Driving Tests

Oregon Teen Driver Penalties: Provisional Driver Improvement Program

informational·how to guide·Published September 22, 2026

What happens if a teen driver gets a ticket or causes a crash in Oregon?

Oregon DMV counts a conviction or a preventable accident as a driver improvement offense. For a driver under 18, two offenses bring a 90-day restriction, and DMV says the teen may drive only for work reasons. A third offense brings a 6-month suspension, even past age 18. A serious offense brings a 1-year suspension. These penalties come on top of court penalties.

Where the Oregon teen driver penalty facts come from

The program rules come from the Oregon DMV page on suspensions and driver improvement and the DMV teen guide, How to Guide Your Teen Driver (DMV 7190). The license limits come from ORS 807.122 and the Oregon DMV page on the provisional driver license. Other facts come from ORS 809.480, 807.010, 153.019 and 811.507, the Oregon Driver Manual 2026-2027, and the DMV fee and parent consent pages. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with Oregon DMV (oregon.gov/odot/dmv) before you drive.

Oregon Provisional Driver Improvement Program at a glance

Oregon Provisional Driver Improvement Program at a glance
What is on the teen's record	What DMV does
Two offenses: two convictions, two preventable accidents, or one of each	90-day restriction: work driving only, on top of the provisional limits
A third conviction or preventable accident	Suspension for 6 months, even if the teen turns 18
Each offense after the third	Another 6-month suspension of the license or the right to apply
A conviction for a serious offense listed in ORS 809.600(1)	Suspension for 1 year, on top of any suspension for the conviction

Who is in the Provisional Driver Improvement Program?

The Oregon DMV Driver Improvement Program has two parts: the Provisional Driver Improvement Program and the Adult Driver Improvement Program. The provisional part covers drivers who are 14 or older but not yet 18. Its goal is to motivate people to drive safely and to keep unsafe drivers off the road. Oregon law lets DMV make programs for people under 18 that differ from the adult programs.

What counts as a driver improvement offense in Oregon?

An offense is a preventable accident, or a conviction for a traffic offense on the DMV offense list. DMV records each offense on the driving record and then reviews the record automatically.
Common causes are speeding, dangerous left turns, failing to stop and stay stopped at a red light, and breaking a provisional license limit. The Oregon Driver Manual calls a crash that comes from distraction, tiredness or poor defensive driving a preventable collision, not an accident.

How can a teen avoid driver improvement offenses?

Follow the passenger limit. For the first 6 months, no passenger under 20 who is not immediate family, unless a parent or stepparent with valid driving privileges is in the car. For the second 6 months, no more than three such passengers.
Follow the night limit. For the first year, no driving from 12 midnight to 5 a.m., except for listed reasons, such as driving between home and work or with a licensed driver who is 25 or older.
Know when the limits end: at 18, or after 1 year with the license, whichever comes first.
Keep the phone away. Under 18, a driver may not use a mobile device, and hands-free accessories are not allowed. A first conviction is a Class B traffic violation. Try our free question on a 17-year-old with a hands-free phone.
Stop and stay stopped at red lights, keep to the speed limit, and take care on left turns.

What is the 90-day restriction for a teen driver in Oregon?

The 90-day restriction adds to the normal provisional license limits. A conviction for driving outside it can lead to a suspension or revocation.
The DMV suspensions page says the teen may drive for work reasons only. Ask DMV before a teen drives to school during a restriction.

When does Oregon suspend a teen's license?

A third conviction or preventable accident brings a 6-month suspension. The suspension continues if the teen turns 18 during it. Each later violation or preventable accident brings another 6 months, even when a program suspension is already in place.
A conviction for an offense listed in ORS 809.600(1) brings a 1-year suspension. The DMV teen guide calls these serious offenses and gives reckless driving, failure to perform the duties of a driver, DUII and fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer as examples. This suspension adds to any suspension or revocation for the conviction itself.

What to do if your teen gets a notice from DMV

The notice says a restriction starts

Drive only for the trips that the restriction allows, until it ends. The provisional passenger and night limits also still apply.

The notice says a suspension starts

Do not drive, and surrender the license or permit to DMV when the suspension takes effect. Driving while suspended can bring a citation, and police can impound the vehicle. Drive again only after the right to apply is reinstated and the teen has a valid license or permit.

You think the notice is wrong

The notice tells you about the right to ask for a hearing or an administrative review. If you think DMV made an error, the matter may be reviewed. ORS 809.480 gives a right to administrative review of a program suspension that is based on a conviction.

Are DMV penalties separate from court penalties?

Yes. Program restrictions and suspensions are separate from, and in addition to, any other penalty for the conviction or the preventable collision.
Breaking a provisional license limit is also a traffic offense. Under ORS 807.010, operating in violation of license restrictions is a Class B traffic violation, and the presumptive fine for a Class B violation is $265. So one broken limit can bring a fine from the court and an offense on the DMV record.

Can a parent end a teen's driving privileges in Oregon?

Yes, until the teen turns 18. The parent or guardian who gave consent on the application can ask DMV to cancel the teen's license or permit. They use the Request to Cancel Driving Privileges by Parent or Legal Guardian form.
The teen can apply again when a parent or guardian gives new consent, at 18, on marriage or on emancipation. The teen does not take the tests again unless the license has been expired for more than two years or the permit for more than one year.

Key takeaways

Under 18, two offenses bring a 90-day restriction, a third brings a 6-month suspension, and a serious offense brings a 1-year suspension.
An offense is a conviction or a preventable accident. DMV penalties add to court penalties.
During the restriction, the DMV suspensions page names work reasons only. Ask DMV before a teen drives to school.
Do not drive during a suspension. Reinstatement costs $85.
Next step: practice on the free Oregon Class C passenger permit practice test.

Oregon teen driver penalties: common questions

How many tickets can a teen get before losing a license in Oregon?

The third offense brings a 6-month suspension. Two offenses bring a 90-day restriction, not a suspension. A ticket counts when it ends in a conviction for a listed traffic offense, and a crash counts when it is a preventable accident. So two tickets, a ticket and a crash, or two crashes all bring the restriction. One serious offense, such as reckless driving, brings a 1-year suspension.

Is the driver improvement program the same for adults in Oregon?

No. For drivers 18 or older, three convictions or preventable accidents in 24 months bring a 30-day restriction: no driving between 12 midnight and 5 a.m. Five in 24 months bring a 30-day suspension. The teen program starts at two offenses, and its restriction and suspensions last longer.

Can a teen get a provisional license while the permit is suspended?

No. To get a provisional driver license, the teen's driving privilege cannot be suspended, canceled or revoked in any state. First, the teen must reinstate the right to apply. The reinstatement fee for a suspension or revocation is $85. Until the teen has a valid license or permit again, the teen must not drive at all.

What happens if a teen driver drinks any alcohol in Oregon?

Under 21, a driver with any amount of alcohol in the blood fails the implied consent test. A refusal to take a test can bring a fine, a suspension or both. A DUII conviction is also a serious offense in the teen program, so DMV adds a 1-year suspension on top of the court penalty. Try our free question on the under-21 alcohol rule.