Photo: Dougtone, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
For adults in Indiana, the route is permit, practice, skills exam. Driver education is optional for adults, but the July 2026 Indiana Driver’s Manual from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) still asks adults for a 50-hour practice log and lists a 180-day permit hold as a general license requirement. This guide covers what applies at 18, at 19 to 20 and at 21 or older, and how to prepare for the skills exam.
Key facts
- Learner’s permit: vision screening, knowledge exam and documents proving identity, lawful status, Social Security number and Indiana residency. Valid for 2 years.
- Supervisor at 18 or older: a licensed driver aged 25 or older, or your licensed spouse aged 21 or older.
- 50-hour log: required at 18 or older too, with 10 hours at night, on State Form 54706, according to the July 2026 Driver’s Manual. You sign it yourself.
- Permit hold: the manual lists holding your Indiana learner’s permit for at least 180 days among the license requirements.
- Driver education: not required for adults.
- Skills exam: book on myBMV or by calling 888-692-6841.
- Under 21: your first license is probationary, with a 180-day curfew and passenger limit and a ban on phone use.
What applies to you: 18, 19 to 20, or 21 and older
| Rule | 18 | 19 to 20 | 21 or older |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver education | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| 50-hour log (10 at night) | Required | Required | Required |
| Permit held first | 180 days | 180 days | 180 days |
| Permit supervisor | Licensed driver 25+ or licensed spouse 21+ | Same | Same |
| License type | Probationary until 21 | Probationary until 21 | Standard license |
| First 180 days on the license | No driving 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.; no passengers without a qualifying adult in front | Same | No probationary limits |
| Phone use while driving | Banned except 911 until 21 | Banned except 911 until 21 | Hands-free only |
Two rules adults often get wrong
1. Do adults need the 50-hour log?
Yes. The July 2026 Driver’s Manual says that if you are at least 18 and applying for a license, you must complete at least 50 hours of supervised practice, 10 of them at night, with a licensed driver aged 25 or older or your licensed spouse aged 21 or older. You hand in State Form 54706 when you apply. If your permit is daytime-only (restriction G), you still need the 50 hours, just not the night hours. The “no log, no holding period” wording you may see quoted online comes from the manual’s section on applicants with disabilities who complete driver rehabilitation training with a BMV-recognized specialist; it does not cover other adults. Log details: Indiana driver education and the 50-hour log.
2. Is there a minimum permit holding period for adults?
The manual lists a valid Indiana learner’s permit held for at least 180 days among the license requirements, and says new residents who were never licensed in another state must hold an Indiana permit for 180 days. Plan on 180 days. If a branch tells you a shorter wait applies to you, get that confirmed before you book a skills exam, so your appointment is not wasted.
Step by step: your first Indiana license as an adult
- Gather documents proving identity, lawful status, Social Security number and Indiana residency. See the US permit documents checklist.
- Pass the vision screening and the knowledge exam at a BMV branch. Study with the Indiana BMV permit test guide and the Indiana permit practice test.
- Practice with a qualified supervisor: a licensed driver 25 or older, or your licensed spouse 21 or older.
- Book the skills exam through myBMV or on 888-692-6841, once your 180 days and 50 logged hours are done.
- Pass the skills exam and get your license. Under 21, it is probationary.
What is on the Indiana driving skills exam?
What the BMV sets out:
- Always tested: backing out of a parking space, with mirror and blind-spot checks.
- Not tested: parallel parking, which the BMV says is no longer part of the exam.
- Automatic fails: backing over a curb or driving into a parked vehicle.
- Car: legally equipped, insured and safe, with current registration. Driver assistance technology must be turned off (backup cameras are exempt).
- Bring: your permit, your completed 50-hour log, and, at 18 or older, a licensed driver to come with you.
If you fail, the BMV wait before a retest is 7 days. Full guide: the Indiana road skills test explained.
Driving on a probationary license at 18 to 20
Every Indiana license issued before 21 is probationary. In the first 180 days you may not drive between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., or carry passengers unless a licensed instructor, a licensed driver 25 or older, or your spouse 21 or older sits in the front seat. Night exceptions cover work, school-sanctioned activities and religious events. The later weekday curfews end at 18, so they do not affect you. Until 21 you may not use any telecommunications device while driving, except to call 911. At 21, renew to an unrestricted license. Full rules: Indiana probationary license rules and Indiana phone laws for new drivers.
Common questions
Do I need driver’s ed to get a license in Indiana at 18?
No. Driver education lets teens license earlier; it is not required for adults.
Who can I practice with?
At 18 or older, any licensed driver aged 25 or older, or your licensed spouse aged 21 or older.
How long is an Indiana learner’s permit valid?
Two years from the date it is issued.
Can I book the skills exam online?
Yes, through your myBMV account, or by phone on 888-692-6841.
What does it cost?
Check the BMV fee page before you go. Comparison: license costs by state.
I get points in my first year. Does age matter?
The point thresholds are the same for all ages, but drivers under 21 can be required to complete a driver safety program after two incidents. See the Indiana BMV points system.
Back to learning to drive in Indiana. Other states: learning to drive as an adult in the US.
Sources
- State of Indiana, “If my child completes an online driver education class and then completes the 50 hours of driving…” (faqs.in.gov)
- State of Indiana, “How long is a learner’s permit good for?” (faqs.in.gov)
- State of Indiana, “Can I schedule a driving skills exam online? By phone?” (faqs.in.gov)
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Learner’s Permit” (in.gov)
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Driver’s License” (in.gov)
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Indiana Driver’s Manual” (in.gov)
- Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, “Probationary Driver’s License” (in.gov)