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This guide is for Michigan teens, parents and adults getting a first driver’s license. Teens go through graduated driver licensing (GDL): Segment 1 driver education from 14 years 8 months, a Level 1 learner’s license from 14 years 9 months, a Level 2 intermediate license from 16 and a Level 3 full license from 17. Adults 18 and older pass a knowledge test, hold a Temporary Instruction Permit (TIP) for at least 30 days, then take the driving skills test. The Michigan Department of State (Secretary of State, SOS) runs licensing; private testing businesses give the road test.
Key facts
- Handbook: “What Every Driver Must Know”, October 2025 edition.
- Teens: Segment 1 at 14 years 8 months, Level 1 at 14 years 9 months, Level 2 at 16, Level 3 at 17.
- Supervised driving: 50 hours, including 10 at night, before the driving skills test.
- Adults 18+: knowledge test (online or at an SOS office), then at least 30 days on a TIP.
- Road test: given by third-party driver testing businesses, not by SOS. They set their own fees.
How to get a driver’s license in Michigan as a teen
- Segment 1 (14 years 8 months, parent permission). At least 24 hours of classroom, 6 hours behind the wheel and 4 hours of observation, ending in a state exam you pass with at least 70%. See Michigan Segment 1 explained.
- Level 1 learner’s license (14 years 9 months). Drive only with a licensed parent or guardian, or a licensed driver 21 or older the parent designates.
- Segment 2. After at least 3 continuous months on Level 1 and 30 logged hours, including 2 at night. At least 6 hours of classroom and a state exam (70% to pass). See Michigan Segment 2 and when to book it.
- Finish the log. 50 supervised hours in total, 10 at night, certified by a parent or guardian. See the Michigan 50-hour log checklist.
- Driving skills test. After at least 6 months on Level 1 and Segment 2. See the Michigan driving skills test guide.
- Level 2 intermediate license (16). Also needs 90 days with no convictions, at-fault crashes or suspensions before you apply.
- Level 3 full license (17). After at least 6 months on Level 2 and 12 consecutive months with no moving violations, at-fault crashes or suspensions.
The full rules for each level, including night and passenger limits, are in Michigan graduated licensing Levels 1, 2 and 3.
Michigan GDL at a glance
| Stage | Earliest age | Main rule |
|---|---|---|
| Segment 1 | 14 years 8 months | Classroom and behind-the-wheel training with an approved provider |
| Level 1 | 14 years 9 months | Always supervised by a parent, guardian or designated licensed adult 21+ |
| Segment 2 | After 3 months on Level 1 | 30 hours logged first, 2 at night |
| Level 2 | 16 | No driving 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. and no more than one passenger under 21, with exceptions |
| Level 3 | 17 | Full license after a clean 12 months |
Getting a Michigan license at 18 or older
- Pass the knowledge test, which includes a road sign test. Since July 2025 adults can take it online; it is the same test as in SOS offices. See the Michigan knowledge test guide for adults.
- Visit an SOS office to get the TIP and practice with a licensed adult. See the Michigan TIP guide.
- After 30 days on the TIP, book the driving skills test with a testing business. SOS staff may waive the 30 days if you were licensed before in Michigan, another state or another country.
- Adults do not need driver education.
Where you take the Michigan road test
The state does not give driving skills tests. Driver testing businesses with written agreements with the Department of State do. Fees are set by each business and are not regulated by law, so compare before booking. See Michigan road test providers and fees.
What the Michigan handbook covers
| Chapter | Topics | Go deeper |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Your Driver’s License | License types, REAL ID, GDL, TIP, testing, renewal | REAL ID for a first license |
| 2 Your Driving Record, Teens and Parents | Points, drunk driving (OWI), Zero Tolerance, reexaminations | Michigan points and young drivers |
| 3 Voter Registration and State IDs | Registering to vote and state ID cards | Covered in the handbook |
| 4 Traffic Laws | Distracted driving, seat belts, work zones, school buses, right of way, parking | Kelsey’s Law and the hands-free law |
| 5 Signs, Pavement Markings and Signals | Sign shapes and colors, lane lines, signals | US road signs by shape and color |
| 6 Sharing the Road | Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcycles, trucks | Sharing the road |
| 7 Emergencies and Special Situations | Crashes, breakdowns, bad weather | Driving in snow, fog and rain |
The handbook ends with a “Safe Driving Knowledge Test” of sample questions. Use it before the adult knowledge test.
Michigan rules new drivers get caught by
- Phones: all Michigan drivers must be hands-free. Under Kelsey’s Law, Level 1 and Level 2 drivers may not make or take non-emergency calls while driving, including hands-free calls. Official sources disagree about built-in car voice systems, so avoid them too.
- Alcohol under 21: Zero Tolerance applies from a BAC of 0.02. The adult OWI limit is 0.08. See zero tolerance laws.
- Points: 12 or more points in two years leads to a driver reexamination, where your license can be suspended.
- Probation: every new driver, teens included, is on probation for at least 3 years. One or two violations can be enough for a driver reexamination.
- Moving in: new residents should read moving to Michigan.
Michigan traffic laws on the knowledge test
- Seat belts: the driver and every front-seat passenger must be belted, and every passenger under 16 must be belted in any seat. Children under 8, or under 4 feet 9 inches, ride in a car seat or booster.
- Children in cars: do not leave a child under 6 alone in a vehicle where the time or conditions put them at risk, unless someone aged 13 or older is supervising.
- Default speed limits: 25 mph in subdivisions and condominium complexes, 55 mph on highways and non-freeway roads unless posted, 70 mph maximum and 55 mph minimum on freeways unless posted, and 45 mph in work zones where posted.
- Stopped emergency vehicles: for a stopped vehicle with red, blue or amber lights, slow to 10 mph below the limit and move over a lane if you safely can. Failing to do so near an emergency vehicle is 2 points and a $400 fine.
- School buses: when the red overhead lights flash, stop at least 20 feet away and stay stopped until the lights go off or the bus moves. You need not stop on the other side of a highway divided by a median or barrier. Fines are doubled.
- Michigan lefts: on many divided roads you cannot turn left at the intersection. Go past the intersection (or turn right onto the main road) and turn left into the median crossover, then continue from there. Treat an unmarked crossover as one lane.
- Cyclists: leave at least 3 feet when passing a bicycle, and do not use a bike lane as a right-turn lane.
- Deer: Michigan has around 60,000 vehicle-deer crashes a year. If a crash cannot be avoided, brake firmly, hold the wheel with both hands, come to a controlled stop and steer well off the road, then report it to police or the DNR.
Common questions
How old do you have to be to drive in Michigan?
You can start Segment 1 at 14 years 8 months and get a Level 1 learner’s license at 14 years 9 months. You can drive alone, with restrictions, on a Level 2 license from 16.
Do teens take a knowledge test at an SOS office?
No separate SOS test. Teens pass the Segment 1 and Segment 2 state exams in driver education instead.
How many supervised hours do Michigan teens need?
50 hours, including 10 at night, before the driving skills test. 30 of them, including 2 at night, come before Segment 2.
Can I drive friends on a Level 2 license?
Only one passenger under 21, unless they are immediate family, you are going to or from work or an authorized activity, or a parent or designated adult 21+ is with you.
How much does the Michigan road test cost?
It depends on the testing business. The state does not set the fee.
Where can I compare Michigan with other states?
See learning to drive in the USA, US graduated licensing compared and supervised driving hours by state.
Sources
- Michigan Department of State, “What Every Driver Must Know” (October 2025) (michigan.gov)
- Michigan Department of State, “New drivers (under 18)” (michigan.gov)
- Michigan Department of State, “New drivers (18 and older)” (michigan.gov)
- Michigan Department of State, “Michigan’s Graduated Driver Licensing: A Guide for Parents” (SOS-383) (michigan.gov)
- Michigan Department of State, “Driver testing businesses and examiners” (michigan.gov)
- Michigan Legislature, “MCL 257.310e Graduated licensing” (legislature.mi.gov)
- Michigan Legislature, “MCL 256.657 Driver Education Provider and Instructor Act” (legislature.mi.gov)
- Michigan State Police, “Distracted Driving” (michigan.gov)
- Michigan Department of State, “What Every Driver Must Know” (SOS-133, Rev. 03/24 edition read; current edition October 2025)