Practice hours
Supervised Driving Hours Cheat Sheet (2026)
Last verifiedJuly 11, 2026
Data compiled from state DMV-style planning sources and cleaned for readability. Verify current requirements before booking your road test.
Supervised driving hours are where learner drivers turn handbook rules into real habits. Use this page to compare state planning requirements, print a log, and structure practice instead of guessing what counts.
State rules change. Teen, adult, driver education, hardship, and instructor paths can differ. Always verify current requirements with your official state DMV or licensing agency before relying on a log.
Skill building
Why supervised hours matter
- They are a legal requirement in many teen graduated-license programs.
- They expose learners to parking, intersections, weather, night driving, highway merging, and defensive scanning.
- They may support driver education or insurance conversations where discounts are available.
- A clean log can prevent a road-test appointment from being rejected.
50-state table
State supervised driving requirements
| State | Total hours | Night hours | Holding period | Learner age | Planning note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 50; 0 with driver education | Not separately listed | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Alaska | 40 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 14 | Learner age: 14. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Arizona | 30 total / 10 night; 20 total / 6 night with defensive driving course; driver education path may change this – verify | 10 | 6 months | 15 years, 6 months | Driver education and defensive-driving paths can change the required hours; verify which path applies before logging. |
| Arkansas | No specific total listed in planning data; teen/adult path may still require holding period or training – verify | Not separately listed | 6 months | 14 | Planning data does not list a specific supervised-hours total; verify teen permit and road-test eligibility rules. |
| California | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 years, 6 months | Learner age: 15 years, 6 months. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Colorado | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 12 months | 15 with driver education 15 years, 6 months with driver awareness program 16 without driver education or program | Permit age differs by driver education path: 15 with driver education, 15 years 6 months with driver awareness, 16 without either. |
| Connecticut | 40 | Not separately listed | 4 with driver education, 6 without | 16 | Learner age: 16. Road-test age: 16 years, 4 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Delaware | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 16 | Learner age: 16. Road-test age: 16 years, 6 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Florida | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 12 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Georgia | 40 total; 6 night; 0 with behind the wheel training | 6 | 12 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Hawaii | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 years, 6 months | Learner age: 15 years, 6 months. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Idaho | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 14 years, 6 months | Learner age: 14 years, 6 months. Road-test age: 15. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Illinois | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 9 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Indiana | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 with driver's education 16 without driver's education | Learner age: 15 with driver's education 16 without driver's education. Road-test age: 16 years, 3 months with driver's education 16 years, 9 months without driver's education. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Iowa | Two-stage rule: 20 total / 2 night during learner stage; 10 total / 2 night during intermediate stage | 2 | 12 months | 14 | Two-stage system: learner-stage and intermediate-stage hours are tracked separately. |
| Kansas | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 12 months | 14 | Learner age: 14. Road-test age: 16 (at 15, can drive without supervision to and from work or school). Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Kentucky | 60 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 16 | Learner age: 16. Road-test age: 16 years, 6 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Louisiana | 50 total; 15 night | 15 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Maine | 70 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Maryland | 60 total; 10 night | 10 | 9 months | 15 years, 9 months | Learner age: 15 years, 9 months. Road-test age: 16 years, 6 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Massachusetts | 40 total; 30 may apply with approved advanced driver training – verify program rules | Not separately listed | 6 months | 16 | Learner age: 16. Road-test age: 16 years, 6 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Michigan | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 14 years, 9 months | Learner age: 14 years, 9 months. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Minnesota | 50 total; 15 night or 40 total; 15 night if parent completes 90 minute class | 15 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Mississippi | No specific total listed in planning data; teen/adult path may still require holding period or training – verify | Not separately listed | 12 months | 15 | Planning data does not list a specific supervised-hours total; verify teen permit and road-test eligibility rules. |
| Missouri | 40 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Montana | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 14 years, 6 months | Learner age: 14 years, 6 months. Road-test age: 15. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Nebraska | 50 total; 10 night; 0 with driver education | 10 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Nevada | 50 total; 10 night; 100 total; 10 night if driver education not offered within 30 miles | 10 | 6 months | 15 years, 6 months | Learner age: 15 years, 6 months. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| New Hampshire | 40 total; 10 night | 10 | No fixed holding period listed in planning data; verify with state DMV | 15 years, 6 months | Planning data does not list a fixed holding period; verify current youth operator requirements before testing. |
| New Jersey | No specific total listed in planning data; teen/adult path may still require supervised practice or holding period – verify | Not separately listed | 6 months | 16 | Planning data does not list a specific supervised-hours total; verify permit type, age path, and supervised practice expectations. |
| New Mexico | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 15 years, 6 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| New York | 50 total; 15 night | 15 | 6 months | 16 | Learner age: 16. Road-test age: 16 years, 6 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| North Carolina | Two-stage rule: 60 total / 10 night during learner stage; 12 total / 6 night during intermediate stage | 10 | 6 months | 15 | Two-stage graduated licensing system: learner-stage and intermediate-stage logs are separate. |
| North Dakota | 50 for drivers under 16; otherwise No specific total listed – verify | Not separately listed | 12 for drivers under 16; otherwise, 6 months or until age 18 (whichever comes first) | 14 | Learner age: 14. Road-test age: 16; 15 for a parent-requested restricted license (restricted license may only operate a vehicle owned by their parents, legal guardian, grandparent's, sibling's, aunt's or uncle's Class D noncommercial vehicle and may not drive a car with more passengers than the vehicle's manufacturer recommends).. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Ohio | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 years, 6 months | Learner age: 15 years, 6 months. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Oklahoma | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 years, 6 months with driver education; 15 without driver education | Learner age: 15 years, 6 months with driver education; 15 without driver education. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Oregon | 50; 100 without driver education | Not separately listed | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Pennsylvania | 65 total; 10 night + 5 in inclement weather | 10 | 6 months | 16 | Learner age: 16. Road-test age: 16 years, 6 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Rhode Island | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 16 | Learner age: 16. Road-test age: 16 years, 6 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| South Carolina | 40 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 15 years, 6 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| South Dakota | 50 (10 at night and 10 in inclement weather) | 10 at night and 10 in inclement weather | 275 days (or 180 days after passing driver education) | 14 | Holding period is listed in days, not months: 275 days, or 180 days after approved driver education. |
| Tennessee | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Texas | 30 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Utah | 40 total; 10 night | 10 | 18 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Vermont | 40 total; 10 night | 10 | 12 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Virginia | 45 total; 15 night | 15 | 9 months | 15 years, 6 months | Learner age: 15 years, 6 months. Road-test age: 16 years, 3 months. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Washington | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 or 15 years, 6 months without driver education | Learner age: 15 or 15 years, 6 months without driver education. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| West Virginia | 50 total; 10 night; 0 with driver education | 10 | 6 months | 15 | Learner age: 15. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Wisconsin | 30 total; 10 night | 10 | 6 months | 15 years, 6 months | Learner age: 15 years, 6 months. Road-test age: 16. Verify official state rules before booking. |
| Wyoming | 50 total; 10 night | 10 | 10 days | 15 | Planning data lists a very short holding period. Verify current Wyoming DOT road-test eligibility before relying on it. |
Practice structure
How to structure supervised practice
- Weeks 1-2: parking lots, quiet neighborhoods, smooth starts/stops, turns, reversing, and mirror checks.
- Weeks 3-4: intersections, lane changes, light traffic, speed control, right-of-way, and parking.
- Weeks 5-6: highway merging where legal, night driving, rain/wet roads, hills, and busier intersections.
- Weeks 7-8: complex routes, road-test style maneuvers, unfamiliar roads, and mock test drives.
Printable log
Supervised driving log
Use your state official log if one exists. This backup log includes common columns; your state may require weather, specific skills, certification number, or a parent affidavit.
| Date | Start | End | Day/Night | Supervisor | License # | Weather | Skills practiced | Signature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals | Total hours: | Night hours: | Supervisor certification / parent affidavit if required: | |||||
Valid practice
What counts as supervised driving?
- Parking lot practice: useful for early control, but strict states may not count all parking-lot time toward required road hours.
- Driving school: professional behind-the-wheel training often counts partly or changes the required total, but documentation matters.
- Simulator time: only some programs allow limited simulator credit; real road practice is usually required.
- Vehicle and location: use legal roads and vehicles allowed by your permit restrictions.
Supervisor rules
Parent or supervisor certification requirements
- Some states require the supervisor to be a parent or guardian, not just any licensed adult.
- Some require the adult to hold a license for a minimum number of years.
- Some require a parent orientation class or driver education certification.
- Some logs are signed under penalty of perjury, so false entries can delay or invalidate road-test eligibility.
Avoid rejections
Common driving log mistakes
- Not starting the log on day one. Backfilled logs are easy to question and can cause road-test problems.
- Forged or missing signatures.
- Incorrect dates, impossible time ranges, or missing totals.
- Not separating day and night hours where required.
- Counting unsupervised driving, prohibited driving, or practice that your state does not accept.
What if you cannot get enough hours?
Consider a licensed driving school, approved instructor, supervised practice with another eligible adult, hardship options if your state offers them, or the adult permit path if you are old enough.
Related cheat sheets
Use these with your driving log
Supervised driving hours FAQs
How many supervised driving hours do I need?
It depends on your state, age, driver education path, and license stage. Many states require 40 to 65 total hours for teen drivers, often with a separate night-driving minimum.
Can driving school hours count toward supervised driving?
Often yes, but the amount and documentation rules vary. Some states reduce parent-supervised hours after approved driver education, while others require both.
Can simulator hours count?
A few driver education programs may count limited simulator time, but many DMV road-test logs require real behind-the-wheel driving. Verify your state or course provider.
What if I cannot get enough supervised driving hours?
Consider a licensed driving school, a state-approved instructor, hardship options if your state offers them, or an adult permit path if you are eligible.
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