Photo: Hollowayvideo, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
To get a driver license in Colorado as a teen, you pass the written test, hold an instruction permit for 12 months, log 50 supervised hours (10 at night) and pass a driving test with an approved third-party tester, usually a driving school. This guide is for Colorado learners under 21 and their parents. It covers each stage, what changes on January 1, 2027, the fees, and the rules you are tested on.
Key facts (Colorado DMV and CDOT, checked November 2026)
- Minimum permit age: 15.
- Under 18: hold the permit at least 12 full months (or until your 18th birthday, if sooner) and log 50 hours, 10 at night.
- Driving tests are given by approved third-party testers. State driver license offices do not conduct them.
- Minor license restrictions last 12 months or until you turn 18, whichever comes first.
- From January 1, 2027, everyone aged 15 to 17 needs a 30-hour driver education course before a permit, and 18 to 20 year olds need the 30-hour course or a 4-hour driver awareness program.
How to get a driver license in Colorado: the steps
- Do any required course. What you need depends on your age when you apply for the permit (see the table below and the 30-hour vs 4-hour course guide).
- Pre-register online on myDMV before your first visit.
- Pass the written (driving knowledge) test at home online, in an office, or at a third-party school. See the Colorado written permit test guide.
- Book an appointment at a driver license office for the permit. You take a vision test, give fingerprints, have your photo taken and pay the fee. If you are under 18, an adult signs the Affidavit of Liability.
- Practice. Under 18, hold the permit for 12 months and log 50 hours. If you will be under 16 and a half when you apply for the license, also complete 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a driving school. See the 50-hour log and affidavit checklist.
- Pass the driving test with an approved tester (minimum age 16). See the Colorado driving test explained.
- Upgrade to a minor license online or in person, then follow the teen license restrictions for the first year.
- At 21, renew to an adult license. A minor license expires 20 days after your 21st birthday.
What you need before a Colorado permit, by age
| Age when applying for the permit | Until December 31, 2026 | From January 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| 15 to 15 and a half | 30-hour driver education course | 30-hour driver education course |
| 15 and a half to 16 | 30-hour course or 4-hour driver awareness program | 30-hour driver education course |
| 16 to 17 | No course required (recommended) | 30-hour driver education course |
| 18 to 20 | No course required | 30-hour course or 4-hour driver awareness program (in person) |
The new rules come from House Bill 24-1021. If you already hold your permit before January 1, 2027, the DMV says the new requirements do not apply to you.
Colorado permit rules
- Your supervisor must be 21 or older, sit in the front passenger seat and hold a valid Colorado license (or military ID plus a valid out-of-state license).
- Your 50 logged hours must be supervised by the Colorado-licensed parent or guardian who signed the Affidavit of Liability, or by an alternate permit supervisor they appoint.
- A permit is valid for three years or until your 21st birthday, whichever comes first.
- Phones: all drivers must be hands-free and may not text (C.R.S. 42-4-239). DMV guidance also tells permit holders under 18 not to talk or text at all, so keep the phone away. Driving without an approved supervisor carries a minimum $70 fine and 3 points (CDOT).
- Age 18 or older: there is no minimum permit holding period. You can take the driving test any time after getting the permit, and no driving log is needed.
Colorado permit types and who can supervise
| Permit | Age at application | Before the permit (to December 31, 2026) | Who can supervise |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver education permit | 15 to 15 and a half | 30-hour driver education course, finished within the last 6 months | The parent, stepparent, grandparent with power of attorney, guardian or foster parent who signed, an alternate permit supervisor, or an approved driver education instructor in a marked training car |
| Driver awareness permit | 15 and a half to 16 | 4-hour driver awareness program (or the 30-hour course) | The adult who signed, or an alternate permit supervisor |
| Minor permit | 16 to 18 | Nothing required | The adult who signed the Affidavit of Liability, or an alternate permit supervisor |
| Adult permit | 18 and older | Nothing required (18 to 20 need a course from 2027) | Any driver 21 or older with a valid Colorado license |
Under 16, extra practice with another licensed driver aged 21 or older is allowed, but those hours do not count toward the 50-hour log. Every supervisor sits in the front seat. From January 1, 2027, all 15 to 17 year olds take the 30-hour course, so the separate awareness permit route ends.
How much does a Colorado permit and license cost?
State DMV fees, as listed on the Colorado DMV fees page in November 2026:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Instruction permit (REAL ID compliant) | $20.00 |
| Driver license (listed as “Driver License, renewal”) | $34.00 |
| Instruction permit / driver license (Standard credential, CO-RCSA) | $23.00 / $36 |
| Written test retest | $11.50 each |
| Driving test retest | $15.40 each |
| @Home online written test | $6.50 per attempt ($5 testing fee plus $1.50 card fee) |
Driving schools set their own prices for courses and the driving test. Check the DMV fees page before you go, as fees change.
Restrictions on a Colorado minor license
- First 6 months: no passengers under 21 unless a parent or another licensed adult driver is in the car.
- Next 6 months: no more than one passenger under 21.
- Siblings and passengers with a medical emergency are exceptions.
- First year: no driving between midnight and 5 a.m., with exceptions for school, work, medical emergencies and emancipated minors.
- Phones: the DMV says no talking or texting under 18, except an emergency call. The 2025 statute sets one hands-free rule for all drivers, so following the DMV’s stricter advice is the safe choice.
Full details and fines: Colorado teen license restrictions and penalties.
Driver responsibilities and insurance
- You must carry proof of insurance while driving. Failing to show valid evidence of insurance when an officer asks can cost you your license.
- Colorado’s minimum liability cover is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $15,000 for property damage (Colorado Division of Insurance). Check the current limits with the Division before you buy.
- Report a change of name or address to the DMV within 30 days.
- New residents must get a Colorado license within 30 days of becoming a resident (with exceptions for active-duty military and students).
More on cover for learners: car insurance for new drivers.
Rules of the road the Colorado test asks about
| Topic | Colorado rule (Driver Handbook) |
|---|---|
| Default speed limits | 20 mph narrow winding mountain highways; 25 mph business districts; 30 mph residence districts; 40 mph open mountain highways; 55 mph urban interstates and highways; 65 to 75 mph designated rural interstates and highways |
| Signaling | 100 feet before a turn or lane change in urban areas; 200 feet on four-lane highways over 40 mph |
| Red light | Right on red after stopping, unless a sign prohibits it. Left on red only from a one-way street onto another one-way street |
| Four-way stop | First to arrive goes first; if two arrive together, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right |
| Roundabouts | Yield to traffic already in the roundabout and to large vehicles (trucks, buses, RVs, emergency vehicles) |
| School bus | Stop at least 20 feet away when red lights flash. On a divided highway of four or more lanes with a median, only traffic behind the bus stops |
| Passing bicyclists | At least 3 feet of space. You may briefly cross a solid yellow line to do it when the oncoming lane is clear |
| Move Over Law | For a stationary vehicle with hazards flashing, move over one lane. If you can’t, slow down: the handbook says to 25 mph where the limit is 45 mph or less, and to at least 20 mph below the limit on faster roads |
| Parking | Not within 30 feet of a signal, stop sign or railroad crossing, or within 15 feet of a fire hydrant; within 12 inches of the curb when parallel parked |
| Phones | All drivers: no mobile device use unless hands-free or an emergency |
For signs and markings, see US road signs by shape and color.
More handbook rules learners miss
- Seat belts: the driver, front-seat passengers and children under 16 must be belted. With a driver under 18, every passenger must be belted and there can be no more passengers than belts.
- Child seats: under 2, a rear-facing seat in the back (a forward-facing seat is allowed from 40 pounds); 2 to 4, a rear- or forward-facing child seat in the back if there is one; 4 to 9 (40 pounds or more), a child seat or booster in the back; 9 to 18, a seat belt or child seat.
- Earphones: you may not drive wearing earphones or a headset that covers any part of both ears. Hearing aids, a device in one ear and speakers built into a helmet are allowed.
- Open containers: no open alcohol or open marijuana container in the passenger area on a public road.
- Other ways to lose your license: leaving a crash scene, false information on your application, an unpaid crash judgment, lending your license, missing a DMV re-examination, unpaid child support, failing to show proof of insurance, or buying or possessing alcohol under 21.
- Signals: treat a signal that is out or faulty as a four-way stop. At a HAWK pedestrian signal, the flashing yellow and red sequence means a pedestrian is crossing, so be ready to stop.
- Lanes: never drive, idle or park in a bike lane; it continues through an intersection even where the paint stops. Use a two-way center turn lane only to turn left, never to pass or travel. HOV lanes are marked with a white diamond.
- Crosswalks: never pass a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk; stop behind it.
- Passing: pass on the right only on one-way streets or roads with two or more lanes each way, and never on the shoulder. Don’t pass within 100 feet of an intersection or railroad crossing, near a bridge or tunnel where your view is blocked, or if you can’t get back before coming within 200 feet of an oncoming vehicle.
- Freeways: don’t merge until the solid white line ends, and don’t stop in the acceleration lane. Signal 200 feet before the deceleration lane. On a metered ramp, wait for the green light.
- Night: use low beams within 200 feet of a vehicle you are following. A vehicle parked beside the road needs its parking lights on from sunset to sunrise.
- Turnabouts: the handbook describes forward and reverse two-point turnabouts using a driveway or alley, and a three-point turnabout for narrow two-lane roads only.
- Work zones and lane closures: fines double in work zones, as in school zones. At a lane closure, use both lanes until the merge point, then take turns (zipper merge).
- Scanning: look at least 10 seconds ahead, about one block in town or half a mile on the open road.
- Traffic stops: signal and pull to the right, turn off the engine and audio, stay inside, and turn on the interior light at night. Keep your hands visible, say at once if there is a weapon in the car without reaching for it, and wait to be told before reaching for documents. Signing a ticket is not an admission of guilt, but refusing to sign can lead to arrest.
- Railroads and light rail: treat a crossbuck like a yield sign. “No Train Horn” signs mark quiet zones where trains don’t sound horns. If you stall on the tracks, get everyone out and away, then call the number on the blue Emergency Notification sign. Never turn in front of a light rail vehicle or drive around its gates.
- Bicyclists: open your door with the hand farthest from it (the “Dutch Reach”) so you look back for riders.
- Aggressive drivers: don’t engage. Report them by dialing *277 (*CSP).
- Crashes: stop, help where you can, call police, exchange details and show proof of insurance. On a divided highway, move drivable cars off the road after a minor crash with no injuries, alcohol or drugs (Move It Law). If you hit a parked car and can’t find the owner, call police and leave a note. During Accident Alert, if no one is hurt, no alcohol or drugs are involved and the cars can be driven, exchange details and report to police within 24 hours.
- Organ donation: say yes at the DMV and a heart with a “Y” appears on your license or permit.
Safe driving: mountains, winter and wildlife
Colorado’s handbook gives mountain and winter driving their own sections. Use lower gears on steep descents, and remember that vehicles going uphill have the right of way. When CDOT activates the Traction Law, your tires need at least 3/16 inch of tread and must meet its rules. Read Colorado mountain and winter driving for new drivers.
Sharing the road
- Two-wheeled motorcycles may lane filter between stopped vehicles at no more than 15 mph.
- Bicyclists 15 and older may treat stop signs as yield signs and red lights as stop signs when the intersection is clear.
- Pedestrians have the right of way at all intersections and crosswalks, marked or not.
- Light rail vehicles in Denver weigh up to 40 tons and cannot stop quickly.
More: sharing the road with motorcycles, bicycles and trucks.
Alcohol, drugs, DUI and DWAI in Colorado
- DWAI means impaired to the slightest degree. DUI means substantially incapable of safe driving. DUI per se applies above 0.08% BAC.
- Under 21: your license may be revoked at a BAC over 0.02%.
- A first DWAI (0.05%) carries 8 points for drivers 21 and older.
- Blood with 5 nanograms of THC per milliliter allows a court to infer DUI. Medical use is no defense.
- Refusing a chemical test: license revoked for one year and an ignition interlock required for two years.
See also zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21 and drugged driving and cannabis.
Points and penalties in Colorado
| Driver | Points that require suspension |
|---|---|
| 17 and under | 6 or more in any 12 months, or 7 or more while under 18 |
| 18 to 21 | 9 in 12 months, 12 in 24 months, or 14 at any point between 18 and 21 |
| 21 and over | 12 in 12 months or 18 in 24 months |
Source: Colorado Department of Revenue Hearings Division. The maximum point suspension is one year. Passing a stopped school bus carries 6 points, and reckless driving up to 8 (Driver Handbook). National overview: points systems and license suspensions in the US.
Common questions
How old do you have to be to get a permit in Colorado?
15. Under 16 you must finish a driver education or awareness course first. From January 1, 2027, all 15 to 17 year olds need the 30-hour course.
How long do you have to hold a permit in Colorado?
12 full months if you are under 18, or until your 18th birthday if that comes first. There is no minimum holding period at 18 or older.
Can I take the Colorado driving test at the DMV?
No. State driver license offices do not conduct driving tests. Book with an approved driving school or third-party tester. Some county offices may offer tests.
When can I get my license on my 16th birthday?
Only if you got your permit by your 15th birthday, because the permit must be held for 12 full months.
Do I need driver’s ed at 18 in Colorado?
Not if you apply for your permit before January 1, 2027. From that date, 18 to 20 year olds need the 30-hour course or the 4-hour in-person driver awareness program.
Can I upgrade my permit to a license online?
Yes, if you have no name change and are not claiming the 30-mile behind-the-wheel exemption. Under 18s upload a signed driving log.
Comparing states? See how to get a driver’s license in the US, GDL compared by state and moving to a new state.
Sources
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Colorado Driver Handbook” DR 2337 (12/05/24), January 2025 edition (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Get Your Colorado Permit and Driver License (Under 21)” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “HB24-1021: Motor Vehicle Minor Driver Education” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “State DMV Fees” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “@Home Driving Knowledge Tests” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles, “Driver Education” (dmv.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Department of Transportation, “Colorado Graduated Driver Licensing Laws (GDL)” resource guide, 2025 (codot.gov)
- Colorado Department of Revenue, “Point Suspensions” (cdor.colorado.gov)
- Colorado Division of Insurance, “Auto Insurance” (doi.colorado.gov)