Driving Tests

Utah Driver's Ed Requirements: Hours for Teens and Adults 19+

informational·how to guide·Published July 24, 2026

Do you need driver's ed in Utah, and how many hours?

Yes, if you are 18 or younger: Utah will not license you without an approved course. The classroom part is 27 hours (high school), 18 hours (private or commercial school) or 30 hours (online), plus 6 hours behind the wheel. Teens also log 40 practice hours, 10 after sunset. At 19 or older, the course is optional if you hold your permit 90 days and log the 40 hours.

Where the Utah driver's ed rules come from

The rules come from the Utah Driver License Division (DLD) pages for driver education ages 15 to 18 and driver education age 19 and older, and from Utah Code 53-3-204. The guide also uses Utah Code 53-3-105, 53-3-210.5, 53-3-211 and 53-3-505.5, the DLD learner permit page and the Utah Driver Handbook 2026. The rules are as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Utah Driver License Division (dld.utah.gov) before you drive.

Utah driver's ed hours at a glance

Utah driver's ed hours at a glance
Part of the course	Hours	Notes
Classroom, high school	27	Through your local high school. The State Office of Education approves the course.
Classroom, private or commercial school	18	A driving school that the DLD approves.
Classroom, online home study school	30	Online or home study certificates from other states are not accepted.
Behind the wheel	6	In a dual-control car, with a certified instructor next to you.
Observation	6	Not required by state law. Utah high schools require it; a private school may add it.
Practice driving (outside the course)	40	At least 10 after sunset. For teens, and for adults 19+ who skip the course.

Who must take driver's ed in Utah

If you are 18 or younger, Utah law does not let the DLD issue your license until you complete an approved driver training course. The DLD lists the course as required for applicants 15 to 18. You can take it at a local high school, a private or commercial school, or an online home study school, and the school sends your results to the DLD automatically.
You can get a learner permit at 15, and you must be 16 to get the license. The permit is valid for 18 months. Before you practice, check who can supervise you on a learner permit.

How many behind-the-wheel hours does Utah require?

Utah law requires at least 6 hours of behind-the-wheel driving in a dual-control car, with a certified instructor in the front seat next to the student. If feasible, the hours include driving on interstate and other multilane highways.
A school can replace up to 3 of the 6 hours with range or simulator time. Two hours on an approved driving range, or two hours on a fully interactive driving simulator, count as 1 hour behind the wheel.

The 40 practice hours for teens

Teens also log at least 40 hours of practice driving, with at least 10 of them after sunset. The person who signs the teen's license application certifies the hours. The 6 behind-the-wheel hours of the course can count toward the 40, and so can up to 5 hours of practice on a fully interactive driving simulator.
The DLD steps list the 40 hours, together with the finished course, before you book the driving skills test.

How long you must hold the permit, by age

You are 15 to 17

Hold the learner permit for 6 months before you apply for a provisional license. You also cannot be licensed before you are 16.

You are 18

There is no holding period, but you must still complete an approved driver education course.

You are 19 or older and skip the course

Hold the permit for 90 days (the law says 3 months), certify 40 hours of practice driving (10 after sunset) and pass the driving skills test.

You are 19 or older and take the course

There is no 90-day holding period. The DLD page for ages 19 and older still lists 40 practice hours, 10 after sunset, for this path.

Can you skip driver's ed if you are 19 or older?

Yes. The course is optional at 19 or older, and the law gives the no-course option only at that age. Without the course, the 90-day permit hold sets your earliest license date. With the course, there is no hold: you book the driving skills test when you finish the course and the practice hours.
The question on what a 20-year-old with no license must do without a course tests the no-course path. Ask each school for its course price before you sign up.

The path to a Utah license for a teen

1
Get the learner permit
Apply from age 15 and pass the 50-question closed-book written knowledge test. The permit lets you start driver's ed and practice with an approved supervisor.
2
Complete driver's ed
Finish the classroom hours and the 6 hours behind the wheel at a high school, a private or commercial school, or an online school.
3
Log 40 practice hours
Drive at least 40 hours in all, with at least 10 of them after sunset.
4
Hold the permit for 6 months (ages 15 to 17)
Count 6 months from the permit date, and you must also be 16. The question on the earliest date a 16-year-old can apply shows how to count.
5
Pass the license tests
Pass the Traffic Safety and Trends Exam and the driving skills test, then book the license appointment. You can take the skills test at the DLD, at a high school, or at a private or commercial school with a Tester. Read how the Utah road test works before you book.

Moving to Utah: out-of-state driver's ed

A driver education certificate from another state must meet the Utah hours, and you must complete the DLD 200 form. If hours are missing, you can make them up at an approved Utah driving school. Utah does not accept online or home study certificates from other states.
Time on a learner permit from another state counts toward the 6-month hold, but you may not drive in Utah on that permit. The course rule does not apply to a person 16 or older who was licensed in another state or country.

Key takeaways

Driver's ed is required in Utah at 18 or younger and optional at 19 or older.
The course is 27 classroom hours (high school), 18 (private or commercial school) or 30 (online), plus 6 hours behind the wheel.
Teens, and adults who skip the course, need 40 practice hours, 10 after sunset.
Permit hold: 6 months at 15 to 17, none at 18, and 90 days at 19+ without a course.
Next step: prepare for the written knowledge test with the free Utah Class D practice test.

Utah driver's ed: common questions

Can I take driver's ed online in Utah?

Yes, for the classroom part. An online home study school is one of the three DLD course options, and its classroom part is 30 hours. You still need 6 hours behind the wheel in a dual-control car with a certified instructor. Utah does not accept an online or home study course from another state.

Is driver's ed required at 18 in Utah?

Yes. Utah law does not let the DLD license a person who is 18 or younger without an approved driver training course. At 18 there is no permit holding period, so you can apply when you finish the course, the practice hours and the tests. The no-course option starts at 19.

Do adults who take driver's ed still need 40 practice hours?

Plan for them. The DLD page for ages 19 and older lists 40 practice hours, 10 after sunset, also for adults who take the course. The DLD learner permit page drops the hours when you complete a course. Adults who skip the course must certify the 40 hours by law.

Can I take the driving skills test at my driving school?

Yes, if the school has a Tester. The DLD lists three places for the skills test: a Driver License Division office, a high school, or a commercial or private school with a Tester. Before the license, you also pass the Traffic Safety and Trends Exam.

Do I get the learner permit before driver's ed in Utah?

Yes. In the DLD steps, the learner permit comes first and the driver education course is next. The application fee is $19, set by Utah law. One application and fee give you up to three tries at the written knowledge test within one year. The permit is valid for 18 months.