Driving Tests

New Mexico Provisional License at 15 1/2: Curfew and Passenger Rules

informational·how to guide·Published June 10, 2026

When can a teen get a provisional license in New Mexico, and what are the limits?

A New Mexico teen can apply for a provisional license at 15 1/2 after 6 months on an instructional permit (plus 30 days per traffic violation), with driver education, 50 practice hours (10 at night) and a passed road skills exam. It costs $18. The teen may not drive from midnight to 5 a.m. without an exception, or carry more than one passenger under 21 outside the immediate family.

Where the New Mexico provisional license facts come from

The age, permit time, practice hours, night limit and passenger limit come from the text of 2011 Senate Bill 9, which amended the graduated licensing law. The 12-month provisional period and the three test attempts come from 2019 Senate Bill 278. The steps and the $18 fee come from the New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) instructional permit and provisional license page. The road test and out-of-state rules come from the MVD Driver Procedures Manual (chapters 2, 4 and 11) and the 2019 New Mexico Driver Manual. This post is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the New Mexico MVD (mvd.newmexico.gov) before you drive.

Who can apply for a New Mexico provisional license

The provisional license is Stage 2 of New Mexico's Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system. It comes after the instructional permit (Stage 1) and before the full, unrestricted license (Stage 3). With a provisional license, a teen can drive without a supervising driver, but a night limit and a passenger limit apply. Age 15 1/2 is only the first of the conditions in the steps below.

Steps to get a New Mexico provisional license

1
Hold the instructional permit for at least 6 months
The law adds 30 days to the 6 months for each adjudication or conviction of a traffic violation made while driving on the permit. With one conviction, the earliest date to apply moves to 6 months and 30 days on the permit.
2
Finish driver education with a DWI component
The course must be approved by the Traffic Safety Bureau (TSB) and must include a DWI prevention and education component. The MVD asks for the TSB Certificate of Completion, which it says shows a passing score and a 3-hour DWI component.
3
Complete 50 hours of practice driving, 10 at night
The law says the practice driving must include not less than 50 hours of actual driving, with not less than 10 hours at night. A parent or guardian certifies the hours. The MVD asks for a GDL driving log signed by the parent or guardian.
4
Check that no traffic citation is pending
The law says the teen must not have a traffic citation that is pending at the time of application. The MVD page and the Driver Manual also ask for no traffic violation conviction in the 90 days before the application.
5
Pass the road skills exam
The teen passes the MVD Road Skills Exam, or a road skills exam with an MVD-contracted driver education school. With a contracted school, the teen brings the MVD Record of Completion. If an MVD agent gives the exam and the teen passes and meets all other requirements, the MVD processes the application at the same time.
6
Apply at an MVD field office with a parent or guardian
The teen and the parent or guardian complete and sign the provisional license application at an MVD field office. The fee is $18.

What if my teen cannot drive at night?

The law has one exception to the 10 night hours. A teen who cannot drive at night because of low night vision may be exempt from them. The teen gives the MVD a report from a licensed ophthalmologist or optometrist about the teen's visual condition and its effect on driving.

New Mexico provisional license curfew: midnight to 5 a.m.

Under the law, a provisional licensee may drive between 5:00 a.m. and midnight. From midnight to 5 a.m., the teen may drive only when one of the exceptions below applies, for example with a licensed driver age 21 or older in the car. The free practice question on the provisional license midnight limit tests this rule.

When a teen may drive between midnight and 5 a.m.

A licensed driver who is 21 or older is in the vehicle.
The trip is required by family necessity, shown by a signed statement of a parent or guardian.
The trip is required by medical necessity, shown by a signed statement from medical personnel.
The teen drives to or from work, shown by a signed statement from the teen's employer.
The teen drives to or from school or a religious activity, shown by a signed statement of a school or religious official or a parent or guardian.
The trip is required because of a medical emergency.
Carry the signed statement for the trip while you drive.

Passenger limit on a New Mexico provisional license

By law, a provisional licensee may have not more than one passenger under 21 who is not a member of the licensee's immediate family. Brothers and sisters do not count toward this limit, and passengers 21 or older do not count either. The MVD page and the Driver Manual describe one exception: the limit does not apply when a licensed driver age 21 or older is in the vehicle. The free practice question on the provisional passenger limit shows how the limit works with a sister and a friend.

New Mexico provisional license at a glance

New Mexico provisional license at a glance
Rule	What it says
Minimum age to apply	15 1/2
Time on the instructional permit	At least 6 months, plus 30 days for each traffic violation
Practice driving	50 hours, 10 at night, certified by a parent or guardian
Driver education	TSB-approved course with a DWI component
Road test	MVD Road Skills Exam, or one with an MVD-contracted school
Night limit	No driving from midnight to 5 a.m. without an exception
Passengers	One under 21 who is not immediate family
Fee	$18 (MVD Partner offices add their own fees)
Time to hold it	At least 12 months, plus 30 days for each traffic violation

Provisional license fee and road test retakes

The provisional license fee is $18. MVD Partner offices (private MVD offices) charge administrative fees on top of the MVD fees. A teen who fails the road skills exam cannot take it again on the same day: the MVD procedure manual says to wait at least one week. One complete application with the fee covers not more than three attempts to pass the exam within six months from the date of application.

How long a teen holds the provisional license

Before a full, unrestricted license, a driver under 18 must hold the provisional license for at least 12 months. The law adds 30 days to the 12 months for each adjudication or conviction of a traffic violation during the provisional period. The free practice question on how long to hold a provisional license tests this rule. For the next stage, read about the full license under 18 in New Mexico.

Key takeaways

A teen can apply at 15 1/2, after 6 months on the permit plus 30 days for each traffic violation, with no pending citation.
The teen needs a TSB driver education certificate, a 50-hour driving log with 10 hours at night, and a passed road skills exam.
No driving from midnight to 5 a.m. unless an exception applies, and not more than one passenger under 21 who is not immediate family.
The license costs $18 and is held at least 12 months.
Next step: practice on the free New Mexico Class D practice test.

New Mexico provisional license: common questions

Does a ticket on my permit delay my provisional license?

Yes, when the ticket ends in an adjudication or conviction. Each one adds 30 days to the 6-month permit time. Seat belt violations and using a mobile communication device while driving count as traffic violations too. A citation that is still pending on the day you apply also stops the application.

Can my brother or sister ride with me at night?

After midnight, only if an exception applies, such as a licensed driver 21 or older in the car or a signed statement for work, school, family or medical need. The passenger limit does not count immediate family, but the curfew still applies.

Can a parent sign for a late-night trip to work?

No. For work, the law asks for a signed statement from the teen's employer. A parent or guardian can sign for family necessity, and a parent, guardian, or school or religious official can sign for school or a religious activity.

Do I need a written test for the provisional license?

On the current MVD page, the knowledge exam and the vision test are Stage 1 steps for the instructional permit. Stage 2, the provisional license, lists the MVD Road Skills Exam. The 2019 Driver Manual also lists a written test and a vision screening for this step, so ask the MVD field office before your visit.

We moved to New Mexico. Does my teen's out-of-state permit time count?

Yes. The MVD procedure manual says a teen who has held an instructional permit or equivalent from another state for six months can get a provisional license after giving the 50 hours of logged driving and passing the road test. New Mexico's time rules apply when the other state's rules differ, and the teen must be at least 15 1/2.