Age For Drivers License Ca
In This Article
- Driver License Age Limit
- Minimum Age For Drivers Permit
- Requirements For Drivers License Renewal California
- Age For Drivers License By State
- Age For Drivers License In South Carolina
- Minimum Age For Drivers License In California
Provisional license w/ completed driver's ed course - You can apply for a California provisional driver license at the age of 16 if you have completed your driver's ed course. This provisional license will have restrictions, so make sure you know what those are and follow them to the letter. After completing the California driver’s license requirements, teens who are at least 16 years old can apply for a provisional license. A parent or guardian needs to sign a form (see our Forms You’ll Need page) verifying that the teen driver has fulfilled the necessary hours. California DMV Home Page is available for customers to check out publications, download forms, brochures, FAQs, Vehicle Information, Boats, Vessel, and Field Offices. Driver License Information Skip to.
- Driving Age by State
- Night Driving Restrictions
- Cellphone Restrictions
Getting a driver's license is a rite of passage for many teenagers. But sadly, car crashes are the number one cause of death for young people.
Many scientists argue that 16-year-olds just aren't mature enough to drive. Their brains aren't yet fully developed and they're more likely to take risks, become distracted, and make mistakes.
As a way to help teens slowly gain driving responsibilities one step at a time, states adopted graduated license programs. These programs have restrictions for newly licensed drivers, such as a limit on the number of passengers or a curfew.
A 2017 study found that graduated license programs have been instrumental in reducing car crashes among 16 and 17-year-olds. In fact, it's been so successful that some states are considering adopting graduated license programs for 18 to 20-year-olds who are becoming first-time drivers.
Each state in the United States establishes their own driving laws, including laws about the age at which teens can begin driving, and the rules vary greatly about graduated license requirements.
Driving Age by State
The age at which teens may obtain their learner's permit and the laws about graduated licenses vary by state. Be sure to check your local laws to find out when your teen can begin driving.
Learning with a Learner's Permit
Research shows many parents aren't good at teaching kids to become safe drivers. Instead, they depend too much on driver's education programs.
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Once your teen has a learner's permit, don't think of yourself as a passenger when your teen is behind the wheel. Think of yourself as a teacher.
Help your teen learn to recognize potential safety issues while driving. Give instructions to help your teen improve and provide plenty of constructive feedback.
Each state has different laws about learner's permits and how many hours a teen needs to be behind the wheel. Take those laws seriously and make sure you're helping your teen gain the experience they need to become a safe driver.

Night Driving Restrictions
While a lack of sleep impairs everyone's performance, studies show sleep deprivation takes the most serious toll on teens. Teens are more likely to make errors when driving later into the evening.
Approximately two out of five teen car crashes occur between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. , so many states have enacted curfews to prevent teens from driving during the overnight hours. For example, Alabama doesn't allow newly licensed teens to drive between midnight and 6 a.m., North Carolina doesn't allow teens to drive between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Passenger Restrictions
Researchers have found that for each passenger a teen has in the car, the risk of a car crash increases. Friends can serve as a serious distraction and they may encourage your teen to take unnecessary risks. Consequently, many states have decided to restrict passengers in cars driven by teens.
While some states don't allow newly licensed teens to have passengers for several months, others restrict the number of minor passengers that can be in a car. Exceptions are usually made for siblings.
Cellphone Restrictions
Talking on the phone while driving serves as a major distraction that increases the likelihood a teen will make driving mistakes. So many states have adopted specific cellphone restrictions for young drivers.
Unfortunately, some studies show cellphone restrictions may actually increase the chances that a teen will attempt to send text messages while behind the wheel. In an attempt to conceal cellphone use, teens may become even more distracted by trying to type messages on the sly.
So it's important for parents to talk to teens about the risks of distracted driving. And if a teen is caught sending messages or using a cellphone while driving, there should be clear consequences.
A Word From Verywell
When it comes to letting your teen drive, don't depend on your state laws to keep your child safe. Create your own rules and restrictions for your teen's specific needs.
Keep in mind that just because your teen is old enough to drive legally, it doesn't mean they're mature enough to handle the responsibility. Hp 952c printer manual.
If your 16-year-old is aggressive, impulsive, or irresponsible, don't let them behind the wheel just yet. In order to be safe drivers, teens need to be able to think clearly, make good decisions, and resist temptations.
Once your teen has a driver's license, increase their freedom slowly. Remember, you don't have to grant new privileges just because the graduated licensing laws allow him to drive at night or use a cellphone in the car. You can continue to impose restrictions of your own.
If your teen violates the law or breaks your rules, give them consequences. Take away their keys for a while or restrict the hours or places your teen drives.
And consider enrolling your teen in programs that teach driver safety beyond driver's education. You might get a discount on car insurance, but more importantly, additional driver training could save your teen's life.
Romer D, Lee YC, Mcdonald CC, Winston FK. Adolescence, attention allocation, and driving safety. J Adolesc Health. 2014;54(5 Suppl):S6-15. doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.10.202
Teen and novice drivers. Governors Highway Safety Association.
Goodwin AH, Foss RD, Margolis LH, Harrell S. Parent comments and instruction during the first four months of supervised driving: an opportunity missed?. Accid Anal Prev. 2014;69:15-22. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2014.02.015
Martiniuk AL, Senserrick T, Lo S, et al. Sleep-deprived young drivers and the risk for crash: the DRIVE prospective cohort study. JAMA Pediatr. 2013;167(7):647-55. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.1429
Shults R, Williams A. Graduated Driver Licensing Night Driving Restrictions and Drivers Aged 16 or 17 Years Involved in Fatal Night Crashes — United States, 2009–2014. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2016; 65(29):725–730.
Chen LH, Baker SP, Braver ER, Li G. Carrying passengers as a risk factor for crashes fatal to 16- and 17-year-old drivers. JAMA. 2000;283(12):1578-82. doi:10.1001/jama.283.12.1578
Mccartt AT, Kidd DG, Teoh ER. Driver cellphone and texting bans in the United States: evidence of effectiveness. Ann Adv Automot Med. 2014;58:99-114.
Additional Reading
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Teen Drivers: Get the Facts.
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: Consumer Safety Brochures.
- Williams AF. Graduated driver licensing (GDL) in the United States in 2016: A literature review and commentary. Journal of Safety Research. August 2017.
In California, there are more than 5.5 million drivers over the age of 55—and more than 2.5 million of them are 70 or older. While the myriad rules and regulations enforced by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) apply to drivers of all ages and stages, the state imposes some special requirements and restrictions on older drivers.
California state rules are explained in more detail below, but a number of them focus on identifying and handling older drivers who may have become unsafe. Specifically, California:
- requires drivers age 70 and older to renew their licenses in person and to take both a vision test and written test when doing so
- accepts requests from family members and others for the DMV to conduct unsafe driver investigations, and
- requires doctors who diagnose patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other conditions that may make them unsafe drivers to report the diagnosis.
License Renewal Rules for Older Drivers
Special rules apply to drivers who are 70 and older who seek to renew their licenses.
Time limits: Drivers age 70 and older must renew in person every five years.
Vision test: Required at in-person renewal. DMV personnel will conduct a test free, or drivers can have an exam performed by an outside ophthalmologist or optometrist, who must complete a Report of Vision Examination and conduct the exam within six months of the renewal request.
Written test: Required at in-person renewal.
Road test: Required only if there are indications of driver impairment, based on a report by a law enforcement officer, a physician, or a family member.
Possible License Restrictions
The DMV can place restrictions or conditions on a person’s driver license after administering a driving test and discussing possible restrictions with him or her.
The most common restriction for older drivers is to require glasses or corrective contact lenses.
Driver License Age Limit
In California, other common requirements the DMV may impose on older drivers include:

- no freeway driving
- an additional right side mirror on a vehicle
- no nighttime driving
- time of day restrictions—for example, no driving during rush hour traffic
- supports to ensure a proper driving position
- geographic area restrictions, and
- wearing bioptic telescopic lens when driving.
How to Request an Unsafe Driver Investigation in California
The California DMV will accept information from the driver him or herself, courts, police, other DMVs, family members, and virtually any other source. While anonymous reports of unsafe driving will not be accepted, anyone can ask that his or her name be kept confidential, and the DMV vows to honor that confidentiality “to the fullest extent possible.”
There are two ways to request that the DMV review driving qualifications:
- Write a letter identifying the driver who is causing the concern, giving specific reasons for making the report, and mail it to the local Driver Safety Office.
- Complete a form, Request for Driver Reexamination, and mail it or take it to one of the DMV locations listed on the form.
Mandatory Reporting for Doctors
California is one of only a few states that require doctors who diagnose a patient with a disorder characterized by lapses of consciousness, Alzheimer‘s disease, or any other condition likely to impair driving to report that diagnosis to the local health department, which must forward it to the DMV, which in turn has the discretion to pull the patient’s license or require a driving test.
California Driver Improvement Programs
Minimum Age For Drivers Permit
Drivers can improve their skills by taking an education and training class specifically developed for older drivers. Look for local course offerings called Mature Driver Improvement Programs.
How to Get a License Reinstated
For information on how to get back a license that has been suspended or revoked in California, contact one of the DMV Driver Safety Offices located throughout the state.
California Ombudsman Program for Senior Drivers
Requirements For Drivers License Renewal California
The California DMV has a Senior Ombudsman Program aimed to keep older adults driving as long as they can do so safely.
The ombudsmen, located in several offices throughout the state, can help ensure that senior drivers are treated fairly and respectfully, and consistently with laws and regulations. They can assist in individual cases, and also conduct outreach seminars to groups aimed at promoting driver safety for seniors.
DMV Senior Ombudsmen are available at the following locations:
- Sacramento, Northern California—916-657-6464
- San Francisco, Oakland—510-563-8998
- Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego—714-705-1588
- Los Angeles, Oxnard—310-412-6103
How to Get Parking Placards or License Plates for a Disabled Driver
Disabled person parking placards and license plates can be issued to drivers who have impaired mobility if a licensed physician, surgeon, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or certified nurse midwife certifies the condition.
The placards and plates are also available for those who have:
- severe heart or circulatory disease
- severe lung disease
- a diagnosed disease or disorder that significantly limits the use of lower extremities
- specific visual problems, including low-vision or partial-sightedness, or
- the loss, or loss of the use, of one or both lower extremities or both hands.
To obtain a disabled placard or plate:
- Complete and sign an Application for Disabled Person Placard or Plates.
- Have a licensed physician, surgeon, chiropractor, optometrist, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, or certified midwife sign the Doctor’s Certification portion of the application—unless the driver has lost a lower extremity or both hands and appears in person at a local DMV office or has been previously assigned license plates for a disabled person.
- Include a fee of $6 for a parking placard for a temporary condition; permanent plates and placards are free.
- Mail the original application to the address on the form.
Learn More About California Driving Rules for Seniors
The DMV website has a wealth of information for California drivers, including links to the controlling laws and driver license handbooks in several different languages. Of special interest is the Senior Guide for Safe Driving, which includes advice on recognizing and assessing vision and cognitive impairment and conditions that may affect driving and the DMV web page dedicated to Senior Drivers.
Age For Drivers License By State
You can find the nearest DMV office through an online search of Public Offices By Location.
Age For Drivers License In South Carolina
Where to Find a Lawyer for Help
Minimum Age For Drivers License In California
You can use Nolo’s Lawyer Directory to find local lawyers experienced in representing older people who need help with auto accidents or traffic tickets.