Idaho driving law, answered

How far from a fire hydrant must you park?

Parking is not allowed within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. A hose has to reach the hydrant, and a car parked over it costs minutes nobody has.

Within 15 feet of a fire hydrant

As of 14 Sep 2026

How far from a crosswalk at an intersection must you park?

Parking is not allowed within 20 feet of a crosswalk. A car parked at the corner hides anyone stepping into the crosswalk until they are already in the road.

Within 20 feet of a crosswalk

As of 14 Sep 2026

How far from a stop sign or traffic signal must you park?

Parking is not allowed within 30 feet of a stop sign, yield sign or traffic signal. The sign has to be visible from far enough back to stop, and a parked truck takes that away.

Within 30 feet of a stop sign, yield sign, or traffic signal

As of 14 Sep 2026

How far from a railroad crossing must you park?

Parking is not allowed within 50 feet of railroad tracks. A parked car near a crossing hides the track from everyone approaching it.

Within 50 feet of railroad tracks

As of 14 Sep 2026

How far from a fire station driveway must you park?

Parking is not allowed within 20 feet of a fire station driveway. An engine leaving the station needs to swing out, and a car at the entrance is what it swings into.

Within 20 feet of a fire station driveway

As of 14 Sep 2026

How close to the curb must you park?

When parking on a public road you must park parallel to and within 18 inches of the curb or edge of the roadway, facing the same direction as traffic on your side. A car parked further out is still in the lane, and one facing the wrong way has to cross traffic to get there.

you must park parallel to and within 18 inches of the curb or edge of the roadway

As of 14 Sep 2026

When must you stop for a school bus with flashing red lights?

You must stop when approaching a school bus displaying flashing red lights while stopped to pick up or drop off children. Children cross in front of the bus where the driver of it can see them and you cannot.

You must stop when approaching a school bus that is displaying flashing red lights while stopped to pick up or drop off children

As of 14 Sep 2026

What must you do when passing a stopped emergency vehicle with flashing lights?

When approaching a stopped emergency or police vehicle with lights flashing, or a tow truck or incident response vehicle, you must immediately reduce your speed below the posted limit and proceed with caution. There are people working beside the vehicle, in the road, with their backs to the traffic.

you are required to immediately reduce your speed below the posted speed limit and proceed with caution

As of 14 Sep 2026

How far behind a fire truck answering an alarm may you follow?

The driver of any vehicle other than one on official business shall not follow closer than five hundred (500) feet any fire apparatus traveling in response to a fire alarm, or stop a vehicle within five hundred (500) feet of any fire apparatus stopped in answer to a fire alarm.

Idaho law, Idaho Code § 49-626

As of 7 Oct 2026

When must you turn on your headlights?

Turn on your headlights, not just your parking lights, when driving between sunset and sunrise or when visibility falls below 500 feet. Parking lights mark a stopped car; they do not light the road and they read wrongly to everyone else.

when visibility has been reduced to below 500 feet

As of 14 Sep 2026

How far from an oncoming vehicle must you dim your high beams?

Headlamps must be dimmed 500 feet before meeting another vehicle and 200 feet before overtaking one. You meet an oncoming driver head on and overtake one from behind, and the mirror shows a beam sooner than the eyes do.

Headlamps must be dimmed 500 feet before meeting and 200 feet before overtaking another vehicle

As of 14 Sep 2026

Who must wear a seat belt?

Idaho law requires all occupants to wear safety belts or shoulder straps when riding in a motor vehicle the factory fitted with them. It applies to everyone in the car, not just the driver, and a loose passenger in a crash hits whoever is in front of them.

Idaho law requires all occupants to wear safety belts and/or shoulder straps when riding in a motor vehicle equipped with these devices by the factory

As of 14 Sep 2026

When must a child ride in a car seat?

Idaho law requires anyone carrying children 6 years of age or younger in a non-commercial motor vehicle to protect them properly in approved child car safety seats. A grown-up's seat belt crosses a small child at the neck and the stomach, which is why the seat is a different piece of equipment.

Idaho law requires anyone carrying children 6 years of age or younger in a non-commercial motor vehicle to properly protect children in approved child car safety seats

As of 14 Sep 2026

What is the legal blood alcohol limit for adult drivers?

Under Idaho law you are driving under the influence if your blood-alcohol concentration is .08 or more and you are 21 or older. It is the figure everything else is measured against, and it applies from the driver's twenty-first birthday.

.08 or more if you are 21 or older

As of 14 Sep 2026

What is the blood alcohol limit for drivers under 21?

Under Idaho law you are driving under the influence if your blood-alcohol concentration is .02 or more and you are under 21 years of age. It is a quarter of the adult figure, which in practice means a driver under 21 cannot drink at all.

(BAC) is .02 or more if you are under 21 years of age

As of 14 Sep 2026

May you text while driving?

In Idaho, reading, writing or sending text messages while driving is illegal and is an infraction. Sending a message takes the eyes off the road for as long as it takes to type it, which is longer than a driver thinks.

text messaging) while driving is illegal and considered an infraction

As of 14 Sep 2026

How far before a turn must you signal?

Signals must start at least 100 feet before you turn or change lanes in a business or residential area, or five seconds before on a freeway or highway. The distance is short in town because speeds are; on a highway the same warning takes five seconds of travel.

Signals must start at least 100 feet (in business or residential areas) or five seconds (on freeways or highways) before you turn or change lanes

As of 14 Sep 2026

May you turn right on a red light?

At a steady red circular indication you may turn right after stopping and yielding to cross-traffic, except where posted otherwise. The stop has to be complete before the turn, because the yield is a decision made from a standstill.

You may turn right after stopping and yielding to cross-traffic except where posted otherwise

As of 14 Sep 2026

May you turn left on a red light onto a one-way street?

You may turn left onto a one-way street from a steady red light after stopping and yielding to cross-traffic, unless left turns are not allowed. A one-way street has nothing coming the other way, which is what makes the left turn possible at all.

You may turn left onto a one- way street after stopping and yielding to cross-traffic unless left turns are not allowed

As of 14 Sep 2026

Where are U-turns not allowed?

A U-turn may not be made on a curve, at or near the crest of a hill where the vehicle cannot be seen by approaching vehicles within 500 feet, or in a no passing zone. A U-turn is slow, and it has to happen where a driver arriving has enough road to stop.

where the vehicle cannot be seen by approaching vehicles from either direction within 500 feet

As of 14 Sep 2026

What is the speed limit on a residential street when no sign is posted?

The maximum speed in any residential, business or urban district is 35 miles per hour unless otherwise posted. These are the roads where people walk out between parked cars, and 35 is what leaves room to stop.

Maximum speed in any residential, business, or urban district is 35 miles per hour unless otherwise posted

As of 14 Sep 2026

What is the speed limit on a highway outside town when no sign is posted?

Vehicles shall not exceed 65 miles per hour on Idaho state highways, and 70 may be allowed where posted. A state highway is not an interstate, and the ten miles an hour between them is the difference a driver has to notice.

Vehicles shall not exceed 65 miles per hour on state highways

As of 14 Sep 2026

What is the speed limit in a school zone?

(1) No person shall operate a vehicle in excess of the posted maximum speed limit established for a posted school zone. If a posted school zone speed limit sign includes the words "when children are present," the term shall mean one (1) or more children. The definition applies to children present on the same side of the street as the school building or across the street from the school building in any direction within the marked school zone.

Idaho law, Idaho Code § 49-658(1)

As of 7 Oct 2026

When may you pass another vehicle on the right?

You may pass on the right when the vehicle you are overtaking on a two-lane, two-way road is signaling to turn left. The turning car has moved out of the way of the lane, and waiting behind it blocks the road for everyone.

When the vehicle you're overtaking on a two-lane, two- way road is signaling to turn left

As of 14 Sep 2026

May you have an open container of alcohol in the car?

Idaho's open container law prohibits both drivers and passengers from drinking or possessing an open beverage container of alcohol. It reaches the passengers as well as the driver, which is the part people get wrong.

Idaho's open container law prohibits both drivers and passengers from drinking or possessing an open beverage container of alcohol

As of 14 Sep 2026

Who must ride with you when you drive on a learner's permit?

(1) Upon passage of the required knowledge tests appropriate for the vehicle being operated, the department may issue a commercial learner’s permit for the type of vehicle(s) the person will be operating or a class D instruction permit for a class D motor vehicle. Applicants, while in immediate possession of a commercial learner’s permit, may drive a motor vehicle on the highways for a period of up to one (1) year. Applicants with a class D instruction permit may drive a motor vehicle on the highways for a period of up to one (1) year or as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection for certain class D instruction permits. That person must be accompanied by an adult driver eighteen (18) years of age or older who holds a valid driver’s license appropriate for the vehicle being operated and who is actually occupying a seat beside the driver.

Idaho law, Idaho Code § 49-305(1)

As of 7 Oct 2026

How many passengers may a new provisional driver carry?

For the first 6 months after a license is issued to a driver under 17, no more than one passenger under 17 may ride in the vehicle unless the passengers are related to the driver by blood, adoption or marriage. A car full of friends is the loudest distraction a new driver meets, and the first six months is when it does the most damage.

the number of passengers in the vehicle who are under the age of 17 shall be limited to not more than one passenger

As of 14 Sep 2026

What is the fine for a first drunk-driving conviction?

A first DUI conviction brings up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, and a mandatory license suspension of at least 90 days and up to 180 days, with absolutely no driving privileges for the first 30 days. The first offense already carries a jail term, which most drivers do not expect.

up to a $1,000 fine

As of 14 Sep 2026

How long can you be jailed for a first drunk-driving conviction?

A first DUI conviction brings up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, and a mandatory license suspension of at least 90 days and up to 180 days, with absolutely no driving privileges for the first 30 days. The first offense already carries a jail term, which most drivers do not expect.

up to a $1,000 fine

As of 14 Sep 2026

How long is your license suspended for a first drunk-driving conviction?

A first DUI conviction brings up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, and a mandatory license suspension of at least 90 days and up to 180 days, with absolutely no driving privileges for the first 30 days. The first offense already carries a jail term, which most drivers do not expect.

up to a $1,000 fine

As of 14 Sep 2026

When must you install an ignition interlock after a drunk-driving conviction?

An ignition interlock restriction will likely be required after the suspension for a DUI conviction. The device follows the suspension rather than replacing it, at every level of conviction.

An ignition interlock restriction will likely be required after the suspension

As of 14 Sep 2026

At what blood alcohol level do drunk-driving penalties increase?

An alcohol concentration of .20 or more carries even stiffer penalties in Idaho. It is a separate, higher threshold above the ordinary limit, with its own consequences.

An alcohol concentration of .20 or more carries even stiffer penalties

As of 14 Sep 2026

For how many years does a prior drunk-driving conviction count against you?

A second DUI conviction within 10 years brings a mandatory jail sentence from 10 days to one year, a fine of up to $2,000, and a mandatory license suspension of one year. The jail term stops being a maximum and becomes a minimum on the second conviction.

up to a $2,000 fine

As of 14 Sep 2026

How many points on your license lead to a suspension?

Accumulating 12 to 17 points in any 12 months brings a 30-day suspension. This is the first band where the license actually stops working, and it is only four points past the warning.

12 to 17 in any 12 months 30-day suspension

As of 14 Sep 2026

What is the fine for texting while driving?

(4) A violation of this section shall be a moving violation and shall be an infraction punishable by a fine of seventy-five dollars ($75.00) for a first offense and one hundred fifty dollars ($150) for a second offense within a three (3) year period. For each subsequent offense within a three (3) year period, the offender shall be punished by a fine of three hundred dollars ($300).

Idaho law, Idaho Code § 49-1401A(4)

As of 7 Oct 2026

Who must wear a protective helmet while operating or riding a motorcycle?

(1) No person under eighteen (18) years of age shall ride upon or be permitted to operate a motorcycle, motorbike, utility type vehicle or an all-terrain vehicle unless at all times when so operating or riding upon the vehicle he is wearing, as part of his motorcycle, motorbike, UTV or ATV equipment, a protective safety helmet of a type and quality equal to or better than the standards established for helmets by the director. The provisions of this section shall not apply when such vehicles are operated or ridden on private property or are used as an implement of husbandry. The provisions of this section shall also not apply to completely enclosed autocycles or to UTVs that are equipped with a roll cage and seat belts.

Idaho law, Idaho Code § 49-666(1)

As of 7 Oct 2026

How much light must a tinted side or rear window let through?

(b) Nonreflective window tinting film or sunscreening devices that have a light transmission of not less than thirty-five percent (35%) with a tolerance limit of plus or minus three percent (3%) and a luminous reflectance of no more than thirty-five percent (35%) with a tolerance limit of plus or minus three percent (3%) may be applied to the front side vents, front side windows to the immediate right and left of the driver, and the rear window;

Idaho law, Idaho Code § 49-944(1)(b)

As of 7 Oct 2026

Must a vehicle driving slower than other traffic keep to the right lane?

(2) Upon all highways any vehicle proceeding at less than normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing, shall be driven in the right-hand lane available for traffic, or as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the highway, except when overtaking and passing another vehicle proceeding in the same direction or when preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

Idaho law, Idaho Code § 49-630(2)

As of 7 Oct 2026

What is the minimum liability insurance coverage for bodily injury or death of one person and property damage?

(20) "Proof of financial responsibility" means proof of ability to respond in damages for liability, on account of accidents occurring subsequent to the effective date of the proof, arising out of the ownership, maintenance or use of a motor vehicle, in the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) because of bodily injury to or death of one (1) person in any one (1) accident and, subject to the limit for one (1) person, in the amount of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) because of bodily injury to or death of two (2) or more persons in any one (1) accident, and in the amount of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) because of injury to or destruction of property of others in any one (1) accident.

Idaho law, Idaho Code § 49-117(20)

As of 7 Oct 2026

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Idaho driving questions, answered