Wisconsin Instruction Permit (Temps) Rules: Who Can Ride With You
At what age can I get my Wisconsin temps, and who must sit next to me?
You can get a Wisconsin instruction permit (temps) at 15. Under 18, you must be enrolled in driver education and have an adult sponsor. A supervisor with 2 years of licensed driving must sit beside you: a qualified instructor 19 or older, your parent, guardian or spouse 19 or older, or another person 21 or older. At night, you need an instructor or a licensed person 25 or older.
Where the Wisconsin permit rules come from
Wisconsin Statutes s. 343.07 sets the permit restrictions. The Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV, part of WisDOT) explains them on its instruction permit page, in its GDL questions and answers and in the 2026 Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook. This guide is current as of 2026. Where a DMV page words a passenger rule differently from the statute, this guide follows the statute. Confirm the rules with the Wisconsin DMV (wisconsindot.gov) before you drive.
Age and enrollment: when you can get your temps
The minimum age is 15. If you are under 18, you must be enrolled in a certified driver education program, and your instructor signs your application (form MV3001). You also need an adult sponsor, such as a parent or step-parent. You must be enrolled in school, a high school equivalency program or a home-based private education program, or have graduated, and you must not be a habitual truant. At 18 or older, you can start with the vision screening, the highway signs test and the knowledge test, with no driver education.
The 3 kinds of supervisor for a Wisconsin permit
| Supervisor | Minimum age | Extra condition | Can supervise at night? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Qualified instructor | 19 | A certified driver education teacher at a school, or an instructor at a licensed driver training school | Yes |
| Your parent, guardian or spouse | 19 | None | Only if 25 or older |
| Any other person | 21 | Written designation from your parent or guardian if you are under 18 | Only if 25 or older |
What every supervisor must meet
- At least 2 years of licensed driving experience.
- A valid regular license now. A probationary or occupational license does not count.
- A seat in the front, beside you.
- If you are under 18 and the supervisor is not your instructor, parent, guardian or spouse, your parent or guardian must name that person in writing before you drive. For example, a neighbor aged 22 who has held a regular license for 4 years can supervise you in daylight with that note. This practice question tests the rule.
Can I drive at night with a Wisconsin permit?
Yes, but only with a qualified instructor, or with a licensed person 25 or older who has at least 2 years of licensed driving and sits beside you. A 21-year-old supervisor is not enough after dark, and a parent younger than 25 cannot supervise at night unless that parent is a qualified instructor. If you are under 18 and the night supervisor is not your instructor, parent, guardian or spouse, the written note still applies. A night practice question uses this rule. Under 18, 10 of your 50 practice hours must be at night.
Who can ride in the back seat?
How long a Wisconsin permit lasts and how to renew it
A Class D permit (car or light truck) is valid for 18 months. You can renew it for another 18 months if you need more time to practice or to finish the steps for the probationary license. Under 18, you need proof that you are enrolled in or have completed driver education. After you complete the course, your school sends the completion to the DMV electronically. You can renew online if you meet the DMV conditions, or at a DMV service center with proof of identity. Up to 8 years after a permit expires, you can renew it with no new tests.
Alcohol, phone, seat belt and penalty rules on a permit
- Keep absolute sobriety: no alcohol in your system at any time, at any age.
- Wear your seat belt.
- Use a cell phone only to report an emergency.
- A violation of the supervisor, passenger or night rules costs a $50 forfeiture (U.S. dollars) for a first offense and $50 to $100 for each later offense. The DMV then notifies your adult sponsor.
- Demerit points double for each moving violation after your first. 12 to 30 points in 12 months bring a 6-month suspension, and more than 30 points bring a 1-year suspension.
- Your sponsor can withdraw sponsorship, and that cancels your permit.
How long to hold the permit before the probationary license
| Your age | Before the probationary license |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | Hold the permit at least 6 months with no violations, be at least 16 for the road test, finish driver education and log 50 hours of practice (10 at night) |
| 18 or older | Hold the permit at least 7 days |
Track your practice hours before the road test
Keep a log of every practice drive, because your sponsor must verify your 50 hours. The guide to the 50-hour driving log shows how to keep it. After the road test, new limits apply: the probationary license rules cover passengers and night hours for new drivers.
Key takeaways
- You can get your temps at 15. Under 18, you must be enrolled in driver education and have an adult sponsor.
- Your supervisor must have 2 years of licensed driving and sit beside you: an instructor, parent, guardian or spouse who is 19 or older, or another person 21 or older.
- At night, you need a qualified instructor or a licensed person 25 or older beside you.
- Keep absolute sobriety: no alcohol at any age. Hold the permit 6 months if you are under 18, or 7 days if you are 18 or older.
- Next step: practice on the free Wisconsin Class D practice test.
Wisconsin instruction permit: common questions
Can my 18-year-old friend supervise me on my temps?
No. A qualified instructor, parent, guardian or spouse must be 19 or older, and any other supervisor must be 21 or older. Every supervisor also needs at least 2 years of licensed driving and a valid regular license, not a probationary or occupational one. An 18-year-old friend meets none of these age rules.
Can I drive alone with a Wisconsin instruction permit?
No. On every drive, at any hour, a supervisor with at least 2 years of licensed driving and a valid regular license must sit in the front seat beside you. During a driving test, an authorized license examiner rides with you instead. A drive with no supervisor is a violation of the permit rules.
Can my 21-year-old sibling supervise me at night?
No. Night driving needs a qualified instructor or a licensed person 25 or older with 2 years of licensed driving. A 21-year-old sibling with 2 years of licensed driving can supervise you in daylight only. If you are under 18, the sibling also needs written designation from your parent or guardian.
Can I drive in Wisconsin with a learner's permit from another state?
Yes, if the permit from your home state is valid and you are at least 16. While you drive in Wisconsin, you must follow the Wisconsin permit rules, including the supervisor, passenger and night rules. In the other direction, a Wisconsin permit holder who drives in another state must follow the rules of that state.
Can I take the road test right after I get my permit?
Not if you are under 18. You must be at least 16 and hold the permit 6 months with no violations. You also need 50 hours of practice, 10 of them at night, and your completed driver education course must be on file with the DMV by the test date. At 18 or older, you must hold the permit at least 7 days before the probationary license.
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