Driving Tests

North Dakota Learner's Permit at 14: Rules, Supervisor and Cost

informational·how to guide·Published June 27, 2026

When can you get a learner's permit in North Dakota, and what are the rules?

A North Dakota resident can get a Class D instruction permit (NDDOT also calls it a learner's permit) at 14 after a knowledge test, a vision screening and parent or guardian approval. The permit costs $15, plus $5 for each test attempt. A licensed driver aged 18 or older, with three years of experience, must sit beside you. Hold it at least 12 months if under 16, or six months at 16 or 17.

Where the North Dakota permit rules come from

The permit rules are in North Dakota Century Code (N.D.C.C.) chapter 39-06, mainly sections 39-06-04 (the permit), 39-06-08 (a minor's application) and 39-06-49 (fees). The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) gives the steps, fees and vehicle limits on its learner's permit page. The North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual (2025-2027) adds the test-day rules, the 50 practice hours and the 2-point penalty. NDDOT pages on license requirements, points and suspensions add the residency, duplicate-fee and cancellation rules. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the North Dakota Department of Transportation (dot.nd.gov) before you drive.

What you need to apply for the permit

Be a North Dakota resident who is at least 14. The law counts you as a resident after 90 consecutive days in the state (nonresident students, tourists and armed forces members are excepted).
Give your physical North Dakota address on the application.
Pass the rules of the road knowledge test and a vision screening.
Get written approval from a parent or legal guardian. Under 18, this sponsor signs for approval and financial liability before NDDOT issues the permit.

How to get a North Dakota instruction permit

1
Study the manual
Read the North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual. The knowledge test covers the rules of the road.
2
Have your parent or guardian sign
Your parent or legal guardian signs and verifies the application in front of a person who may administer oaths.
3
Book an appointment or test online
Take the knowledge test in person at a North Dakota Driver License Site, or online on KnowTo Drive, the only official online test platform of NDDOT. A Driver License Site visit needs an appointment. After an online pass, you still book an appointment to get the permit.
4
Pass the knowledge test and the vision screening
You may take the test once a day. You fail the test if you leave the testing area, or if you bring a phone, a backpack or paper into it.
5
Pay the fees and get the permit
Pay the fees in the table below and get your permit.

North Dakota instruction permit fees (U.S. dollars, as of 2026)

North Dakota instruction permit fees (U.S. dollars, as of 2026)
Item	Fee	Note
Knowledge test	$5 per attempt	One attempt a day.
Instruction permit	$15	A pass on the first in-person try costs $20 in total: $5 plus $15.
Online knowledge test	$10	State law sets this fee. Check the price on the test site.
Road test	$5	You take it later, for the Class D license.

Who can ride with a North Dakota permit driver?

Your supervisor must hold a Class A, B, C or D license, be at least 18 and have at least three years of driving experience. The supervisor must sit in the seat beside you. No one else may sit in the front seat, unless the vehicle has only a front seat. So a 16-year-old sibling with a license cannot supervise you and must ride in the back. The practice question on the permit supervisor tests this rule.

How long must you hold the permit before a license?

Under 18, you cannot get a Class D license until you have held the permit for at least six months, or at least 12 months if you are under 16. So a 14-year-old who wants a license before 16 needs a full year with the permit. Under 16, you must also complete 50 hours of supervised practice driving in variable conditions and show a driver's education Certificate of Training at the road test. The guide to North Dakota driver's ed requirements explains the course paths.

North Dakota permit limits by age

You are 14 or 15

NDDOT says you may drive only a vehicle that a parent, guardian, grandparent, sibling, aunt or uncle owns. The exception is a vehicle with dual controls and a licensed driver trainer. You may not carry more passengers than the vehicle is designed to carry.

You are 18 or older

NDDOT says that a supervising driver must ride with you on the permit, and you then take a road test for the license. The six- and 12-month holding periods of the law are for drivers under 18.

You are 14 and want to drive alone

You cannot. The minimum driving age in North Dakota is 16. A resident can get a restricted Class D license at 15 with a driver's education certificate and 50 hours of supervised driving. The guide to the restricted license at 15 has the curfew and car rules.

Can you use a phone with a permit?

No. While the vehicle moves, a permit holder may not use a phone or other electronic device to talk, compose, read or send a message. The law allows only three exceptions: to get emergency help, to stop a crime about to happen, or when you believe that someone's life or safety is in danger. The question on the phone rule for permit holders tests this rule.

What happens if you break the permit rules

Driving in violation of the permit conditions is a two-point penalty on your driving record.
A driver under 18 with 6 or more points has the permit or license canceled. You then start over as if you never had a permit or license.
A parent or guardian who gave consent can withdraw it at any time. The permit is then canceled.

Key takeaways

A North Dakota resident can apply for a Class D instruction permit at 14. The permit costs $15, and each knowledge test attempt costs $5.
Your supervisor must be at least 18, hold a Class A, B, C or D license, have three years of driving experience and sit beside you. No one else may sit in the front seat.
Under 16, hold the permit at least 12 months before a Class D license. At 16 or 17, hold it at least six months.
You may not use a phone to talk, compose, read or send messages while the vehicle moves, except for an emergency, a crime about to happen or a danger to someone's safety.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free North Dakota Class D practice test.

North Dakota learner's permit: common questions

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

Yes. NDDOT uses the name "learner's permit" on its web page, and the law and the driver manual use "instruction permit". Both mean the Class D permit that lets you practice driving with a licensed supervisor in the seat beside you.

Who signs for a minor's permit if my parent cannot come?

Your parent or legal guardian can sign a notarized document that names a person who may sign the application for a short time. The financial liability stays with the parent or guardian, even when the named adult signs. Without a parent or guardian, the law lets another responsible adult sign and take on the same obligation.

Does a learner's permit from another state count in North Dakota?

It can. When you apply for a North Dakota permit as a resident, the NDDOT director may count a permit from another state toward the six- or 12-month holding period. Ask about it at your appointment. Under 16, you may not drive in North Dakota even with a license from another state.

What if I lose my North Dakota learner's permit?

The permit lets you drive only when you have it with you. A duplicate permit costs $8, or $3 when the only change is your name or address. NDDOT needs an appointment for all services, so book a visit to a North Dakota Driver License Site to get the duplicate.