Who must ride with you when you drive on a learner's permit, state by state?
Every state’s answer, and the District of Columbia’s, from its own manual or code: 43 have a rule on this, quoted below with where it is written; 8 say nothing on it.
Statutes fetched between 7 and 8 October 2026; manuals fetched between 6 September and 4 October 2026. How the answers are made
| State | The rule | Where it is written | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | After a 15-year-old learner turns 16, they may drive with any licensed driver in the seat beside them. | Alabama Driver Manual, p.9 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Alaska | For passenger vehicles, the licensed driver supervising an Alaska permit holder must occupy the seat beside the learner. | Alaska Driver Manual, p.8 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arizona | A graduated or operator permit holder must be accompanied by a Class A, B, C or D licensed driver at least 21 years old, who sits in the seat beside them. | Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide, p.12 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arkansas | An Arkansas instruction permit holder may drive with a licensed driver who is 21 or older and sits in the seat beside them. | Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, p.3 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Colorado | While driving with an instruction permit you must have a person who is 21 years or older and holds a valid Colorado license in the front passenger seat. | Colorado Driver Handbook, p.1 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Delaware | (2) When the permit holder is under mandatory supervision, the permit holder must be supervised by a properly licensed parent, guardian or a licensed driver at least 25 years of age who has held a Class D license for at least 5 years. The supervising driver must be seated beside the permit holder in the front seat of the vehicle when it is in motion. No person other than the supervising driver can be in the front seat. | Delaware law, 21 Del. C. § 2710(c)(2) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| District of Columbia | A learner permit holder may drive only when supervised by a driver who is 21 years or older, has a valid full driver license, and is seated in the front passenger seat. | DC Driver Manual, p.19 | 16 Sep 2026 |
| Florida | A learner must always be accompanied by a licensed driver aged 21 or older, who rides in the closest seat to the right of the driver. | Official Florida Driver License Handbook, p.1 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Georgia | With a Georgia instructional permit you may drive a Class C vehicle only when a person at least 21 years old, licensed for that class, fit to control the car and sitting in the seat beside you is in the vehicle. | Georgia Driver's Manual, p.65 | 18 Sep 2026 |
| Hawaii | With a Hawaii instruction permit you may drive only when supervised by a driver at least 21 years old who is licensed to drive that type of vehicle. | State of Hawaii Driver’s Manual, p.11 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Idaho | (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) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Indiana | A permit driver who is 18 or older may drive only with a licensed driver at least 25 years old, or a licensed spouse at least 21. | Indiana Driver's Manual, p.4 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Iowa | b. (1) Except as otherwise provided, a permittee who is eighteen years of age or older must be accompanied by a person issued a driver’s license valid for the vehicle operated who is a member of the permittee’s immediate family if the family member is at least twenty-one years of age, an approved driver education instructor, a prospective driver education instructor who is enrolled in a practitioner preparation program with a safety education program approved by the state board of education, or a person at least twenty-five years of age, and who is actually occupying a seat beside the driver. | Iowa law, Iowa Code § 321.180(1)(2) | 7 Oct 2026 |
| Kansas | A Kansas instruction permit holder may only drive with a licensed adult in the front seat, and that adult must be at least 21 years old with at least one year of driving experience. | Kansas Driving Handbook, p.12 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Kentucky | A Kentucky permit holder may only drive when accompanied in the front passenger seat by a licensed driver 21 years of age or older. | Kentucky Driver Manual, p.5 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Louisiana | A learner's permit holder may drive with a licensed adult who is at least 21 years old. | Class D & E Driver's Guide, p.7 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Maine | In Maine, a learner's permit holder may drive only with a licensed driver who is at least 20 years old. | Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.7 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Maryland | A learner's permit holder must have a supervising driver: at least 21 years old, licensed for at least three years to drive that class of vehicle, and seated beside you unless the vehicle is a motorcycle. | Maryland Driver's Manual, p.51 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Massachusetts | A permit holder may drive while accompanied by a licensed operator who is at least 21 years old. | Massachusetts Driver's Manual, p.15 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Michigan | With a Level 1 Learner's License you may drive only with a licensed parent, guardian or designated licensed adult age 21 or older seated in the front seat next to you. | What Every Driver Must Know, p.5 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Minnesota | (b) The permit holder may, with the permit in possession, operate a motor vehicle, but must be accompanied by and be under the supervision of a certified driver education instructor, the permit holder's parent or guardian, or another licensed driver age 21 or older. The supervisor must occupy the seat beside the permit holder. | Minnesota law, Minn. Stat. § 171.05, subd. 2b(b) | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Mississippi | A permit holder may drive only with a licensed driver aged 21 or older. | Mississippi Driver's License Manual, p.13 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Missouri | At 16 or older a permit holder may drive when accompanied in the front seat by a person at least 21 years old who holds a valid driver license. | Missouri Driver Guide, p.15 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Montana | A teen on a learner permit must be supervised by a licensed parent, guardian or responsible adult, or by a licensed adult they authorize. | Montana Driver Manual, p.7 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nebraska | An LPD holder must be accompanied by a licensed driver at least 21 who sits in the seat beside the driver. | Nebraska Driver’s Manual, p.4 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nevada | The licensed driver supervising a Class C permit holder must be seated beside the learner. | Nevada Driver Handbook, p.15 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Hampshire | A learner practicing must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or a licensed driver who is 25 years of age or older. | New Hampshire Driver's Manual, p.2 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Jersey | A New Jersey permit holder must be accompanied in the front seat by a supervising driver who is at least 21. | New Jersey Driver Manual, p.18 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Mexico | A permit holder's supervising driver, if not an instructor, must be 21 or older and licensed for at least 3 years. | New Mexico Driver Manual, p.1 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| North Carolina | A learner permit holder must be accompanied, while driving on the highways, by a person who is licensed to drive that vehicle and is seated beside them. | North Carolina Driver Handbook, p.8 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| North Dakota | The supervising driver for a North Dakota permit holder must have at least 3 years of driving experience. | North Dakota Noncommercial Driver License Manual, p.3 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oklahoma | An Oklahoma learner permit is valid only while a licensed driver 21 or older sits beside the permit holder. | Oklahoma Driver Manual, p.6 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Pennsylvania | A licensed driver at least 21 years old, or a parent, guardian or spouse who is 18 or older and licensed, must ride in the front seat with a permit holder at all times. | PA Driver's Manual, p.2 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Rhode Island | With a limited learner permit, the supervising driver must sit beside you at all times and be ready to take control in an emergency. | Rhode Island Driver’s Manual, p.11 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Carolina | The licensed driver supervising a beginner's permit holder must be at least 21 years old. | South Carolina Driver's Manual, p.8 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Dakota | An instruction permit holder under 18 must drive under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian, or another adult with a valid driver's license and at least one year of driving experience. | South Dakota Driver License Manual, p.8 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Texas | The licensed driver supervising a learner must be at least 21 years old and have at least one year of driving experience. | Texas Driver Handbook, p.1 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Utah | A 16 year old with a learner permit must have a licensed parent, stepparent, foster parent, legal guardian, approved driving instructor, or responsible adult 21 or over in the front seat. | Utah Driver Handbook 2026-2027, p.8 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Vermont | The supervising driver must be a licensed, unimpaired parent or guardian, a licensed or certified unimpaired driver education instructor, or a licensed, unimpaired person of 25 or older. | 2025 Vermont Driver's Manual, p.20 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Virginia | A learner's permit lets you drive when a licensed driver at least 21 years old is in the front passenger seat, alert and able to help you. | Virginia Driver's Manual, p.31 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| West Virginia | A Level 1 graduated instruction permit lets you drive only with a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old in the right front passenger seat. | West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, p.9 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Wisconsin | The licensed driver riding with a class D instruction permit holder must have at least two years of licensed driving experience. | Wisconsin Motorists' Handbook, p.5 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Wyoming | A Wyoming instruction permit holder must be accompanied by a person 18 or older who holds a valid license for the type of vehicle being driven. | Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, p.10 | 14 Sep 2026 |
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No rule found in the manual or code of: California, Connecticut, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Washington.
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