is among them. Under this program, teens undergo supervised, structured driving instruction for a prescribed amount of hours and in varying circumstances to gain the skills needed to earn a full, unrestricted license at age 21.

What is the driving age in Indiana?

The minimum age to get your

learner’s permit

and begin the GDL in Indiana is 15 years old. Restrictions on driver’s probationary licenses are removed at age 18, but the license is still considered probationary until the driver turns 21 years of age.

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What is the Graduated Drivers License program in Indiana?

Indiana and many other states adopted the Graduated Drivers License program to ensure

teen drivers

gain the driving skills needed to help avoid motor vehicle accidents.

The GDL in Indiana and most other states has three stages:

Instruction permit stage: supervised driving

Provisional license stage: limited unsupervised driving

Full license stage: unrestricted standard driver’s license

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How to add a teen driver to your car insurance

How to get your learner’s permit in Indiana

To begin the GDL in Indiana, you’ll first need to apply for a Learner’s Permit:

If you’re at least 15 years old, you can obtain a learner’s permit if you’re enrolled in an approved driver’s education course.

If you are not enrolled in an approved driver’s ed course, you must be at least 16 or older to apply for a Learner’s Permit.

In either case, you’ll need to head to your local

Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles

(BMV) office to complete your application.

At the BMV, a parent or guardian must provide the following documentation:

Completed Certificate of Driver Education

(CDE) form (if under 16)

Acceptable identification

Acceptable proof of lawful status

Acceptable proof of Social Security number

Two documents establishing proof of Indiana residency

Proof of liability insurance

Before receiving your Learner’s Permit, you will be required to complete:

A knowledge exam (written test)

A vision screening

To prepare for your knowledge exam, you can study the

Indiana Driver’s Manual

. To successfully pass the test, you must answer at least 28 of the 34 questions correctly. If you fail the exam, you must wait at least 14 days before taking it again, and if you fail three times, you must wait at least two months before attempting the exam again.

Once you pass the knowledge exam, you’ll be granted your Indiana Learner’s Permit.

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Learner’s permit restrictions

If you’re under 18 years of age, regardless of whether you’re enrolled in a driver’s ed program or not, you may only drive when accompanied by:

A licensed driving instructor

A certified driving rehabilitation assistant

A validly-licensed driver who is at least 25 years old and related to you by blood, marriage, or legal status

This person must be seated in the vehicle’s front passenger seat.

If you are below 18 years of age and under the care of the Department of Child Services (DCS), you may also choose to drive with a validly-licensed adult who is at least 25 years old and has been approved by the DCS, regardless of relationship status.

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Your questions about teenage car insurance, answered

How to get your probationary driver’s license in Indiana

Once you’ve held your Indiana Learner’s permit for at least 180 days, you’re ready to move on to the next stage in Indiana’s GDL program: applying for a probationary

Indiana driver’s license

. To do this, you must meet one of the following requirements:

You must be at least 16 years and 90 days old, and you must have successfully completed a Driver’s Education program.

You must be at 16 years and 270 days old without completing a Driver’s Ed program.

Once you’ve met one of these requirements, visit a BMV office and follow these steps to get your probationary license:

Present a signed

Log of Supervised Driving

indicating completion of at least 50 hours of supervised driving, at least 10 of which were completed at night.

Present proof of successful completion of a driver’s ed course (if applicable)

Retake the vision screening test

Schedule your

driving test online

Pass your driving test

If you’re under 18 when you apply for your probationary license, you must present an

Agreement of Financial Liability

signed by a parent, legal guardian, or another adult willing to assume the responsibilities outlined in the agreement. This adult must accompany you to the BMV and present documentation proving their identity and age.

If you fail the exam, you must wait at least 14 days before taking it again, and if you fail three times, you must wait at least two months before attempting the exam again.

Key Takeaway: Remember to bring your instruction permit, proof of driver's education and training, and come prepared to pass your driving test before obtaining your probationary DL.

Probationary driver’s license restrictions

Now that you have your probationary driver’s license, you have a bit more freedom, but you may only drive alone under certain circumstances.

You may not use any type of phone or other telecom devices while driving except to make emergency 911 calls at any point while driving on a probationary license.

For the first 180 days you have your probationary license, you may not drive after 10 pm or before 5 am. You also may not drive with any passengers other than children, siblings, or spouses unless you’re accompanied by a validly-licensed adult who is at least 25 years old and sitting in the front passenger seat, or a validly-licensed spouse who is at least 21.

After 180 days of driving on a probationary license, your driving privileges are still limited, but not quite as much. From this point until you’re 18, you may not drive during these days and times:

Saturday and Sunday between 1 am and 5 am

Sunday through Thursday after 11 pm

Monday through Friday before 5 am

There are certain exceptions to these rules. You may drive at any time if:

You’re traveling to or from work, a school event, or a religious event

You’re accompanied by a validly-licensed driver who is at least 25 years old, or a validly-licensed spouse of at least 21 years of age.

Once you turn 18, you no longer have restrictions on the days and times you can drive or the passengers you can carry, but you’re still restricted from all cell phone use while driving, except for emergency 911 calls. Once you turn 21, your license will become fully unrestricted.

MORE:

Indiana texting and driving laws

Exceptions

Indiana does not recognize any exceptions that would allow a teen to acquire a permit or license at an earlier age, or forgo any of the GDL program requirements.

How to save on car insurance in Indiana

You probably noticed that one of the requirements to even gain a Learner’s Permit in Indiana is that you have to show proof of insurance. While it might be tempting to hop on your parents’ policy, you still have to get the right coverage as a teen driver. Luckily, the car insurance experts at

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Better yet, while we’re making sure you get the right insurance at the beginning of your driving adventures, we can help your parents or guardians save on their policy, too. The average Jerry user saves over $800 a year on insurance premiums!

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FAQs

Can you get an Indiana driver’s license at 16?

No. In Indiana, you cannot apply for a probationary license until you’re at least 16 and 90 days old, and have held your Learner’s Permit for at least 180 days.

Can you drive by yourself at 17 in Indiana?

Yes, but only on certain days and at certain times.

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