Photo: North Dakota Department of Transportation, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
A North Dakota restricted Class D license lets a 15-year-old drive without an adult, with two limits. You may drive only family-owned vehicles, and night driving is limited. The license becomes unrestricted at 16. This guide explains how to qualify, how long you must hold your permit first, the exact restrictions, and the phone ban that applies to everyone under 18.
Key facts
- Age: 15, once you have passed the road test or had it waived.
- Vehicles: only those of a parent, guardian, grandparent, sibling, aunt or uncle.
- Night limit: from sunset or 9 p.m., whichever is later, until 5 a.m., you need a parent, guardian or someone 18 or older with you, unless you are driving directly to or from work, an official school activity or a religious activity.
- At 16: the license becomes unrestricted.
- Under 18: no phone use while driving. Six or more points means cancellation.
How to get a restricted license at 15 in North Dakota
- Get an instruction permit at 14 or older. See the North Dakota permit test.
- Complete driver’s education and earn a Certificate of Training.
- Log at least 50 hours of supervised driving. See the driving log.
- Hold the permit for the required period (see the table below).
- Pass the road test with a parent or guardian present, or have it waived. See the road test and waiver.
How long do you have to hold a permit in North Dakota?
| Age when you got the permit | Holding period before the road test or waiver (manual) |
|---|---|
| 14 or 15 | 12 months, or until you turn 16, whichever comes first, but never less than 6 months |
| 16 or 17 | 6 months, or until you turn 18, whichever comes first |
Worked example from the manual’s rule: you get your permit at 14 years 6 months. Twelve months comes before your 16th birthday, so you can test at 15 years 6 months. If you get your permit at 15 years 9 months, turning 16 comes first, but you still need the 6-month minimum. That means you can test at 16 years 3 months.
The NDDOT learner’s permit page words the 14 to 15 rule more simply: hold the permit “for at least one year.” Because the two sources differ, confirm the date your teen can test with a Driver License site before you book.
Restricted Class D license rules
Which vehicles a 15-year-old may drive
You may drive only vehicles that belong to your:
- parent or guardian
- grandparent
- sibling
- aunt or uncle.
A friend’s car, or a car belonging to an employer or a cousin, is not on the list.
The night driving limit
Between the later of sunset or 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., a parent, legal guardian or someone at least 18 must be in the car. The only exceptions are driving directly to or from:
- work
- an official school activity
- a religious activity.
Because the start time is the later of sunset or 9 p.m., it moves through the year. When sunset is before 9 p.m., the limit starts at 9 p.m. When sunset is after 9 p.m., it starts at sunset. On long summer evenings, check the local sunset time.
Passengers
The manual and the NDDOT licensing pages set no passenger limit for restricted license holders. The manual’s parent section does warn that crash risk rises with each teen passenger, and it suggests families set their own passenger rules.
Electronic device ban for drivers under 18
Licensed drivers under 18, and permit holders of any age, may not use an electronic communication device while driving. This includes talking, and composing, reading or sending messages. The only exceptions are:
- calling for emergency help
- preventing a crime that appears about to happen
- a reasonable belief that someone’s life or safety is in danger.
Texting while driving is also illegal for drivers of every age, with a $100 fine. See texting laws by state.
How you can lose a restricted license
- Points: if you are under 18, six or more points cancels your permit or license. Breaking a license or permit restriction is 4 points on NDDOT’s schedule.
- Alcohol or drugs: a court can order a minor’s license cancelled for an alcohol or drug offense while driving.
- Parental consent: the parent or guardian who signed can withdraw consent at any time, and the license is cancelled.
After a cancellation, you start again as if you had never held a permit. You retake the knowledge and vision tests, hold a new permit for the required period, and repeat driver’s ed before the road test. Your points do not reset to zero. See North Dakota points and DUI penalties.
What changes at 16?
At 16, the restricted Class D license becomes an unrestricted license. The vehicle and night limits end. The phone ban, and cancellation at six points, apply until you turn 18.
Common questions
Can a 15-year-old drive friends in North Dakota?
No passenger limit appears in the NDDOT manual or on its licensing pages. Your parents can still set one, and the manual recommends it.
Can I drive to my job after 9 p.m. at 15?
Yes. The exception covers driving directly to or from work, so go straight there and straight home.
Can I drive my grandparent’s car on a restricted license?
Yes. Grandparents are on the list of allowed vehicle owners.
Can I drive in another state at 15?
That depends on the other state’s rules. North Dakota itself requires nonresidents to be 16. See driving with a permit in another state.
Do I need to retest at 16?
The manual says the restricted license becomes unrestricted at 16. Check with a Driver License site if you are unsure what to do at 16.
Can I use GPS on my phone?
The ban covers using a device to talk, or to compose, read or send messages. Set your route before you start and leave the phone alone while you drive.
Compare teen rules in other states: GDL laws by state. Full overview: learning to drive in North Dakota.
Sources
- North Dakota Department of Transportation, “Noncommercial Driver License Manual, Class D, 2025 to 2027” (dot.nd.gov)
- North Dakota Department of Transportation, “How to Apply for a Learner’s Permit” (dot.nd.gov)
- North Dakota Department of Transportation, “Driver License Requirements” (dot.nd.gov)
- North Dakota Department of Transportation, “Driver License” (dot.nd.gov)
- North Dakota Department of Transportation, “Driver License Points Reduction and Points Schedule” (dot.nd.gov)