Driving Tests

Utah Learner Permit Rules: Age 15, Supervisors and the 6-Month Hold

informational·how to guide·Published July 30, 2026

How old do you have to be to get a Utah learner permit, and how long must you hold it?

You must be at least 15 to get a Utah learner permit. The permit is valid for 18 months. If you are 17 or younger, you must hold it for 6 months before you apply for a provisional Class D license, and Utah does not license anyone younger than 16. At 18 there is no holding period, but you must finish driver education.

Where the Utah learner permit rules come from

Utah sets the permit rules in Utah Code 53-3-210.5 (learner permits) and in Utah Code 53-3-204, 53-3-211 and 53-3-105 (licensing, the parent signature and fees). The Driver License Division learner permit page lists the steps and holding periods; other DLD pages and the Utah Driver Handbook 2026 add details. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Utah Driver License Division (dld.utah.gov) before you drive.

How old must you be, and how long does the permit last?

You can apply for a Utah learner permit at 15. The permit is valid for 18 months, and your written knowledge test score is valid for the same 18 months. To get it, you pass the knowledge test and an eye test and pay the nonrefundable permit fee of $19 (U.S. dollars, as of 2026). You receive the permit the same day. If you are under 18, a parent or guardian signs your application.

Who can sit beside a Utah permit holder

Who can sit beside a Utah permit holder
Your age	Who may sit beside you	Condition
Under 18	An approved driving instructor	Sits in the seat beside you.
Under 18	Your parent or legal guardian	The parent or guardian is a licensed driver. In Utah law, "parent" includes a stepparent or foster parent.
Under 18	The responsible adult who signed for you	That adult is a licensed driver.
Under 18	A licensed driver who is 21 or older	Only when your parent or guardian is not a licensed driver, and the person carries written proof of the parent's permission.
18 or older	A licensed driver who is 21 or older	Sits in the seat beside you.

Can a stepparent supervise your practice drives?

Yes. A stepparent or foster parent counts as a parent under the permit law, if that person is a licensed driver. Senate Bill 22, which took effect on May 6, 2026, made this clear. For a learner under 18, an adult who is not your parent, legal guardian or approved driving instructor, and who did not sign for you, can supervise only if that adult is a licensed driver 21 or older with your parent's written permission, and your parent or guardian is not a licensed driver. The practice question on stepparent supervision of a learner shows how this works.

What to carry and who else can ride along

Keep your learner permit in your immediate possession every time you drive.
Other passengers may ride in the vehicle with a learner permit holder.
An out-of-state learner permit does not let you drive in Utah. To practice here, get a Utah learner permit.

How long you must hold the permit

How long you must hold the permit
Your age	Holding period	Also required
15	6 months, and until you are 16	Driver education and 40 practice hours (10 after sunset)
16 or 17	6 months	Driver education and 40 practice hours (10 after sunset)
18	None	An approved driver education course; the DLD also lists 40 practice hours (10 after sunset)
19 or older	3 months (90 days) if you skip driver education; none if you finish a course	40 practice hours (10 after sunset); driver education is optional

How the 6-month hold works

A permit that you held in another state counts toward the 6 months, and so does an equivalent permit from a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. For example, you are 16 and get a Utah permit on February 1. Even if you finish driver education and your 40 practice hours by April 20, the earliest day you can apply for your provisional Class D license is August 1, six months later. At 15, you also wait until your 16th birthday. Practice this on the question about the permit holding period for a 16-year-old.

Your next step after the permit

You are 15 to 18

Take an approved driver education course: 27 classroom hours at a high school, 18 at a private or commercial school, or 30 online, plus 6 hours behind the wheel. The guide to Utah driver's ed requirements has the details.

You are 19 or older

Choose one path. Either hold the permit for 90 days and log 40 practice hours (10 after sunset), or complete driver education and skip the 90-day hold.

You have held the permit long enough and met the driver education and practice-hour rules for your age

Pass the driving skills test (at the Driver License Division, a high school, or a private or commercial school with a tester) and the Traffic Safety and Trends Exam. Then apply for your license.

Practice hours: how many and who signs

A minor needs 40 hours of driving practice, and at least 10 of those hours must be after sunset. Hours in your driver education course can count, and up to 5 hours can be practice on a fully interactive driving simulator. The parent or guardian who signs your license application certifies the hours. The Driver License Division pages also list 40 hours (10 after sunset) for drivers 18 and older, so plan for 40 hours at any age.

What the parent signature means

A parent or guardian signs a minor's permit application and accepts financial responsibility for the minor's driving. If you cause damage while you drive, the signer is liable with you, up to Utah's minimum insurance limits. When insurance that meets those limits covers your driving, the signer does not carry this liability. The signer can also ask the Driver License Division to cancel your permit. If a parent withdraws the signature, the minor must wait until age 18 to apply again.

How to get your Utah learner permit

1
Check your age
You must be at least 15.
2
Schedule an appointment
Book a learner permit appointment with the Driver License Division.
3
Bring your documents
Bring proof of identity, proof of lawful presence if you are not a U.S. citizen, your Social Security number and proof of your Utah address.
4
Bring a parent if you are under 18
A parent or legal guardian signs for financial responsibility. You also pay the nonrefundable fee.
5
Pass the eye test and the knowledge test
The knowledge test has 50 questions and is closed book. One application and fee give you up to three tries within one year, and you can test two times in one day. After three failed tries, you pay a new fee. The guide to the Utah written knowledge test explains the test.

Key takeaways

You can get a Utah learner permit at 15. It is valid for 18 months.
Under 18, ride with an approved instructor, your licensed parent or guardian (a stepparent or foster parent counts), or the licensed adult who signed for you. Another licensed driver 21 or older may supervise only with your parent's written permission, and only if your parent is not licensed.
At 17 or younger, hold the permit 6 months before you apply for a provisional Class D license. At 18 there is no hold, but you need driver education.
Plan for 40 practice hours, 10 of them after sunset, and keep the permit with you every time you drive.
Next step: practice the rules of the road on the free Utah Class D practice test.

Utah learner permit: common questions

Can I drive alone with a Utah learner permit?

No. A Utah learner permit holder drives with a supervisor beside them. Under 18, that is an approved instructor, a licensed parent or guardian, or the licensed adult who signed for you. At 18 or older, it is a licensed driver who is 21 or older.

Can a 21-year-old friend supervise my learner permit?

If you are 18 or older, yes: a licensed driver who is 21 or older can sit beside you. If you are under 18, your friend can supervise only when your parent or guardian is not a licensed driver, and your friend carries written proof of the parent's permission.

Can I carry passengers on a Utah learner permit?

Yes. Other passengers may ride in the vehicle with a Utah learner permit holder. Your licensed supervisor must still sit in the seat beside you, so the other passengers use the other seats.

Does my out-of-state permit count in Utah?

Partly. The Driver License Division accepts your out-of-state learner permit toward the 6-month holding period. But a driver with an out-of-state learner permit may not drive in Utah, so get a Utah learner permit before you practice here.

What happens if my Utah learner permit expires?

Your Utah learner permit and your written test score are valid for 18 months. If you renew the permit or let it expire, the Utah Driver Handbook says you must take the written knowledge test again. To renew a permit, schedule a learner appointment with the Driver License Division. The fee is $19 as of 2026.

How long must I keep a learner permit at 19 or older?

If you skip driver education, you hold the permit for 3 months (the Driver License Division says 90 days) and certify 40 practice hours, 10 of them after sunset. If you finish an approved driver education course, the 90-day hold is not required.