Driving Tests

California Permit Rules: Who Can Drive With You on a Permit?

informational·how to guide·Published April 9, 2026

Can you drive alone with a California learner's permit (instruction permit)?

No. A California learner's permit (instruction permit) never lets you drive alone: a California-licensed driver must be with you for the whole drive. Under 18, that driver must be 25 or older (the age rule does not apply to your parent, spouse, guardian or a driving instructor), and you may drive only for driver training or practice. At 18 or older, the driver must be at least 18.

Where the California permit rules come from

California sets the permit rules in Vehicle Code section 12509 (instruction permits) and Vehicle Code section 12814.6 (drivers under 18). The California DMV learner's permit page lists the application steps. The motorcycle permit rule comes from Vehicle Code section 12509.5. The phone, alcohol, fee and test details come from Vehicle Code sections 23124 and 23136, the California Driver Handbook (Sections 2, 3 and 9), the DMV driver's license page and the DMV licensing fees page. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the California DMV (dmv.ca.gov) before you drive.

Who must supervise a California permit holder

Who must supervise a California permit holder
Permit holder	Who must sit with you	What you may drive
Under 18 (provisional instruction permit)	A California-licensed driver, 25 or older, not on probation. No age rule for your parent, spouse, guardian or a driving instructor.	A car, only while you take driver training or practice it. Not a motorcycle or motorized bicycle.
18 or older (instruction permit)	A California-licensed driver who is 18 or older, holds a valid license of the right class and is not on probation.	A car. Not a motorcycle, motorized scooter or motorized bicycle.

What to carry and check on every permit drive

Carry your valid permit with you whenever you drive.
Keep proof of insurance (financial responsibility) in the vehicle at all times.
The DMV can add more limits to your permit, so check the permit you receive.

Where must the supervising driver sit?

At all times, the supervising driver must stay inside the driver's compartment, in a position from which they can help you control the vehicle, avoid a collision and give guidance.

Two special cases for your supervisor

You are older than 17 ½ but under 18

You can get the permit without the driver education and driver training certificates, but you cannot take the driving test until you are 18. You are still a minor, so the supervisor rule for drivers under 18 applies.

Your supervisor's driving privilege is on probation

That person cannot supervise you, whatever your age. This also applies to a parent, spouse or guardian: their exception covers only the age rule.

When can a minor start using a California permit?

A minor should wait to use the permit until behind-the-wheel driver training starts with an instructor who will validate it. You can apply at 15 ½ when driver education is finished and driver training is finished or under way, or while you are enrolled in an integrated driver education and training program. A parent or guardian signs the application, and both sign when they share joint custody. The guide to the California permit under 18 has the full steps.

How to get a California instruction permit

1
Check your age
Be at least 15 ½ and under 18 (with driver education), or be at least 18.
2
Complete the application
Fill in the California Driver's License or ID Card Application.
3
Make an appointment and bring your documents
Schedule an appointment at a DMV office. Bring proof of identity, two proofs of residency and your Social Security number (exceptions may apply to the last two). If the name on your identity document does not match your application, bring a legal full name document too.
4
Pay the application fee
The application fee for an original Class C license is $46 (U.S. dollars) as of 2026. It is not refundable.
5
Pass the vision test and the knowledge test
At the office, you also take a photo. The knowledge test is multiple choice, and the passing score is 80%. In-office tests must start before 4:30 p.m., and the DMV gives no knowledge tests within 30 minutes of closing, so arrive early. The guide to the California permit test pass mark has more.

How long is a California instruction permit valid?

The permit lets you drive for up to 24 months from the date you apply. You must qualify for it and receive it within 12 months, and the application and fee are valid for 12 months. Under 18, you must hold the permit for six months before you apply for a provisional license (the license for drivers under 18), unless you turn 18. If your application runs out before those six months, reapply at a DMV office: the time you already held the permit still counts. You also need 50 hours of supervised practice, 10 of them in darkness, before the provisional license.

Cell phone rules for permit holders under 18

Under Vehicle Code 23124, a driver under 18 cannot use a wireless phone or another electronic wireless device while driving, even with a hands-free device. The ban does not apply to emergency use, such as a call to law enforcement, a health care provider or a fire department. The practice question on hands-free phones for drivers under 18 tests this rule.

Alcohol rules for permit holders under 21

Under Vehicle Code 23136, a driver under 21 breaks the law with a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.01 percent or more. The question on the BAC limit for drivers under 21 tests it.
Under 21, you may not carry an alcoholic beverage in a vehicle unless a person who is 21 or older is with you. One exception: a person who works for a holder of an off-site liquor sales license may carry alcoholic beverages in closed containers.
If police find alcohol in your vehicle, they can impound the vehicle for up to 30 days. A court may fine you and suspend your license for one year. If you do not have a license yet, the court may ask the DMV to delay your first license for up to one year.

Key takeaways

You can never drive alone on a California instruction permit. A California-licensed supervisor must be with you for the whole drive.
Under 18, the supervisor must be 25 or older, unless they are your parent, spouse, guardian or a driving instructor. At 18 or older, the supervisor must be 18 or older.
The permit lets you drive for up to 24 months from your application date. The application and fee are valid for 12 months.
A permit holder under 18 cannot use a phone while driving, even hands-free. A driver under 21 cannot drive with a BAC of 0.01 percent or more.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free California Class C permit practice test.

California permit rules: common questions

Can I drive myself to my California driving test on a permit?

No. You need a California-licensed driver with you on the day of the drive test. That driver must be 18 or older, or 25 or older if you are a minor, unless they are your parent, spouse, guardian or a driving instructor. The DMV says you need this driver even if you hold a valid driver's license from another country.

How much is the fine for using a phone on a permit in California?

For a driver under 18, phone use while driving, even hands-free, is an infraction. The base fine is $20 for a first offense and $50 for each later offense. A call for emergency help is allowed.

Can I ride a motorcycle or moped on my California car permit?

No. A car instruction permit does not cover a motorcycle, motorized scooter or motorized bicycle. A two-wheel motorcycle, moped or motorized bicycle needs its own instruction permit. With that permit, you cannot ride in darkness, on freeways with full access control, or with a passenger other than an instructor.

How much insurance do I need to drive on a California permit?

Proof of financial responsibility (insurance) must always be in the vehicle. In California, drivers and vehicle owners must carry at least $30,000 for injury or death to one person, $60,000 for injury or death to more than one person and $15,000 for property damage. A parent or guardian who signs a minor's application accepts financial responsibility for that minor.

Is a learner's permit the same as an instruction permit?

Yes. The DMV uses both names for the same permit. Drivers under 18 get a provisional instruction permit, and drivers 18 or older get an instruction permit. Both let you practice only with a licensed supervisor in the vehicle.