Teen Driving Laws
Permit age, required supervised hours, and intermediate license restrictions for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
How Graduated Driver Licensing Works
Learner's Permit
The first stage permits a new driver to operate a vehicle only while accompanied by a licensed adult supervisor. Most states require the permit to be held for a minimum period and require a stated number of supervised practice hours, part of which may need to be completed at night, before the applicant may advance to the next stage.
Intermediate License
The second stage permits unsupervised driving under defined conditions. Holders are ordinarily prohibited from driving during specified nighttime hours and are limited in the number or age of passengers they may carry. These restrictions remain in effect until the driver reaches a stated age or has held the license for a stated period.
Full License
The final stage removes the nighttime and passenger restrictions imposed during the intermediate stage. A driver who satisfies the conditions for removal holds full driving privileges, subject to the same traffic laws that govern all licensed drivers. Certain states continue to apply specific provisions, such as mobile device prohibitions, to drivers under a stated age.
Select Your State
Choose a jurisdiction to view its permit, supervised driving, and intermediate license requirements.
North Carolina
Minimum permit age
15
Holding period: 9 months
Required supervised driving hours
60 hours, 10 of them at night
Minimum age for unsupervised driving
16
Nighttime operation
9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Conditions for removal: Licensed 6 months or age 18, whichever comes first (minimum age 16 years 6 months)
Passenger limitations
No more than one passenger under 21
Conditions for removal: Licensed 6 months or age 18, whichever comes first (minimum age 16 years 6 months)
Additional provisions
- Driver education is required for permit and license applicants under 18.
- Permit holders may not drive between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. for the first six months.
- A further 12 supervised hours, six of them at night, are needed for a full provisional license between 16 and 18.
- The one-passenger limit applies when the license holder is driving without a supervising driver in the vehicle. It does not apply to immediate family or to members of the license holder's household. Where a family or household member under 21 is in the vehicle, however, no other passengers under 21 may be carried, except that one further passenger under 21 may be carried when that passenger is a student being driven directly to or from school.
North Carolina requires 60 hours of supervised driving.
Drivvy records each drive automatically, with day and night hours tracked separately against North Carolina's requirement, and exports a log your licensing agency will accept.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the minimum age for a learner's permit in North Carolina?
- The minimum age for a learner's permit in North Carolina is 15. The permit must be held for 9 months.
- How many supervised driving hours does North Carolina require?
- North Carolina requires 60 hours, 10 of them at night.
- What restrictions apply to intermediate license holders in North Carolina?
- Nighttime operation: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.. Conditions for removal: Licensed 6 months or age 18, whichever comes first (minimum age 16 years 6 months). Passenger limitations: No more than one passenger under 21. Conditions for removal: Licensed 6 months or age 18, whichever comes first (minimum age 16 years 6 months).
Complete index of jurisdictions
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
About this information
Requirements are compiled from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's graduated licensing laws table, current as of October 2026, and restructured by Drivvy.
Last reviewed October 19, 2026.
This material is provided for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Licensing requirements are subject to amendment, and certain provisions vary according to the applicant's age, driver education status, or locality. Readers are advised to verify the requirements then in force with the relevant state licensing agency before relying upon any statement made here.
Source: https://www.iihs.org/research-areas/teenagers/graduated-licensing-laws-table