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Wisconsin teens need at least 50 hours of supervised driving, 10 of them in darkness, before a probationary license, and their sponsor must certify those hours. This checklist is for parents and teens. It covers who can sponsor, who can supervise day and night, how to log hours on the HS-303 form or the RoadReady app, and what sponsorship makes you liable for.
Checklist before you apply for a probationary license
- Instruction permit held at least six months, violation free
- At least 50 hours of supervised driving: 40 in daylight and 10 in darkness
- All hours with a qualified supervisor (see below)
- Hours tracked on the HS-303 log or the RoadReady app
- Sponsor certifies the 50 hours on the driver license application (MV3001)
- Driver education completed (the school submits proof electronically)
Who can be your sponsor in Wisconsin?
Under 18, an adult sponsor signs your Wisconsin Driver License Application (MV3001). Allowed sponsors:
- a parent, step-parent or legal guardian
- the sponsoring parent of a foreign exchange student
If you don’t live with a parent or legal guardian, these can sponsor:
- grandparent
- aunt or uncle
- sibling aged 18 or older
- spouse aged 18 or older
- foster parent
What does sponsoring a teen driver mean?
- Liability: the sponsor is legally and financially responsible for incidents the teen causes while driving.
- School check: the sponsor confirms the teen is enrolled in school and not habitually truant.
- Hours: the sponsor verifies the 50 hours at the probationary stage.
- Duration: sponsorship continues through the probationary phase until the teen turns 18.
- Withdrawal: the sponsor can remove sponsorship at any time.
When proof of insurance replaces a sponsor
You file proof of insurance instead of having a sponsor if you are under 18 and one of these applies: you have no living parent; you don’t live with your parents and are a full-time student or earning a living; you are a ward of the state, county or court placed in a foster home or with a religious welfare service; or you are married and your spouse is under 18.
Who can supervise practice drives?
The supervisor sits in the front passenger seat, has at least two years of licensed driving experience, and holds a valid regular license (not probationary or occupational). They must be one of:
| Supervisor | Minimum age | Who else may ride |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified instructor | 19 | Nobody else, except the extra adult described below |
| Parent, guardian or spouse | 19 | Immediate family in the back seat |
| Any other licensed person | 21 | Needs written authorization from the parent or guardian if the teen is under 18 |
From age 16, one extra licensed person aged 25 or older with at least two years of driving experience may also ride, but not in the front seat.
Night driving: the 25+ rule
During hours of darkness the front-seat supervisor must be a qualified instructor or a licensed person aged 25 or older with at least two years of licensed driving experience. A 21-year-old cousin can supervise in daylight but not at night.
How to log your 50 hours
Option 1: HS-303 paper log
The Wisconsin GDL Supervised Driving Log (HS-303) has columns for:
- date and time
- driving environment (residential, city, rural highway, expressway)
- skills practiced
- weather and road conditions
- day and night minutes
- mentor type and initials
Mentor codes: P = parent, PD = parent designee, QI = qualified instructor.
Option 2: RoadReady app
The DMV points families to the free RoadReady mobile app to track supervised hours.
Instructor hours count double, up to a limit
The HS-303 form says each hour with a qualified instructor may count as 2 hours of driving experience. Only 5 instructor-supervised hours can be counted this way.
Make the 50 hours count
The DMV’s parent guidance says to drive on different kinds of roads, at different times of day and night, and in varied weather, then add skills such as hazard scanning and multi-lane roads as the basics improve. The DMV gives each family one printed copy of the Parent’s Supervised Driving Guide (from the Safe Roads Alliance) when a teen gets an original permit, when copies are available.
A practical spread, mapped to the road test (see Wisconsin road test guide):
- residential streets: turns, stop signs, Y-turns, backing
- business areas: lane changes, signals, pedestrians, parking
- rural highways: passing rules, farm equipment, deer at dusk
- freeways: merging and metered ramps (see metered ramps and DDIs)
- winter: snow, ice and following distance
Common questions
Do I have to hand in my driving log?
The DMV requires your sponsor to certify the 50 hours on the application. The HS-303 says the form is provided “for your convenience”. Keep it as your record.
Can a 19-year-old sibling supervise me?
Only a parent, guardian or spouse can supervise at 19. Other people must be 21 or older, and 25 or older at night, with two years of licensed experience.
Can friends ride along during practice?
No. Besides the supervisor, only immediate family (with a parent, guardian or spouse supervising) or one extra licensed adult aged 25+ in the back (if you are 16+) may ride.
Do I need 50 hours if I’m 18?
No. The hours rule applies to applicants under 18.
Can a sponsor cancel a teen’s license?
The handbook says the sponsor may remove sponsorship at any time. Ask the DMV how that affects an existing license.
Related: Learning to drive in Wisconsin, Wisconsin probationary license rules, supervised driving hours by state.
Sources
- Wisconsin DMV, “Graduated Driver License (GDL) and teen driving requirements FAQs” (wisconsindot.gov)
- Wisconsin DMV, “Instruction permit” (wisconsindot.gov)
- Wisconsin DMV, “Parent’s Supervised Driving Program” (wisconsindot.gov)
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation, “Wisconsin Graduated Driver Licensing Supervised Driving Log HS-303” (wisconsindot.gov)
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation, “Wisconsin Motorists’ Handbook 2026 (BDS126)” (wisconsindot.gov)