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In Pennsylvania you can swap a junior driver’s license for a regular license before 18 by filing form DL-59, once you have held the junior license for one year, passed a driver training course approved by the PA Department of Education, had no at-fault crash or Vehicle Code conviction for a year, and have parental consent. Because the earliest junior license comes at about 16 and a half, the earliest regular license is about 17 and a half. Otherwise the junior license turns into a regular license automatically at 18.
Key facts
- Form: DL-59, Application for Change from a Junior Driver’s License to a Regular Non-Commercial Driver’s License.
- Held the junior license for at least one year.
- Approved driver training course passed.
- One year with no crash you were partly or fully responsible for, and no Vehicle Code conviction.
- Consent of a parent, guardian, person in loco parentis, or spouse at least 18.
- No action needed at 18: the change is automatic.
Eligibility checklist for an early regular license
| Condition | What PennDOT requires | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Time on junior license | At least one year | Date on your junior license plus one year |
| Driver training | Passed a course approved by the PA Department of Education | Ask the school or provider whether it is approved |
| Crashes | None for one year in which you were partly or fully responsible | Your own record |
| Convictions | No Pennsylvania Vehicle Code violation conviction for one year | Your driving record (available from PennDOT online) |
| Consent | Parent, guardian, person in loco parentis, or spouse at least 18 | Signed on the DL-59 |
How old do you have to be for a regular license in PA?
- Permit: 16 at the earliest.
- Junior license: six months after the permit, so about 16 and a half at the earliest.
- Early regular license: one year after the junior license, so about 17 and a half at the earliest. PennDOT’s junior guide (PUB 178) states 17 and a half.
- Automatic regular license: at 18.
How to apply with form DL-59
- Finish an approved driver training course and keep proof of completion.
- Wait until you have held the junior license for one year with a clean record.
- Get form DL-59. PUB 178 says it is available on PennDOT’s website and from Driver License Centers, most notaries, tag services, automobile clubs, driver education teachers and some district justices.
- Have your parent or guardian give consent on the form.
- Submit it as the form instructs. Check the DL-59 for any fee and the current submission method.
What changes with a regular license
The 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew and the passenger limits for passengers under 18 stop applying. Some under-18 rules come from other laws and stay until 18:
- Under 18, the driving privilege is suspended at 6 points or for a conviction of 26 mph or more over the limit (90 days the first time). This rule is tied to age, not license type.
- Seat belt law: drivers under 18 may not carry more passengers than seat belts.
- Under 21: a blood alcohol level of .02 counts as DUI.
Waiting until 18
When you turn 18, your junior license automatically becomes a regular license. PUB 178 says the birth date on the card shows this, and you do not need a new license until the original one expires.
Common questions
Can you get a regular license at 17 in Pennsylvania?
Yes, from about 17 and a half, if you meet all the DL-59 conditions. Without driver training you wait until 18.
Does any ticket stop me getting an early regular license?
Yes. The rule is no conviction of any Vehicle Code violation for one year.
Is driver’s ed required for a junior license?
No. It is only needed for the early regular license.
Do I need to retake any test?
PennDOT lists no test for the DL-59 change, only the conditions above.
What are the junior license limits I would lose?
See Pennsylvania junior license rules, and the point rules in the Pennsylvania point system guide.
How does PA compare with other states?
See GDL laws by state. The full route is in learning to drive in Pennsylvania.
Sources
- PennDOT, “Pennsylvania Driver’s Manual, PUB 95 (4-21)” (pa.gov)
- PennDOT, “Chapter 1: Applying for a Learner’s Permit”, Online Driver’s Manual (pa.gov)
- PennDOT, “A Guide to Obtaining a Pennsylvania Junior Learner’s Permit and Junior Driver’s License, PUB 178 (7-23)” (pa.gov)
- PennDOT, “The Pennsylvania Point System” fact sheet, March 2024 (pa.gov)