Permit Restrictions by State (2026)

Last UpdatedAugust 2, 2026State guide facts, source links, and DMV-day reminders are reviewed for learner permit prep.

Permit restrictions

Find your state restriction guide

Quick answer
Most learner permit drivers cannot drive alone. Provisional drivers may still have night-driving, passenger, phone, and trip-purpose limits. Select your state below for the exact restriction summary and official source links.

Use this hub when you need to know whether a learner or newly licensed driver can drive alone, at night, with friends, on highways, or while using a phone. The first launch covers 10 major states with data checked against official DMV or state licensing sources. More states should be added only after source review so this section stays useful instead of becoming thin placeholder content.

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State permit restriction guides

Open the state page that matches your permit or provisional license. Each page explains learner supervision, night driving, passenger restrictions, phone rules, exceptions, and source links.

California
15 years and 6 months for a minor provisional instruction permit path.
For the first 12 months, provisional drivers cannot drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless an exception applies.

Texas
Teen learner-license path begins at age 15 with driver education requirements.
Texas GDL restrictions prohibit driving from midnight to 5 a.m. except for listed exceptions.

Florida
Florida learner's license path begins at age 15.
At age 16, Florida drivers may generally drive only between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. unless driving to/from work or accompanied by a licensed driver 21+. At age 17, the listed night limit changes to 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.

New York
New York learner permits generally begin at age 16.
New York junior-license night rules vary by region; do not flatten into a single statewide output.

Pennsylvania
Initial learner permit path begins at age 16 or older.
Pennsylvania junior drivers may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. except for listed documented exceptions.

Illinois
Illinois instruction permit path begins at age 15 with driver education enrollment/participation rules.
Nighttime driving restrictions apply to drivers under 18.

Ohio
Ohio TIPIC path begins at age 15 years and 6 months.
Ohio probationary license restrictions include no driving from midnight to 6 a.m. unless an exception applies.

Georgia
Georgia Class CP instructional permit path begins at age 15.
Georgia Class D drivers may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.; DDS states no exceptions.

North Carolina
North Carolina Level 1 Limited Learner Permit path begins at age 15 with eligibility requirements.
With a Limited Provisional License, unsupervised driving is allowed from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and for listed work/emergency-service purposes; after 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. a supervising driver is required.

Michigan
Michigan Level 1 learner's license path can begin after Segment 1 eligibility, commonly at 14 years and 9 months.
Michigan Level 2 nighttime restrictions commonly prohibit driving from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. unless an exception applies; spot-check current SOS wording before coding final exceptions.

Learner permit rules

Learner permit rules usually focus on qualified adult supervision. Some states add time limits, age details, or region-specific rules.

Provisional license rules

Provisional or intermediate licenses may allow solo driving but can restrict passengers, nighttime trips, and phone use for a set period.

Verify before driving

Rules and exceptions can change. Every state page links to official DMV or licensing sources so learners and parents can verify final wording.

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