Vermont Driving Age: Permit at 15, Junior at 16, Full at 18

In Vermont, you can get a learner’s permit at 15, move up to a junior operator’s license at 16, and qualify for a full unrestricted license at 18. Each step opens more driving freedom but comes with its own training requirements and, in the middle stage, a set of restrictions that catch many new drivers off guard.

Learner’s Permit at 15

Any Vermont resident who is at least 15 can apply to the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for a learner’s permit.¹ Applicants under 18 need a clean record, meaning no convictions or suspensions for certain traffic offenses in the previous two years. Adults 18 and older can apply at any time without that restriction.

To get the permit, you pass every part of the driver’s license exam except the behind-the-wheel road test. That means a written knowledge test and an eye examination.² If you are 15, 16, or 17, a parent or legal guardian has to sign the application before you can test.³

The permit is valid for two years.¹ While driving on it, you must always have a licensed adult in the front passenger seat. No solo driving at this stage, ever.

Junior Operator’s License at 16

At 16 or 17, you can step up to a junior operator’s license, but only after meeting every one of the following requirements.⁴ Skip any piece and you start over.

Hold the learner’s permit for at least one full year. Not six months.⁴
Keep a clean driving record for the six consecutive months before you apply, with no permit suspensions, revocations, or recalls.⁴
Complete a driver education course approved by both the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles and the Secretary of Education.⁴
Log at least 40 hours of supervised driving, with a minimum of 10 of those hours at night, defined as from 30 minutes after sunset to 30 minutes before sunrise.⁵
Pass the DMV road test.²

Those 40 practice hours get certified on a DMV form signed by the supervising driver. The supervisor has to be your licensed parent or guardian, a certified driver education instructor, or another licensed driver who is at least 25 and riding in the front passenger seat.⁴ A friend’s older sibling who just turned 21 doesn’t count.

What a Junior License Does Not Let You Do

The junior license is not full driving privileges. The restrictions phase down over time, but the first six months look very different from the second.

Passengers

For the first three months, you drive alone or with a qualifying supervising adult in the front seat. No other passengers. If a supervising adult is present, you can carry as many passengers as there are seatbelts.⁵

From months four through six, you can start transporting family members. After a full six months with the junior license, the passenger limits drop. You still can’t carry more passengers than seatbelts, and you can’t carry passengers for hire.⁵

Work Driving

You cannot drive as part of a job for one full year after getting the junior license, or until you turn 18, whichever comes first. No pizza delivery, no courier runs, nothing behind the wheel for an employer.⁵

Phones and Other Devices

Vermont bans junior license holders from using any portable electronic device while driving. That includes cell phones, tablets, and laptops, whether you’re texting, reading, or just holding the device.⁵

Full License at 18

At 18, you become eligible for a full, unrestricted operator’s license. The passenger phases, the work-driving ban, and the device rule all fall away. If 18 is also when you apply for your first license, you skip the junior license program entirely and don’t need the driver education course.

The exams don’t change, though. Every applicant, regardless of age, must pass a written or oral knowledge test, a road test, and an eye examination.²

Before You Go to the DMV

Bring documentation across several categories: proof of identity (a valid unexpired passport or birth certificate works), verification of your Social Security number, and proof of Vermont residency.⁶ If the name on your identity document doesn’t match the name you want on the license, bring a linking document like a marriage certificate or court order.

All DMV exams are by appointment. Schedule online at mydmv.vermont.gov or call 888-970-0357.⁷ Walk-ins are not accepted. After your appointment you’ll get a temporary paper authorization, with the permanent card arriving by mail in roughly 7 to 10 business days.⁸

Insurance Before Any Driving

Any vehicle driven in Vermont must carry liability insurance. The state minimums are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $10,000 for property damage.⁹ This applies to teens on learner’s permits and junior licenses, not just adults. If your teen will be driving a family car, call your insurer and get them added to the policy. Premiums usually go up when a teen is added, but driving without proper coverage can mean license suspension and personal liability well beyond what the insurance would have cost.

1
Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23-617 – Learner’s Permit
2
Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23-632 – Examination Required; Waiver
3
Department of Motor Vehicles. Learner’s Permit
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Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23-607 – Junior Operator’s License
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Department of Motor Vehicles. Junior Driver’s License
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Department of Motor Vehicles. Identity Documents
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Department of Motor Vehicles. Appointments
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Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver’s License, Renewal
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Vermont General Assembly. Vermont Code 23-800 – Maintenance of Financial Responsibility