What are the three stages of graduated driver licensing?

Learner's permit, intermediate (provisional) license, full license

Driver's ed, permit, commercial license

Why do GDL systems limit teen passengers during the intermediate stage?

Because each additional young passenger increases a teen driver's crash risk

Because teens cannot buy insurance for passengers

Under most state GDL laws, using a cell phone while driving with a provisional license is:

Banned, including hands-free, in most states

Allowed if no passengers are present

A teen with a provisional license breaks a GDL restriction. A common consequence is:

Fines, a longer restricted period or a suspension

Nothing, since restrictions are only advice

Automatic upgrade to a full license

Graduated Driver Licensing: The Three Stages to a Full License

Graduated driver licensing (GDL) is the three-stage system every U.S. state uses to license teens: a learner's permit for supervised driving, an intermediate (provisional) license that allows solo driving with night and passenger limits, and a full, unrestricted license, usually at 17 or 18. Ages, hours and limits vary by state.

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GDL quiz: 5 test-style questions

What are the three stages of graduated driver licensing? Permit, road test, insurance / Learner's permit, intermediate (provisional) license, full license / Driver's ed, permit, commercial license / Class C, Class B, Class A. Answer: Learner's permit, intermediate (provisional) license, full license. GDL moves new teen drivers from supervised driving (permit) to limited solo driving (intermediate license) to a full license.
Why do GDL systems limit teen passengers during the intermediate stage? To reduce fuel use / Because each additional young passenger increases a teen driver's crash risk / Because teens cannot buy insurance for passengers / To reduce traffic congestion. Answer: Because each additional young passenger increases a teen driver's crash risk. Research summarized by IIHS and NHTSA shows that a teen driver's crash risk rises with each young passenger, mainly because of distraction and risk-taking.
In California, a provisional driver in the first 12 months may not drive between: 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. / 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. / 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. / Midnight and 6 a.m.. Answer: 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.. California's provisional license bans driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the first year, with limited exceptions such as work or school, unless accompanied by a qualified adult.
Under most state GDL laws, using a cell phone while driving with a provisional license is: Allowed with hands-free only / Banned, including hands-free, in most states / Allowed on highways / Allowed if no passengers are present. Answer: Banned, including hands-free, in most states. Most states ban all cell phone use, including hands-free, for permit holders and intermediate drivers. Emergency calls are generally allowed.
A teen with a provisional license breaks a GDL restriction. A common consequence is: Nothing, since restrictions are only advice / A warning letter to the school / Fines, a longer restricted period or a suspension / Automatic upgrade to a full license. Answer: Fines, a longer restricted period or a suspension. GDL restrictions are law. Violations can bring tickets, points, extended restrictions or a suspension, depending on the state.

What graduated driver licensing is — and why it exists

Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) lets new drivers build experience in stages, under lower-risk conditions, before they get full driving privileges. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have a three-stage GDL system for teens, though each state sets its own ages, holding periods and restrictions.

The reason is simple: crash risk is highest in the first months of solo driving. Per mile driven, drivers aged 16 to 19 are about three times as likely as drivers 20 and older to be in a fatal crash. Inexperience, not just age, is the biggest factor: new drivers are slower to spot hazards, misjudge gaps and speed, and are more easily distracted. Night driving and teen passengers multiply the risk.

GDL attacks those risks directly. It requires long supervised practice, keeps new drivers off the road during the most dangerous late-night hours and limits the number of young passengers. Research reviewed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has linked stronger GDL laws with fewer crashes among 16- and 17-year-olds. For the permit test, expect questions on your state's specific GDL rules — they are in every handbook.

Stage 1: the learner's permit

The first stage starts when you pass the vision and knowledge tests. You may drive only with a qualified supervising driver beside you — usually a licensed adult 21 or older (25 in California, with exceptions for parents and instructors). Most states require you to hold the permit for a minimum period, commonly 6 to 12 months, and to log 30 to 70 hours of supervised driving, including some at night.

Typical requirements for this stage include:

Minimum age, usually 15 to 16 (14 in a few states).
A holding period with no at-fault crashes or convictions; a violation can restart the clock.
Supervised hours certified by a parent, often with a written or app-based log.
Driver's education in many states, either before the permit or before the next stage.
No cell phone use and, in some states, limits on passengers or night driving.

Stage 2: the intermediate (provisional) license

After the holding period and a road test, teens move to an intermediate license — called a provisional, junior, probationary or Class D license depending on the state. You can now drive alone, but with restrictions designed for the riskiest situations:

Night driving limits: no driving during late-night hours (starting between 9 p.m. and 1 a.m., depending on the state) unless accompanied by a qualified adult or traveling for work, school, religious activities or emergencies.
Passenger limits: zero to one passenger under 20 or 21 who is not a family member, often for the first 6 to 12 months.
Cell phone ban: most states prohibit all phone use, including hands-free.
Seat belts for every occupant and, in some states, a limit on the number of passengers to the number of belts.
Zero tolerance for alcohol, as for all drivers under 21.

Verified against each state's official sources (see the state page)
State	Provisional license from	Full license	Restrictions
California	16	18	For the first 12 months: no driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. and no passengers under 20, unless accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian, a licensed driver 25 or older, or a driving instructor.
Texas	16	18	Provisional drivers under 18 may not carry more than one passenger under 21 who is not a family member and may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m. except for work, school activities or emergencies.
Florida	16	18	At 16, driving is allowed only from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; at 17, from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Exceptions apply when driving to or from work or with a licensed driver 21 or older.
New York	16½	17	Junior drivers may carry only one passenger under 21 who isn't immediate family, unless a qualifying supervisor is along. Unsupervised driving is limited to 5 a.m.–9 p.m. upstate (night trips only to work or school), is tighter on Long Island, and junior drivers may not drive in New York City. The senior license comes at 17 with approved driver education, otherwise at 18.
Pennsylvania	16½	18	Junior drivers may not drive from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. unless with a parent, guardian or spouse 18 or older, or for documented work or volunteer travel. They may carry only one non-family passenger under 18 without a parent; after 6 months with a clean record, up to three.
Illinois	16	18	Until 18, no driving from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, or 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday. For the first 12 months (or until 18), only one passenger under 20 is allowed, unless they are your siblings, stepsiblings, children or stepchildren.
Ohio	16	18	In the first 12 months, no driving from midnight to 6 a.m. without a parent or guardian (exceptions for work, school and religious events) and no more than one non-family passenger unless a parent or guardian is along. After 12 months, the limit becomes 1–5 a.m.
Georgia	16	18	Class D drivers may not drive from midnight to 5 a.m., with no exceptions. For the first 6 months only immediate family may ride along; for the next 6 months, no more than one non-family passenger under 21; after that, no more than three.
North Carolina	16	18	Level 2 (limited provisional): without a supervising driver, driving is allowed only 5 a.m.–9 p.m. (plus trips to and from work and certain other purposes) and with no more than one passenger under 21. After 6 months, Level 3 lifts these limits, but the phone ban stays until 18.
Michigan	16	17	Level 2 drivers may not drive from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. or carry more than one passenger under 21 (not counting immediate family), except when driving to or from work or an authorized activity, or with a parent, guardian or designated licensed adult 21 or older.

Exceptions for work, school or medical needs are narrow, and some states expect you to carry a signed note from an employer or school. If an officer stops you during restricted hours, you must be able to explain — and sometimes prove — why you are driving.

Stage 3: the full license

Restrictions lift once you meet your state's requirements, usually a combination of age (often 17 or 18), time in the intermediate stage (often 6 to 12 months) and a clean record. In many states the change is automatic; in others you must apply or the license itself shows when restrictions end. Check the date on your card.

Turning 18 does not wipe the slate clean everywhere. Some states keep tougher penalties, lower point thresholds or special conditions for drivers under 21, and insurance companies still treat young drivers as high-risk. The habits you build during GDL — no phone, belts on, sober driving, extra caution at night — are the habits that keep you out of crashes after it ends.

Does GDL apply to adults?

In most states, full GDL restrictions apply only to drivers under 18. New adult drivers still need a permit and must pass the vision, knowledge and road tests, but they often face shorter or no holding periods and no night or passenger limits.

There are important exceptions. Maryland applies its GDL system to new drivers of all ages, with permit holding periods that shrink with age. New Jersey applies probationary restrictions to new drivers under 21 and requires them to display a red reflective decal on their license plates. Texas requires first-time applicants aged 18 to 24 to complete a six-hour adult driver education course. If you are an adult getting your first license, read the “new drivers” section of your state handbook carefully; the rules may surprise you. Our guide on how to get a learner's permit covers the first steps.

What happens if you break GDL rules

GDL restrictions are laws, not suggestions. Depending on the state, violating a night or passenger limit or using a phone can lead to a ticket, points on your record, a longer restricted period, a required driver improvement course or a suspension. Many states treat any moving violation or at-fault crash during the permit or intermediate stage as a reason to delay the next stage.

Alcohol is the most serious case. Every state has zero tolerance for drivers under 21, usually at 0.00% to 0.02% BAC, and a violation can suspend a teen's permit or license for months. Learn the numbers in our BAC limits and DUI laws guide. Insurance costs also rise sharply after violations, and parents' policies are affected too.

A clean record during GDL pays off in other ways too. Many insurers reward good students, completion of driver's education and a violation-free first year with lower premiums, and some offer telematics programs that track speed, braking and phone use. A teen who finishes the intermediate stage without tickets also reaches the full license on schedule, while one with violations may spend months longer under restrictions.

The parent's role: making GDL work

GDL laws set a minimum. Parents decide how much practice really happens and can set rules stricter than the law. NHTSA encourages families to talk about safe driving early and often, and to agree on clear expectations before the teen drives alone.

Practice in every condition: highways, city traffic, rain, night, unfamiliar roads and parking — not just the same route to school.
Sign a parent–teen driving agreement that covers phones, passengers, curfew, seat belts, alcohol and consequences.
Be a model: teens copy what parents do, including phone use, speeding and rolling stops.
Extend limits where your teen needs more time, even after the legal restriction ends.
Choose a safe vehicle: a midsize or larger car with electronic stability control and good crash-test ratings is safer for a new driver than a small or very powerful one.

GDL questions on the permit test

Every state's written knowledge test includes questions about its own licensing rules: the permit holding period, the number of supervised hours, the night-driving hours, passenger limits and what happens after a violation. These are some of the few questions you cannot answer with general driving knowledge, so read the licensing chapter of your handbook twice and write the numbers on your study sheet.

Then test yourself with our practice tests by topic and a full mock exam. If you live in a large state, our state pages summarize the local test format.

Graduated driver licensing FAQ

What is graduated driver licensing?

It is a three-stage licensing system for new teen drivers: a learner's permit for supervised driving, an intermediate or provisional license with night and passenger limits, and a full license. All 50 states and D.C. use it.

What are typical GDL restrictions?

Supervised driving only during the permit stage; then, with an intermediate license, no late-night driving, limits on teen passengers, no cell phone use and zero tolerance for alcohol. Exact hours and limits vary by state.

When do GDL restrictions end?

Usually at 17 or 18, or after 6 to 12 months in the intermediate stage with a clean record, depending on the state. Check the date on your license and your state handbook.

Does GDL apply if I am over 18?

In most states, the intermediate restrictions apply only to drivers under 18, although adults still need a permit and must pass the tests. Some states, such as Maryland and New Jersey, apply GDL rules to older new drivers.

Can I drive at night with a provisional license?

Yes, outside the restricted hours, and during them if you are accompanied by a qualified adult or traveling for an exempt reason such as work or school, depending on the state. Carry proof if your state requires it.

How many passengers can a new teen driver have?

It depends on the state: many allow no more than one passenger under 20 or 21 who is not a family member during the first 6 to 12 months. A few states, such as Florida, have no GDL passenger limit.

Does GDL really reduce crashes?

Yes. Research summarized by IIHS and NHTSA links GDL programs, especially those with strong night and passenger limits, to fewer crashes among young drivers.