If you hold an intermediate (or provisional) license, your driving hours are restricted in every state except Vermont. The nighttime curfew typically starts somewhere between 9 p.m. and midnight and lifts between 4 and 6 a.m., with the exact window set by your state. On top of the curfew, most states cap the number of passengers you can carry and many ban cell phone use entirely while you drive.
Nighttime Curfew Hours by State
The start time is the number to know, because that is when you have to be off the road. State curfews cluster into four groups:
- 9 p.m. start: Kansas, New York, and North Carolina are among the strictest.
- 10 p.m. start: About ten states, including Delaware, Idaho, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and West Virginia.
- 11 p.m. start: The largest group, including Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida (for 16-year-olds), Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wyoming.
- Midnight start: Another large group, including Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin.
End times vary less. Most states lift the restriction at 5 a.m. A smaller group ends at 6 a.m. (Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Tennessee, and the District of Columbia), and a few end at 4 a.m. (Arkansas, New Hampshire, Virginia).1Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Graduated Licensing Laws
A few states add twists. Florida uses a tiered approach: 16-year-olds face an 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew, while 17-year-olds get a 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. window. The District of Columbia adjusts hours by day of the week and time of year. Your state DMV site will have the exact hours that apply to you.
When You Can Drive During Curfew Hours
Most states let intermediate drivers on the road during restricted hours for specific reasons. Common exceptions include:
- Driving to and from work, often with a requirement to carry proof of employment such as a signed letter from your employer.
- Driving to and from school or authorized school events.
- Travel to and from religious services or events.2Kansas Department of Revenue. Graduated Driver License Requirements for Teen Drivers
- Medical necessity, in some states.
The broadest exception is adult supervision. Nearly every state waives the curfew (and the passenger limits) when a licensed adult, usually at least 21, is in the front passenger seat. A few states set that supervising-adult age higher.1Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Graduated Licensing Laws
These exceptions are affirmative defenses. If an officer pulls you over at 1 a.m. coming home from a shift, you may need to show you were actually driving home from work. Keep documentation in the car.
Passenger Limits
Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia also cap how many passengers an intermediate driver can carry. The most common rule is a one-passenger limit, with family members typically exempt. Several states are stricter during the first six months. Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, and Maine, among others, prohibit all non-family passengers during that initial window and then relax to one passenger.1Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Graduated Licensing Laws
The passenger age cutoff varies. Some states restrict passengers under 18, others under 20 or 21. California bars passengers under 20 for the first 12 months unless a driver 25 or older is supervising. Alaska prohibits passengers younger than 21 during the first six months.
Cell Phone and Device Rules
Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia ban all cell phone use for novice drivers, and in many of those states the ban covers hands-free devices too. That is stricter than the rules for adult drivers in most places. If you hold an intermediate license, the safest working assumption is that you cannot touch your phone at all behind the wheel, mounted or not, Bluetooth or not.
What Happens If You Break the Rules
A curfew or passenger violation can bring a fine, but the license consequences matter more. A first violation can trigger a suspension of 30 to 60 days in many states. Repeat violations push suspensions to 180 days or longer. Some states suspend the license until the driver turns 18, which effectively ends the intermediate phase.
Points on your record are the other common penalty, and they have a financial afterlife. Teen insurance rates are already the highest of any age group, and a moving violation or suspension can push premiums up by 20% to 25% or more. Because teen drivers are usually listed on a parent’s policy, that increase hits the whole household.
A violation can also delay your upgrade to a full license. If your state requires a clean record for a set period before unrestricted driving, a curfew ticket resets the clock.
When the Restrictions End
The intermediate stage is temporary, but how long it lasts depends on your state. Most states require you to hold the intermediate license for 6 to 12 months before you can upgrade, and many set a minimum age of 17 or 18 for full privileges, whichever comes later.
Some patterns from current state laws:
- Six-month holding period in Alabama (full license at 17), Alaska (16.5 or 18), Kentucky (17 or 18), and North Carolina (16.5 or 18).
- Twelve-month holding period in California (full at 17), Illinois (17 or 18), Ohio (17), and Pennsylvania (17 or 18).
- Restrictions in place through age 18 regardless of holding time in Arkansas, Florida, and Georgia.1Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Graduated Licensing Laws
In every state, a clean record is the fastest path to unrestricted driving. Check your own state’s DMV page for the exact hours, exceptions, and holding period that apply to you, because the details shift noticeably across state lines.