Minimum age for a car driving licence in the United States (2026)
Last reviewed: 9 October 2026
In short: There is no federal minimum age for a car driving licence. Each state and the District of Columbia sets the ages, permit conditions and graduated-licensing restrictions, so the rules are on the individual state pages.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|
Related pages
United States: rules by state or province
| State | Minimum age for a car licence | Earliest age to drive a car supervised | Driving before the minimum age | Visitors on a foreign licence: age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 16 (Stage II restricted licence) | 15 (Stage I learner's permit) | Restricted from 16; unrestricted from 17-18 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Alaska | 16 (provisional licence) | 14 (instruction permit) | Provisional from 16 after 6 months on a permit | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Arizona | 16 (class G licence) | 15 (restricted permit); 15½ (standard permit) | Class G from 16 after 6 months on a permit | Yes, 16+ with a valid home licence |
| Arkansas | 16 (intermediate licence) | 14 (learner's licence) | Intermediate from 16; unrestricted at 18 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| California | 16 (provisional licence) | 15½ (instruction permit) | Provisional from 16 after 6 months on a permit | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Colorado | 16 (minor licence) | 15 (learner's permit) | 12 months on permit, 50 hours logged, then 16 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Connecticut | 16 | 16 (learner's permit) | Learner's permit first; passenger limits for 6 months | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Delaware | 17 (Class D after 12 months on a permit) | 16 (Level 1 learner's permit) | Permit at 16; licence at 17 after 12 months | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| District of Columbia | ⚠ Not yet verified | 16 (learner permit) | GRAD: permit at 16, provisional, full from 17 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Florida | 16 (after 12 months on a learner's licence) | 15 (learner's licence) | 16-17: 12 months on learner's licence first | Yes, 16+ with a valid home licence |
| Georgia | 16 (Class D provisional licence) | 15 (Class CP learner's permit) | Class D at 16-17 after 1 year + 1 day on a permit | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Hawaii | 16 (provisional licence) | 15½ (instruction permit) | Provisional from 16; full licence from 17 | Out-of-state/Canadian licence: exempt if 18+ |
| Idaho | 15 (daylight only); full privileges at 16 | 14½ (driver training permit) | Licence from 15 (daylight only); full at 16 | Valid home licence: 15+, daylight only until 16 |
| Illinois | 16 (initial licensing phase) | 15 (permit, enrolled in driver education) | 9 months on permit; licence at 16; full at 18 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Indiana | ⚠ Not yet verified | 15 (enrolled in driver education) | 180 days on permit; 16y 90d/270d (sources differ) | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Iowa | 16 (intermediate licence) | 14 (instruction permit) | Intermediate from 16 after 12 months on a permit | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Kansas | 15 (restricted licence) | 14 (instruction permit) | Restricted licence from 15; full from 17 | Yes, 16+ with a valid home licence |
| Kentucky | 16 (intermediate licence) | 15 (instruction permit) | Intermediate at 16; full licence after 180 days | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Louisiana | 16 (intermediate licence) | 15 (learner's licence) | Intermediate at 16 after 180 days and 50 hours | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Maine | 16 (with driver education) | 15 (learner's permit) | Driver education to 18; 70 hours and 6 months under 21 | 16 with home-state permit and a 20+ supervisor |
| Maryland | 16 yrs 6 mths (provisional licence) | 15 yrs 9 mths (learner's permit) | Provisional from 16 yrs 6 mths; full licence 18 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Massachusetts | 16½ (junior operator licence) | 16 (learner's permit) | Permit 6 months, 40 hours, night and passenger limits | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Michigan | ⚠ Not yet verified | 14 years 9 months (level 1) | Level 1 from 14 y 9 m; level 2 after 6 months, 50 hours | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Minnesota | 16 (provisional licence) | 15 (instruction permit) | Provisional at 16 after 6 months with a permit | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Mississippi | 16 (regular licence) | 15 (learner's permit) | Permit 12 months or to 17; hardship licence 15-17 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Missouri | 16 (intermediate licence) | 15 (instruction permit) | Intermediate licence at 16 after 6 months with a permit | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Montana | 15 (after 6 months on a learner licence) | 14.5 with a traffic education course | Hardship restricted licence from 13 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Nebraska | 16 (provisional operator's permit) | 15 (learner's permit) | Provisional permit at 16; Class O after 12 months | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Nevada | 16 (after 6+ months on a permit) | 15.5 (instruction permit) | 16 after 6 months on permit; curfew 10 p.m.-5 a.m. | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| New Hampshire | 16 (youth operator licence) | 15½ (learning to drive, accompanied) | From 16 with driver ed; curfew 1-4 a.m.; passenger limit | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| New Jersey | 17 (probationary licence) | 16 (special learner's permit) | Probationary at 17; basic licence at 18 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| New Mexico | 15½ (provisional licence) | 15 (instruction permit) | Provisional from 15½ after 6 months on a permit | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| New York | 16 (junior licence; not valid in NYC) | 16 (learner permit) | Junior at 16; class D at 17 with course and hours; else 18 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| North Carolina | 16 (Level 2 limited provisional) | 15 (limited learner permit) | L1 at 15; L2 at 16 after 9 months; L3 after 6 more | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| North Dakota | 16 (restricted licence at 15) | 14 (instruction permit) | Restricted licence at 15 with driver education | Nonresident 16+ with a valid home licence |
| Ohio | 16 (probationary licence; full at 18) | 15 yrs 6 mths (temporary permit) | Probationary licence at 16 with night and passenger limits | Home-state rules apply; no Ohio age stated |
| Oklahoma | 16 (intermediate licence) | 15 with driver education; otherwise 16 | Learner permit at 15 with driver education | Nonresident 16+ with a valid home licence |
| Oregon | 16 (provisional licence) | 15 (instruction permit) | Permit at 15; provisional licence at 16 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Pennsylvania | 16 yrs 6 mths (junior licence) | 16 (learner's permit) | Permit at 16; junior licence after 6 months | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Rhode Island | 16 yrs 6 mths (provisional licence) | 16 (limited instruction permit) | Permit at 16; provisional licence 6 months later | Nonresident 16+ with a valid home licence |
| South Carolina | 15 (conditional licence, daylight only) | 15 (beginner's permit) | Permit 15; daylight-only licence at 15 | Nonresident 16+ with a valid home licence |
| South Dakota | 16 (operator's licence) | 14 (instruction permit) | Restricted minor's permit at 14 (parent's car) | Nonresident 16+ with a valid home licence |
| Tennessee | 16 (intermediate restricted licence) | 15 (learner permit) | Permit at 15; intermediate licence at 16 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Texas | 16 (Class C, after 6 months on permit) | 15 (learner licence) | Learner licence at 15; Class C at 16 | Nonresident 16+ with a home licence |
| Utah | 16 (licence after 6 months on permit) | 15 (learner permit) | Permit at 15; licence at 16 with GDL limits | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Vermont | 16 (junior operator's licence) | 15 (learner's permit) | Permit at 15; junior licence at 16 (1 yr on permit) | US licence: no age stated; foreign licence: 18+ with IDP |
| Virginia | 16 yrs 3 mths (provisional licence) | 15 yrs 6 mths (learner's permit) | Permit at 15y 6m; provisional licence at 16y 3m | Nonresident over 16y 3m with a valid home licence |
| Washington | 16 (intermediate licence) | 15 if in driver training; otherwise 15.5 | Permit from 15; intermediate licence at 16 | Nonresident 16+ (15 with permit); foreign licence up to 1 yr |
| West Virginia | 16 (intermediate licence) | 15 (level one permit) | Permit 15; intermediate 16; full 17 | Nonresident 16+ with a valid home licence (90 days a year) |
| Wisconsin | 16 (probationary licence) | 15 (instruction permit) | Permit at 15; probationary licence at 16 | ⚠ Not yet verified |
| Wyoming | 16 (after 6 months on intermediate permit) | 15 (instruction permit) | Permit 15; intermediate permit 16; licence 17 | Valid home licence; no age stated |
General information, not legal advice. Rules change: check the official source before you fly or ride.