Your state sets the minimum hours, and they vary widely
The number of supervised driving hours required on a learner's permit is set by your state's Department of Motor Vehicles, not by federal law, so the requirement depends entirely on where you live. Most states require between 20 and 100 hours of supervised practice before you can take the road test for a full license. Some states break this into a minimum number of daytime hours and a separate minimum for nighttime driving. A few states have no hour requirement at all — they rely instead on a minimum permit-holding period.
The hours you log must be in a vehicle with a licensed adult, usually at least 21 years old, sitting in the front passenger seat. Hours spent in driver's education classes do not count toward the supervised driving requirement in most states, though a few states allow a portion of classroom or behind-the-wheel instruction to count. You need to know your state's exact requirement before you start logging hours, because you cannot take the road test until you meet it.
Key Takeaways
- State requirements range from zero hours in some states to 100 hours in others, with most states requiring 20 to 50 hours of supervised driving.
- Nighttime driving hours are often tracked separately and required in addition to daytime hours — check your state's breakdown before you start.
- The supervising driver must be a licensed adult, usually at least 21 years old, and must sit in the front passenger seat during all required practice.
- Hours logged in driver's education courses typically do not count toward the supervised driving requirement, even if an instructor is present.
- Some states track hours through a logbook you keep in the vehicle; others do not require documentation until you explore for the road test.
Hour requirements by state and what counts
The following table shows the supervised driving hour requirements for each state. Hours listed are minimums; you may log more. Many states separate daytime and nighttime requirements, so read the "Notes" column carefully.
| State | Total Hours | Nighttime Hours | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 50 | 10 | Minimum age 15; hours must be logged in a logbook provided by DMV. |
| Alaska | 40 | 10 | Minimum age 14; logbook required. |
| Arizona | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; permit valid for 6 months. |
| Arkansas | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required instead. |
| California | 50 | 10 | Minimum age 15.5; logbook required; hours must be documented before road test. |
| Colorado | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 12-month permit-holding period required. |
| Connecticut | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 4-month permit-holding period required. |
| Delaware | 50 | 10 | Minimum age 16; logbook required. |
| Florida | 50 | 10 | Minimum age 15; logbook required; can be completed in as little as 2 weeks. |
| Georgia | 40 | 6 | Minimum age 15; logbook required. |
| Hawaii | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Idaho | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Illinois | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 30-day permit-holding period required. |
| Indiana | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 180-day permit-holding period required. |
| Iowa | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Kansas | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 14-day permit-holding period required. |
| Kentucky | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 180-day permit-holding period required. |
| Louisiana | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Maine | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Maryland | 60 | 10 | Minimum age 15.75; logbook required. |
| Massachusetts | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Michigan | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Minnesota | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Mississippi | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Missouri | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 4-month permit-holding period required. |
| Montana | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Nebraska | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Nevada | 50 | 10 | Minimum age 15.5; logbook required. |
| New Hampshire | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| New Jersey | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| New Mexico | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| New York | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| North Carolina | 60 | 10 | Minimum age 15; logbook required. |
| North Dakota | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Ohio | 50 | 10 | Minimum age 15.5; logbook required. |
| Oklahoma | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Oregon | 50 | 10 | Minimum age 15; logbook required. |
| Pennsylvania | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Rhode Island | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| South Carolina | 40 | 0 | Minimum age 15; logbook required. |
| South Dakota | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Tennessee | 50 | 10 | Minimum age 15; logbook required. |
| Texas | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Utah | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Vermont | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Virginia | 60 | 10 | Minimum age 15.5; logbook required. |
| Washington | 50 | 10 | Minimum age 15.5; logbook required. |
| West Virginia | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
| Wyoming | 0 | 0 | No hour requirement; 6-month permit-holding period required. |
How to document and log your hours
If your state requires supervised driving hours, you will receive a logbook when you get your learner's permit. This logbook is the official record of your practice hours. You must fill it out during or when ready after each driving session — do not try to fill it in all at once before your road test, because the dates and times must be accurate.
Each entry should include the date, the time you started and stopped driving, the total hours for that session, the supervising driver's name and license number, and the type of conditions you drove in (daytime, nighttime, highway, residential, rain, etc.). Some states ask you to note the roads or areas where you practiced. Keep the logbook in your vehicle at all times while you are driving on your permit, because a police officer can ask to see it during a traffic stop.
When you are ready to take your road test, bring the completed logbook with you. The DMV examiner will review it to confirm you have met the hour requirement before they will let you take the test. If your logbook is incomplete, missing entries, or shows fewer hours than required, you will not be allowed to test and will have to come back later with the correct hours logged.
Nighttime driving hours and why they matter
States that require nighttime driving hours do so because new drivers have higher crash rates after dark. Nighttime hours are usually defined as driving between sunset and sunrise, though some states use a specific time window like 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. These hours are tracked separately from daytime hours and must be completed in addition to the total hour requirement.
For example, if your state requires 50 total hours with 10 of those at night, you need to log at least 10 hours of driving after dark and at least 40 hours during the day. You cannot count all 50 hours as nighttime driving to meet the requirement faster. If you are unsure whether a particular driving session counts as nighttime, check your state's DMV website or ask the examiner when you submit your logbook.
What happens if you do not meet the hour requirement
You cannot take your road test until you have logged the minimum hours required by your state. If you show up to test without meeting the requirement, the examiner will turn you away. You will have to schedule another test appointment after you have completed the remaining hours and updated your logbook.
There is no way to waive or reduce the hour requirement, even if you have taken a driver's education course or have driven for many years. The requirement is a legal minimum set by your state legislature. Some states allow you to count a portion of professional driver's education instruction toward the total, but this is rare and must be documented in advance — ask your DMV before you enroll in a course if you want to know whether those hours will count.
How long it takes to complete the hours
The time it takes to finish your required hours depends on how often you practice. If you drive several times a week, you can complete 50 hours in about three to four months. If you practice once a week, it will take longer. Some people finish in two weeks by driving every day; others take six months or more.
Your permit is valid for a set period — usually six months to one year depending on your state — so you have that window to complete your hours and take your road test. If your permit expires before you finish, you will have to renew it and start over. Plan your practice schedule early so you are not rushing at the end of your permit's validity