The Indiana driving age starts at 15 for a learner’s permit with driver education, moves to a probationary license as early as 16 years and 90 days, and reaches a full, unrestricted license at 21. Between those points, Indiana’s graduated system layers on curfews, passenger limits, and a phone ban that most families underestimate.
Age 15: Learner’s Permit With Driver Education
A teenager can apply for a learner’s permit at 15 if enrolled in a state-approved driver education program. Without driver education, the minimum age rises to 16.1Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Learner’s Permit
Every applicant presents identification, passes a vision screening, and passes a two-section written knowledge exam covering Indiana traffic laws and road signs. You need at least 80 percent on each section.2Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Knowledge Exam Applicants under 18 also need a parent, custodial guardian, or another qualifying adult to sign an agreement of financial liability, which makes that adult jointly responsible for injury or damage the teen causes. Indiana sets a preference order: custodial parent first, then noncustodial parent, then guardian, then any willing adult.3Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Agreement of Financial Liability The permit itself costs $9.00.4Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. BMV Fee Chart
A state-approved driver education course includes 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of behind-the-wheel training with a BMV-licensed driving school. Online training can replace the classroom portion, but the six behind-the-wheel hours must be in person.5Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driver Education
Who Can Supervise a Permit Holder
For a permit holder under 18, the supervising driver in the front seat must be at least 25 and related to the teen by blood, marriage, or legal status. A spouse who is at least 21 and licensed qualifies, and so does a licensed driver education instructor. Once the permit holder turns 18, the family relationship requirement drops and any licensed driver 25 or older can supervise.6Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Graduated Driver’s License System Information
Permit holders must log at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice, with at least 10 hours at night. A parent or guardian signs the log, which is submitted to the BMV at the license application.7Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License
Age 16: Probationary License
Two age thresholds apply depending on driver education. A teen who completes an approved course can apply at 16 years and 90 days. Without driver education, the wait is until 16 years and 270 days.8Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-3-2.5 – Age, Experience, and Examination Requirements
Regardless of which threshold applies, every applicant must have held a valid learner’s permit for at least 180 days before applying. This catches families off guard. A 16-year-old who waits until their birthday to get a permit will not qualify for a license at 16 years and 90 days even with driver education, because the six-month clock has not run.8Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-3-2.5 – Age, Experience, and Examination Requirements Applicants also pass a driving skills test that evaluates lane changes, intersection approaches, parking, and signal adherence. Running a red light or disobeying a signal is an automatic failure.9Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Driving (Skills) Test
The First 180 Days With a License
The strictest phase of the probationary license runs for the first 180 days. During that window, the driver cannot operate a vehicle between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., and generally cannot carry passengers at all.10Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Probationary Driver’s License11Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-11-3.5 – Restrictions on Probationary License Holders
Both rules have exceptions. The curfew does not apply when the driver is traveling to or from work, a school-sanctioned activity, or a religious event, or when accompanied in the front seat by a licensed driver at least 25 years old or a licensed spouse at least 21.11Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-11-3.5 – Restrictions on Probationary License Holders The passenger rule lifts entirely for immediate family. A probationary driver can transport their own child or stepchild, siblings (including step and half siblings), a spouse, or a parent or guardian during legal driving hours with no accompanying adult in the car.10Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Probationary Driver’s License
After 180 Days and Until Age 18
Once the initial 180-day period ends, the curfew loosens but does not disappear until the driver turns 18:
- Sunday through Thursday: no driving after 11 p.m. or before 5 a.m.
- Friday and Saturday nights: no driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
All nighttime restrictions end at age 18. Turning 18 is enough; no clean-record requirement is attached.10Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Probationary Driver’s License
Under 21: The Phone Ban That Outlasts Everything Else
Indiana prohibits every driver under 21 from using a telecommunications device while operating a vehicle. The only exception is making a 911 emergency call. The statute does not carve out hands-free or voice-operated use.12Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-24-11-3.7 – Operation of Motor Vehicle by Individual Less Than 21 Years of Age While Using a Telecommunications Device Prohibited
That is stricter than the general distracted driving law, which bans holding or using a device but allows hands-free and voice-operated systems for drivers 21 and older.13Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 9-21-8-59 – Use of Telecommunications Device While Operating a Moving Motor Vehicle For a driver under 21, a Bluetooth call or voice-activated navigation falls outside the narrow 911 exception, and law enforcement can stop and cite the driver for that alone.
Age 21: Full Unrestricted License
The probationary license expires 30 days after the driver’s 21st birthday. At that point the driver renews and receives a standard, unrestricted license. You cannot renew early, and waiting more than 30 days past your 21st birthday means paying an administrative penalty.10Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Probationary Driver’s License
The “probationary” label on the license itself also persists until 21, so any traffic offense during that window is handled under the stricter standards for probationary drivers rather than the general rules for adults.10Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Probationary Driver’s License
Insurance for a Teen Driver
Adding a teen to a family policy is not optional once the teen holds a permit or license. Indiana’s minimum liability coverage is $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $25,000 for property damage.14Indiana Department of Insurance. Auto Insurance Those numbers are a legal floor. A single serious accident can exceed $25,000 in medical costs, leaving a family personally liable for the difference.