The GDL System — Getting Your License in Stages

Three mandatory stages for young drivers. Ages, driving hours, curfews, and restrictions — all broken down by state.

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Stage 1
Learner Permit
Only with an adult in the car
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Stage 2
Intermediate
Night curfew + passenger limit
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Stage 3
Full License
A full license with no restrictions
The main goal of GDL: reduce crash rates among young drivers. According to NHTSA, GDL has cut teen-driver fatalities by 20–40% in states with strong laws.
Explore the Sections
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The Three GDL Stages
Learner Permit → Intermediate → Full License
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The GDL system exists in all 50 states + DC. Its goal is to gradually ease young drivers into independent driving through three mandatory stages.

  • Learner Permit: driving only with a licensed adult in the car. You must pass a written test and a vision test. Minimum age ranges from 14 to 16 depending on the state
  • Intermediate / Provisional License: you can drive on your own, but with restrictions — a night curfew and a passenger limit. Issued after completing the minimum holding period and the required driving hours
  • Full Unrestricted License: a full license with no restrictions. Minimum age ranges from 16 (SD, ND, MT) to 18 (NJ, FL, TX, GA)
Getting your first license after 18 — most states exempt you from the full GDL system, although a short permit period is still required.
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Minimum Permit Age
Across all 50 states + DC
▼

The minimum age for a learner permit varies widely across the US. There is a two-year gap between the earliest and the latest states.

AgeStates
14Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, North Dakota, South Dakota
14½Idaho, Montana
14 yrs 9 mosMichigan
15Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii (15½), Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada (15½), North Carolina, Ohio (15½), Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia (15½), Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin (15½), Wyoming
15 yrs 9 mosMaryland
15½California, New Hampshire
16Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island
Earliest: South Dakota and North Dakota — permit at 14, full license at 16. Latest: NJ, NY, PA, RI — permit only at 16.
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Required Supervised Driving Hours
From 0 to 70 hours depending on the state
▼

Most states require a certain number of driving hours with a licensed adult before you can get an intermediate license.

70
supervised hours
Maine (10 at night)
65+5
hrs + bad weather
Pennsylvania
60
supervised hours
Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina
50
supervised hours
CA, FL, IL, OH, WA and ~20 others
30
supervised hours
Texas (10 at night), Wisconsin, Arizona
0
— not required
Arkansas, Mississippi, New Jersey
Tip: log every hour in your state's official driving log. Florida, Pennsylvania, and Maryland check the records especially strictly.
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Night Restrictions (Curfew)
Intermediate stage · key states
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During the intermediate stage, almost every state bans nighttime driving. The only exception is Vermont.

StateRestricted HoursNote
California11 pm – 5 am (first 12 months)Exceptions: work, school, family, medical
New York9 pm – 5 amIn NYC, minors cannot drive unsupervised at all
New Jersey11 pm – 5 amA reflective decal on the car is mandatory
Florida11 pm – 6 am (age 16) / 1 am – 5 am (age 17)Exceptions: work, school
TexasMidnight – 5 amSecondary violation
Kansas9 pm – 5 am (first 6 months)The earliest curfew
South Carolina6 pm – 6 am (winter) / 8 pm – 6 am (summer)The most restrictive start time
VermontNo restrictionsThe only state with no night ban
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Passenger Restrictions
Intermediate stage
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  • California: for the first 12 months — no passengers under 20 without an adult 25+
  • New Jersey: no more than 1 passenger (except family members) — the strictest rule
  • New York: no more than 1 passenger under 21
  • Pennsylvania: first 6 months — 1 minor passenger; after that — no more than 3
  • Maine: first 270 days — zero passengers. The longest ban
  • Florida, Mississippi, North Dakota: no passenger restrictions
New Jersey is the only state where drivers under 21 must put a special red decal on their car (Kyleigh's Law).
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Hardship License
A license for minors with a genuine need
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About 30 states issue restricted licenses to minors below the standard age when there is a serious reason.

  • Financial hardship: the family depends on the minor's income
  • Illness in the family: a parent cannot drive for medical reasons
  • Montana: issues them from age 13 in cases of "extreme family hardship"
  • Minnesota: farm license from age 15 — 20-mile radius, daytime only
  • Tennessee: driving 6 am – 8 pm, only for: work, school, church, doctor, store
You need a notarized application plus supporting documents. The license is cancelled once you reach the standard age.
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2024–2025 Changes
The latest GDL updates by state
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  • New Jersey (February 2024): all drivers under 21 getting their first license must log 50 hours (10 at night) over 6 months
  • Colorado HB24-1021 (from January 1, 2027): eliminates the 4-hour shortcut course — the full 30-hour course becomes mandatory for 15–17-year-olds
  • Florida (July 1, 2025): the old 4-hour TLSAE has been replaced with the new 6-hour DETS course
  • Washington (May 2025): mandatory driver education extended to age 21, and to 25 by 2030
  • Ohio (September 2025): training requirements extended to learner drivers under 21
  • North Carolina (January 1, 2024): the Level 1 permit period is permanently set at 9 months
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