Pennsylvania Junior License: Permit, 65 Hours and Road Test

In Pennsylvania, a teen can apply for a learner's permit at 16, must hold it for six months and log 65 hours of supervised driving, then pass a road test to earn a junior license. The junior license bans driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. and limits young passengers until the teen qualifies for a full license.

PennDOT spreads these rules across several pages and forms. This guide puts them in order for parents.

Key takeaways

• Permit at 16, with a physical exam on form DL-180 and a parent's consent on form DL-180TD.
• Six months with the permit before the road test.
• 65 hours of supervised driving: at least 10 at night and 5 in bad weather, certified on form DL-180C.
• Road test: up to three attempts per permit; teens under 18 wait seven days after a failed test.
• Junior license: no driving 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. (with work and volunteer exceptions); one non-family passenger under 18 at first.

Step 1: The learner's permit

Age and the physical

PennDOT says you cannot apply for your permit before your 16th birthday. The application is the Non-Commercial Learner's Permit Application (DL-180), and a health care provider completes the physical exam on the back. The physical can be done up to six months before the 16th birthday.

Vision is checked during the physical, or at the Driver License Center if it was not.

Parent consent

For applicants under 18, a parent or guardian completes the Parent or Guardian Consent Form (DL-180TD). If that parent cannot come along, the form must be signed in front of a notary.

What to bring

• the completed DL-180 (with the physical)
• original proof of date of birth and identification (photocopies are not accepted)
• a signed Social Security card
• the applicable fee (listed on the DL-180 and PennDOT's fees page)

Then the teen takes the knowledge test on signs, laws, driving rules and safe practices.

How long the permit lasts

PennDOT says the permit is valid for one year, with extensions for those requiring more practice time. Its scheduling FAQ says you may keep renewing the permit as long as your physical is valid, which is up to three years after the permit is issued.

Step 2: Supervised driving and the 65 hours

Who can supervise

A permit holder under 18 may drive only with a licensed driver at least 21, or a parent, guardian, person in loco parentis or spouse who is at least 18. The supervisor must hold a license for the same or a higher class of vehicle and sit in the front seat. Passengers may not exceed the number of seat belts.

The 65 hours

Before the road test, teens under 18 need 65 hours of adult-supervised driving, including:

• at least 10 hours at night
• at least 5 hours in bad weather

A parent or guardian certifies the hours on the Parent or Guardian Certification Form (DL-180C).

For how Pennsylvania's hours compare with other states, and tips on keeping a log, see Learner's Permit Practice Hours by State: A Log Guide.

Plan the bad-weather hours on purpose. A dry summer can leave you short in month five. Rain counts, and so do early-winter evenings that cover night and weather together.

Step 3: The road test

When and how to schedule

The teen must wait the mandatory six months from your permit issue date. PennDOT's FAQ says you need an appointment, which you can book through the Online Driver's Test Scheduling Service or by phone at 1-717-412-5300, and same day tests cannot be scheduled.

What to bring

PennDOT requires originals, not copies:

• the valid learner's permit
• the signed DL-180C (and DL-180TD) for drivers under 18
• the vehicle's valid registration card
• proof of current insurance
• the accompanying adult's valid license

PennDOT's testing page says if you do not bring the original documents, you will not be given the test.

The car is inspected

Before the test, the examiner checks for valid registration, current insurance and a valid inspection sticker, plus the lights, horn, brakes, wipers, turn signals, mirrors, doors, seats and tires. If anything is unsafe, there is no test. See Car Requirements for Your Driving Test: Will Yours Pass? for a full checklist.

What the test covers

PennDOT's testing page lists:

• Vehicle controls: horn, lights, wipers, parking brake, hazard flashers, defroster and similar.
• Parallel parking: park between two uprights in a 24-foot by 8-foot space, with one attempt and no more than three adjustments. Self-parking features must be off.
• Driving: how the teen handles signs, signals, turn signals and vehicle controls.

Common reasons for failing include not using turn signals, running a stop sign, not following the examiner's instructions, and dangerous or reckless driving.

If the test does not go well

• Under 18: wait seven days before retesting.
• Each permit allows three attempts. After the third failure, the permit must be extended through a new application.
• If you have not passed within three years of the physical exam date, you start over with a new DL-180 and knowledge test.

More on retests in other states: Failed Your Driving Test? How Soon You Can Retake It by State.

Step 4: Life with a junior license

PennDOT's young driver fact sheet sets these rules:

Curfew

A junior driver may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. The exceptions are work and volunteer or charitable service, and the teen must carry documentation.

Passengers

• First six months: no more than one passenger under 18 who is not immediate family, unless a parent or guardian is in the car.
• After six months: up to three such passengers, with the same parent or guardian exception.
• The increase does not apply if the teen has had a crash they were partly or fully responsible for, or a driving violation conviction.

For all drivers under 18, passengers may not exceed the number of seat belts, and everyone under 18 must be buckled.

Points and speeding

Drivers under 18 who reach six or more points face a 90-day suspension. So does a single conviction for driving 26 mph or more over the limit.

For how these limits compare across states, see Teen Driver GDL Restrictions Explained for Parents.

Getting a full license

A full, unrestricted license usually comes at 18. Under 18, PennDOT says a teen may qualify early with 12 months free of crashes and convictions and an approved driver's education course. The teen submits form DL-59, the course certificate and a parent or guardian consent affidavit.

That early path is one practical reason many families sign up for an approved driver education course. If you do, check that the school is approved by the state and keep the certificate safe. Certificates issued through RoadVerified carry a code and QR that anyone can check at check a certificate.

FAQ

How old do you have to be for a learner's permit in Pennsylvania?

16. You cannot apply before your 16th birthday, though the physical can be done up to six months before it.

How many hours does a Pennsylvania teen need before the road test?

65 hours of supervised driving, including at least 10 at night and 5 in bad weather, certified on form DL-180C.

What is the curfew for a PA junior license?

No driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., except for work or volunteer service with documentation.

How many times can you take the road test in Pennsylvania?

Three times per permit. Teens under 18 wait seven days between attempts; drivers 18 and older wait at least one day.

Can a junior license holder drive friends?

At first, only one passenger under 18 who is not immediate family, unless a parent or guardian is in the car. After six months, up to three, if the teen has no at-fault crash or violation conviction.

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