Required Driving Hours Vary by State and License Type
The number of hours you must drive with a learner's permit before you can take a road test depends entirely on which state issued your permit. There is no federal minimum. Some states require as few as 40 hours; others require 100 or more. Most states also set a separate requirement for nighttime driving, which is typically 10 to 20 hours of the total.
The hours you log must be supervised — you must have a licensed driver in the front passenger seat at all times. That driver must be at least 21 years old in most states, though a few allow 18-year-olds. The supervising driver cannot be someone who is texting, eating, or otherwise distracted; they need to be actively watching the road and your performance.
You cannot count hours toward your requirement unless you are actively driving. Sitting in the passenger seat while someone else drives, or sitting in the car while parked, does not count. Some states require you to log hours in a specific format — a printed form, a DMV app, or a third-party tracking system — before you can schedule your road test.
Key Takeaways
- Most states require between 40 and 100 hours of supervised driving before you can take a road test, with nighttime driving making up 10 to 20 of those hours.
- The supervising driver must be a licensed adult (usually 21 or older) sitting in the front passenger seat and actively watching the road.
- You must log your hours in the format your state requires — some use printed forms, others use DMV apps or third-party systems — before you can schedule a test.
- Nighttime driving hours are counted separately and usually cannot be completed until you have finished a portion of your daytime hours first.
- Some states allow you to count hours toward your requirement only after you have held your permit for a minimum number of days or weeks.
State-by-State Hour Requirements
The following table shows the driving hour requirements for a standard Class D (passenger vehicle) learner's permit in each state. Requirements for commercial or motorcycle permits are different and are listed separately on your state DMV website.
| State | Total Hours Required | Nighttime Hours Required | Minimum Permit Hold Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 50 hours | 10 hours | 30 days |
| Alaska | 40 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Arizona | 30 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Arkansas | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| California | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Colorado | 70 hours | 10 hours | 12 months |
| Connecticut | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Delaware | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Florida | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Georgia | 40 hours | 6 hours | 1 month |
| Hawaii | 100 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Idaho | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Illinois | 50 hours | 10 hours | 30 days |
| Indiana | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Iowa | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Kansas | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Kentucky | 60 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Louisiana | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Maine | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Maryland | 60 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Massachusetts | 40 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Michigan | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Minnesota | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Mississippi | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Missouri | 40 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Montana | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Nebraska | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Nevada | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| New Hampshire | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| New Jersey | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| New Mexico | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| New York | 50 hours | 15 hours | 6 months |
| North Carolina | 60 hours | 10 hours | 12 months |
| North Dakota | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Ohio | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Oklahoma | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Oregon | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Pennsylvania | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Rhode Island | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| South Carolina | 40 hours | 4 hours | 6 months |
| South Dakota | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Tennessee | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Texas | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Utah | 40 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Vermont | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Virginia | 60 hours | 10 hours | 9 months |
| Washington | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| West Virginia | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Wisconsin | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
| Wyoming | 50 hours | 10 hours | 6 months |
Check your state DMV website to confirm these requirements, as they can change. Some states adjust their hour requirements based on whether you completed a driver education course; if you did, your state may reduce the total hours you need to log.
How to Log and Document Your Driving Hours
Most states require you to keep a written record of your driving hours before you can schedule a road test. The format depends on your state. Some states provide a printed form on their DMV website that you fill out by hand and bring to your test appointment. Others use a digital system — either a state DMV app or a third-party tracking platform — where you or your supervising driver log hours after each session.
When you log hours, you typically need to record the date, the time of day (daytime or nighttime), the number of hours driven, and sometimes the type of road or weather conditions. A few states also require the supervising driver to sign off on each entry or to initial the form at the end of each week. Keep your log in a safe place; you will need to bring it to your road test appointment, and the examiner may ask questions about specific entries.
If your state uses a third-party app or system, you may need to set it up before you start driving. Some apps are free; others charge a small fee. Check your state DMV website for the official list of approved tracking systems. Do not use an unapproved app, because hours logged there will not count toward your requirement.
Nighttime Driving Requirements and Restrictions
Nighttime driving hours are tracked separately from daytime hours and usually have their own minimum. Most states define nighttime as driving between sunset and sunrise, though a few use a fixed time window (for example, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.). You cannot count an hour as nighttime unless you are actually driving during that window — sitting in a parked car at night does not count.
Many states require you to complete a certain number of daytime hours before you can begin logging nighttime hours. For example, you might need to finish 30 of your 50 total hours during the day before you can start driving at night. This rule exists because nighttime driving is more challenging and states want you to build basic skills first. Check your state's specific rules before you schedule nighttime driving sessions.
Some states also restrict when you can drive at night while holding a learner's permit. You may be prohibited from driving after a certain hour (for example, no driving after 10 p.m.) or from driving during certain hours on school nights. These restrictions are separate from the hour-logging requirement and explore whether or not you are working toward your hours. Violating a nighttime restriction can result in a ticket and may delay your ability to take a road test.
Minimum Permit Hold Time Before Testing
In addition to logging a certain number of hours, you must hold your learner's permit for a minimum number of days or months before you can take a road test. This waiting period varies by state — some require only 30 days, while others require 12 months. You cannot take a road test before this period ends, even if you have already logged all your required hours.
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