What Is the Legal Driving Age in the United States

Driver`s licenses are issued by all states, including the District of Columbia, not the federal government. Drivers must obtain a license in their state of residence, but all states recognize each other`s licenses as valid forms of identification for age requirements for non-residents. If a teenager is caught sending messages or using a cell phone while driving, there should be clear consequences. Footnote 6 In Colorado, the minimum age for approval varies. Fifteen-year-olds enrolled in driver training can apply for a teaching licence. Your supervising driver must be a parent, step-parent, grandparent, guardian or driving instructor. At 15.6 months of age, driver training is no longer required, but applicants for this licence must have completed a four-hour driver awareness program. At the age of 16, young drivers can apply for a licence that allows them to drive under the supervision of a licensed driver who is 21 years of age or older. ↩ Footnote 61 In Oregon, driver training is mandatory for licence applicants under the age of 18.

However, it will be exempt for candidates certifying 50 additional hours of supervised driving. Night and passenger restrictions do not apply to holders of a provisional driver`s licence who are 18 years of age or older. ↩ Applications for provisional driving licences may be submitted from the age of 16. It was cancelled because the 2 wheels under 50cc are no longer produced. After reaching the age of 18, a person can obtain a licence from the regional traffic office in his district. Shults R, Williams A. Graduated driver`s license Night driving bans and drivers aged 16 or 17 involved in fatal nighttime crashes – United States, 2009-2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65(29):725–730. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6529a1 Footnote 14 In Idaho, driver`s license applicants under the age of 17 must have completed driver training. There are three categories of apprenticeship permits: a training permit for individuals who are 14 or 6 months old following driver training; a supervised driver`s licence for driving with a lay supervisor; and a driver`s licence for persons under 17 years of age who have completed driver training and supervised driving, or for persons 17 years of age or older without driver training or supervised driving. ↩ Footnote 7 In Connecticut, driver training or in-home training is required for licence applicants under the age of 18.

Permit holders may not carry passengers other than the person giving the courses, parents or guardians. Time spent with a professional instructor counts towards the 40-hour certification requirement. Before a candidate under the age of 18 can take the driving test, parents or guardians must complete two hours of instruction on youth driving laws and related matters with that candidate. Anyone 18 years of age or older must hold an adult licence for three months before obtaining a driver`s licence. ↩ The minimum age is the minimum age at which a person can obtain a driver`s license to legally drive a motor vehicle on public roads. This age is set by and for each jurisdiction and is most often set at 18, but learner drivers may be allowed to take the road under supervision at an earlier age. Before reaching the minimum age for obtaining a driving licence, or at any time thereafter, a person wishing to obtain a licence is normally subject to a test of fitness to drive and knowledge of the rules of the road before a licence is issued, provided that he or she is over the minimum driving age. The countries with the lowest driving age (17 years and under) are the Bahamas, Canada, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (mainland), the United States and Zimbabwe. In some jurisdictions in the United States and Canada, drivers may be under the age of 14 (under parental supervision). In states like Oklahoma and Michigan, you`ll need to renew your driver`s license every four years. Elsewhere, licences are valid for between five and eight years.

Due to COVID-19, many states have made temporary operational changes. Please refer to the state licensing authority for the current status. The minimum driving age for heavy trucks and buses may be lowered to 18 years if the driving licence is obtained during military service. Talking on the phone while driving is a big distraction that increases the likelihood of a teenager making driving mistakes. For example, many states have introduced specific restrictions on mobile phones for young drivers. Footnote 69 In Utah, supervised driving in the learning phase can last up to five hours in a driving simulator. ↩ Footnote 19 In Iowa, drivers who train graduates who have held a teaching license for at least 6 months and are at least 14 and 6 months old can apply for a school driver`s license that allows unsupervised driving between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.

The school permit limits drivers to direct routes to and from the school for school-sponsored classes or activities, other schools that host activities, school bus stops and gas stations. Minor school licence holders may not use electronic communication or electronic entertainment devices (other than fixed devices), carry more than one unrelated passenger, or travel to another school district without an extracurricular agreement. ↩ Footnote 72 In Virginia, night driving bans and passenger restrictions apply to licensees. ↩ Footnote 49 In the five boroughs of New York City, holders of a DJ or MJ Junior driver`s licence are prohibited under any circumstances, regardless of where the driver`s licence was obtained; Therefore, there are no restrictions applicable to passengers in the city. Unsupervised driving in New York City can begin as early as age 17, provided a Class D driver`s license has been obtained and a driving and road safety course approved by the state Department of Education has been completed. In other words, a 17-year-old driver can switch from fully supervised urban driving to a full driver`s license. On Long Island, Class DJ or MJ Junior license holders are only allowed to drive between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. if you are commuting to work, school, or driving, and proof is required. ↩ Footnote 68 In Utah, licensed licensees under the age of 18 may only drive under the supervision of an instructor, parent or guardian, or a responsible adult who has assumed responsibility for the licensee`s conduct by signing the license application. Licence applicants under the age of 19 must be registered for driver training. ↩ Footnote 54 In North Carolina, a person who is at least 16 years of age but under 18 years of age must complete at least 12 additional hours (including six at night) of supervised driving to obtain a full provisional driver`s license.

↩ Help your teen learn to recognize potential safety issues while driving. This type of license is not common in the United States, but some states that offer it are California and Ohio. In other states, like Maryland and Texas, you can`t get an unlimited license until you`re 18. Footnote 20 Iowa requires certification of an additional 10 hours of supervised driving during the shoulder period, two of which must be completed at night. ↩ Young people say they have many reasons to delay or avoid getting a driver`s licence. Some are opting for more environmentally friendly transportation options. Others find driving stressful. And some are simply not interested in cars at all.

Once drivers reach full licence age, they are entitled to a full and unrestricted licence. Some states require that the driver has not been convicted of violating a traffic law with their limited license in order to get their full driver`s license. In some states, such as Oklahoma, the law requires drivers to have their license limited for at least six months, and then drivers are eligible for a full license. Drivers must go to their state`s DMV to get a new license. Most provinces and territories recognize driver`s licences issued by another jurisdiction, which may allow a youth to obtain a driver`s licence in a province or territory with a low minimum driving age and to drive in a province or territory that usually has a higher driving age. A notable exception is the United States, where many states prohibit drivers from driving below their minimum driving age, even if they have licenses or licenses issued by another state. Once a teen reaches the legal age to obtain their apprenticeship permit, a certain number of hours of vocational training is usually required to obtain approval.

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