document_title: Driver's licenses in the United States

question_text: what age do you get your license in texas

text: Driver's licenses in the United States

text: History[edit]

text: In 1899 Chicago and New York City were the first locales to require testing before being allowed to drive a motor vehicle. Massachusetts and Missouri were the first U.S. states to require a license for driving a motor vehicle in 1903; however, Missouri did not require testing before a license was granted.[2]

text: Pennsylvania's 1909 licensing laws were the first to give an age restriction ("18 years of age") and the first state to allow 16-year-olds to drive (accompanied by a licensed driver) was Connecticut in 1921.[3]

text: Standard and special licenses[edit]

text:
Unrestricted Licenses are driver's licenses that most American drivers have in order to drive. Various states differ on what class they utilize to distinguish between a typical driver's license and special licenses, such as restricted, chauffeur, or motorcycle licenses. For instance, Tennessee designates Class D as a regular driver's license, while Class M is a motorcycle license and Class H is a hardship license (see below).
Hardship licenses for minors are driver's licenses that are restricted to drivers between 14 and 15 (sometimes up to 18) years old who need to drive to and from home and school due to serious hardships, e.g. the driver's family has financial or medical problems; the driver needs to get to work or school and has no other practical way of getting to work or school. A hardship license for minors is distinct from hardship licenses granted for drivers with revoked or suspended licenses.[4] The table below includes states that provide hardship licenses for minors.
Provisional Licenses are functionally the same as a driver's license, but are typically issued to new drivers under the age of 18, i.e. 14–17 years old. Almost all states, with the exception of South Dakota, have some form of a graduated licensing provision; however, the actual restrictions and the length of time a new driver must adhere to them vary widely by state. Restrictions frequently include:

A curfew, after which night driving is not permitted (unless 18 years of age, or if the individual has completed an online course) without an adult present (typically 11 p.m., like Pennsylvania, or 1 a.m., like Wisconsin). However, some states (e.g. North Carolina) have curfews as early as 9 p.m. Some states such as New York provide exceptions for special situations, such as driving home from work or school functions, picking up family members, or for medical appointments, while others such as Massachusetts do not.
Restrictions on the number of passengers under a specific age present in the vehicle. For example, in California, minors may not transport people under age 20 for the first 365 days of licensure unless said passengers are family members (brother, sister, cousin, niece, nephew, or anyone who is 21 or had their license for 1 year or longer etc.).

Chauffeur Licenses are functionally the same as a passenger car license, but also allow the holder to drive a taxi, limo, or other livery vehicle for hire. Livery licensing in the United States is somewhat complicated. In the United States, chauffeur licenses are not considered commercial or professional driver's licenses, and (assuming the driver already holds a regular passenger license) a road test is usually not required to convert it to a chauffeur license; however, some states do require a short written exam on taxi-specific driving laws and/or a background check, and require the driver to be at least 18 years of age (although many taxi companies will not hire drivers under 25 for insurance reasons). This type of license is typically, though not universally, called "Class E". Some states simply add an endorsement to a regular license, while others require no special permission at the state level to drive a taxi or limo. Florida once issued chauffeur licenses through its Class D licenses, a designation that was eliminated in 2006. Regardless of whether and how the state handles chauffeur licensing, a permit or license must always be obtained from the city, town, or county the driver will be operating in.
Motorcycle Licenses covers motorcycles only; frequently combined with a regular driver's license. In some states this does not include some types of mopeds, scooters, or motorized bicycles, but with a wide variety of different state-by-state definitions for these vehicles. A common but not universal criterion is an engine displacement of 250 cc (15 cu in) or less, but also wheel size, type of transmission, and more are sometimes used in the legal codes to distinguish mopeds and scooters from motorcycles. These vehicles sometimes do not require a motorcycle license, or in some states any license at all, as well as in some states avoiding insurance and registration requirements. Unlike EU states, no US state differentiates between low and full powered motorcycles for the purposes of licensing. Some states require an additional motorcycle license to operate a sidecar rig.[5]
Enhanced Licenses are issued to U.S. citizens in Washington, Vermont, Michigan, Minnesota, and New York, and establish nationality in addition to driving privileges. An EDL is a WHTI compliant document, acceptable for re-entering the United States via land and sea crossings from Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. A U.S. Passport, birth certificate, or another document proving citizenship is required to apply for this type of license. Motorcycle and commercial driver's licenses (see above and below) usually can also be issued as enhanced.
Handicap Permits are issued to persons who meet the proper guidelines for requiring handicap driving and parking access. They are granted special access to improve their quality of life as a driver. In certain states, namely Texas, a handicapped person's drivers license can be revoked based on their disability.[6]

text: Some states also have additional classifications. Hawaii, for example, has a separate license category for drivers who only operate mopeds, while some more northerly states have separate categories for snowmobiles and ATVs. South Carolina and Georgia have non-commercial versions of every commercial class license for agricultural purposes.

text: Commercial Driver's Licenses (CDL)[edit]

text: Class C licenses are issued in all states, except Massachusetts, in both commercial and non-commercial status. A non-commercial Class C license may not be used for hire. Most recreational vehicles that do not fall into the class D/E category, such as converted buses, tractor, lawn mowers, or full size (greater than 40 feet (12 m)) campers require a non-commercial Class C license and the corresponding permit from the state with which you reside.

text: CDL endorsements[edit]

text:
Class A: Combination (tractor plus trailer) vehicle of 26,000 pounds (12,000 kg) or more. Includes split (coupled) buses.[7]
Class B: Single (straight) vehicle of 26,000 pounds (12,000 kg) or more (includes most buses including articulated buses). Also includes combination vehicles for commercial use weighing less than 26,000 lb.[7]
Class C: Commercial vehicle that doesn't fit classes A or B, but is placarded for hazardous materials or is intended to carry more than 15 persons (excluding Georgia.) May include heavy-duty non-commercial vehicles with trailers capable of carrying over 16,000 pounds (7,300 kg), and all vehicles that can carry over 16,000 pounds (7,300 kg) but not more than 25,999 pounds (11,793 kg).[7]

text: Professional drivers are usually required to add endorsements to their CDL in order to drive certain types of vehicles that require additional training, such as those equipped with air brakes. CDL endorsements requirements are mostly similar, but some vary slightly from state to state. The training and testing requirements are regulated by the US Department of Transportation. Endorsements are as follows:[8]

text:
P: Passenger Transport (buses carrying 16 or more persons, vans for hire carrying 11 or more persons in California)
H: Hazardous Materials (requires a TSA background check as well as an extensive written exam. The driver must be a US Citizen or permanent lawful resident to obtain an H or X endorsement.)
M: Metal coil
N: Tank Vehicles (Required for carrying liquids in bulk.)
T: Double/Triple Trailers (Road trains) (Class A licenses only.)
X: Hazardous Materials and Tank Combination
L: Air Brakes
S: School Bus (In addition to a standard bus endorsement, more stringent TSA and CORI background checks are required.)

text: CDL restrictions[edit]

text: Licenses can be restricted through any of the following ways:[8]

text:
B: Corrective Lenses are required while operating a motor vehicle.
C: A mechanical aid is required to operate a commercial vehicle.
D: A prosthetic aid is required to operate a commercial vehicle.
E: The driver may only operate a commercial vehicle with an automatic transmission.
F: An outside mirror is required on the commercial vehicle.
G: The driver of a commercial vehicle is only allowed to operate during daylight hours.
K: Drivers are authorized to drive a commercial vehicle within the state of issue (intrastate) only.[9] This restriction applies to any holder of a CDL license who is under 21 years old.
L: Drivers are restricted from operating a commercial vehicle with air brakes. This restriction is issued when a driver either fails the air brake component of the general knowledge test or performs the CDL road skills test in a vehicle not equipped with air brakes.
M: CDL-A holders may operate CDL-B school buses only.
N: CDL-A and CDL-B holders may operate CDL-C school buses only.
O: Driver limited to pintail hook trailers only.
Z: Alcohol Interlock Device required in the commercial vehicle.
T: 60-day temporary license.

text: Foreign officials and diplomats[edit]

text: In a rare exception to states and territories issuing driver's licenses, the State Department's Office of Foreign Missions (OFM) issues driver's licenses to foreign officials and diplomats, bypassing the states and territories in which they live. OFM-issued driver licenses are equivalent to a regular state-issued license.[10]

text: Drivers licensing laws[edit]

text: The minimum age to obtain a restricted driver's license in the United States varies from 14 years, three months in South Dakota to as high as 17 in New Jersey. In most states, with the exception of South Dakota, a graduated licensing law applies to newly licensed teenage drivers, going by names such as Provisional Driver, Junior Operator, Probationary Driver, or Intermediate License. These licenses restrict certain driving privileges, such as whether the new driver may carry passengers and if so how many, as well as setting a curfew for young drivers to be off the roads. For example, Utah drivers who are under 18 may not drive other people outside the family in their first six months with a license. Unlike in some states of Australia and some provinces of Canada, however, graduated licensing laws do not require lowered speed limits, displaying of L and P plates, restrictions on towing a trailer or boat, or prohibitions on highway driving or operating high performance cars.

text: Drivers under 18 are usually required to attend a comprehensive driver's education program either at their high school or a professional driving school and take a certain number of behind the wheel lessons with a certified driving instructor before applying for a license. Some states like New York also require new adult drivers to attend some form of driver's education before applying for a license.[11]

text: However, in some states all newly licensed adult drivers may be on probation for a set amount of time (usually between six months and two years), during which traffic violations carry harsher penalties or mandatory suspensions that would not normally apply to experienced drivers.

text: According to federal law, the minimum age to operate a commercial vehicle in interstate transit is 21; as a result the minimum age to apply for an unrestricted commercial driver's license is 21.[12]

text: Driving a school bus also requires a CDL, however the minimum age to drive a school bus is typically higher, usually 25. Some states issue restricted intrastate commercial driver's licenses, valid for operating commercial vehicles in that state only, to drivers aged 18 and older. Professional drivers who are aged 18–20 typically cannot be licensed to drive tractor trailers, hazardous materials, or school buses.

text: Licenses for adults and minors; GDL laws[edit]

text: Below is a list of Graduated Driver's Licenses (GDL) and hardship licenses for minors laws for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The list includes the state agency responsible for issuing driver's licenses and the length of time that a full (unrestricted) driver's license is valid for.[4][13][14][15][16]

text:
State
Hardship License for Minors
Minimum Age for Learner's Permit
Minimum Age for Restricted License
Minimum Age for Full (Unrestricted) License
Validity of Full (Unrestricted) License
Notes

Alabama Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division [17]
No
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000400000000000000♠4 years
Restricted license achievable after reaching age 16 and holding permit for six months. No driving from midnight to 6:00 a.m. and no more than three passengers for six months or reaching age 17, whichever is sooner. The learner must also log 30 practice hours or take driver training with permit.

Alaska Department of Administration, Division of Motor Vehicles [18]
No
14 years
16 years
16 years, 6 months
7000500000000000000♠5 years
The license holder must log 40 practice hours, become 16, and have had a permit for six months to get a restricted license. No passengers under 21 and no driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. until holding license for six months or reaching age 18, whichever is sooner.

Arizona Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division [19]
No
15 years, 6 months
16 years
16 years, 6 months
7001120000000000000♠12 years; expires when driver turns 65 years of age, then 5 years upon renewal.
The license holder must log 30 practice hours or take driver education. No more than one passenger allowed in the vehicle or driving between 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. until reaching age 18 or holding license for six months, whichever is sooner.

Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Office of Driver Services [20]
No
14 years
16 years
18 years
7000400000000000000♠8 years
Learner's permit must be held for six months and the driver must reach the age of 16.

California Department of Motor Vehicles [21]
Yes, see notes.
15 years, 6 months
16 years
17 years
7000500000000000000♠5 years
Permit upon completion of driver's education registration; cannot drive with a permit without a parent, guardian, or licensed adult aged 25 or older. Restrictions include not being able to drive anyone under the age of 20 and not being able to drive between the hours of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for one year after receiving the license or upon reaching age 18, whichever is sooner.[22][23] Learner's permit must be held for six months and learner must log 50 practice hours.
Note: In California, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, the minor must be at least 14 but under the age of 18. The pertinent form is DL120 and is entitled "Junior Permit Statement of Facts".[24]

Colorado Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles [25]
No
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000500000000000000♠5 years
Learner's permit must be held for one year. 50 practice hours must be logged, 10 of which must be at night. Drivers under 18 cannot have any passengers under 21 for the first 6 months of being licensed, unless it's an immediate family member. At 6 months 1 passenger under 21 is allowed and unrestricted after 1 year. Driving between midnight and 5 a.m. is also prohibited until the driver has been licensed for one year or turns 18.

Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles [26]
No
16 years
16 years, 4 months
18 years
7000600000000000000♠Either 4 or 6 years, at the discretion of the driver
Learner's permit must be held for four months and driver must log 40 practice hours. No passengers under 20 for six months, no driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. until the driver turns 18.

Delaware Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles [27]
No
16 years
16 years, 6 months
17 years
7000800000000000000♠8 years
Permit must be held for six months. Learner must have 50 practice hours. No driving from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. or any more than one passenger for six months.

District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles [28]
No
16 years
16 years, 6 months
18 years
7000500000000000000♠5 years
Learner's permit must be held for six months and have 40 practice hours before obtaining provisional license. Provisional license must be held for six months and have 10 practice hours of nigh-time driving before obtaining a regular driver's license. Restrictions remain in effect upon issuance of regular driver's license until reaching age 18.

Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles [29]
No
15 years
16 years
18 years
7000800000000000000♠8 years
Permit required for one year if under 18 years of age. 16 years - No 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. driving for one year unless with 21 year or older licensed driver or driving to and from work. 17 years - No 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. driving for one year unless with 21 year or older licensed driver or driving to and from work.[note 1]

Georgia Department of Driver Services [30]
Yes, see notes.
15 years
16 years
18 years
7000800000000000000♠8 years
Permit must be held for one year and learner must have 40 practice hours. One passenger under the age of 18 for first six months or 1000 miles. Up to three passengers permitted for the following six months or 1000 miles. After that no more than four passengers until reaching age 18. Also, driver may not drive from 1 a.m to 6 a.m. until reaching age 18. For more information visit.[31]
Note: In Georgia, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, the minor must have a suspended license due to school conduct or attendance problems and needs an exemption in order to get to and from school or for family medical reasons. The minor must be old enough to already have a license. The pertinent form is DDS 7012.[32]

Hawaii (Each island has its own requirements regarding driver's licenses. For Hawaii, Maui, and Kaua'i, as well as the City and County of Honolulu, see [33])
No
15 years, 6 months
16 years
17 years
7000800000000000000♠8 years
Permit must be held for six months. Only one passenger under 18 or driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for one year or upon age 18, whichever is sooner.

Idaho Transportation Department, Division of Motor Vehicles [34]
No
14 years, 6 months
15 years
16 years
7000400000000000000♠4 years (if driver is aged 21 to 62, driver may opt for the license to be valid for either 4 or 8 years)
Permit must be held for six months. Learner must log 50 practice hours. Those under 17 must complete an accredited driver training program to receive an instruction permit. Those under 16 may only drive during daylight hours, unless supervised by a licensed driver 21 or over. For the first six months of license possession, the driver is only able to carry one non-family member under age 17 in their car.

Illinois Secretary of State, Driver Services Department [35]
No
15 years
16 years
18 years
7000400000000000000♠4 years
If under 18, applicants must complete 50 hours of driving, complete driver's education, show proof of enrollment in school and hold permit for nine months before one can apply for license. If convicted of a moving violation during permit phase, the 9-month waiting period restarts. Anyone under 18 cannot drive between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Monday - Thursday or 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Friday - Saturday. If the teenage driver is coming from a job, school activity, or a family oriented place, this curfew is extended with proof of being there until the time of the event being over. Drivers under 18 for the first 12 months or until the driver turns 18, whichever occurs first, are allowed one passenger under the age of 18 unless those being transported are immediate family members or over 18.
Driver must have not been convicted of a moving violation in the six months prior to turning 18 to receive full license privileges. If a driver is convicted of a moving violation in the first full year of licensing, this will result in extension of the passenger restriction for an additional six months. If a driver is convicted of a moving violation before turning 18, the Secretary of State will mail a warning letter to the driver and parents. If an under 18 driver is convicted of two moving violations in 24 months, this will result in a minimum 1-month license suspension.

Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles [36]
No
15 years
16 years, 3 months
18 years
7000600000000000000♠6 years
Learner's Permit must be held for 180 days and learner must be 16 and 90 days before getting a restricted license. If the learner is younger than 18 years of age on receiving the driver's license, it is considered probationary. Holders of a probationary driver's license must observe the following regulations:
The driver may not use any telecommunication device while operating the vehicle. For the first 180 days of holding their license, the driver may not have any passengers, unless the passengers are over the age of 25 and hold a valid driver's license. Holders of a probationary driver's license must comply with state and local curfew laws.[37]

Iowa Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Division, Office of Driver Services [38]
Yes, see notes
14 years
16 years
17 years
7000500000000000000♠2 years (16-18); 5 years (18-70); 2 years (70 and older)
Permit must be held for six months and learner must be 16. Learner must also log at least 20 practice hours. Restricted drivers can not drive between 12:30 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. unless there is a parent/guardian, immediate family member over 21, or a designated adult over 25. The driver may drive between these times if they are granted a waiver for travel to and from work or school related activities. The number of passengers is limited to the number of seat belts. Full license at 17 years old if the driver has no violation and accident free for 12 consecutive months, otherwise they must be 18 years old. Iowa driver's licenses can vary from two years to a maximum of five years; the license drops to a maximum term of two years after the individual holding the license reaches the age of 70.[39]
Note: In Iowa, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, called a Minor School License (MSL), the minor must be at minimum 14 and a half years old, the minor must have completed an Iowa-approved drivers education class unless exempted due to hardship, the minor must have a valid instruction permit for the previous six months, the minor's driving history must be free of convictions for moving traffic violations, contributive accidents and license withdrawals during the six-month period immediately preceding application, and the minor must live at least one mile or more from the school he or she is enrolled in. The pertinent form is Form 430021, entitled "Affidavit for School License", but the form must be completed by the school and signed by the minor's parent(s) or legal guardian(s).[40]

Kansas Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles [41]
Yes, Farm Permit, see notes
14 years
16 years
16 years, 6 months
7000600000000000000♠6 years
A farm permit shall entitle the licensee, who is at least 14 years of age, but less than 16 years of age, to operate the appropriate motor vehicles at any time: while going to or from or in connection with any farm job, employment or other farm-related work; on days while school is in session, over the most direct and accessible route between the licensee's residence and school of enrollment for the purpose of school attendance; when the licensee is operating a passenger car at any time when accompanied by an adult who is the holder of a valid commercial driver's license, class A, B or C driver's license and who is actually occupying a seat beside the driver.
Permit must be held for six months. After logging 20 daytime and five nighttime hours of driving, if the learner is between age 15 and 16 the learner has the option of getting a restricted license. The learner must then log an additional 20 daytime and five nighttime practice hours and reach age 16 before getting a less restricted license. Applicant must provide affidavit showing at least 50 hours of adult supervised driving, with ten of those hours being at night, by a licensed driver at least 21 years old. At age 17, a full-privileges license may be obtained with the same requirements as the semi-restricted license.[42] Nonresident: At least 16 years of age and has in immediate possession a valid license issued by home state or country.[43]

Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, Division of Driver Licensing [44]
No
16 years
16 years, 6 months
17 years
7000400000000000000♠4 years
Learner's permit must be held for six months and learner must log 60 practice hours. No driving from midnight to 6 a.m. and no more than one passenger under 20 for six months or reaching age 18, whichever is sooner.

Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections, Office of Motor Vehicles [45]
No
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000400000000000000♠6 years
Learners's Permit (Age 15): Must complete 30 hours of classroom instruction and eight hours behind the wheel driving instruction. May not drive without a licensed driver over 21 or a licensed sibling over 18.
Intermediate License (Age 16): Must have completed the Learners's Permit requirements, pass the on-road drivers test, and have the Learner's Permit for at least 90 days. May not drive between the hours of 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Full License (Age 17): Must successfully complete Learner's Permit and Intermediate License stages or be a minimum of 17 years of age prior to application for the first time.

Maine Secretary of State, Bureau of Motor Vehicles [46]
No
15 years
16 years
16 years, 9 months
7000600000000000000♠6 years
Learner must have permit for six months, be 16, and have 35 practice hours. Only immediate family and no driving from midnight to 5 a.m. for nine months or reaching age 18, whichever is sooner. Under 18 may not use cell phone while driving.

Maryland Department of Transportation, Motor Vehicle Administration [47]
No
15 years, 9 months
16 years, 6 months
18 years
7000800000000000000♠8 years
Learner must hold permit for nine months and log 60 practice hours. Anyone under 18 years of age with a provisional license may not carry passengers under 18 for the first five months of having the license or drive between midnight and 5 a.m. In Maryland, all new drivers regardless of age hold a provisional license for 18 months, but for adult drivers, the passenger and time restrictions do not apply (however the enhanced penalties do.)

Massachusetts Department of Transportation, Registry of Motor Vehicles [48]
No
16 years
16 years, 6 months
18 years
7000500000000000000♠5 years
Learner must complete driver's education, hold their permit for six months incident free (no accidents, no citations, no warnings), and log 40 practice hours with a licensed driver over 21. Junior operators cannot drive between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by their parent or legal guardian, or 1 a.m. if on their way home. Massachusetts law provides no exceptions for employment, education, or medical reasons. Additionally, junior operators cannot drive with passengers under the age of 18 (except immediate family members) unless accompanied by a licensed driver of 21 within the first six months of obtaining a License. The Massachusetts JOL law also takes a zero-tolerance stance towards speeding, drivers under 18 caught speeding are subject to a mandatory 90-day suspension for the first offense accompanied by a mandatory road rage education class and a mandatory retake of the both permit and road tests. A one-year revocation is mandatory for the second and each subsequent offense.[49] Drivers under the age of 18 may not use a mobile phone or any other mobile electronic device while driving, except in emergencies.[50]

Michigan Secretary of State [51]
Yes, see notes.
14 years, 9 months
16 years
17 years
7000400000000000000♠4 years
Learner must reach age 16, have permit for six months, and log 50 practice hours. To obtain a Level 1 License (Learner's Permit) the learner is required to complete Segment 1 of a Driver's Education Course. A Level 2 License (Junior License) permits the holder to drive unaccompanied with up to one person not in immediate family except between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver over 21 or driving to or from work, school sanctioned event, organized activity, or religious event.[52]
Note: In Michigan, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, the minor, who is at least 14 years old, must be living on a family-owned farm, the minor's family income must meet specific levels depending on the number of family members, there must be a significant change in the farming operation, i.e. the loss of a previous driver, to warrant requesting a minor restricted license, and the minor has no alternative transportation available. The pertinent form is entitled "Application for Minor Restricted License Special Farming Need Only".[53] Due to the expense of the graduated licensing system (including driver education, it can reach upwards of $500 for the entire process), most poorer Michigan residents wait until they are 18, spend $11 to get the Temporary Instruction Permit, and then take a road test, which is no higher than $50.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Division of Driver and Vehicle Services [54]
Yes, see notes.
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000400000000000000♠4 years
Permit must be held for six months and learner must reach age 16 and log 40 practice hours. (50 if a supplemental parent course is not completed.) No cell phone usage before age 18, all passengers must wear seat belts. Effective August 1, 2008: junior operators can drive with minor passengers now. Driving curfew from midnight to 5 a.m. for first six months. Exceptions to these rules are traveling from home to place of employment, school, school events that offer no transportation, or other employment reasons.
Note: In Minnesota, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, called a Restricted Farm Work License, the minor must be at least 15 years old and need the license to help a parent or legal guardian on a farm. The pertinent form is the Farm Work License Affidavit.[55]

Mississippi Department of Public Safety [56]
No
15 years
16 years
16 years, 6 months
7000800000000000000♠Either 4 or 8 years, at the discretion of the driver
Must hold a learner's permit for one year before applying for an intermediate license, and is restricted for use between hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Missouri Department of Revenue [57]
No
15 years
16 years
17 years, 11 months
7000600000000000000♠6 years
Must hold a learner's permit for six months before applying for an intermediate license. 40 hours of driving instruction are required including ten hours at night and reaching of age 16 and holding the permit for six months to be eligible for the restricted license. Restrictions include no driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless required for school and work. Exceptions include school events and driving to and from place to place. limitations of one passenger under 19 for the first six months after the license is issued and three passengers thereafter, and there must be no traffic or alcohol offenses for one year to advance to the full license.[58] The State recently passed a measure mandating all Missouri drivers tests be given in only English or American Sign Language (ASL); the law has yet to be passed.

Montana Department of Justice, Motor Vehicle Division [59]
No
14 years, 6 months
15 years
16 years
7000800000000000000♠Expires at age 21; 8 years (ages 21-67); expires at age 75 (ages 68-74); 4 years (75 and older)[60]
Permit must be held for six months. Learner must log 50 practice hours. No driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for one year. No more than one unrelated passenger under 18 for first six months. No more than three unrelated passengers under 18 for second six months.
Note: The validity periods to the left are for Class D licenses.

Nebraska Department of Motor Vehicles [61]
Yes, see notes.
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000500000000000000♠5 years
Learner must log 50 hours of practice, hold permit for six months, and reach age 16. Must have restricted license for at least one year before applying for your first unrestricted permit. Only one passenger under 19 allowed for first month. No driving from midnight to 6 a.m. for one year.
Note: In Nebraska, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, both a School Learners Permit and a School Permit will be issued. A minor, who is at a minimum 14 years old, must have a School Learners Permit for at least 2 months before getting a School Permit. A School Permit will be issued for a minor, who is at a minimum age of 14 years, 2 months, who lives at least a mile and a half or more from school, who resides outside of a city with 5,000 people or more, or who attends a school outside a city of 5,000 people or more. The School Permit is to be used for the purpose of transporting the minor or any family member who resides with the minor to attend school, extracurricular, or school-related activities at the school, and the minor may drive under the personal supervision of a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old. If a minor has not completed a DMV-approved Driver Safety Course, then the minor is required to compile 50 hours of driving time with a parent, guardian or licensed driver 21 years or older. Information about the School Learners Permit and School Permit can be found here at [62] and the certification of 50 hours of driving time is located at.[63]

Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles [64]
Yes, see notes.
15 years, 6 months
16 years
18 years
7000400000000000000♠4 years
Learner must have 50 practice hours and hold permit for six months. Underage drivers may not transport passengers under 18 for the first six months of being licensed, and may not drive between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. until they turn 18 (except with a letter from a school official or employer.) Additional restrictions apply in Las Vegas and Reno.
Note: In Nevada, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, a minor restricted license cannot be approved for commercial driving purposes, to seek employment, or for public school students in Carson City, Clark, Douglas, or Washoe counties; workdays and hours are limited to a maximum of six (6) days per week, ten (10) hours per day; a physician’s statement is required if a minor is driving for medical purposes; a "Verification of Need" affidavit must be completed by an unbiased individual (a member of the clergy or a social worker, etc.) and signed in front of a DMV authorized representative or notary public official if a minor is driving for medical appointments or to go to a grocery store; school authorities and parents/guardians must complete certain sections if a minor is driving to school. The form is entitled "Restricted License Information".[65]

New Hampshire Department of Safety, Division of Motor Vehicles, Driver Licensing Office
No
15 years, 6 months
16 years
18 years
7000500000000000000♠5 years
Learner's Permit - No formal learner's permit is required in NH,  15 1⁄2-year-olds may drive so long as they are accompanied by a licensed driver aged 25 or older.[66]
Restricted License - "Youth Operator Licenses" are issued to those between 16 and 21 years of age and expire when the person turns 21 years old (although drivers may operate unrestricted after they reach their 18th birthday). 16 and 17 years old applicants must obtain written consent from a parent or legal guardian, and a certificate of successful completion of a driver education course as provided in RSA 263:19. Youth Operators under 18 years are restricted from operating a motor vehicle in the following manner: between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m.; the number of occupants exceeds the number of safety restraints in the vehicle; during the first six months after issuance of the license with more than one passenger less than 25 years of age who is not a member of the holder's family unless accompanied by a licensed responsible adult who is at least 25 years of age.
The director of motor vehicles can issue a hardship license for a person between 16 and 18 who hasn't completed a driver's education course, if there is no readily available means of transportation exist to and from a school and the license requirements of RSA 263:14 would cause an undue hardship.[67]

New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission [68]
No
16 years
17 years
18 years
7000400000000000000♠4 years
Learner must reach age 17 and have had a permit for six months. No driving between 11:01 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Driver may not drive with more than one additional passenger in the car unless the accompanying driver is the guardian to the permit holder, other than parents, guardians, or dependents, until a Basic License is obtained, which the minimum age to receive is 18. Since May 1, 2010, Kyleigh's Law took place, it requires any driver under age 21, who holds a permit or probationary (formerly provisional) driver license, buy a $4.00 pair of decals and display them on the top left corner of the front and rear license plates of their vehicles. Despite having over 250000 drivers that are required to display the decals, less than 80000 have been sold.[69] As some of the 80000 decals sold are for drivers with multiple cars, it is estimated that 75% of provisional drivers ignore this law.[70] All passengers must wear seatbelt.

New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division [71]
No
15 years
15 years, 6 months
16 years, 6 months
7000800000000000000♠Either 4 or 8 years, at the discretion of the driver up to age 75.
Licenses are 1-year, with passage of an eye exam required for renewal, for drivers age 75 and older.
Learner must log 50 hours of practice and hold permit for six months. No driving from midnight to 5 a.m. and no more than one passenger under age 21 for one year after receiving license.

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles [72]
No
16 years
16 years, 6 months
17 years
7000800000000000000♠8 years
The New York State DMV divides the state into three regions: New York City, Long Island (Nassau/Suffolk), and "All Other Counties (includes Westchester and Rockland counties)".
Learner Permits: NYC has the toughest regulations of the regions, requiring an instructor's brake to be installed, and the accompanying driver must be a parent or professional instructor (driving school/driver's ed teacher), and prohibits driving between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. On Long Island, one must be accompanied by a guardian or professional instructor, and may not drive between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. In the rest of the state, one may drive while accompanied by a licensed driver over 21 from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.; other hours require parent or professional accompaniment.
Junior operator licenses (Class DJ or MJ) allows unaccompanied driving from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., driving outside these hours is permitted only to or from school, employment, or documented medical appointments, unless the driver is accompanied by their parent, legal guardian, or a certified driving instructor. Once someone acquires a junior license he/she is able to drive to and from school with the same restrictions on passengers as driving anywhere else with a junior license.
Adolescent drivers must have their permit accident and ticket free for six full months before taking their road test, along with the completion at least 50 hours of supervised driving, 15 of which must be in moderate to heavy traffic.
A full driver's education course is not required in New York, although license applicants who do not have a driver's ed certificate must complete a five-hour pre-licensing course. For 17-year-olds, a junior license will be converted to a full standard license if the driver submits a Driver's Ed Certificate and a certified completion of 50 hours of driving plus 15 in moderate to heavy traffic. Otherwise, it will be converted on the driver's 18th birthday. A 12 a.m. curfew exists for drivers who have not completed the driver's ed program.[citation needed]

North Carolina Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles [73]
No
15 years
16 years
16 years, 6 months
7000800000000000000♠8 years (ages 18–65); 5 years (age 66 or older)[74]
Driver's education required for a Learner Permit to be issued. Permit must be held for twelve months with the last six months accident and point-free before obtaining a Limited Provisional License. Limited Provisional license holders cannot drive between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless attending a school event (including sporting events, school dances, school concerts etc.), and a limit of one non-family member passenger under 21 applies. A Full Provisional License can be obtained after holding a Limited Provisional license for six months without an accident or points added to the license, and this license removes the time of day and passenger restrictions, but some restrictions remain until the license holder turns eighteen.

North Dakota Department of Transportation, Driver License Division [75]
No
14 years
15 years
16 years
7000600000000000000♠6 years
Those under 16 who have a license may only drive a car that is their parents'. Licensed drivers under the age of 16 may not drive with more passengers than the vehicle manufacturer's suggested capacity, no unsupervised driving between sunset or 9:00 PM whichever is later and 5:00 AM unless the driver is driving directly to or from work, official school activity, or religious activity.

Ohio Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Motor Vehicles [76]
Yes, see notes.
15 years, 6 months
16 years
18 years
7000400000000000000♠4 years (age 21 and up); until the 21st birthday (ages 16–20)
Learner must log 50 practice hours and hold permit for six months, if under 18. Those who are  15 1⁄2 with a valid learners permit may only drive with a parent or a drivers education instructor with a valid driver license. Those who are 16 and over with a learners permit may drive with anyone who is over 21 with a valid driver license. Drivers under 18 must complete driver's education. 18 and over have no permit hold time, driver education or practice time requirements.
Under 17 either with a learner's permit or a driver license cannot drive between midnight and 6 a.m., under 18 either with a learner's permit or a driver license cannot drive between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. Drivers under 17 may only have one non-family member under the age of 21 in the vehicle; no restrictions on family members or those over 21. 18 and over have full license privileges and have no time or passenger restrictions. Special restricted license can drive after hours for purposes of employment, education, travel between home and school, vocational training, employment opportunities, and attending church services.
Note: In Ohio, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, the minor, aged 14 or 15 years old, must be the only licensed driver in the household; any other licensed driver will be required to surrender his or her driver license; a hardship license may not be used for the child to drive themselves or siblings to and from school, work or social and school events; the license is valid only within a 10-mile radius of the home for obtaining groceries and other household necessities, to drive the disabled parent or guardian to medical appointments and medical emergencies; the parent or guardian must accompany the child at all times while driving; the family must live in an area where there is no public transportation or community services available to assist them; the parent or guardian must show proof that they can maintain financial responsibility insurance on the driver; the child must complete a driver education course and the graduated licensing requirements. To apply for a hardship license for a minor in Ohio, a minor and his or her family can send a letter to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, P.O. Box 16784, Attention Driver License Special Case Division/Medical Unit, Columbus, Ohio, 43216-6784; the letter must explain the hardship and provide the BMV with the minor's full name, date of birth, social security number and the names, dates of birth and social security numbers of any licensed drivers in the household; the BMV must also receive a notarized statement advising that any other driver(s) in the home would be willing to surrender their driver licenses if a hardship license were to be issued; before a hardship license is authorized, an investigation is conducted to assist the BMV in determining whether the household qualifies.

Oklahoma Department of Public Safety [77]
No
15 years, 6 months
16 years
16 years, 6 months
7000400000000000000♠4 years
Learner must have 40 practice hours and hold permit for six months. Intermediate drivers cannot drive more than a single passenger of any age (family excluded) or drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless there is a licensed driver present or until the driver is 18 years of age and has a GDL (Graduated Driver's License).

Oregon Department of Transportation, Driver and Motor Vehicle Services Division [78]
No
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000800000000000000♠8 years
Learner must be 16, have had permit for six months and have either completed an ODOT approved driving course and 50 hours behind the wheel outside of class or 100 practice hours. Driving between midnight and 5 a.m. is prohibited during the first year of holding the license unless going between home, school, or work. No passengers under 20 for the first six months of being licensed (except family members.) For another six months, no more than three passengers under 20. All Passengers must wear seat belts. Small children must be in Approved car seats According to their size and age.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Driver and Vehicle Services [79]
No
16 years
16 years, 6 months
17 years, 6 months
7000400000000000000♠4 years
Those with a learner's permit must drive with an adult 21 years of age or older. The adult the learner's permit holder is driving with must have a valid driver's license in any U.S. state or the District of Columbia. It is required that a permit holder doesn't only get practice driving in perfect conditions, but also with driving at night and driving in inclement weather. Permit holders are also required to get practice driving on limited-access highways. A classroom driver's education course may be taken by 10th grade students in Pennsylvania, since that is the year when most students will turn 16 years old and will be getting their permit. Permit must be held for six months and the holder must log 65 practice hours before issuance of restricted license. Those with a restricted license may not drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless a family member 18 years or older is present. Exceptions to this curfew include school-sponsored events, religious events, work, and volunteer firefighters. Only one non-family passenger under the age of 18 is permitted for the first six months of holding a junior license. Only three non-family passengers permitted until the driver turns 18. A restricted license automatically becomes an unrestricted license on the learner's 18th birthday.[80]

Rhode Island Department of Revenue, Division of Motor Vehicles [81]
No
16 years
16 years, 6 months
17 years, 6 months
7000500000000000000♠5 years
Learner must hold permit for six months and have 50 practice hours. Junior operator under the age of 18 may not drive between the hours of 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. or carry more than one passenger under age 21 for one year or until they turn 18, whichever is sooner.
Special restricted license can drive after hours for purposes of employment, education, travel between home and school, vocational training, employment opportunities, and attending church services.[82]

South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles [83]
No
15 years
15 years, 6 months
16 years, 6 months
7001100000000000000♠10 years, with a vision exam required every 5 years
A 16-year-old may apply on a restricted license for permission to drive between the hours of 6 p.m. and midnight. 16-year-old drivers who have held the Beginner Permit for a minimum of 180 days or hold a conditional license are eligible for the Special Restricted License.
Applicants for the Special Restricted License must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian during the application process to sign the Special Restricted License application.
Applicants must bring their Beginner Permit and submit a PDLA form certifying the following:

Certification of School Attendance
Certification of Driver Education Course
Certification of Driver Practice
All three of these certifications can be submitted on one form offered at the South Carolina DMV website at this website.

Teen drivers applying for the Special Restricted License must pass a vision screening and the DMV road test. Special Restricted License holders may drive unaccompanied from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or until 8:00 p.m. during daylight saving time.
Outside of those hours the teen driver may drive until midnight if accompanied by a licensed driver that is a minimum of 21 years of age.
Between midnight and 4:00 a.m. a Special Restricted License holder must be accompanied by a licensed parent or legal guardian.
Special Restricted License holders may receive an exception for these time restrictions if they can prove that the restrictions interfere with employment, education, travel between home and school, vocational training, employment opportunities, or attending church services.
Teen drivers must submit two statements to qualify the exception. One of the statements must be from a parent or legal guardian and the other must be a statement on letterhead from a school official or your employer.
The statements must describe the reason the waiver is needed.
Passengers under the age of 21 are limited to two unless they are immediate family members or students be transported to or from school or the license holder is accompanied by a licensed driver that is a minimum of 21 years of age.
Teen drivers that hold the Special Restricted License for 16-year-olds for one year without a conviction for a traffic violation and have not been at-fault in an accident may obtain full driving privileges when they reach the age of 17.

South Dakota Department of Public Safety [84]
No
14 years
14 years, 3 months
16 years
7000500000000000000♠5 years
Learner can either take driver training and hold permit for three months or not take the course and hold permit for six months. Under 16 may not drive from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, Driver License Services [85]
Yes, see notes.
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000500000000000000♠8 years
Learner must have permit for six months and log 50 hours of practice driving. No driving from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. or more than one passenger for one year or until reaching age 18, whichever is sooner.
Note: In Tennessee, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, called a Class H license, if the minor is aged 14 or 15, the minor can operate a Class D passenger vehicle or Class M motorcycle (limited to 125 cc) or both; the minor must pass a vision screening, knowledge test, and road test to operate a Class D passenger vehicle; take the Class M knowledge and driving test in addition to the Class D knowledge test to drive a Class M vehicle; be limited to daylight hours only (5 am to 7 pm, no exceptions) and authorized locations only within a 25-mile radius from the minor's residence, as specified in the Department of Safety (DOS) letter. If the minor who has a Class H license is aged 15, the minor is treated the same as a Class PD (learners permit) license who drives with a licensed driver 21 years or older who sits in the front passenger seat. A Class H license will expire on the minor's 16th birthday. More information can be found at [86] and the form for application for a hardship license is located at.[87]

Texas Department of Public Safety [88]
Yes, see notes.
15 years
16 years
18 years
7000600000000000000♠6 years (84 and younger); 2 years (85 and older)[89]
Learner's must complete the classroom portion of driver training to receive a permit. Permit holders must be with someone age 21 while driving, also must be held for six months and learner must reach age 16 to get restricted license. Drivers with a restricted license may drive with no more than one other person until the TRC 545.424 expires, may not drive from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., and cannot use a cell phone while driving for the first six months. As of March 1, 2010, anyone age 18 through 24 must complete an approved driver education course and driving skills test to become licensed in the state of Texas in accordance with Texas Senate Bill 1317.[90] Provisions of this law only apply to first-time Texas driver's license applicants.
Note: In Texas, for a minor to obtain a hardship license, the minor must be aged 14 to 18 years old; must have an unusual economic hardship on the minor's family, the sickness or illness of a member of the minor's family, or he or she is regularly enrolled in a vocational education program and requires a driver license to pursue the program and has completed an approved course in driver education. To obtain the pertinent form, called the DL 77 form, go to.[91]

Utah Department of Public Safety, Driver License Division [92]
No
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000400000000000000♠5 years
Drivers under 17 may not drive between midnight and 4 a.m. If under 18, must hold learner permit for six months and log 40 practice hours. Under 18, for the first six months no passengers that are not immediate family members; unless there is a licensed driver 21 years or older, or driver reaches age 18.

Vermont Agency of Transportation, Department of Motor Vehicles [93]
No
15 years
16 years
16 years, 6 months
7000400000000000000♠Either 2 or 4 years, at the discretion of the driver
Learner must hold permit for one year and log 40 practice hours. Junior operators may not carry any passengers (including siblings) for the first 90 days after receiving their license, and immediate family members only for the second three months (passenger restrictions are waived if accompanied by a parent or another licensed adult aged 25 or older.[94])

Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles [95]
No
15 years, 6 months
16 years, 3 months
18 years
7000800000000000000♠8 years
Learner must hold permit for nine months and log 45 supervised driving hours, 15 of which must be at night. Under 18 may not carry more than one minor passenger for the first six months of being licensed and no more than three passengers until reaching age 18. All minors subject to a curfew between midnight to 4:00 a.m. until reaching age 18.

Washington Department of Licensing [96]
No
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000600000000000000♠ Transitioning to 6 years (from 5 years), for load balancing about 20% of drivers will be randomly selected for a shorter renewal period during the transition phase.
Learner must reach age 16, hold permit for six months, and log 50 hours of practice driving. For the first six months, no driving with any passengers who are under 20 years old who are not members of the learner's immediate family. For the first year, no driving between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless with a licensed driver age 25 or older. After two violations of the restrictions, the driver's license is suspended for six months or until their 18th birthday (whichever is sooner). Also, a single traffic violation will extend the second phase (no more than three passengers under 20 and still no driving from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.) until age 18 if license had not been held for one year before the traffic violation.

West Virginia Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles [97]
No
15 years
16 years
17 years
7000500000000000000♠5 years
Learner must reach age 16, hold permit for six months, and log 50 hours of practice or take driver education. No passengers under age 19 or driving from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. for one year.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation, Division of Motor Vehicles [98]
Yes, see notes.
15 years, 6 months
16 years
16 years, 9 months
7000800000000000000♠8 years
Learner must hold permit for six months and log 30 hours of practice. Passenger and nighttime driving restrictions removed after nine months, or upon reaching the age of 18 whichever is sooner. All first license holders, regardless of age, and out-of-state transfers under 21 or with less than three years' experience are initially issued probationary licenses valid for a three-year period and are subject to enhanced penalties after the first moving violation.
Note: In Wisconsin, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, the minor must be at least 14 years of age, but under the age of 18; must appear in person, accompanied by his or her parent or legal guardian, before an examining officer with a birth certificate showing the minor is at least 14 years old; must have the usage of an automobile, farm truck, dual purpose farm truck, motorcycle with an engine of no more than 125 cc, moped, or motor bicycle owned and registered by the applicant's parent or guardian, or a farm truck leased to the applicant's parent or guardian; must pass an examination, including a test of the applicant's ability to safely operate the type of vehicle for which the minor is requesting the ability to use. The hardship license is valid only until the minor secures a full (unrestricted) driver's license or reaches the age of 18, whichever comes first. The minor is not permitted to drive in hours of darkness or in a city of more than 500,000 people; operate either a commercial vehicle or vehicle for hire (e.g. a taxicab). These restrictions are provided in Section 343.08 of the Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations.[99]

Wyoming Department of Transportation, Driver Services Program [100]
Yes, see notes.
15 years
16 years
16 years, 6 months
7000800000000000000♠8 years
Learner must reach age 16 and log 50 practice hours. No more than one passenger under 18 or driving from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. for the first six months or until reaching age 17, whichever is sooner.
Note: In Wyoming, to obtain a hardship license for a minor, the minor must be aged 14 or 15 years, the minor's residence is more than 5 miles from the school they attend; the minor has a regular job (a minimum of 10 hours per week) more than 5 miles from the minor’s residence; the minor must have a license to work in his/her parents’ business; any other circumstances which the Wyoming Highway Patrol (WHP) finds to be an extreme inconvenience, i.e. the need to provide transportation for long-term medical treatment or conditions (not to include routine medical office visits). Instructions accompanying the Restricted License Affidavit must be read, the Restricted License Affidavit itself must be filled out, a school attendance verification form must be attached, if the license is to be used for transportation to or from school, or in conjunction with extracurricular school activities, a work verification form must be attached, if the license is to be used for transportation to and from work; a verification of parental ownership of business form must be attached, if the license is to be used in conjunction with a parental business; an insurance verification form must be completed and attached; the Restrictions form must be completed by the WHP. More information can be found at.[101] The instructions accompanying the Restricted License Affidavit can be found at.[102] The Restricted License Affidavit itself can be found at,[103] the School Attendance Verification form at,[104] the Work Verification form at,[105] the Verification of Parental Ownership of Business form at,[106] the Insurance Verification form at,[107] and the Restrictions form (only to be filled out by the WHP) at.[108]

text: Decline in licensing among young people in the U.S.[edit]

text: According to a December 2, 2004, Los Angeles Times article, only 43% of American 15-, 16-, and 17-year-olds had licenses in 2002.[109] By comparison, the percentage in 1982 was 52%.[citation needed]

text: Use as identification and proof of age[edit]

text: Driver's licenses issued in the United States have a number or alphanumeric code issued by the issuing state's department of motor vehicles (or equivalent), usually show a photograph of the bearer, as well as a copy of his or her signature, the address of his or her primary residence, the type or class of license, restrictions and/or endorsements (if any), the physical characteristics of the bearer (such as height, weight, hair color, and eye color), and birth date. No two driver's license numbers issued by a state are alike. Social Security numbers are now prohibited by federal law from appearing on new driver's licenses, due to identity theft concerns. In most states, to be compliant with AAMVA standards, the orientation of a driver's license for persons under the age of 21 is vertical while a driver's license for those over the age of 21 is horizontal. Since the driver's license is often used as proof of a person's age, the difference in orientation makes it easy to determine that a person is legally allowed to purchase or consume alcohol (the drinking age in all U.S. states is 21). Some states, however, do not require that a driver's license is changed to horizontal, such as Arizona, where it is optional to change to a horizontal license. Furthermore, the vertical license does not expire until age 65 in the state of Arizona. Most states require that when a driver establishes residence in a state, he or she must obtain a license issued by that state within a certain time frame.[citation needed]

text: Because there is no national identity card in the United States, the driver's license is often used as the de facto equivalent for completion of many common business and governmental transactions. As a result, driver's licenses are the focus of many kinds of identity theft. Driver's licenses were not always identification cards. In many states, driver's licenses did not even have a photograph well into the 1980s. Activism by the Mothers Against Drunk Driving organization for the use of photo ID age verification in conjunction with increasing the drinking age to 21 in order to reduce underage drinking led to photographs being added to all state licenses. New York and Tennessee were the last states to add photos in 1986. However, New Jersey later allowed drivers to get non-photo licenses; this was later revoked.[110] Vermont license holders have the option of receiving a non-photo license.[citation needed] All Tennessee drivers aged 60 years of age or older had the option of a non-photo driver's license prior to January 2013, when photo licenses were required for voting identification. All people with valid non-photo licenses will be allowed to get a photo license when their current license expires.[111] Thirteen states allow the option of a non-photo driver's license for reasons of religious belief: Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.[112]

text: Later additions varied from state to state, and have included fingerprints, bar codes, magnetic strips, social security numbers, and tamper-proof features, most of which were added to prevent identity theft and to curb the use of fake IDs. States have now slowly been converting to digitized driver's licenses, which incorporate holograms and bar codes to prevent forgery.

text: Non-driver identification cards[edit]

text: Many states, usually through the same agency that issues driver's licenses, provide identification cards for people who do not drive.[113]

text: Real ID[edit]

text: The Department of Homeland Security has the power through the Real ID Act of 2005 to set standards relating to identification of applicants and license design for state-issued driver licenses and identification cards. States are not required to comply with RealID, but if a state does not comply, any driver licenses or ID cards issued by that state will not be valid for any official purpose with the federal government, meaning they will not be accepted for entering federal buildings or boarding airplanes.

text: For a state to meet RealID compliance, licenses and ID cards issued from that state must be approved by DHS in meeting RealID requirements.

text: States can choose to issue both regular licenses and ID cards as well as RealIDs, but any non-RealID must be marked that it is not a RealID.

text: RealIDs are allowed to be issued only to legal immigrants and citizens of the United States.

text: When a person applies for a RealID, either as a new driver license or ID card applicant or renewing a current license or ID card, they must present a citizenship document (US passport, certified birth certificate or citizenship certificate) or proof of legal immigrant status (valid visa) and proof of residency in that state. The state then must verify the documents and store them either electronically or on paper. No one may have more than one RealID at one time.

text: For those born on or after December 1, 1964, a RealID must be obtained by December 1, 2014, to be allowed to conduct business with the federal government. Those born before December 1, 1964, have until December 1, 2017, to obtain their RealIDs.

text: Florida, Nevada and Wisconsin have been approved by DHS and started to issue RealIDs. A RealID can be identified as materially compliant by a gold star located on the top third of the ID. A fully compliant RealID is identified as having a circle with an inset gold star in the top third of the ID.[114] As of October 2011, Connecticut also issues them.[115] Starting in January 2013, Ohio is issuing RealIDs under the name "Safe ID".[116]

text: Enhanced driver's licenses[edit]

text: Additionally, some states, mostly those with an international border, issue enhanced driver licenses and enhanced ID cards. Enhanced licenses combine a regular driver's license with the specifications of the new federal passport card. Thus, in addition to providing driving privileges, the enhanced license also is proof of U.S. citizenship, and can therefore be used to cross the Canadian and Mexican borders by road, rail, or sea, although air travel still requires a traditional passport book.[117] The enhanced licenses are also fully Real ID compliant.

text: As of May 2009[update], Vermont, New York, Michigan, and Washington were issuing enhanced driver's licenses and ID cards.[118] In January 2014, Minnesota became the fifth state to issue enhanced driver's licenses, while Ohio is set to become the sixth state once it has been approved by its legislature.[119]

text: On March 27, 2008, the Secretary of Homeland Security announced that Washington's enhanced driver's license[120] was the first such license approved under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative; according to a Homeland Security press release, the department is also working with Arizonan authorities to develop enhanced driver's licenses. On September 16, 2008, New York began issuing enhanced driver's licenses that meet WHTI requirements. Texas was expected to also implement an enhanced driver's license program, but the program has been blocked by Texas Governor Rick Perry, despite a state law authorizing the Texas Department of Public Safety to issue EDLs and a ruling by the state attorney general, Greg Abbott, that Texas' production of EDLs would comply with federal requirements.[121]

text: Digital driver's licenses[edit]

text: California,[122] Iowa, and Delaware have proposed digital drivers licenses as a means of identification. The license would be available as an app by MorphoTrust USA and installed on a user's personal cellphone.[123] Several questions have been raised about user privacy, since a police officer may ask for one's license and gain access to one's cellphone. [124][125]


document_title: Apa Sherpa

question_text: who has been to the top of everest the most

root

text: Apa Sherpa

text: Early life[edit]

text: Lhakpa Tenzing Sherpa was born in Thame, a village in the Everest region of Nepal, near the Chinese border. Following his father's death when he was 12 years old, Apa had to take up the responsibilities of his family, consisting of his mother, two sisters and three young brothers. He dropped out of school and earned money working as a porter for mountaineering groups. His climbing career began in 1985, and he worked as a kitchen boy and porter for various groups but was not given the opportunity to reach the summit until 1990.[1]

tag: p

text: Personal life[edit]

text: Apa married Yangjin, then also a resident of Thame, in 1988 and has two sons—Tenjing and Pemba—and a daughter Dawa. A fourth child died in 2004.[9] In December, 2006, the family moved to the United States with the help of his friend Jerry Mika to provide their children a better education and for business opportunities. They live in Draper, Utah.[10][11]

text: In April 2009, Apa founded the Apa Sherpa Foundation, dedicated to the improvement of education and economic development in Nepal.[12] When not on expeditions, Apa works for Diamond Mold, a precision machining and injection molding company in Salt Lake City, Utah that has also supported his foundation.[13][14][15]

text: Climbing career[edit]

text: Apa first reached the summit of Mount Everest on his fourth attempt, on May 10, 1990, with a New Zealand team led by climber Rob Hall along with Peter Hillary, son of Edmund Hillary.[16] He then began his career as Sirdar, or chief Sherpa, for many high altitude expeditions. He has reached the summit every year between 1990 and 2011, bar 1996 and 2001; all but three times have been in May, and in 1992 he reached the summit twice.

text:
Apa in his May 2010 Trek says that climbing to Everest has become tough due to the melting of ice and rock surfaces. He sees visible changes on the Everest summit due to global warming.
[17][18]

text: Ascents of Mount Everest[edit]

text: Apa has now climbed Mount Everest a total of 21 times. Aside from these 21 ascents, Apa has also participated in unsuccessful attempts.

text: While Apa's 21 ascents were once the record for most ascents of Everest, which he held jointly with Phurba Tashi and Shishir Bhattarai, Kami Rita Sherpa made his 22nd ascent on 16 May, 2018, putting Apa in a tie for second.[19]

text:
#

Date

Expedition

1

May 10, 1990

International

2

May 8, 1991

Sherpa Support/American Lhotse

3

May 12, 1992

New Zealand

4

October 7, 1992

Everest International

5

May 10, 1993

American

6

October 10, 1994

Everest International

7

May 15, 1995

American On Sagarmatha

8

April 26, 1997

Indonesian

9

May 20, 1998

EEE

10

May 26, 1999

Asian-Trekking

11

May 24, 2000

Everest Environmental Expedition

12

May 16, 2002

Swiss Everest 50th Anniversary Expedition 1952–2002

13

May 26, 2003

American Commemorative Expedition

14

May 17, 2004

Dream Everest Expedition 2004

15

May 31, 2005

Climbing for a cure

16

May 19, 2006

Team No Limit

17

May 16, 2007

Super Sherpas

18

May 22, 2008

The Eco Everest Expedition

19

May 21, 2009

The Eco Everest Expedition

20

May 22, 2010

The Eco Everest Expedition

21

May 11, 2011

The Eco Everest Expedition

tag: table

text: May 2009 ascent[edit]

text: Apa broke his own record by reaching the summit of Everest for the nineteenth time on May 21, 2009. He was a member of The Eco Everest Expedition, led by Bill Burke, whose purpose was to raise awareness about climate change. The team spent half an hour at the top of the mountain, unfurling a banner that said "Stop Climate Change".[20] The team brought down five tonnes of mountain trash that includes parts of a crashed helicopter, tin cans and climbing material.[2] On this expedition, a friend and fellow Sherpa, Lhakpa Nuru, was swept away in an avalanche on May 7, 2009, and died.[21][22]

text: May 2011 ascent[edit]

text: Apa again broke his own record by reaching the summit of Everest for the twenty-first time on May 11, 2011.[3]

text: Great Himalayan Trail[edit]

text: On April 2012, he successfully led the first expedition to complete the Great Himalaya Trail, a 1,700-kilometre (1,050-mile) trek spanning the entire length of the Nepalese Himalayas.[23] The Great Himalaya Trail is considered to be one of the world's most difficult treks.[23] Sherpa and three companions set off in January on the Climate Smart Celebrity Trek, an expedition promoting tourism and highlighting the effects of climate change.[23] The adventurers set out from the shadow of the world's third-highest peak, Mount Kanchenjunga, in the east and finished at Nepal's border with Tibet in the west, 20 days ahead of schedule.[23] Along the way they traversed some of the world's most rugged landscapes, ascending beyond 6,000 metres (19,600 feet).[23] Dawa Steven Sherpa, a member of the expedition who has climbed Everest twice, said the group found mountain communities that rely on subsistence farming were suffering the effects of climate change.[23]


document_title: Eligibility for the NBA draft

question_text: when do you have to declare for the nba draft

text: Eligibility for the NBA draft

text: Early history[edit]

text: In the earliest days of the NBA, three players entered the NBA without having played in college (although one of them did not enter the league until he was 39 years old). However, the league eventually established a rule that "a player could not make himself available" for the draft until two years after his high school graduation.[2]

text: Haywood v. NBA[edit]

text: The first major challenge to the NBA's eligibility rules came from Spencer Haywood. He graduated from high school in 1968, at a time when college freshmen were not allowed to play varsity sports for NCAA member schools. He played three years at a Colorado junior college, followed by a season at the University of Detroit. After the 1970–71 season, he left college for the NBA's rival at the time, the ABA, which had no rule restricting college underclassmen from entering the league, and had a spectacularly successful rookie season with the Denver Rockets (the predecessor to today's Denver Nuggets), being named the ABA's Rookie of the Year and MVP. Near the end of the season, he turned 21; shortly after its end, he repudiated his contract with the Rockets, claiming he had been defrauded. Haywood then signed a contract with the now defunct Seattle SuperSonics, which put him and the Sonics on a collision course with the NBA, as he was only three years removed from his high school graduation.

text: The NBA threatened to disallow the contract and impose sanctions against the Sonics. Haywood responded by filing an antitrust suit against the league, seeking an injunction to prevent the NBA from disallowing the contract or punishing the Sonics. The case eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which issued a 7–2 decision in Haywood's favor in 1971.

text: After the decision, the NBA allowed players to leave college early as "hardship cases", which essentially meant that the player had to prove financial hardship. This rule quickly developed into one that was observed in the breach, with Sport magazine writer Jackie Lapin commenting in the 1970s that "Almost anyone who has been any good at the game in the past decade would qualify [as a hardship case] — with the probable exception of Bill Bradley, the banker's son."[3]

text: Later history[edit]

text: As a consequence of the aforementioned Haywood decision, and following soon after, three high schoolers chose to enter the professional ranks without ever enrolling in a college. The first was Moses Malone, who went to the ABA upon his high school graduation in 1974, almost immediately establishing himself as a star of the future. After the ABA–NBA merger in 1976, his career continued on its upward trajectory, ultimately earning him three NBA MVP awards, four appearances on the All-NBA First Team, 12 consecutive NBA All-Star Game appearances, an NBA title, a place among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, and enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1975, Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby both went to the NBA from high school. Dawkins had a solid 14-year career in the NBA, while Willoughby was no more than a journeyman in eight NBA seasons.

text: These players were greatly outnumbered by college underclassmen who chose to leave early for the NBA. While underclass draftees are too numerous to list, it can be noted that among the aforementioned 50 Greatest Players, 10 (not including Malone) left college early for the NBA.[4]

text: After Dawkins and Willoughby, no high school player went directly to the NBA for 20 years, although Lloyd Daniels and Shawn Kemp went to the NBA without having played college basketball (both had enrolled in college, but never played). That would change in 1995 with the arrival of future NBA MVP Kevin Garnett, who was selected fifth overall. The following year, another future MVP in Kobe Bryant and a future All-Star in Jermaine O'Neal were first-round picks out of high school. Most years after that saw at least one, and often more, high-schoolers drafted, most notably Tracy McGrady (1997), Kwame Brown (the first high-schooler to be the #1 overall pick, in 2001), Amar'e Stoudemire (2002), LeBron James (#1 in 2003), and Dwight Howard (#1 in 2004).

text: However, the influx of high-schoolers caused considerable controversy. When the NBA and its players union negotiated a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) in 2005, NBA Commissioner David Stern publicly called for a higher age limit of 20, stating that he wanted the league's scouts and general managers out of high school gyms and that too many young urban Americans incorrectly saw the NBA as a sure path to fame and financial security.[5] Most of the players were opposed to an age limit;[6] Jermaine O'Neal was perhaps the most strident critic, accusing the NBA of racism.[7] Ultimately, the union reluctantly agreed to an age limit of 19, accepting it in exchange for tweaks to salary cap rules that were favorable to the players' interests.[6]

text: The current eligibility rules were established under the NBA's 2005 collective bargaining agreement (CBA), which expired in 2011, resulting in a lockout. The previous CBA, approved in December 2011, made no changes to the draft rules, but called for the NBA and its players union to form a committee to discuss draft-related issues.[8][9] In 2016, the NBA and NBA Players Association met to work on a new CBA, which both sides approved in December of that year. This most recent agreement started with the 2017–18 season and will run through 2023–24, with a mutual opt-out after 2022–23.[10][11] The basic rules that started in the 2006 draft are:

text:
All drafted players must be at least 19 years old during the calendar year of the draft.[12] To determine whether a player is eligible for a given year's draft, subtract 19 from the year of the draft. If the player was born during or before that year, he is eligible.
Any player who is not an "international player", as defined in the CBA, must be at least one year removed from the graduation of his high school class.[12]

tag: ul

text: The "one year out of high school" requirement is in addition to the age requirement. For example, although O. J. Mayo turned 19 in November 2006, six months before his high school graduation, he was not eligible until the 2008 draft, a year after his high school class graduated. Stern stated the rules were business-related and not a "social program", citing the need to see players perform against higher competition before they are evaluated for valuable draft picks.[9] The rule effectively mandated that players spend at least one year in college.[13] High school players who would otherwise have jumped directly into the NBA were instead playing in college for the required year before leaving and entering the draft—a phenomenon known as one and done.[14] Some colleges have embraced this rule to their advantage, notably the University of Kentucky, among others. Many of their players have played the one mandatory year, leaving after their freshman season to enter the draft. The NBA G League (formerly Development League) is one alternative to college. Players can earn five-figure salaries, but the level of competition is possibly lower than in the Division I level in college. Some players, most notably Brandon Jennings, have also played overseas in lieu of college.[13][15] However, in recent years, other players like Satnam Singh, Thon Maker, and Matur Maker have looked to enter the NBA draft while still being high schoolers by exploiting a loophole where they enter the draft as high school postgraduates.

text: Automatic eligibility[edit]

text: Players whose 19th birthday falls during or before the calendar year of the draft, or at least one year removed from the graduation of their high school class, and who do not meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:[16]

text:
They have completed four years of their college eligibility.
If they graduated from high school in the U.S., but did not enroll in a U.S. college or university, four years have passed since their high school class graduated.
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team outside the NBA, anywhere in the world, and have played under that contract. They also must be released from their contract before they can leave college to go to the NBA

text: Those who have reached the minimum eligibility age of 19 and meet the criteria for "international" players are automatically eligible if they meet any of the following criteria:

text:
They are at least 22 during the calendar year of the draft.[17]
They have signed a contract with a professional basketball team outside the NBA within the United States, and have played under that contract.[18]

text: "Early entry" player[edit]

text: Players who are not automatically eligible but wish to be drafted must declare their eligibility no later than 60 days before the draft.[19] After this date, "early entry" players may attend NBA pre-draft camps and individual team workouts to show off their skills and obtain feedback regarding their draft positions. Under the CBA, a player may withdraw his name from consideration from the draft at any time before the final declaration date, which is 10 days before the draft.[20] However, the NCAA adopted a rule that took effect in August 2009 that requires players at its member institutions to withdraw no later than May 8 to retain their college eligibility; the first draft affected by this rule was the 2010 draft.[21] In 2011, the NCAA shortened its timeline for players to withdraw and retain eligibility to one day before the start of the spring signing period for men's basketball, which occurs in April.[22] The NCAA changed its withdrawal rule again in 2016, effective with that year's draft; its withdrawal deadline is now in late May, specifically 10 days after the final day of the annual NBA Draft Combine.[23]

text: A player who declares for the draft will lose his college eligibility, even if he is not drafted, if he signs with any agent.[24] Before 2016, the NCAA only allowed a player to enter the draft once without losing eligibility,[22] but current NCAA rules now allow players to declare for and withdraw from multiple drafts while retaining college eligibility.[23] The CBA allows a player to withdraw twice.[20]

text: Definition of international players[edit]

text: The CBA defines "international players" for draft purposes as those who meet all of the following criteria:[25]

text:
Permanently reside outside the U.S. for at least three years before the draft while playing basketball outside the U.S.
Have never enrolled in a U.S. college or university.
Did not complete high school in the U.S.

text: Note that this definition is very different from what the NBA uses in listing "international players" on its team rosters. For that purpose, the league defines an "international player" specifically as one born outside the 50 United States or the District of Columbia.

text: Reaction of high school players[edit]

text: This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

text: In the third annual High School Hoops magazine,[26] the players weighed in on the subject of the new rules regarding draft eligibility. Many of them felt that it was unfair. Kansas State freshman Bill Walker, said (as a junior in high school), "I'm against it. I don't see why you have to be 19 to play a game of basketball when you can be 18 and go to war for our country and die. It's ridiculous." Jerryd Bayless said "It's not fair at all. If a tennis player can go pro at 13, I don't understand why a basketball player can't go pro at 18." A possible number one pick out of high school, had the rule not been put in place, was Greg Oden (though he was still picked first in 2007). When asked about the agreement he said "It's unfair, but it's over with now, so there's no reason to complain." In spite of the claims that the rule is unfair, Wayne Ellington of North Carolina, said that "…I also think it's going to help the league a little bit. Some guys who come in, like from this year's draft, it will help." Brandan Wright said that "It may hurt guys who need money, but it will help people grow and develop."

text: On the specific topic of Oden entering the draft, Jack Keefer, Oden's high school coach at Lawrence North, Indiana, said, "I really think he thought he was going to college. He seems to be more at ease with himself right now. I think the stress came with worrying about the NBA."[27]

text: While a lot of high school players just accept that this is just how it is, some object to this rule. They say that it puts excess stress on them because they start being recruited in their junior year of high school. If they have a bad season it could ruin their chances to get into college and therefore into the NBA. It can also be stressful picking a college to play at, which can be unneeded stress if a player decides to leave after only one year.

text: Changes for college underclassmen in 2016[edit]

text: In March 2015, following a series of meetings that began at the 2014 men's Final Four, the NBA, NCAA, and the trade association for college men's coaches, the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), announced a plan that would give college underclassmen a better opportunity to make an informed decision about their NBA status than the then-current system. Under this plan:[28]

text:
The NCAA would no longer automatically treat entry into the draft as forfeiture of remaining college eligibility. Instead, it would allow underclassmen to withdraw from the draft in late May, about five weeks after the then-current deadline, and retain their remaining eligibility (as long as they do not sign with an agent or a professional basketball team in the meantime). The NBA's early-entry and withdrawal deadlines, respectively 60 days and 10 days before the draft, would not change because they are written into the league's collective bargaining agreement.
The NBA would expand its invitation-only draft combine, currently held in Chicago, to include players with remaining college eligibility (who would also have to be invited in order to attend). The stated purpose of this expansion was to allow underclassmen to receive feedback from NBA teams on their draft prospects. According to one NCAA executive, the expanded combine would involve from 20 to 30% more players than the approximately 70 who participated at that time.

text: The NCAA rule change was formally presented by the NCAA men's basketball oversight committee on June 24, 2015, and was approved by the NCAA Division I council on January 13, 2016.[23] The new rule, which took effect with the 2016 draft, specifically sets the new withdrawal date at 10 days after the end of the NBA draft combine. Additionally, players may declare for the draft multiple times without losing college eligibility, as long as they withdraw before the new deadline without hiring an agent or signing a professional basketball contract, and are now allowed to attend the draft combine and one tryout per year for each NBA team without losing college eligibility. However, it has been stated that current commissioner Adam Silver is working to change this rule and has been meeting with NCAA officials to make the changes for the betterment of the NBA and NCAA basketball players, teams, and coaches alike.[29]


document_title: Great Escarpment, Brazil

question_text: where is the great escarpment located in brazil

text: Great Escarpment, Brazil

text: The Great Escarpment in Brazil is a major geological formation that runs along much of the eastern coast of Brazil south of the city of Salvador. The escarpment runs along the central and south Atlantic coasts of Brazil, rising sharply and separating the highland plateau from the coast.[1]

text: The escarpment rises steeply from the coastal plain to as much as 9,000 feet (2,700 m) in height.[2] The top of the escarpment forms a drainage divide between the interior and the coastal plains.[3] Apart from the São Francisco River, most streams flow into the central basin rather than to the coast.[2] The escarpment defines the eastern edge of the Serra do Mar and other mountain ranges.[4][5]