Current implementation status
- The following eight states currently require 12 months in the learner stage: Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, North Dakota, North Carolina, and Vermont.
- According to a recent study examining the history and current status of state GDL laws (History and current status of state graduated driver licensing (GDL) laws in the United States), fifteen states have increased the licensing age by lengthening the learner permit holding period.6 The states are: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Virginia. The table below shows the effects of lengthening the permit holding period on the intermediate licensing age in each of these states.
Changes in minimum intermediate license ages, January 1996–January 2015.
| State | Minimum permit age | Minimum permit holding period | Intermediate license age |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | 16 years | Increased from 0 to 4 months | Increased from 16 years to 16 years, 4 months |
| Delaware | Increased from 15 years, 10 months to 16 years | Increased from 0 to 6 months | Increased from 16 years to 16 years, 6 months1 |
| District of Columbia | 16 years | Increased from 0 to 6 months | Increased from 16 years to 16 years, 6 months |
| Hawaii | Increased from 15 years, to 15 years, 6 months | Increased from 0 to 6 months | Increased from 15 to 16 years |
| Kentucky | 16 years | Increased from 1 to 6 months | Increased from 16 years, 1 month to 16 years, 6 months |
| Maryland | 15 years, 9 months | Increased from 0 to 9 months | Increased from 16 years to 16 years, 6 months |
| Mississippi | 15 years | Increased from 6 to 12 months | Increased from 15 years, 6 months to 16 years |
| Nevada | 15 years, 6 months | Increased from 0 to 6 months | Increased from 15 years, 9 months to 16 years1 |
| New Mexico | 15 years | Increased from 0 to 6 months | Increased from 15 years to 15 years, 6 months |
| New York | 16 years | Increased from 0 to 6 months | Increased from 16 years to 16 years, 6 months |
| Pennsylvania | 16 years | Increased from 0 to 6 months | Increased from 16 years to 16 years, 6 months |
| Rhode Island | 16 years | Increased from 0 to 6 months | Increased from 16 years to 16 years, 6 months |
| South Carolina | 15 years | Increased from 0 to 6 months | Increased from 15 years to 15 years, 6 months |
| South Dakota | 14 years | Increased from 0 to 3 months | Increased from 14 years to 14 years, 3 months |
| Virginia | Increased from 15 years to 15 years, 6 months | Increased from 0 to 9 months | Increased from 16 years to 16 years, 3 months1 |
| 1 Prior and/or current statutory minimum intermediate license age differs from minimum permit age plus minimum permit holding period. | |||
- In Mississippi, however, license applicants age 17 and older are exempt from the 12-month learner’s permit holding period whereas in North Dakota the 12-month holding period only applies to those under age 16.
