Teen Driving Hours by State (2026)
Every US state sets its own minimum number of supervised driving hours that a teen must log before taking the road test. Most fall between 40 and 65 hours, with a separate minimum for nighttime driving. Below is the comparison table for the highest-population states — with citations to each state's DMV.
Required supervised hours by state
| State | Total Hours | Night Hours | Min. Permit Age | Min. Permit Hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 50 hrs | 10 hrs | 15 yrs 6 mo | 6 months |
| Texas | 30 hrs | 10 hrs | 15 yrs | 6 months |
| Florida | 50 hrs | 10 hrs | 15 yrs | 12 months |
| New York | 50 hrs | 15 hrs | 16 yrs | 6 months |
| Pennsylvania | 65 hrs | 10 hrs | 16 yrs | 6 months |
| Illinois | 50 hrs | 10 hrs | 15 yrs | 9 months |
| Ohio | 50 hrs | 10 hrs | 15 yrs 6 mo | 6 months |
| Georgia | 40 hrs | 6 hrs | 15 yrs | 12 months |
| North Carolina | 60 hrs | 10 hrs | 15 yrs | 12 months |
| Michigan | 50 hrs | 10 hrs | 14 yrs 9 mo | 6 months |
| New Jersey | 50 hrs | 10 hrs | 16 yrs | 6 months |
| Virginia | 45 hrs | 15 hrs | 15 yrs 6 mo | 9 months |
| Washington | 50 hrs | 10 hrs | 15 yrs | 6 months |
| Arizona | 30 hrs | 10 hrs | 15 yrs 6 mo | 6 months |
| Massachusetts | 40 hrs | — | 16 yrs | 6 months |
The national pattern: Of the 50 US states, the most common total is 50 supervised hours — matched by 14 states — with a separate 10-hour night-driving minimum.
Source: GHSA, 2025 GDL LawsWhy supervised hours exist
Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) programs — in place in all 50 states — require teens to complete a structured supervised practice phase before earning full driving privileges. The supervised-hour minimum is the central pillar of GDL.
The data on why this matters is unambiguous. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drivers aged 16–19 are nearly three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than drivers aged 20+. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that strong GDL programs — specifically those that enforce the supervised-hour minimum — have reduced fatal teen crashes by 20–50% in participating states.
What this means in practice: the supervised hours are not a bureaucratic checkbox. They are the single most reliable predictor of whether a newly licensed teen will be safe on the road. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recommends that practice cover varied conditions — highway, urban, rural, weather, and night — not just total hour count.
How to log hours that the DMV will accept
Most state DMVs require parents or supervising drivers to certify the log when applying for a road test. The form varies by state, but every state will look for the same five things:
- Date of each drive (some states require all entries to be in chronological order)
- Start and end time — this is how the DMV calculates total hours
- Day vs. night classification for each entry, used to verify the night-hour minimum
- Conditions (weather, road type) — required in PA, NC, and a handful of other states
- A parent or supervising-driver signature certifying the log is accurate
Lost hours from misplaced paper logs are the most common source of last-minute DMV problems. For a deeper look at why paper logs fail and how a digital approach solves the problem, see Why paper driving logs get lost.
Track every hour your state requires — automatically
DriveLogs builds in the exact requirement for all 50 states. Day vs. night is detected automatically. Export a DMV-ready PDF when it's time for the road test.
Download DriveLogs — $4.99Frequently asked questions
Which US state requires the most supervised driving hours?
Pennsylvania, at 65 hours of supervised practice (10 at night, 5 in poor weather), requires the highest minimum among major US states.
Which states require the fewest supervised driving hours?
Texas and Arizona both require 30 supervised hours (10 at night) — the lowest minimums of major US states. The national mode is 50 hours.
Do all states require night-driving hours?
Most do. The typical minimum is 10 hours; New York and Virginia require 15 hours of nighttime driving. A few states — including Massachusetts — do not break out night hours as a separate requirement.
How long must a teen hold a learner's permit before taking the road test?
Most states require at least 6 months of permit holding. Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina require 12 months. Illinois and Virginia require 9 months. The hold period is in addition to the supervised-hour minimum, not a substitute.
What happens if my teen doesn't meet the supervised-hour minimum?
The DMV will refuse to administer the road test. The supervised-hour log is verified at the time of test scheduling in most states. Some states (CA, NC, FL) require the log itself to be submitted; others require a sworn parent certification.
State-specific guides
For the full requirement breakdown, GDL restrictions, curfews, and DMV-specific log formats: