Photo: NTSB, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Indiana driver education has two parts: 30 hours of classroom or online instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a BMV-licensed school. It is optional, but it lets you start at 15 and get licensed at 16. Every new driver, at any age, must also complete a 50-hour supervised driving log with 10 hours at night. This checklist covers both.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Driver education: 30 hours theory (classroom or online) plus 6 hours behind the wheel.
- You must be 15 to enroll in either part.
- Without driver education: permit at 16, license at 16 years 270 days.
- 50 hours of supervised driving, at least 10 at night, for all new drivers, with or without driver ed. The July 2026 Driver’s Manual applies it to applicants 18 or older too.
- The log is the BMV Supervised Driving Log (State Form 54706). Bring it to the skills test.
Is driver education required in Indiana?
No. It changes your timeline:
| With driver education | Without driver education | |
|---|---|---|
| Earliest permit | 15, while enrolled in a behind-the-wheel program | 16 |
| Earliest license | 16 | 16 years 270 days |
| Permit held first | 180 days | 180 days |
| 50-hour log | Required | Required |
One BMV quick-reference sheet gives 16 years and 90 days as the driver education license age, while the BMV’s probationary license page and manual say 16. Confirm your date with the BMV.
What counts as completed driver education?
- Theory: 30 hours, classroom or online.
- Behind the wheel: 6 hours with a BMV-licensed driver training school.
Both parts are needed for a license at 16. An online theory course on its own, plus 50 logged hours, does not qualify you at 16. The BMV publishes a list of licensed driver training schools.
When can you practice with a parent?
At 15, you can drive with a parent once you:
- have finished the 30-hour theory portion,
- have your learner’s permit, and
- are enrolled in a BMV-licensed behind-the-wheel program.
At 16 or over, you just need a valid learner’s permit.
Who can supervise your practice?
Under 18, the supervisor sits in the front passenger seat and must be either a licensed driver aged 25 or over with valid privileges who is related to you by blood, marriage or legal status, or your licensed spouse aged 21 or over. At 18 or over, any licensed driver aged 25 or over, or a licensed spouse aged 21 or over, can supervise.
50-hour log checklist
- Use the BMV’s Supervised Driving Log (State Form 54706).
- Fill in every session the way the form asks, keeping night hours clearly separate.
- Reach 50 hours in total, with at least 10 hours at night.
- Start logging from your first permit drive; you need 180 days on the permit anyway.
- Have your supervisor complete their part of the form. Under 18, a parent or legal guardian signs the log; at 18 or older, you sign it yourself.
- Daytime-only permit (restriction G)? You still need 50 hours, but the 10 night hours do not apply.
- Keep the log somewhere safe and bring it to the road skills test.
A 50-hour plan that covers the skills test
| Hours | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | Empty parking lots: steering, smooth braking, backing out of spaces |
| 6 to 15 | Quiet residential streets: stop signs, turns, mirror and blind-spot checks |
| 16 to 25 | Busier roads: traffic lights, lane changes, four-way stops |
| 26 to 35 | Higher-speed roads and highways: merging, following distance |
| 36 to 45 | Night driving (at least 10 hours in total), rain, and roads near your test branch |
| 46 to 50 | Mock tests: backing out of a space, full route with no coaching |
Useful reading for the later stages: freeway driving for new drivers and driving in snow, fog and rain.
Common questions
How many hours of driving do you need in Indiana?
50 hours of supervised driving, including 10 at night, for every new driver. The only exception in the manual is an adult with a disability who completes driver rehabilitation training with a BMV-recognized specialist.
Do I still need the 50-hour log if I take driver’s ed?
Yes. The log is required with or without driver education.
Can I do Indiana driver’s ed completely online?
The 30-hour theory part can be online. The 6 hours behind the wheel must be with a BMV-licensed school.
Do behind-the-wheel lessons count toward the 50 hours?
Check with your driving school and the instructions on the log form, or ask the BMV.
Can my grandparent supervise me?
Under 18, yes if they are licensed with valid privileges and at least 25, since the supervisor must be related by blood, marriage or legal status.
What happens if I lose my log?
You need a completed log at the skills test. Keep a photo of each page as a backup and ask the BMV what to do if the original is lost.
Back to learning to drive in Indiana. See also the Indiana permit test and supervised driving hours by state.
Sources
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Driver Education” (in.gov/bmv)
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Learner’s Permit” (in.gov/bmv)
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Probationary Driver’s License” (in.gov/bmv)
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Learner and Probationary Quick Reference” (in.gov/bmv)
- State of Indiana FAQs, BMV answers on driver education and driving with parents (faqs.in.gov)