Oregon graduated driver licence stages

By the end of this topic you can

• You can name the three stages of Oregon licensing for drivers under 18.
• You can state the minimum age and holding period for each stage.
• You can explain who may supervise you while you hold a permit.
• You can list the passenger and night limits on a provisional license and when they end.

What you need to know and understand

• You can apply for a Class C instruction permit at 15 and a license at 16.
• Drivers under 18 must hold a permit for at least 6 months before applying for a license. Time on an out-of-state permit counts.
• Permit holders must drive with a licensed driver aged 21 or older sitting in the seat beside them.
• Under-18 applicants need 100 hours of supervised driving, or 50 hours plus an ODOT-approved traffic safety education course.
• A license issued to someone under 18 is a provisional driver license.
• Passenger and midnight to 5 a.m. limits apply for the first year of a provisional license, or until you turn 18 if that comes first.
• Drivers under 18 may not use a mobile electronic device while driving, even hands-free.

Stage one: the instruction permit

At 15 you can apply for a Class C instruction permit after passing the knowledge and vision tests. A parent or legal guardian must sign your application if you are under 18. The permit is valid for 24 months.

With a permit you may drive only when a licensed driver who is at least 21 sits next to you. For the hours to count toward your license, that person must also have held a valid license for at least 3 years. Keep the permit with you whenever you drive.

Stage two: the provisional driver license

At 16 or 17 you can apply for a provisional license once you have held your permit for 6 months, logged your supervised hours and passed the drive test (or qualified for a driver education waiver).

• First 6 months: no passengers under 20 who are not immediate family.
• Second 6 months: no more than three passengers under 20 who are not immediate family.
• First year: no driving between midnight and 5 a.m., unless driving between home and work, between home and a school event with no other transport, for your job, or with a licensed driver aged 25 or older.
• Passenger limits do not apply when a certified driver education instructor, or a parent, stepparent or legal guardian with valid driving privileges, is in the car.

Stage three: full privileges

The passenger and night limits end after you have held your provisional license for one year or when you turn 18, whichever comes first. The ban on phone use continues until your 18th birthday.

If you are 18 or older when you first apply, you do not need to hold a permit for any set time or log supervised hours before your test. You still need to pass the vision, knowledge and drive tests. Our deeper guide to Oregon provisional license rules covers the day-to-day limits in more detail.

Common mistakes

• Driving alone on a permit. A licensed driver aged 21 or older must sit beside you every time.
• Counting hours with a supervisor who has been licensed for less than 3 years. Those hours do not count toward your total.
• Giving friends a lift in the first 6 months of a provisional license. Friends under 20 are not allowed unless an exception applies.
• Assuming the limits end on a fixed date for everyone. They end at one year on the license or at 18, whichever is first.

Test yourself: Oregon graduated driver licence stages

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

Go deeper

• Oregon Permit Test
• Oregon Permit Practice Test
• Oregon Provisional License Rules