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Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Laws

Novice drivers have higher crash rates. Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs allow young drivers to safely gain driving experience before obtaining full driving privileges. Most programs include three stages:

Learner Stage: supervised driving, cumulating with a driving test;
Intermediate Stage: limiting unsupervised driving in high risk situations; and
Full Privilege Stage: a standard driver's license.

During the 1990s, many states began enacting GDL laws. Currently, except for North Dakota, all states have all three stages, although the programs vary from state to state. Below are some highlights:

Cell Phones/Texting: 21 states and the District of Columbia restrict cell phone use by novice drivers. 10 ban texting. (See GHSA's Cell Phone laws page for more information.)
Nighttime Driving Restriction: 47 states and the District of Columbia restrict nighttime driving during the intermediate stage.
Passenger Restriction: 44 states and the District of Columbia restrict the number of passengers during the intermediate stage.
Novice Driver Decal: New Jersey is the only state with a measure requiring those younger than 21 without full-privilege licenses to display a decal on their vehicle identifying them as new drivers.

State	Learner Stage		Intermediate Stage			Full Privilege Min. Age (Yrs./Mos.)	Required Supervised Driving Hours (Night Hours)
State	Min. Age (Yrs./ Mos.)	Min. Dura- tion (Mos.)	Min. Age (Yrs./Mos.)	Nighttime Driving Restriction	Passenger Restriction* (* family members exempt)	Full Privilege Min. Age (Yrs./Mos.)	Required Supervised Driving Hours (Night Hours)
Alabama	15	6	16	Midnight - 6 a.m.	No more than 1	17	30 (0 w/ driver's ed.)
Alaska	14	6	16	1 a.m. - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no passengers <21*	16 / 6	40 (10)
Arizona	15 / 6	6	16	Midnight - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <18*	16 / 6	30 (10) (0 w/ driver's ed.)
Arkansas	14	6	16	11 p.m. - 4 a.m.	No more than 1	18	None
California	15 / 6	6	16	11 p.m. - 5 a.m.	First 12 mos.–no pass. <20 unless supervised by >25-yr. old driver*	17	50 (10)
Colorado	15 (w/ driver's ed., classroom & behind-the-wheel course) 15 / 6 (w/ defensive driving course) 16 (w/out driver's ed.)	12	16	Midnight - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no pass. <21; second 6 mos.–no more than one pass. <21* (secondarily enforced)	17	50 (10)
Connecticut	16	4 (w/ driver's ed.) 6 (w/out driver's ed.)	16 / 4	11 p.m. - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no pass. except parents or driving instructor; second 6 mos––no pass. except driving instructor or immediate family	Night: 18	40
Connecticut	16	4 (w/ driver's ed.) 6 (w/out driver's ed.)	16 / 4	11 p.m. - 5 a.m.		Passenger: 17 / 4	40
Delaware ¹	16	6	16 / 6	10 p.m. - 6 a.m.	No more than 1 pass.*	17	50 (10)
D.C.	16	6	16 / 6	Sept. to June 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. (Su-Th); midnight - 6 a.m. (Fr-Sa) July-Aug midnight - 6 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no pass. unless supervised by >21-yr. old driver; thereafter–no more than 2 pass. <21	18	50 (40 in learner stage; 10 at night in intermediate stage)
Florida	15	12	16	Age 16 11 p.m. - 6 a.m. Age 17 1 a.m. - 5 a.m.	None	18	50 (10)
Georgia	15	12	16	Midnight - 6 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no pass.; second 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <21*; thereafter–no more than 3 pass.	18	40 (6)
Guam	16	No data
Hawaii	15 / 6	6	16	11 p.m. - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. <18*	17	50 (10)
Idaho	14 / 6	6	15	Sunrise - sunset	Drivers <16: First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <17*	Night: 16	50 (10)
Idaho	14 / 6	6	15	Sunrise - sunset	Drivers <16: First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <17*	Passenger: 15 / 6	50 (10)
Illinois	15	9	16	Su-Th 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. Fr-Sa 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.	First 12 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <20*	Night: 18	50 (10)
Illinois	15	9	16	Su-Th 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. Fr-Sa 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.	First 12 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <20*	Passenger: 17	50 (10)
Indiana	15 / 6 (w/ driver's ed) 16 (w/out driver's ed)	6	16 / 6 (w/ driver's ed) 16/ 9 (w/out driver's ed)	First 180 days–Su-Th 11 p.m. - 5 a.m. Fr-Sa 1 a.m. - 5 a.m.	First 180 days–no pass. unless supervised by >25-yr. old driver*	17	50 (10)
Iowa	14	6	16	12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m.	Limited to the number of safety belts in vehicle	17	20 (2) during Learner stage 10 (2) during Intermediate stage
Kansas ²	14	12	16	First 6 mos.–9 p.m. - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass.*	16 / 6	50 (10)
Kentucky	16	6	16 / 6	Midnight - 6 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. <20	17	60 (10)
Louisiana	15	6	16	11 p.m. - 5 a.m.	None	17	35
Maine	15	6	16	Midnight - 5 a.m.	First 180 days–no pass. unless supervised by licensed driver with 2+ consecutive years of full licensure* (secondarily enforced)	16 / 6	35 (5)
Maryland	15 / 9	9	16 / 6	Midnight - 5 a.m.	Drivers <18: First 5 mos.–no pass. <18*	18	60 (10)
Mass.	16	6	16 / 6	12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no pass. under 18 unless supervised by >21-yr. old driver*	Night: 18	40 (30 w/ advanced driver training)
Mass.	16	6	16 / 6	12:30 a.m. - 5 a.m.		Passenger: 17	40 (30 w/ advanced driver training)
Michigan	14 / 9	6	16	Midnight - 5 a.m.	None	17	50 (10)
Minnesota	15	6	16	First 6 mos.– Midnight - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no more than 1 passenger <20; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 passengers <20	Night: 16 / 6	30 (10)
Minnesota	15	6	16	First 6 mos.– Midnight - 5 a.m.		Passenger: 17	30 (10)
Mississippi	15	12	16	Su-Th 10 p.m. - 6 a.m. Fr-Sa 11:30 p.m. - 6 a.m.	Must have at least 1 adult >21	16 / 6	None
Missouri	15	6	16	1 a.m. - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <19*; thereafter–no more than 3 pass. <19	18	40 (10)
Montana	14 / 6	6	15	11 p.m. - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass <18; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 passengers <18	16	50 (10)
Nebraska	15	6	16	Midnight - 6 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <19*	Night: 17	50 (10) (0 w/ driver's ed.)
Nebraska	15	6	16	Midnight - 6 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <19*	Passenger: 16 / 6	50 (10) (0 w/ driver's ed.)
Nevada	15 / 6	6	16	None	First 6 mos.–no pass. <18*	Pass: 16 / 6	50 (10)
New Hampshire	15 / 6	None	16	1 a.m. - 4 a.m. (eff. 1/11)	First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <25*	Night: 17 /1	40 (10)
New Hampshire	15 / 6	None	16	1 a.m. - 4 a.m. (eff. 1/11)	First 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <25*	Pass: 16 / 6	40 (10)
New Jersey	16	6	17	11 p.m. - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass.	18	None
New Mexico	15	6	15 / 6	Midnight - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. <21*	16 / 6	50 (10)
New York	16	6	16 / 6	9 p.m. - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. <21 unless accompanied by licensed parent or guardian*	17 (w/ driver's ed.) 18 (w/out driver's ed.)	50 (15)
North Carolina	15	12	16	9 p.m. - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. <21*; if family member <21 is passenger, no other non-family memb. pass. <21	16 / 6	None
North Dakota ³	14	6	No intermediate license stage			16	None
Northern Mariana Islands	15 / 6	No data
Ohio	15 / 6	6	16	Age 16 Midnight - 6 a.m. Age 17 1 a.m. - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. for 16 yr. old drivers*	Night: 18	50 (10)
Ohio	15 / 6	6	16	Age 16 Midnight - 6 a.m. Age 17 1 a.m. - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. for 16 yr. old drivers*	Passenger: 17	50 (10)
Oklahoma	15 / 6 (w/ driver's ed.) 16 (w/out driver's ed.)	6	16 (w/ driver's ed.) 16 / 6 (w/out driver's ed.)	10 p.m. - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass.* (licensed drivers >21 exempt)	16 / 6 (w/ driver's ed.) 17 (w/out driver's ed.)	50 (10)
Oregon	15	6	16	Midnight - 5 a.m. (w/ licensed pass. >25 exempt)	First 6 mos.–no pass.<20; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 pass. <20*	17	50 (100 w/out driver's ed.)
Pennsylvania	16	6	16 / 6	11 p.m. - 5 a.m.	Limited to number of seat belts	1 year after being issued a license if crash and conviction free and completed driver’s ed. 18 (automatically becomes a regular license when the junior driver turns 18)	50
Rhode Island	16	6	16 / 6	1 a.m. - 5 a.m.	First 12 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <21*	17 / 6	50 (10)
South Carolina	15	6	15 / 6	EST 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. EDT 8 p.m. - 6 a.m.	No more than 2 pass. unless supervised by >21-yr. old driver* (to/from school exempt)	16 / 6	40 (10)
South Dakota	14	180 days (less 90 days with successful completion of driver's ed)	14 years + 180 days (less 90 days with successful completion of driver's ed)	10 p.m. - 6 a.m.	None	16	None
Tennessee	15	6	16	11 p.m. - 6 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. unless supervised by >21-yr. old driver*	17	50 (10)
Texas	15	6	16	Midnight - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. <21*	16 / 6	20 (10)
Utah	15	6	16	Midnight - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no pass. <21*	Night: 17	40 (10)
Utah	15	6	16	Midnight - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no pass. <21*	Pass: 16 / 6	40 (10)
Vermont	15	12	16	None	First 3 mos.–no pass.; second 3 mos.–no pass. except family	16 / 6	40 (10)
Virgin Islands	No GDL law
Virginia	15 / 6	9	16 / 3	Midnight - 4 a.m.	First 12 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <18; until 18, no more than 3 pass. <18*	18	45 (15)
Washington	15	6	16	1 a.m. - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no pass. <20*; second 6 mos.–no more than 3 pass. <20	17	50 (10)
West Virginia	15	6	16	10 p.m. - 5 a.m.	First 6 mos.–no pass. <20;second 6 mos.–no more than 1 pass. <20	17	50 (10) (0 w/ driver's ed.)
Wisconsin	15 / 6	6	16	Midnight - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass.*	16 / 9 (Probationary license - requires a sponsor until age 18)	30 (10)
Wyoming	15	10 days	16	11 p.m. - 5 a.m.	No more than 1 pass. <18*	16 / 6 (w/ driver's ed.) 17 (w/out driver's ed.)	50 (10)
Totals	Age (# of States) 14 (6) 14 / 6 (2) 14 / 9 (1) 15 (21) 15 / 6 (8 + Northern Mariana Islands) 15 / 9 (1) 16 (8 + D.C., Guam) Varies (3)	Varies	1 state (ND) has no intermediate license stage			Age (# of States) 16 (3) 16 / 6 (11) 16 / 9 (1) 17 (14) 17 / 6 (1) 18 (7 + D.C.) Varies (13)	44 + D.C. require at least some supervised driving 7 do not require any 4 waive the requirement for driver's ed.
Totals		Varies	Age (# of States) 15 (2) 15 / 6 (2) 16 (32) 16 / 3 (1) 16 / 4 (1) 16 / 6 (8 + D.C.) 17 (1) Varies (3)	47 + D.C.	44 + D.C.

¹ Delaware's GDL law also includes a seat belt provision. If a teen driver with a permit or their passenger under age 18 is found not to be wearing a seat belt, the permit holder will have their license suspended for 2 months.
² At age 15, novice drivers can drive without supervision to and from work or school.
³ Those under 16 may only operate a vehicle owned by their parents or legal guardian and are not permitted to drive a car with more passengers than the vehicle's manufacturer recommends.

Sources: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and State Highway Safety Offices.