Photo: King of Hearts, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A Vermont junior driver’s license is the provisional license for 16 and 17 year olds. Under Vermont’s Graduated Driver’s License (GDL) law it comes with passenger limits for the first six months and a one-year ban on driving for work. It can be recalled for breaking those rules. This explainer is for teens and parents who want the exact rules, month by month.
Key facts (Vermont DMV, as of November 2026)
- Age: 16 or 17.
- Hold a learner’s permit for at least one year first, with no recalls, suspensions or revocations in the last six months.
- Months 1 to 3: no passengers unless a qualified adult is in the front seat.
- Months 4 to 6: immediate family members allowed.
- No driving for a job (such as pizza delivery) for one year or until 18, whichever comes first.
- Fee: $39 for a 2-year junior license, plus the $23 road test.
How do you get a junior license in Vermont?
- Get your learner’s permit at 15 or older (see the Vermont permit test guide).
- Hold the permit for at least one year.
- Keep a clean record for six months: no permit recalls, suspensions or revocations.
- Finish a state-approved driver education course (30 hours classroom, 6 hours behind the wheel, 6 hours observation).
- Complete 40 more hours of supervised practice, at least 10 at night, certified by your parent or guardian.
- Get a parent or legal guardian to sign the application.
- Pass the road test (see the Vermont road test guide), pay the fees and show identification.
Hours and course details are in Vermont driver’s ed and the 40-hour certification.
Vermont junior license passenger rules by month
| Time on junior license | Who can ride with you |
|---|---|
| Months 1 to 3 | No one, unless a licensed and unimpaired parent or guardian, a licensed or certified driver ed instructor, or a licensed and unimpaired person 25 or older is in the front seat. With one of them aboard, there is no limit on passengers beyond one per safety belt. |
| Months 4 to 6 | Immediate family members. The DMV manual lists siblings and parents. |
| After 6 months | No passenger limit, but never more passengers than safety belts. |
The pizza delivery rule: no driving for work
For one year after your junior license is issued, you may not drive a vehicle as part of your job. The DMV’s own example: you cannot work as a pizza delivery driver until you have held the junior license for one year or turned 18, whichever comes first. You also may not carry passengers for hire at any point while on a junior license.
Other rules on a Vermont junior license
- Phones: no portable electronic device use while driving, for any driver. That includes reading or writing texts, instant messages and emails. Phones, tablets and laptops all count.
- Alcohol: under 21, driving with .02 or more is a civil violation. Your license is suspended and you must complete an alcohol and driving education program at your own expense (see zero tolerance laws for drivers under 21).
- Night driving: the GDL rules the DMV publishes contain no night curfew. The DMV’s parent chapter suggests families set their own rules on nighttime driving (after 9 p.m.).
- Parental withdrawal: a parent or guardian can suspend the license by writing to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles.
What gets a Vermont junior license recalled?
Learner’s permits and junior licenses are “provisional” and can be recalled:
| Violation | Recall |
|---|---|
| Carrying passengers for hire | 90 days |
| Driving for an employer | 90 days |
| Passenger restriction or passenger age violation | 90 days |
| One 3-point speeding violation, or 6 points in total | 90 days |
| Texting (junior operator) | 30 days, plus a fine of at least $100 and at least 2 points |
| Recommendation from a Diversion or Reparative Board | 30 days |
- You have the right to a hearing when a recall is issued.
- While a recall is in effect, you cannot get a junior or full license.
- The license is restored when the term ends, after a re-examination if required. There is no reinstatement fee for a recall.
Adult-style points suspensions are covered in the Vermont points system.
Moving from junior to full license
At 18 you can get a full driver’s license if you have had no recalls, suspensions or revocations in the previous six months. That six-month clock starts on the date of any reinstatement.
Moving to Vermont with an out-of-state junior license
The DMV’s current junior license page (updated October 2026) says junior licenses from other states now transfer like a standard license. You will:
- not need to retest
- not need to certify 40 hours of driving
- still need proof of driver education
You stay under Vermont’s GDL rules unless you have held the other state’s junior license for at least six months. The older printed manual still lists tests and 40 hours, so confirm with the DMV before you go. General moving advice is in moving to a new state.
Common questions
How long do I need a permit before a junior license in Vermont?
At least one year, with a clean six months before you apply.
Can I drive my friends on a Vermont junior license?
Not in the first six months unless a qualified adult (parent or guardian, driver ed instructor, or licensed person 25 or older) is in the front seat. From month 7, yes, up to one passenger per safety belt.
Can I drive my brother or sister?
From month 4. In months 1 to 3, only with a qualified adult in the front seat.
Is there a curfew for teen drivers in Vermont?
No curfew appears in the GDL rules the DMV publishes. Phone, passenger and work rules still apply at all hours.
Can I drive to my job?
The rule bans driving “in the course of” employment, such as deliveries. If you are unsure whether your commute or job counts, ask the DMV before you drive.
What happens if I break a passenger rule?
A 90-day recall, and you cannot move up to a full license while it is in effect.
Back to the full guide: learning to drive in Vermont. See how Vermont compares in US graduated driver licensing compared.
Sources
- Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, “Graduated License Laws” (dmv.vermont.gov)
- Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, “Junior Driver’s License” (dmv.vermont.gov)
- Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, “Vermont Driver’s Manual” (VN-007) (dmv.vermont.gov)
- Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles, “Driver’s License Fees” (dmv.vermont.gov)