Driving Tests

What Happens If a Montana Teen Breaks the GDL Rules? Penalties and Points

informational·how to guide·Published July 15, 2026

What happens if a teen breaks the Montana restricted license rules?

In Montana, a first conviction for breaking a First-Year Restricted License rule means 20 to 60 hours of community service. A second conviction means a 6-month license suspension, with no probationary license during it. The rules cover seatbelts, night driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., and passengers under 18. They last 1 year or until age 18.

Where the Montana teen driver penalty facts come from

The penalties come from Montana law, section 61-5-134 of the Montana Code Annotated, and the MVD page for drivers under 18. The under-21 alcohol rule comes from section 61-8-1002. The other rules come from sections 61-5-132, 61-5-133, 61-5-205, 61-5-217, 61-8-303, 61-8-725, 61-8-1016, 61-11-203 and 61-13-103 of the Montana Code Annotated 2025, the MVD Guide to Teen Driving, form 21-1600 and the May 2026 Montana Driver Manual. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (mvdmt.gov) before you drive.

Montana First-Year Restricted License penalties at a glance

Montana First-Year Restricted License penalties at a glance
Conviction	Penalty
First conviction for breaking a restriction	20 to 60 hours of community service
Second or later conviction	License suspended for 6 months, with no probationary license during the suspension

Which Montana GDL rules can lead to a penalty?

A driver under 18 has a First-Year Restricted License for 1 year from the date of issue, or until age 18, whichever comes first. The law bars a driver from breaking these restrictions, and that includes on a motorcycle. MVD's parent guide lists three Step 2 violations: a seatbelt violation, a night driving violation and a passenger violation. Try our free questions about a 16-year-old with five seat belts and a night drive eight months into the license.

First-Year Restricted License rules and their exceptions

First-Year Restricted License rules and their exceptions
Rule	What is not allowed	Exception
Seatbelts	Driving when a person in the vehicle does not wear a seatbelt or is not properly restrained, or when there are more people than seatbelts	No exception in the restriction
Night driving	Driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.	See the next section
Passengers, first 6 months	More than one passenger under 18	A licensed driver 18 or older supervises, or the extra passengers under 18 are family members
Passengers, second 6 months	More than three passengers under 18	The same two exceptions
Motorcycle, first 6 months	A passenger under 18	No exception in the restriction

When can a restricted driver be out between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.?

The law lists eight exceptions, for example a licensed driver 18 or older in the vehicle, a drive to or from work, or a specific authorization from a parent or legal guardian, and our guide to Montana graduated driver license rules gives the full list.

Does a ticket during the permit stage delay the first license?

In the 6 months before the application, the teen was convicted of a traffic violation or an alcohol or drug offense, or has a pending traffic, alcohol or drug citation

The parent or guardian cannot sign the clean-record statement on form 21-1600, so the teen cannot get the restricted license yet. MVD may extend the learner license by 1 year or until age 18, whichever comes first.

The record is clean and the teen held the learner permit for at least 6 months and 1 day

The parent can sign the clean-record statement on form 21-1600. When the teen has completed all Step 1 requirements, the teen may apply for the First-Year Restricted License at an MVD driver license station and must pass a drive test.

Can MVD suspend a teen's license like an adult's?

Yes. Under Montana law, the driving privilege of a person under 18 can be suspended or revoked by MVD in the same way, and for the same causes, as for an adult. For example, MVD must suspend the license after a DUI conviction. MVD must also suspend it for 1 year after convictions for three reckless driving offenses committed within 12 months.

Montana driver license points for common convictions

Montana driver license points for common convictions
Conviction	Points
DUI	10
Driving while the license is suspended or revoked	6
Reckless driving	5
Speeding	3
Other moving violations	2

How many points make a habitual traffic offender in Montana?

A driver with 30 or more conviction points within 3 years is a habitual traffic offender. If one event leads to two or more convictions, only the conviction with the most points counts. A small speeding ticket on a speed limit set in state law is not put on the record if the driver was no more than 10 mph over in daytime, or 5 mph over at night. This does not apply above 90 mph on an interstate with an 80 mph limit, in a special speed zone, to a Montana resident's ticket from another state, or to a commercial license holder.

What is the Montana DUI limit for a driver under 21?

A driver under 21 commits DUI at an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or more. A driver under 21 also commits DUI with any amount of THC in the body, not counting inactive metabolites. For adults in a noncommercial vehicle, the general limit is 0.08. You may not buy or drink alcohol before age 21. Each driver on a public road is considered to have agreed to a blood, breath or oral fluid test. Check yourself with our free question about the under-21 limit.

What happens if an officer asks a driver under 21 for a test?

The officer has particularized suspicion that the driver broke the 0.02 or THC rule

The officer can direct a blood, breath or oral fluid test. The officer must tell the driver about the right to refuse and that a refusal will suspend the license for up to 1 year.

The test shows 0.02 or more, or THC, and a court convicts the driver

The DUI conviction counts 10 points, and MVD must suspend the license.

The driver refuses the test

The officer sends the license to MVD, and MVD suspends it. The officer gives a temporary driving permit that starts 12 hours after issue and is valid for 5 days, and a written notice of the suspension and of the right to a hearing.

Key takeaways

A first conviction for breaking a restricted license rule means 20 to 60 hours of community service. A second means a 6-month suspension with no probationary license.
A traffic, alcohol or drug conviction, or a pending citation, in the 6 months before the application stops the first license. MVD may extend the learner license.
Under 21, an alcohol concentration of 0.02 or any active THC is DUI. A test refusal leads to a license suspension.
At 30 points in 3 years, a driver is a habitual traffic offender. A DUI counts 10 points.
Next step: practice on the free Montana Class D practice test.

Montana teen driver penalties: common questions

Do tickets from another state count on a Montana driving record?

Yes, they can. For the habitual traffic offender points, Montana counts convictions for traffic laws of another jurisdiction, such as another state. The rule that keeps small speeding tickets off the record does not apply to a Montana resident's speeding ticket from another state when a court or the licensing agency of that state reports it to MVD.

Can a speeding ticket raise a teen's car insurance in Montana?

Not for a small ticket on a speed limit set in state law. If the driver was no more than 10 mph over in daytime, or 5 mph over at night, an insurance company may not hold the ticket against the driver or raise the premium. Above 90 mph on an interstate with an 80 mph limit, it may. For other tickets, ask your insurance company.

Does the Montana seatbelt law apply to every person in the car?

Yes. A driver may not drive on a Montana highway unless each person in a designated seating position wears a properly fastened seatbelt, or a child restraint where the law requires one. Some exceptions exist, such as a person with a written medical statement and the operator of a motorcycle. For a restricted driver, a seatbelt violation is also a GDL violation.

Does the 0.02 limit apply to a 19- or 20-year-old with a full license?

Yes. The 0.02 alcohol limit and the THC rule apply to each driver under 21, not only to teens with a restricted license. A DUI conviction counts 10 points toward the 30-point habitual traffic offender limit, and MVD must suspend the license after the conviction.

How many points is driving without insurance in Montana?

On the Montana point schedule, any of the mandatory motor vehicle liability protection offenses, the insurance rules, counts 5 points. Illegal drag racing or a speed contest also counts 5 points, the same as reckless driving. Driving without a license counts 2 points, but not within 180 days after the license expired. With 30 or more points in 3 years, a driver is a habitual traffic offender.