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.
Rhode Island
Minimum permit age
16
Holding period: 6 months
Required supervised driving hours
50 hours, 10 of them at night
Minimum age for unsupervised driving
16 years 6 months
Nighttime operation
1 a.m. to 5 a.m.
Conditions for removal: Licensed 12 months or age 18, whichever comes first (minimum age 17 years 6 months)
Passenger limitations
No more than one passenger under 21
Conditions for removal: Licensed 12 months or age 18, whichever comes first (minimum age 17 years 6 months)
Additional provisions
- Driver education is required for permit and license applicants under 18.
- Parents or guardians of applicants under 18 must attend a course covering the driver education curriculum and the graduated licensing rules.
- Applicants aged 18 or older must hold an adult learner's permit for thirty days before being licensed.
Rhode Island requires 50 hours of supervised driving.
Drivvy records each drive automatically, with day and night hours tracked separately against Rhode Island'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 Rhode Island?
- The minimum age for a learner's permit in Rhode Island is 16. The permit must be held for 6 months.
- How many supervised driving hours does Rhode Island require?
- Rhode Island requires 50 hours, 10 of them at night.
- What restrictions apply to intermediate license holders in Rhode Island?
- Nighttime operation: 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.. Conditions for removal: Licensed 12 months or age 18, whichever comes first (minimum age 17 years 6 months). Passenger limitations: No more than one passenger under 21. Conditions for removal: Licensed 12 months or age 18, whichever comes first (minimum age 17 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