Supervised practice and driver education in Missouri

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state the total and night-time hours required.
• You can name who may confirm your hours at the license office.
• You can plan practice that covers a range of roads and conditions.
• You can explain whether Missouri requires a driver education course.

What you need to know and understand

• You need 40 hours of driving instruction while on your permit.
• At least 10 of those hours must be at night.
• The hours count toward the intermediate license, which also needs at least 182 days on the permit.
• A parent, grandparent, stepparent, legal guardian or certified trainer must confirm the hours at the license office.
• Supervisors must sit in the front seat and follow the age rules for permit holders.
• The Missouri Driver Guide does not list a driver education course as a requirement for the GDL steps.

Building your 40 hours

Spread your hours over the whole permit period rather than cramming them into the last few weeks. Short, regular drives help skills stick.

1. Start in an empty parking lot: controls, smooth starts and stops, steering.
2. Move to quiet residential streets: turns, stop signs, speed control.
3. Add busier roads: lane changes, traffic lights, left turns across traffic.
4. Practice highway driving: entering, merging and exiting.
5. Cover night, rain and, if possible, winter conditions, plus parallel parking and parking on a hill for the road test.

Night driving counts

At least 10 hours must be at night. Night driving is harder because headlights only light the road a few hundred feet ahead and oncoming glare can dazzle you. Use these hours to practice switching between high and low beams, judging speed on dark roads and watching for people and animals at the roadside. Missouri drivers must have headlights on from half an hour after sunset until half an hour before sunrise.

Who supervises and who signs

Under 16, you may drive with a parent, stepparent, grandparent, legal guardian, qualified driving instructor, or a person at least 25 who has been licensed for three years and has written permission from your parent or guardian. From 16, any licensed driver aged 21 or older may supervise. A parent or guardian with a physical disability may name up to two people to give instruction.

When you apply for the intermediate license, a parent, grandparent, stepparent, legal guardian or certified trainer must come with you to verify the 40 hours. Driver education classes are optional, but professional lessons can still help.

Common mistakes

• Leaving night hours until the end. Fit them in from the start, especially in summer when it gets dark late.
• Only driving familiar routes. Vary roads, traffic and weather.
• Not keeping notes. Even though there is no official log, a simple record helps your parent confirm the hours honestly.
• Practicing with a supervisor who does not meet the age rules.

Test yourself: Supervised practice and driver education in Missouri

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Missouri 40-Hour Supervised Driving Requirement
• Missouri Permit Practice Test
• Learning to Drive in Missouri