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Study guide · PDF · 57 pages · 2026 edition · updated November 2026

Learner permit to full license: the graduated licensing rules of 13 states, with logs and checklists

Every state licenses teens in steps, but the ages, hours, curfews and passenger limits change at the state line. This handbook gives each of the 13 states its own chapter, from the permit to the full license, with the official source and date after every rule.

For: Parents and teens with a learner permit (or about to get one) in California, Texas, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Georgia, New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Tennessee or Michigan, and adult first-time drivers in those states.

What you get for $29, the moment you pay

  • One chapter per state for 13 states (CA, TX, FL, NY, PA, OH, NC, GA, NJ, VA, IL, TN, MI): permit age, holding period, supervised hours with night hours, who may supervise, curfews and passenger limits, every step to the full license
  • A side-by-side table of the 13 states, and a table of who may supervise a permit holder
  • A printable supervised-driving log for each state, with the columns of the form you copy the totals onto (MV-262, DL-180C, BMV 5791, DL-4A, BA-CSD and the others)
  • A parent and teen checklist per state, and a document checklist for each DMV visit
  • What delays the license in each state: tickets during the permit, suspensions, missing or wrong forms
  • A chapter for adults: can you drive alone with a permit at 18 or over 21, state by state
  • Every rule followed by its official source and the date we read it; where the official pages disagree or say nothing, we say so
  • PDF of 57 pages to read on any device or print, with 48 official and reference sources listed and dated

In brief: the Learner Permit to Full License Handbook: Graduated Licensing Rules, Supervised-Driving Logs and Parent Checklists for 13 States is a 57-page PDF (2026 edition · updated November 2026) for $29, a one-off payment with nothing added at checkout. 18 chapters, checklists and fill-in templates; every fact is followed by its source. Instant download after payment.

What's inside: the real table of contents

  1. How Graduated Licensing Works: Three Stages, Different Namesp. 4
  2. The 13 States Side by Sidep. 7
  3. California: Instruction Permit to Full Licensep. 10
  4. Texas: Learner License to Unrestricted Licensep. 13
  5. Florida: Learner's License to Class E Licensep. 16
  6. New York: Junior Permit to Senior Licensep. 19
  7. Pennsylvania: Junior Permit to Regular Licensep. 22
  8. Ohio: TIPIC to Probationary Licensep. 25
  9. North Carolina: Level 1 to Level 3p. 28
  10. Georgia: Class CP to Class Cp. 31
  11. New Jersey: Permit to Basic Licensep. 33
  12. Virginia: Learner's Permit to Driver's Licensep. 36
  13. Illinois: Permit Phase to Full Licensing Phasep. 39
  14. Tennessee: Learner Permit to Regular Licensep. 42
  15. Michigan: Level 1 to Level 3p. 45
  16. Adults: Can You Drive Alone With a Permit at 18 or Over 21?p. 48
  17. Documents to Bring: A Checklist for Each DMV Visitp. 50
  18. What Delays the License: One Sheet for All 13 Statesp. 52
  19. Sources (48, each with the date it was checked)

In pictures

Department of Motor Vehicles office sign and parking lot in Elko, Nevada
Department of Motor Vehicles office sign and parking lot in Elko, Nevada. Photo: Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
All-way stop sign at a street intersection in San Francisco, California
All-way stop sign at a street intersection in San Francisco, California. Photo: Hiya111, CC BY-SA 4.0
Driver training car with a roof sign, in traffic
Driver training car with a roof sign, in traffic. Photo: noricum from Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0

Illustrative photos, published by their authors under free licences.

Who it is for

  • Parents and guardians of a teen who is about to get, or already has, a learner permit in one of the 13 states
  • Teens (14 to 17) who want to know exactly when they can drive alone, at what hours and with whom
  • Adults (18 and older) with a first permit who want the rules for their age, including over 21
  • Families moving between two of these states who need to compare the rules

Who it is not for

  • Families in other states: the rules here cover 13 states only
  • Anyone looking for legal advice about a ticket, a suspension or a court case: ask a lawyer or the agency
  • Road test preparation (what the examiner scores, practice sessions): that is our Road Test Playbook
  • Motorcycle or commercial (CDL) permits

Questions before you buy

Isn't this free on the DMV websites?

Yes, every rule comes from an official page, and we list them all with the date we read them. What you pay for is the work: the 13 states' rules read in November 2026 (from the latest copy saved by the Internet Archive when a state site blocks automated access, with its date), put in the same order for each state, the conflicts between official pages pointed out, and the logs and checklists ready to print. If you only need one rule for one state, the DMV page is enough.

Can you drive with a permit if you are over 21?

Not alone, in any of the 13 states according to the official pages we read. At 21 and over the supervision rule still applies; what changes is who may supervise and how long you wait. The adult chapter has the rule for each state.

How late can you drive with a permit in New York?

With a junior permit, not after 9 p.m. in New York City or on Long Island, and upstate after 9 p.m. only with a parent, guardian or driving instructor. The New York chapter has the full table by region.

Is it legal advice?

No. It is information taken from the official pages, with the source after each rule. For a decision that depends on your own case (a ticket, a suspension, a move), ask the agency or a lawyer.

How is it different from the Road Test Playbook?

The Road Test Playbook prepares the road test itself: what examiners score, practice sessions, a mock test. This handbook covers the rules from the first permit to the full license: hours, limits, forms, what delays each step. Many families need both at different times.

Is it a subscription?

No. It is a one-off payment for a PDF you keep and can print.

How it works

  1. You pay on Stripe, by card or Apple Pay: one-off payment, your card details never pass through our servers.
  2. You download the PDF straight away on the confirmation page, get the link by email, and can find it again at any time (Find my purchases).
  3. Need help with your guide? Email administration@lacangel.fr with your order number: we answer every message.

Good to know before you buy

  • Written by passmock from the official sources listed in the guide (48 sources, each with the date it was read). Rules and fees can change: the guide tells you where to check.
  • passmock is not affiliated with or endorsed by any state motor vehicle agency (DMV, DPS, DDS, MVC, BMV, PennDOT or Secretary of State).
  • Guaranteed as described: email administration@lacangel.fr and we fix it, replace it or refund you (refund policy).
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