The Wisconsin Graduated Driver’s License program (GDL) allows teens who are at least 15 years old to drive with an instruction permit and graduate to a probationary license after six months.

Learning to drive is a major milestone, and while it’s exciting, it can be a little scary at first. The best way to overcome that is to be as prepared as possible. So if you’re a teen—or the parent of a teen—who’s about to get behind the wheel for the first time, it’s a good idea to know your state’s laws regarding new drivers.

What is the driving age in Wisconsin?

Teen drivers can get their

Wisconsin instruction permit

at 15 years old.

They can then graduate to a probationary license after six months. After holding a probationary license for nine months, drivers with no traffic violations can get their unrestricted driver’s license.

What is the Graduated Driver’s License program in Wisconsin?

Sadly, car accidents are the second leading cause of death among teenagers in the U.S., according to the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC). To help try and curb the high rate of young drivers involved in car crashes, teenage drivers in Wisconsin go through a Graduated Driver’s License program (GDL).

This program gives teens the opportunity to gain driving experience in steps before they get their unrestricted driver’s license. Here are Wisconsin’s GDL stages:

Instruction permit: supervised driving

Probationary license: limited unsupervised driving

Unrestricted driver's license

: standard driver’s license with no limitations

How to get your instruction permit in Wisconsin

New drivers under the age of 18 in Wisconsin are eligible for an instruction permit as long as they are enrolled in, or have completed, a

driver’s education course

. To apply, teens should head to their local

Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles

(DMV) office with a parent or legal guardian.

Here are the requirements for obtaining an instructional permit:

Be at least 15 years old

Complete the Wisconsin Driver License Application form

Provide your Social Security number

Present proof of citizenship, name and date of birth, and identity

Present

proof of Wisconsin residency

Pass the vision test and knowledge exam

Pay the $35 licensing fee

You can prepare for the knowledge exam by studying the

Wisconsin Motorist’s Handbook

or downloading the

DMV Driver Practice Test Mobile App

. To pass the test, you must get a score of at least 80%. If you fail, you can try again after one day.

As soon as you pass the knowledge exam, you’ll earn your instruction permit.

Instruction permit restrictions

A Wisconsin instruction permit allows teen drivers to operate a motor vehicle so long as they are accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or qualified driving instructor who is at least 19 years old, has at least two years of driving experience, and holds a full (unrestricted) driver’s license.

You may also be accompanied by someone other than a parent, guardian, or driving instructor, but they must be at least 21 years old and carry written permission from your parent or legal guardian.

In order to drive at night, you must be accompanied by an adult who is at least 25 years old and has held an unrestricted driver’s license for at least two years.

MORE:

Your questions about teenage car insurance, answered

How to get your probationary driver’s license in Wisconsin

Once you have held your instruction permit for six months, you can apply for a Wisconsin probationary driver’s license as long as you have not committed any traffic infractions.

Here are the other requirements you need to meet:

Log at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice, 10 hours of which must be at night

Provide proof that you’ve completed a driver’s education program

Pay the $28 licensing fee

Pass the Wisconsin road test if you’re not eligible for a waiver

If you fail the probationary license road test, you only need to wait one day before you are allowed to take it again—but it’s usually a good idea to get more practice driving first.

Key Takeaway Remember to bring your instruction permit, driving log, and proof of driver's education when you apply for your Wisconsin probationary license.

Probationary driver’s license restrictions

Teen drivers with a probationary license can operate a car alone—but only under certain circumstances. You can drive by yourself between the hours of 5 am and midnight, and can have the following people in the car with you as passengers:

Immediate family members

A qualified driving instructor who is at least 19 years old, has two years of driving experience, and holds an unrestricted driver’s license

One person who is 21 years old or older, has an unrestricted driver’s license, and at least two years of driving experience

One other person

You are only allowed to drive between midnight and 5 am if you are driving between home and school or work. If you’re driving anywhere else during those hours, you must have a parent, legal guardian, qualified driving instructor, or a licensed driver who is 21 or older with you.

Keep in mind: It’s illegal to

text and drive in Wisconsin

with a probationary license, including both hand-held and hands-free devices. The only exceptions to the law are if you need to report an emergency to the police or call 911.

The probationary license restrictions will be lifted automatically after nine months as long as you have a clean

driving record

. However, if you commit a traffic violation or infraction, then you will need to hold the probationary license for an additional six months before you’re eligible for an unrestricted license.

Exceptions

According to

Wisconsin Statute 343.08

, if you’re at least 14 years old but under 18, you can apply for an occupational driver’s license to operate a vehicle alone in certain situations—but only if you don’t have access to other reliable transportation.

To apply, you need to fill out the Wisconsin DMV’s

Application for Occupational Operator License

, and it must be signed by an adult sponsor.

This license will allow you to drive alone if you’re going to or from school, work, church, or some essential services such as medical appointments.

How to save on car insurance in Wisconsin

Now that you’ve got your Wisconsin driver’s license, you’ll need a good

car insurance

policy before you hit the road. Remember to tell your parents that they'll need to

add a teen driver to their car insurance

. Or, if you want to get your own coverage, the easiest and most effective way to find a policy that’s customized for you is with

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FAQs

Can you get your Wisconsin driver’s license online?

You can get your Wisconsin provisional driver’s license online, but only if you qualify for the

road test waiver

. Drivers who need to take a road test can

schedule it online

but will need to visit the DMV after they pass.

How much is a Wisconsin driver’s license?

In Wisconsin, it costs $35 to apply for an instruction permit and $28 to apply for a probationary license. It costs $34 to renew your license every eight years.

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