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This guide is for teens, parents and adult first-timers who want to know how to get a driver’s license in the US. There is no national license: each of the 50 states and Washington DC runs its own system through its DMV (or a differently named agency). What every state shares is graduated driver licensing (GDL), so the basic route looks the same wherever you live.
Key facts
- NHTSA says all 50 states and DC use a three-stage GDL system: learner’s permit, intermediate (provisional) license, then a full license.
- The minimum permit age runs from 14 (for example Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska and Arkansas) to 16 (for example New York, Pennsylvania and Connecticut).
- Each state sets its own ages, practice hours, night limits, passenger limits, tests and fees.
- GDL rules mostly target drivers under 18. Adults usually get a shorter route, but still take the knowledge, vision and road tests.
How does graduated driver licensing work in the US?
GDL builds experience in steps. You start with supervised driving, then move to solo driving with limits, and only then to a full license. NHTSA describes the three stages like this:
- Learner’s permit. You may drive only with a fully licensed supervising driver. Most states also want a set number of logged practice hours and a minimum holding period before the road test.
- Intermediate (provisional) license. You may drive alone, but with restrictions. NHTSA says these typically limit night driving and teenage passengers.
- Full license. The GDL restrictions end, usually at a set age or after a clean-record period.
States use different names for the same stages. You may see learner license, instruction permit, TIPIC, junior license, provisional license, Class D, Level 1 or Level 2. The structure underneath is the same.
Step by step: getting your first US driver’s license
- Check your state’s minimum age and requirements. Some states make you enroll in or finish driver education before you can get a permit.
- Gather your documents. Expect proof of identity, Social Security number and residency, plus a parent or guardian signature if you are under 18. Many applicants choose a REAL ID at this point.
- Pass the vision screening and the knowledge (permit) test. This is a multiple-choice test on your state’s driver handbook and road signs.
- Drive with a supervisor. Log the practice hours your state requires, including any night hours, and hold the permit for the minimum period.
- Take the road test. This is also called the skills test, driving test or behind-the-wheel test.
- Follow the intermediate rules. Night hours, passenger limits and phone bans usually apply until you meet your state’s conditions for a full license.
What differs from state to state
| Rule | How states differ | Where to compare |
|---|---|---|
| Permit age and holding period | Permit from 14 to 16; holding periods differ | GDL rules compared |
| Knowledge test | Number of questions, pass mark, online options | Permit test by state |
| Supervised practice | Required hours and night hours | Supervised hours by state |
| Road test | Maneuvers (such as parallel parking), scoring, who tests you | Road test by state |
| Night and passenger limits | Curfew start times, passenger age limits, exceptions | GDL rules compared |
| Phone rules | Many states ban all phone use by teen drivers, even hands-free | Hands-free and texting laws |
Minimum permit age in every state and DC
This table shows the earliest age to start supervised driving in each state, as given on that state’s official pages. Many states have extra conditions, and some publish only partial information online. Always check your state’s DMV before applying. Click a state for its full guide.
| State | Earliest permit age |
|---|---|
| Alabama | 15 |
| Alaska | 14 |
| Arizona | 15 and 6 months |
| Arkansas | 14 |
| California | 15 and 6 months |
| Colorado | 15 (with a 30-hour driver ed course) |
| Connecticut | 16 |
| Delaware | 16 (after certified driver ed) |
| Washington DC | 16 |
| Florida | 15 (after an approved driver education course and the knowledge exam) |
| Georgia | 15 |
| Hawaii | 15 and 6 months |
| Idaho | 14 and 6 months (driver training permit) |
| Illinois | 15 (enrolled in driver ed) |
| Indiana | 15 (enrolled in driver ed) |
| Iowa | 14 |
| Kansas | 14 |
| Kentucky | 15 |
| Louisiana | 15 |
| Maine | 15 |
| Maryland | 15 and 9 months |
| Massachusetts | 16 |
| Michigan | 14 and 9 months (Level 1, after Segment 1) |
| Minnesota | 15 (classroom phase of driver ed done and enrolled in behind-the-wheel) |
| Mississippi | 15 |
| Missouri | 15 |
| Montana | 14 and 6 months (in state-approved traffic education); 15 after it; 16 without |
| Nebraska | 14 (school learner’s permit) |
| Nevada | 15 and 6 months |
| New Hampshire | No permit; supervised practice from 15 and 6 months |
| New Jersey | 16 (special learner permit) |
| New Mexico | 15 (with driver ed) |
| New York | 16 |
| North Carolina | 15 (after driver ed) |
| North Dakota | 14 |
| Ohio | 15 and 6 months |
| Oklahoma | 15 (enrolled in approved driver education); 16 without |
| Oregon | 15 |
| Pennsylvania | 16 |
| Rhode Island | 16 (driver education from 15 years 10 months) |
| South Carolina | 15 |
| South Dakota | 14 |
| Tennessee | 15 |
| Texas | 15 |
| Utah | 15 |
| Vermont | 15 |
| Virginia | 15 and 6 months |
| Washington State | 15 if enrolled in driver training, otherwise 15 and 6 months |
| West Virginia | 15 |
| Wisconsin | 15 (enrolled in driver ed) |
| Wyoming | 15 (14 for a restricted permit with Highway Patrol approval) |
Rules of the road that are similar everywhere
Most driver handbooks teach the same core rules, so these guides apply across the country. Each one flags the places where states differ.
- Four-way stops: who goes first
- Right on red: when it is legal
- School bus stopping laws
- Move over laws
- Pulling over for ambulances, fire engines and police
- How to drive a roundabout
- US road signs by shape and color
- Traffic signals, including flashing yellow arrows
- Pavement markings: yellow and white lines
- Railroad crossings
- Pedestrians and crosswalks
- Sharing the road with motorcycles, bicycles and trucks
- Freeway driving for new drivers
- HOV and carpool lanes
- Speed limits and the basic speed law
- Parking rules for new drivers
- Driving in snow, fog and rain
Alcohol, drugs, phones and safety laws
- Implied consent and DUI
- Zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21
- Drugged driving and cannabis
- Hands-free and texting laws
- Seat belt and child car seat laws
- Points systems and license suspensions
Tests, documents and life after the test
- Permit test by state
- Road test by state, including parallel parking
- Common reasons people fail the US driving test
- Supervised driving hours by state
- GDL rules compared by state
- REAL ID and documents for your first license
- Car insurance for new drivers
- What to do after a car crash
- Driving with a learner’s permit in another state
- Moving to a new state: transferring your license
- Driving in the US on a foreign license
Common questions
Is there one driver’s license for the whole US?
No. Each state and DC issues its own license, and its rules apply to drivers licensed there. A valid license from one state lets you drive in the others. If you move, you will need to transfer to your new state’s license.
What is the youngest age you can start driving in the US?
Several states issue a learner’s permit at 14, including Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Alaska and Arkansas. In others you wait until 15, 15 and a half, or 16. Check the table above for your state.
Do adults have to follow GDL rules?
GDL restrictions mainly apply to drivers under 18. Adults usually skip the intermediate stage, but some states still require a permit holding period or a short course. Your state guide has the details.
Is driver’s ed required?
That depends on your state and age. Some states require driver education before a teen can get a permit or an intermediate license. Others count it toward fewer practice hours or an earlier full license.
Can I use my permit in another state?
Sometimes, but the rules differ. See driving with a learner’s permit in another state before you cross a state line.
Where do I find the official rules?
In your state’s driver handbook or manual, published by the DMV or its equivalent, such as the MVD, BMV, DDS, RMV or Secretary of State. Read the current edition, because states change their GDL laws often.
Sources
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Teen Safe Driving: How Teens Can Be Safer Drivers” (nhtsa.gov)
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “Countermeasures That Work: Graduated Driver Licensing” (nhtsa.gov)
- State driver handbooks and DMV permit pages for each state and DC, as listed in each state guide (official state domains)
- Florida Statutes section 322.1615; Revised Code of Washington 46.20.055
- Minnesota Driver’s Manual (June 2026); Oklahoma Driver Manual (Service Oklahoma, November 2025); Montana Driver Manual (April 2024); Rhode Island Driver’s Manual (April 2024); Wyoming Driver License Manual (2021)