Driving Tests

Connecticut Teen Driver Rules: 11 p.m. Curfew, Passengers and Phones

informational·how to guide·Published October 13, 2026

What are the driving rules for 16- and 17-year-olds in Connecticut?

In Connecticut, a licensed 16- or 17-year-old may not drive from 11:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m., except for work, school, religious activities or a medical need. For the first 6 months, passengers are limited to parents or a legal guardian, one licensed driving instructor, or one person aged 20 or older licensed for at least 4 years. Drivers under 18 may not use a phone while driving, even hands-free.

Where the Connecticut teen driver rules come from

The rules come from Connecticut General Statutes Sec. 14-36g, which covers license holders aged 16 and 17. The Connecticut DMV teen driver page explains the curfew exceptions. The under-18 phone ban comes from Public Act 26-63, Sec. 31. The license suspensions come from Sec. 14-36i and Sec. 14-111 (2026 Supplement), and the seat belt fine comes from the Connecticut Driver's Manual. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Connecticut DMV (portal.ct.gov/dmv) before you drive.

Connecticut rules for drivers aged 16 and 17 at a glance

Connecticut rules for drivers aged 16 and 17 at a glance
Rule	What it says
Curfew	No driving from 11:00 p.m. until and including 5:00 a.m., except for work, school, religious activities or a medical need.
Passengers, months 1 to 6	Parents or legal guardian, one licensed driving instructor, or one person aged 20 or older licensed for at least 4 years.
Passengers, months 7 to 12	The same people, plus members of your immediate family.
Seat belts	No more passengers than the number of seat belts permanently installed in the vehicle.
Phone (under 18)	No use of a mobile electronic device while driving, even hands-free, except to report an emergency.
Vehicles	No vehicle that needs a public passenger endorsement, and no vanpool vehicle.

What is the Connecticut curfew for 16- and 17-year-olds?

You may not drive from 11:00 p.m. until and including 5:00 a.m. the next day. The law makes two exceptions: you are traveling for your job, school or religious activities, or the trip is a medical necessity. Try the practice question on the 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. teen driving restriction.

Who is exempt from the curfew and passenger limits?

An active member of a volunteer fire company, volunteer ambulance service or emergency medical service organization who is responding to or returning from an emergency, or carrying out those duties.
An assigned driver in a Safe Ride program sponsored by the American Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America or another national public service organization.

Can I drive to a prom or an away game after 11 p.m.?

Yes, if you drive only to and from the activity and nowhere else. The law does not define "school or religious activities," and the DMV reads the exception as covering school-sponsored or sanctioned activities, on or off school grounds, such as a prom or an away game. If the prom or post-prom party is in a neighboring town, carry the official schedule of school-sponsored prom activities in the car, or have the school district give police the itinerary in advance. This helps officers decide if the exception applies. Your passenger limits still apply on the trip.

Who can ride with a 16- or 17-year-old driver in Connecticut?

For 6 months after the license is issued, you may carry only your parents or legal guardian (at least one of them must hold a license), or one passenger who is a licensed driving instructor or a person aged 20 or older. The person aged 20 or older must have held a license for the same class of vehicle for at least 4 years, with no suspension in that time. From month 7 to month 12, you may also carry members of your immediate family. A learner's permit has its own passenger rule. Try the practice question on passengers in the first six months.

Other passenger and vehicle limits

Never carry more passengers than the number of seat belts permanently installed in the vehicle.
Do not drive a vehicle that needs a public passenger endorsement, or a vanpool vehicle.
After you get a motorcycle endorsement, you may not carry a passenger on a motorcycle for 6 months.
The Driver's Manual says it is illegal to drive or ride without a safety belt, and that the driver and the passenger can each be cited and fined $75.

Can a 16- or 17-year-old use a phone while driving in Connecticut?

No. Under Sec. 14-296aa as rewritten by Public Act 26-63 (in effect October 1, 2026), no person under 18 may drive while using a mobile electronic device, even in hands-free mode. The only exception is holding or using a device just to report an emergency to an emergency operator, a hospital, physician's office or health clinic, an ambulance company, a fire department or a police department. Being stopped in traffic or at a traffic signal still counts as driving. Being parked on the side or shoulder of the road, where the car can safely stay, does not. See the practice question on a hands-free call at 17.

What happens if I break the teen driver rules?

A violation of the curfew, passenger or vehicle rules of Sec. 14-36g is an infraction. The police officer who issues the complaint takes your license, and it stays suspended for 48 hours. To get it back, you and a parent or legal guardian (unless you are emancipated) must appear in person and sign for it. The DMV also suspends your license for 30 days for a first violation, and for 6 months or until you turn 18, whichever is longer, for a second. The 48-hour license suspension guide has the full steps. After a phone conviction under 18, the suspension is 30 days, then 90 days, then 6 months.

Key takeaways

Licensed drivers aged 16 and 17 may not drive from 11:00 p.m. until and including 5:00 a.m., except for work, school, religious activities or a medical need.
For the first 6 months, carry only parents or a guardian, one licensed driving instructor, or one person aged 20 or older licensed for at least 4 years. From month 7 to month 12, you may also carry immediate family.
Never carry more passengers than there are seat belts.
Drivers under 18 may not use a phone while driving, even hands-free, except to report an emergency. A violation can lead to a license suspension.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free Connecticut Class D practice test.

Connecticut teen driver rules: common questions

Can a friend ride with me in the first year?

Only if the friend fits a listed group. In the first 6 months, the friend must be a licensed driving instructor or a person aged 20 or older with at least 4 years of licensing in the same vehicle class and no suspension in that time. From month 7, only immediate family is added. So a friend aged 16 or 17 cannot ride with you in the first year, unless a fire, EMS or Safe Ride exemption applies.

Can my brother or sister ride with me after I get my license?

Not in the first 6 months, unless your brother or sister is 20 or older and has held a license for the same class of vehicle for at least 4 years with no suspension. From month 7 to month 12, members of your immediate family may ride with you, as long as each passenger has a seat belt.

Do the passenger limits mean I can carry five people if I have five seat belts?

No. The seat belt count is a separate ceiling. You can carry only the people allowed for your stage, and never more people than the number of seat belts permanently installed in the vehicle. Each person in the car must also wear a belt.

When do the Connecticut teen driving rules end?

The curfew, passenger and vehicle rules of Sec. 14-36g are for license holders who are 16 or 17. The passenger limits also end one year after the license is issued. The ban on all phone use, even hands-free, applies until you turn 18. After that, the adult rule applies: you may use a phone only in hands-free mode.

How much is a phone ticket for a teen driver in Connecticut?

The fines are the same as for adults: $200 for a first violation, $375 for a second and $625 for a third or later. A record of each violation goes on your driving history, and motor vehicle insurers can see it. A driver under 18 also faces a license suspension.