorized passenger | $50 first, $100 second, $150 third offense | 8 to 24 hours | 2 |
| Seat belt violations: unbelted occupant, more than one front-seat passenger, more passengers than rear seat belts | $65 first, $130 second, $195 third offense | 8 to 40 hours | 2 |
| Curfew | $50 first, $100 second, $150 third offense | 8 to 24 hours | 2 |
| Violation (instruction permit) | Minimum fine | Points |
|---|---|---|
| No approved supervisor | $70 | 3 |
| Mobile device use (C.R.S. 42-4-239, all drivers) | $75 first, $150 second, $250 third or later offense within 24 months, each plus a $10 surcharge | 2 / 3 / 4 |
The phone row comes from the 2025 statute, not the CDOT guide, which still shows the older $50/$100 and 1 point. CDOT warns that violations can lead to a revoked license.
How many points before a Colorado teen loses their license?
| Age | Suspension at |
|---|---|
| 17 and under | 6 or more points in any 12 months, or 7 or more at any point while under 18 |
| 18 to 21 | 9 or more in 12 months, 12 or more in 24 months, or 14 or more at any point between 18 and 21 |
The Department of Revenue counts the dates of the violations, not the dates of conviction. A hearing officer must suspend once the threshold is reached, sets the length (up to one year) and may grant a probationary license for work or school.
Worked example
A 17-year-old gets a curfew ticket (2 points) and an unauthorized passenger ticket (2 points) within 12 months. That makes 4 points. A first phone ticket (2 points) inside the same 12 months takes the total to 6, which meets the 6-point limit, and the license is suspended.
Alcohol and drugs for drivers under 21
- For minors, even a trace of alcohol is punishable. A license may be revoked at a BAC over 0.02%.
- You can lose your license for drinking under the legal age, or for buying or possessing alcohol, even when you are not driving.
- Under 21 and convicted of DUI or DWAI: revocation on a first conviction if you fail to complete a court-ordered evaluation or program. A second or third conviction means mandatory revocation.
More: zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21.
When do the restrictions end?
After 12 months of holding the minor license, or at 18, whichever comes first. The minor license itself stays valid until 20 days after your 21st birthday. Renew on or after your 21st birthday to convert to an adult license.
Common questions
Can I drive my friends in Colorado at 16?
Not in your first 6 months unless a parent or other licensed adult driver is with you. In months 7 to 12 you may carry one passenger under 21.
Can I drive my brother or sister?
Yes. Siblings are exempt from the passenger limits at any time. They still each need a seat belt.
What time is the curfew for 16 year olds in Colorado?
No driving from midnight to 5 a.m. during your first year of licensed driving, unless an exception applies.
Can I use my phone with Bluetooth as a teen driver in Colorado?
The current statute, C.R.S. 42-4-239 as re-enacted from January 1, 2025, sets one hands-free rule for all drivers and no longer contains the separate under-18 ban. DMV guidance still tells drivers under 18 not to talk or text at all, except an emergency call. That stricter teen rule is DMV guidance rather than a rule in C.R.S. 42-4-239, so the safe choice is to keep the phone away while you drive and not rely on Bluetooth.
Do the rules apply if I get my license at 17 and a half?
Yes, but they end when you turn 18 even if you have not had the license for 12 months.
Can I drive to a late shift at work?
Yes, with a signed statement from your employer in the vehicle.
Back to the Colorado learning to drive guide. Related: Colorado driving test, 50-hour log and affidavit, hands-free and texting laws, US points systems.
Sources
- Colorado Department of Transportation, “Colorado Graduated Driver Licensing Laws (GDL)” resource guide, 2025 (codot.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Get Your Colorado Permit and Driver License (Under 21)” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Colorado Driver Handbook” DR 2337 (12/05/24), Minor Drivers and Driving Under the Influence (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Parent’s Supervised Driving Program” guide (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Department of Revenue, “Point Suspensions” (cdor.colorado.gov)
- Colorado General Assembly, Senate Bill 24-065 (signed act), re-enacting C.R.S. 42-4-239 and amending 42-2-127(5) (leg.colorado.gov)