Driving Age in Washington: Permit at 15, License at 16, Full at 18

The driving age in Washington starts at 15 with an instruction permit if you’re enrolled in a driver training course, or 15½ without one. You can move up to an intermediate license at 16, and that license converts automatically to a full, unrestricted license when you turn 18. If you wait until 18 to start, you can skip the graduated steps entirely.

Instruction Permit at 15 or 15½

The permit is the first stage. Enroll in or complete a state-approved driver training course and you can apply at 15. Skip the course and you have to wait until 15½.¹

Before the Department of Licensing issues the permit, you pass a written knowledge test on traffic laws and road signs. The permit lets you practice behind the wheel with a supervising driver. You cannot drive alone. The application fee is $35 as of January 1, 2026.²

Driver Training Is Required Under 18

Every applicant under 18 must finish a driver training course before qualifying for an intermediate license.³ Courses run through public schools under the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and through private driving schools licensed by the DOL. A typical approved program is roughly 30 hours of classroom work and 6 hours behind the wheel. Private programs generally run several hundred dollars.

On top of the standard course, applicants now have to complete a work zone and first responder safety course. That requirement took effect May 1, 2026, and stays in place through the end of 2030.³

Intermediate License at 16

Once you turn 16, you can apply for an intermediate license if you meet all of the following:³

Held your instruction permit for at least six months.
Completed the driver training course and the work zone safety course.
Logged at least 50 hours of supervised driving, including at least 10 hours at night. The supervising driver must be at least 21 and have held a valid license for at least three years.
No traffic convictions in the six months before you apply, and no alcohol- or drug-related adjudications during the time you held your permit.

A parent or guardian certifies the supervised hours. If you’re under 18, a parent or legal guardian also has to authorize the application itself. They can come to the licensing office with you, or sign the Parental Authorization Affidavit in front of a notary and send it in with you.⁴

The intermediate license lets you drive independently, but with real limits until your 18th birthday.

What You Can’t Do Until You Turn 18

Passengers

For the first six months with an intermediate license, you cannot carry any passengers under 20 who are not immediate family. After that, you can carry up to three passengers under 20 who aren’t family members.³

Nighttime Driving

You cannot drive between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless a licensed driver at least 25 years old is in the car with you. The only other exception covers driving for school, religious, or employment activities, either your own or an immediate family member’s.³ An older exception for agricultural work was replaced by the school, religious, and employment exception as of May 2026.

Wireless Devices

Intermediate license holders cannot use any wireless communications device while driving, even hands-free. The only exceptions are calling to report illegal activity, summon emergency help, or prevent injury.⁵ This is stricter than the adult rule, which allows hands-free use. It’s also the only intermediate-license restriction police can pull you over for on its own. The passenger and nighttime rules are secondary; an officer can cite you for them only after stopping you for something else.³

Penalties

A first violation of the passenger or nighttime rules sends a warning letter to your parent or guardian. A second violation suspends your license for six months or until you turn 18, whichever comes first. A third violation suspends it for the rest of the intermediate period or until 18.⁵

Full License at 18

When you turn 18, your intermediate license converts to a regular driver license automatically. No office visit, no retest, no fee.⁶ The passenger limit, the overnight curfew, and the wireless device ban all drop at that point. You keep your current card until it expires.

Starting at 18 or Older

If you didn’t go through the graduated process as a teen, you can get your first Washington license at 18 or older without ever holding an instruction permit and without taking a driver training course. You pass the knowledge test and the driving skills test, and that’s the path.⁷ There’s no required supervised practice period, so you’re on your own to get enough practice before the driving test.

What It Costs

The instruction permit application is $35.¹

A first driver license runs more than most people expect. The fee combines a $50 application charge, a $10-per-year issuance fee, and a $1 technology fee. That comes to $111 for a six-year license or $131 for an eight-year license.⁸

Insurance Before You Drive

Washington law requires every driver to carry liability coverage with at least these minimums:⁹

$25,000 for bodily injury or death of one person per accident
$50,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people per accident
$10,000 for property damage per accident

You have to show proof of insurance if an officer asks. Failing to do so is a traffic infraction, though if you can later prove you were covered at the time of the stop, the citation can be dismissed with up to $25 in administrative costs.¹⁰ Most teen drivers get added to a parent’s existing policy, which is almost always cheaper than a standalone one.

Commercial Driving Starts Later

The ages above cover standard passenger vehicles. For a commercial driver’s license, Washington lets you apply at 18 for driving within the state.¹¹ If you want to drive a commercial vehicle across state lines, federal law sets the minimum at 21.¹² The 18-year-old intrastate CDL is most commonly used for local delivery routes and construction equipment.

1
Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.20.055 – Instruction Permit
2
Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.20.055 – Instruction Permit
3
Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.20.075 – Intermediate License
4
Washington State Department of Licensing. Parental Authorization Affidavit Form
5
Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.20.075 – Intermediate License
6
Washington State Department of Licensing. Driver License Application: Ages 16 to 17
7
Washington State Department of Licensing. Driver License Application: Ages 18+
8
Washington State Department of Licensing. Driver Licensing Fees
9
Washington State Department of Licensing. Mandatory Insurance
10
Washington State Legislature. Washington Code 46.30.020 – Liability Insurance or Other Financial Responsibility
11
Legal Information Institute. Washington Administrative Code 308-100-020 – Commercial Driver’s License
12
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. What Is the Age Requirement for Operating a CMV in Interstate Commerce?