Maryland Permit Restrictions: Driving Alone, Night & Passenger Rules (2026)
State permit restrictions
Maryland permit rules at a glance
2026-08-02
Maryland learner permit and provisional license restrictions were organized from official state licensing sources.
A licensed adult age 21 or older in the front passenger seat is required while the learner drives. After the learner stage, new drivers should still check Maryland night, passenger, and phone restrictions before driving alone.
At a glance
Maryland learner and provisional restriction snapshot
State-specific notes
Maryland rules that are easy to miss
- 151-day passenger windowMaryland uses a specific first-151-days passenger restriction for under-18 provisional drivers, not a rounded 5- or 6-month phrase.
- 60 hours for under-25 driversMaryland's practice-hour requirement is higher than many states and includes at least 10 nighttime hours.
- Fee noteMaryland MVA lists a Non-CDL Type I GLS learner permit fee that includes conversion to a full license; verify current amount before visiting.
Try the tool
Check a Maryland permit driving situation
Use this quick checker when a learner or provisional driver wants to know whether a trip looks allowed. It checks age, permit stage, supervision, time of day, passengers, highway or freeway driving, phone use, and trip purpose against the Maryland data we have reviewed.
This tool is a planning aid, not a replacement for official Maryland DMV or licensing rules. If the result mentions an exception or says to check the state rule, open the official source before driving.
Interactive checker Use this tool for Maryland learner permit and provisional-license situations. It is designed for quick planning, then points you back to official sources for final wording. Answer a few questions about your permit stage, supervision, time of day, passengers, and trip purpose. The checker returns a practical result with a reason, next step, and official state source link. California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina, and Michigan are included first because they already have strong state-guide coverage on US Permit Prep. Some restrictions depend on region, exact age in months, passenger relationship, documentation, or official exceptions. For those cases, the checker points you back to the state source instead of guessing. Official-source snapshot Each state result is tied to a DMV, DPS, BMV, DDS, PennDOT, NCDMV, or Secretary of State source. Use this snapshot as a planning layer, then open the source before relying on an exception.Check a Maryland driving situation
Supported in this first version
Why some results say Check state rule
Launch states checked for permit restrictions
Can a learner permit driver drive alone in Maryland?
A licensed adult age 21 or older in the front passenger seat is required while the learner drives. Treat solo driving on a learner permit as not allowed unless the official source clearly says your exact situation is an exception.
Maryland learner night driving
Learner driving is supervised. The midnight-to-5 a.m. restriction is most visible at the provisional stage for drivers under 18.
Maryland provisional night restriction
Maryland provisional drivers under 18 generally may not drive from midnight to 5 a.m. unless an official exception applies.
Maryland passenger restriction
For the first 151 days, Maryland provisional drivers under 18 may not drive with passengers under 18 unless they are immediate family members or a qualified supervising driver is present.
Highway and freeway notes
No separate learner highway restriction is coded here; the listed supervision and GDL rules still apply.
Phone and device rules
Maryland learners under 18 should not use a wireless device, including hands-free devices, while driving except for emergency use; verify current MVA wording. Maryland provisional drivers under 18 should not use wireless devices while driving, including hands-free devices except emergency use; verify current MVA wording.
Before you drive
What to verify in Maryland
- Permit stage: learner permit rules are different from provisional or intermediate license rules.
- Supervisor details: check age, license validity, seat location, and relationship rules.
- Night exceptions: work, school, medical, emergency, or religious exceptions may require proof in some states.
- Passenger relationship: family passengers and young non-family passengers are often treated differently.
- Documents and fees: bring accepted DMV documents and confirm current payment rules before a permit or license visit.
Official resources
Maryland permit restriction source links
US Permit Prep is independent and not a government agency. Use these links to verify final rules before driving or scheduling.
- Maryland MVA – Learner's Permitpermit age, Rookie Driver program
- Maryland MVA – Provisional Driver's License60 hours, passenger restriction
- Maryland MVA – License & ID Feeslearner permit fee
Maryland permit restriction FAQs
Can you drive alone with a learner permit in Maryland?
Usually no for this state data set. A licensed adult age 21 or older in the front passenger seat is required while the learner drives. Open the official Maryland source before relying on any exception.
Can you drive at night with a permit in Maryland?
Learner driving is supervised. The midnight-to-5 a.m. restriction is most visible at the provisional stage for drivers under 18.
What are the provisional license night rules in Maryland?
Maryland provisional drivers under 18 generally may not drive from midnight to 5 a.m. unless an official exception applies.
What are the passenger restrictions for new drivers in Maryland?
For the first 151 days, Maryland provisional drivers under 18 may not drive with passengers under 18 unless they are immediate family members or a qualified supervising driver is present.
Are these Maryland permit restriction rules official?
US Permit Prep is independent and not a government agency. This page summarizes official-source research and links to the source so you can verify the final wording before driving.
How many supervised driving hours does Maryland require?
Maryland generally requires 60 supervised practice hours for under-25 Rookie Driver applicants, including at least 10 hours at night.
What is Maryland's provisional passenger restriction?
For the first 151 days, Maryland provisional drivers under 18 generally may not carry passengers under 18 unless they are immediate family or a qualified supervising driver is present.
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