How many passengers may a new provisional driver carry, state by state?
Every state’s answer, and the District of Columbia’s, from its own manual or code: 40 have a rule on this, quoted below with where it is written; 11 say nothing on it.
Statutes fetched between 8 and 9 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 | A 16-year-old, or a 17-year-old licensed for less than 6 months, may not have more than one non-family passenger other than the parent, guardian or a supervising licensed driver at least 21. | Alabama Driver Manual, p.84 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Alaska | An Alaska provisional driver may not carry passengers unless one of them is a parent, legal guardian or a person at least 21 years of age. | Alaska Driver Manual, p.10 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arizona | For the first 6 months, a graduated license holder may not drive with more than 1 passenger under 18, unless an exception applies. | Arizona Driver License Manual and Customer Service Guide, p.12 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Arkansas | An Arkansas intermediate license holder may not drive with more than 1 unrelated minor passenger unless accompanied by a licensed driver 21 or older in the front seat. | Arkansas Driver License Study Guide, p.4 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| California | A provisional driver may not carry passengers under 20 years old unless a parent, guardian or other California-licensed driver at least 25 years old rides with them. | California Driver’s Handbook, p.4 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Colorado | For the first six months after a driver under 18 is licensed, they may carry no passengers under 21 unless a parent or another licensed adult driver is in the vehicle. | Colorado Driver Handbook, p.2 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Connecticut | For the first six months after licensing, a 16- or 17-year-old may carry no passengers except a driving instructor, a parent or legal guardian holding a valid license, or one qualified person aged 20 or over. | Connecticut Driver's Manual, p.8 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Delaware | In the second six months, when no supervisor is present, a Level One permit holder may carry only one passenger. | Delaware Driver Manual, p.30 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| District of Columbia | A provisional license holder may drive with one passenger who holds a valid full license, is 21 or older, sits in the front passenger seat and wears a seat belt, plus any passengers who are their sibling, child, or parent. | DC Driver Manual, p.21 | 16 Sep 2026 |
| Georgia | For the first six months after a Georgia Class D license is issued, only immediate family members may ride in the vehicle. | Georgia Driver's Manual, p.66 | 18 Sep 2026 |
| Hawaii | A Hawaii provisional license allows you to transport only one person under 18 who is not a household member. | State of Hawaii Driver’s Manual, p.13 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Idaho | 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. | July 2026 Idaho Driver's Handbook, p.16 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Illinois | For the first 12 months of licensing, or until turning 18, an Initial Licensing Phase driver may carry only one passenger under age 20 unless the passenger is a sibling, stepsibling, child or stepchild. | Illinois Rules of the Road 2026, p.18 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Indiana | For the first 180 days with a probationary license, you may not carry passengers unless a licensed adult 25 or older, a licensed spouse 21 or older, or a driving instructor sits in the front seat. | Indiana Driver's Manual, p.10 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Kansas | A Kansas 16-year-old driving under the restricted license may carry only one non-sibling minor passenger in the vehicle. | Kansas Driving Handbook, p.13 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Kentucky | A Kentucky intermediate license holder under 18 is limited to one unrelated passenger under 20 years of age. | Kentucky Driver Manual, p.7 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Louisiana | From 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., an intermediate licensee may carry no more than 1 passenger under 21 who is not immediate family. | Class D & E Driver's Guide, p.7 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Maine | A Maine driver under 18 may not carry passengers other than immediate family unless a licensed driver at least 20 years old, licensed 2 years, sits beside them. | Maine Driver’s License Manual, p.9 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| Maryland | A provisional license holder under 18 may not drive unsupervised with passengers under 18 for the first 151 days, unless they are immediate family. | Maryland Driver's Manual, p.47 | 6 Sep 2026 |
| Massachusetts | For the first six months after getting a Junior Operator's License you may not carry anyone under 18 other than an immediate family member. | Massachusetts Driver's Manual, p.10 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Michigan | A Level 2 driver may not have more than one passenger under 21 in the vehicle, unless a parent, guardian or designated adult 21 or older is along, the passengers are immediate family, or the trip is for work or an authorized activity. | What Every Driver Must Know, p.5 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Minnesota | In the first six months a provisional driver may carry only one passenger under 20 unless a parent or guardian is along. | Minnesota Driver’s Manual, p.16 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Missouri | For the first six months of an intermediate license you may not carry more than one passenger under 19 who is not immediate family. | Missouri Driver Guide, p.16 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Montana | For the first six months of a restricted license, unless a licensed adult is supervising, a teen may carry only one unrelated passenger under 18. | Montana Driver Manual, p.8 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nebraska | For the first 6 months, a Provisional Operator's Permit (POP) holder may carry no more than 1 passenger younger than 19 who is not an immediate family member. | Nebraska Driver’s Manual, p.1 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Nevada | Drivers licensed at 16 or 17 may not carry passengers under 18, except immediate family members, for the first 6 months they drive. | Nevada Driver Handbook, p.15 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Hampshire | During the first six months holding the license, a Youth Operator under 18 may not carry more than one passenger under 25 who is not family, unless a licensed adult at least 25 is with them. | New Hampshire Driver's Manual, p.4 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| New Mexico | Unless a licensed driver 21 or older is in the vehicle, a provisional driver may carry no more than 1 passenger under 21 who is not immediate family. | New Mexico Driver Manual, p.1 | 4 Oct 2026 |
| North Carolina | When a Level Two driver drives unsupervised, only one passenger under 21 who is not a member of the driver’s household may be in the vehicle. | North Carolina Driver Handbook, p.13 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Ohio | When the driver is under eighteen, the vehicle may carry no more people than it has original safety belts, and every one of them must be wearing one. | Digest of Ohio Motor Vehicle Laws, p.9 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oklahoma | A teen with a restricted GDL license is limited to 1 passenger, unless all passengers live in the same household or a licensed driver over 21 is seated next to the teen. | Oklahoma Driver Manual, p.8 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Oregon | (a) Except as provided in subsections (2) to (4) of this section, for the first six months after issuance of the license, the holder of the license may not operate a motor vehicle that is carrying a passenger under 20 years of age who is not a member of the holder’s immediate family. For the second six months, the holder of the license may not operate a motor vehicle that is carrying more than three passengers who are under 20 years of age and who are not members of the holder’s immediate family. | Oregon law, ORS 807.122(1)(a) | 8 Oct 2026 |
| Rhode Island | During the first 12 months of a learner provisional license, no more than 1 passenger under 21 is allowed in the vehicle. | Rhode Island Driver’s Manual, p.14 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| South Carolina | With a conditional or special restricted license you cannot carry more than 2 passengers under 21 unless a licensed adult who is at least 21 is with you. | South Carolina Driver's Manual, p.11 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Texas | During Phase Two a driver may not carry more than one passenger under 21 who is not a family member. | Texas Driver Handbook, p.3 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Utah | A licensed Utah driver aged 16 may carry only immediate family members in the vehicle until six months from the license issue date. | Utah Driver Handbook 2026-2027, p.8 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Vermont | For the first 3 months, a Junior Driver's License holder drives alone. A passenger is allowed only when a qualified supervising adult is riding in the front seat. | 2025 Vermont Driver's Manual, p.15 | 14 Sep 2026 |
| Virginia | B. The initial license issued to any person younger than 18 years of age shall be deemed a provisional driver's license. Until the holder is 18 years old, a provisional driver's license shall not authorize its holder to operate a motor vehicle with more than one passenger who is less than 21 years old. After the first year the provisional license is issued, the holder may operate a motor vehicle with up to three passengers who are less than 21 years old (i) when the holder is driving to or from a school-sponsored activity, (ii) when a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old is occupying the seat beside the driver, or (iii) in cases of emergency. These passenger limitations, however, shall not apply to members of the driver's family or household. For the purposes of this subsection, "a member of the driver's family or household" means any of the following: (a) the driver's spouse, children, stepchildren, brothers, sisters, half-brothers, half-sisters, first cousins, and any individual who has a child in common with the driver, whether or not they reside in the same home with the driver; (b) the driver's brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law who reside in the same home with the driver; and (c) any individual who cohabits with the driver, and any children of such individual residing in the same home with the driver. | Virginia law, Va. Code Ann. § 46.2-334.01(B) | 8 Oct 2026 |
| West Virginia | (D) For the first six months after issuance of a level two intermediate driver’s license, the licensee may not operate a motor vehicle carrying any passengers less than 20 years old, unless these passengers are family members of the licensee; for the second six months after issuance of a level two intermediate driver’s license, the licensee may not operate a motor vehicle carrying more than one passenger less than 20 years old, unless these passengers are family members of the licensee; (E) The licensee operates a vehicle without any measurable blood alcohol content in accordance with §17C-5-2(h) of this code; (F) The licensee maintains current school enrollment and is making satisfactory academic progress or otherwise shows compliance with §18-8-11 of this code: Provided, That a person may otherwise be eligible for a restricted license or instruction permit pursuant to §18-8-11. | West Virginia law, W. Va. Code § 17B-2-3a(d)(2) | 9 Oct 2026 |
| Wyoming | A Wyoming intermediate license holder may not carry more than 1 passenger under 18 who is not immediate family, unless a licensed driver 18 or older is also aboard. | Wyoming Rules of the Road Driver License Manual, p.14 | 14 Sep 2026 |
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No rule found
No rule found in the manual or code of: Florida, Iowa, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, Wisconsin.
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