Driving Tests

Idaho Graduated Driver's License Rules: 50 Hours, Curfew, Passengers

informational·how to guide·Published August 18, 2026

What must a teen do to get a driver's license in Idaho, and what limits apply after?

Teens under 17 must pass an approved driver's training course (30 classroom hours, 6 observation hours, 6 hours behind the wheel), then drive at least 6 months on a Supervised Instruction Permit with 50 hours, 10 at night, and pass two tests. The earliest license age is 15. Under 16, drive only from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Under 17, carry at most one passenger under 17 for six months.

Where the Idaho GDL rules come from

The rules come from Idaho Code 49-307, the ITD Young Drivers page and the ITD Graduated Driver's License fact sheet. Idaho Code 49-303, 49-305 and 49-326 and the Idaho Driver's Handbook (July 2026) add the license, permit, test and penalty details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Idaho Transportation Department DMV (itd.idaho.gov/dmv) or your county driver's license office before you drive.

The Idaho GDL steps for a driver under 17

1
Take an approved driver's training course
A student under 17 needs a Driver Training Instruction Permit (DT permit) to attend any public or private course. You can get it from age 14 1/2. In a school course, you drive only with the instructor during class. The course has 30 hours of classroom instruction, 6 hours of in-car observation and 6 hours behind the wheel.
2
Start the supervised period on the SIP
When you pass the course, the DT permit becomes the Supervised Instruction Permit (SIP). This is the learner's permit stage of Idaho's Graduated Driver's License (GDL) program. From then on, your parent or guardian is responsible for making sure that you follow the SIP rules.
3
Drive at least 6 months and 50 hours
You need at least six calendar months of supervised driving and 50 hours, 10 of them at night. A licensed driver who is 21 or older must sit beside you, and no other passenger may sit in the front seat. Carry the SIP every time you drive. You may keep driving on an unexpired SIP after the six months.
4
Keep a clean record
For the whole period, you may have no moving traffic conviction, no suspension and no SIP violation. Under 17, a violation cancels the SIP. You must apply for a new permit and start a new six-month period.
5
Pass the knowledge test and the skills test
When the supervised period is complete, you take both tests with a person certified by ITD. The Idaho Driver's Handbook says the tests may be taken in either order. Confirm the order with your county driver's license office or your skills test examiner.
6
Get the signatures and apply at the county office
Your parent or guardian signs the GDL Requirements Verification. It certifies the 50 hours (10 at night) and gives permission to issue the license. You must be at least 15, and you can apply no sooner than six months after you finish the course. Under 18, a birth parent or legal guardian comes with you to the county driver's license office as your liability signer. You also bring proof of school enrollment or completion, such as a Verification of Compliance (VOC) letter. Present the VOC within one year of its date.

Idaho GDL limits after you get the license

Idaho GDL limits after you get the license
Rule	Who it applies to	What it means
Daylight hours only	Licensed drivers under 16	Drive only between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., unless a licensed driver who is 21 or older sits beside you and the two of you are the only front-seat occupants.
One passenger under 17	Licensed drivers under 17, first six months of the license	No more than one passenger under 17. Passengers related to you by blood, adoption or marriage do not count.
"Under 18 until" license	Drivers 15 to 17	The license has a vertical format and expires five days after your 18th birthday.

What does the Idaho daylight limit mean for a 15-year-old?

Idaho calls it "daylight hours only", but the law sets fixed clock times: 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., local time. A licensed 15-year-old who drives alone at 10:30 p.m. is outside the limit. The free practice question on Idaho under-16 driving hours covers this rule.

Which Idaho path fits your age?

You are under 17

Driver's training and all the GDL steps above are required. A qualifying parent or legal guardian may teach the in-car observation and behind-the-wheel parts instead of an instructor. See parent-taught driver's ed in Idaho.

You turn 17 while you are on the SIP

By law, the SIP becomes a Class D Instruction Permit. That permit expires five days after your 18th birthday.

You are 17 or older and start now

Idaho requires driver's training for applicants under 17. At 17 or older, you may still take it on the DT/SIP permit or on a Class D Instruction Permit (IP). To get the IP, pass the knowledge test first. An adult who is 18 or older and holds a valid license must sit beside you, and the IP lets you drive for up to one year.

You moved to Idaho with a license from another state

You do not need the supervised driving period. Ask your county driver's license office which tests apply to you.

What happens if a teen driver gets a ticket?

If a driver is cited under 17 and then convicted of a moving traffic violation, Idaho Code 49-326 sets the penalty: a written warning from ITD for the first conviction, a 30-day suspension for the second and a 60-day suspension for a third or later conviction. The guide to Idaho teen driving points and penalties explains how points add up.

Key takeaways

Under 17, Idaho requires an approved driver's training course: 30 classroom hours, 6 hours of in-car observation and 6 hours behind the wheel.
The SIP period lasts at least six calendar months and needs 50 hours of driving, 10 at night, with a licensed driver 21 or older beside you.
The earliest license age is 15. Under 16, drive only from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. unless a licensed driver 21 or older sits beside you.
For the first six months of the license, a driver under 17 may carry only one passenger under 17, unless the passenger is related by blood, adoption or marriage.
Next step: practice the Idaho rules on the free Idaho Class D practice test.

Idaho GDL rules: common questions

Can you get a driver's license at 15 in Idaho?

Yes. 15 is the earliest age for an Idaho license. You must also apply no sooner than six months after you finish driver's training, and the training permit is available from age 14 1/2. Until you turn 16, you may drive only from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. unless a licensed driver 21 or older sits beside you.

Does a 16-year-old need driver's ed in Idaho?

Yes. Idaho requires approved driver's training for anyone under 17 who applies for a license, so a 16-year-old must complete the course and then the six-month supervised period. The course is 30 classroom hours, 6 hours of in-car observation and 6 hours behind the wheel.

How many passengers can a teen driver have in Idaho?

For the first six months of the license, a driver under 17 may carry no more than one passenger under 17. Brothers, sisters and other relatives by blood, adoption or marriage do not count. The free practice question on the Idaho teen passenger limit covers this rule.

Can a 16-year-old drive at night in Idaho?

Yes. The daylight limit applies only to licensed drivers under 16, and Idaho law gives full privileges at 16. A 16-year-old with a license may drive after 10 p.m. If the license is less than six months old, the one-passenger limit still applies until the driver turns 17.

Can a parent take away a teen's Idaho driver's license?

Yes. Under 18, a birth parent or legal guardian signs consent for your license as the liability signer, and that person may withdraw consent at any time. When consent is withdrawn, ITD cancels the license until you turn 18 or until another acceptable liability signer signs.