Driving Tests

Alaska Provisional License Rules: Passengers and 1 to 5 a.m. Limit

informational·how to guide·Published May 29, 2026

What are the rules for a 16-year-old driver in Alaska?

Alaska's 16- and 17-year-olds get a provisional license after six months on a permit, 40 practice hours (10 in hard conditions) and a road test. Until 18 or removal, passengers must be a parent, legal guardian, sibling or person 21 or older; others need one such adult on board. No driving 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., except with a licensed parent, guardian or person 21 or older, or for work.

Where these Alaska rules come from

The rules come from the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) provisional license page, the Alaska Statutes (AS 28.15.055 and 28.15.057) and the Alaska Driver Manual (REV. 10/2025). The state law text wins when the wording of a page is shorter. Information is as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.alaska.gov) before you drive.

What you need before you can apply

Age: at least 16 and not yet 18. Under 16, you apply for an instruction permit (a learner's permit) instead.
Permit time: you held the instruction permit for at least six months.
Practice hours: a parent, legal guardian or employer gives proof of at least 40 hours of driving, including 10 hours in progressively challenging conditions such as bad weather and night driving.
Clean record: no traffic law conviction in the six months before you apply. The DMV page also names a suspended or revoked license in that time.
Paperwork: parental consent (Form 433), proof of your relationship to the person who signs it, and the application (Form D1). Anyone under 18 needs parental consent on every driving credential application.

How to get an Alaska provisional license

1
Finish the permit time and the practice hours
Hold your instruction permit for six months. Log the 40 hours, with 10 in progressively challenging conditions such as bad weather and night driving, so a parent, legal guardian or employer can certify them.
2
Pass the road test
A non-commercial road test is required for the provisional license. You can schedule it online with the DMV or through a business partner.
3
Get the license issued
After you pass, make an appointment or visit a DMV office or a license business partner. Bring the completed application Form D1 and a notarized parental consent Form 433, or have an authorized parent or guardian come with you and sign the consent part of Form D1. Pay the fees.

Who can ride with a provisional driver

Who can ride with a provisional driver
Passenger	Allowed?
Parent or legal guardian	Yes
Sibling	Yes, even with no parent in the vehicle
Person at least 21 years old	Yes
Friend or other passenger under 21	Only if a parent, legal guardian or person at least 21 also rides in the vehicle

The passenger rule in plain words

The rule has two parts. First, you may drive when every passenger is a parent, legal guardian, sibling or person at least 21 years old. Second, other passengers may ride when at least one passenger is a parent, legal guardian or person at least 21. A sibling does not count for the second part, so a sibling cannot bring friends along. The DMV page uses a shorter form: "passengers under the age of 21, except siblings". Try a practice question on provisional passengers to check yourself.

Driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

If a parent, legal guardian or person at least 21 rides with you, and that person is licensed to drive the type or class of vehicle you use

You may drive between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.

If you drive to or from your job, or as part of your job

You may drive in those hours, but only along the most direct available route.

If neither exception applies

You may not drive between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Wait until after 5:00 a.m. See a practice question on the nighttime exception.

When the limits end

The provisional stage lasts at least six months and can last until you turn 18. After six months with no traffic law conviction and no conviction for illegal use of alcohol or drugs or for repeat minor consuming alcohol, the restrictions can be removed with your parent's permission. You need a new parental consent and a new license, for a fee of $15 (U.S. dollars). At 18, the limits no longer apply, and you can get a license without provisional restrictions and without parental consent, for $15.

Villages off the road system

The passenger and night limits do not apply to a restricted license for areas off the road system, when you drive in those areas. An off-highway Class D license (restriction 6) needs no road test. The steps and the limits of that license are in our post on the Alaska off-highway driver license.

What happens if you break a limit

Breaking a provisional restriction is an infraction with a $200 penalty and 2 points on your driving history. A provisional license holder with 6 or more points in 12 months, or 9 or more in 24 months, must finish a driver improvement course. Points, suspension and the six-month wait after a traffic conviction on a permit are explained in our guide to Alaska teen driver penalties.

Key Takeaways

A provisional license is for ages 16 and 17 and needs six months on a permit, 40 documented hours and a road test.
Passengers: a parent, legal guardian, sibling or person 21 or older, or another passenger only with one of them on board.
No driving from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. unless a licensed parent, legal guardian or person 21 or older is with you, or you drive to or from work (or for your job) by the most direct route.
The limits end at 18, or earlier when the DMV removes the restriction after six clean months.
Next step: practice on the free Alaska Class D permit practice test (English only).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a 16-year-old drive alone in Alaska?

Yes, once you have a provisional license. It has only two limits: who may ride with you, and no driving from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Outside those hours, you may drive alone. To get the license, you first need six months on an instruction permit, 40 practice hours and a passed road test.

Can I drive my younger brother or sister on a provisional license?

Yes. A sibling is on the list of passengers that a provisional driver may carry, even with no parent in the vehicle. A friend under 21 in the same car is different: that friend may ride only when a parent, legal guardian or person at least 21 is also on board.

Can I drive to my night shift at 3 a.m. in Alaska?

Yes. You may drive to or from your place of employment, or as part of your job, in the 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. hours. All of the driving must be along the most direct available route. No adult needs to ride with you for this exception.

Do I need a road test for a provisional license in Alaska?

Yes. You must pass a non-commercial road test. Animals and passengers cannot ride along on the test. Road test fees are not refundable, and you can reschedule for no fee up to 24 hours before your appointment.

Can my parent cancel my provisional license?

Yes, in effect. A parent or guardian can withdraw consent at any time before your 18th birthday by notifying the DMV in writing. The DMV then issues an order that cancels the license until you turn 18 or a new consent is given.