List of minimum driving ages

A minimum driving age is the youngest age at which a person is permitted by law to drive a motor vehicle on public roads, including to practice for a driving test and obtain a driving licence.

Minimum age to drive by country (2024):

  25

  18

  18, supervised driving from the age of 17

  18, supervised driving from the age of 16

  17

  17, supervised driving from the age of 16

  16

  15

  No data

Minimum driving age laws are in place in most places, though the age varies between jurisdictions. In most jurisdictions, the minimum driving age for cars is 18. In many cases, persons below the minimum driving age may be able to drive under supervision from a competnent driver or driving instructor. The lowest minimum driving age is in South Dakota in the United States, where a person aged fourteen can drive under adult supervision and a person aged fourteen and a half can obtain a driver's licence and drive unsupervised, albeit with restrictions. In other parts of the US, persons as young as fourteen can be given permission to drive where such permission would not normally be afforded due to expectional hardship.^[1]

The minimum driving age can vary by vehicle type, with many jurisdictions operating lower minimum ages for motorcycles than cars, for instance.

Africa

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
Algeria	18[2]
Cameroon	16[3]
Egypt	18 (cars)[4] 16 (motorcycles)[5]
Eswatini	18[6]
Ethiopia	18[7]
Ghana	18[8]
Kenya	18 (cars) 16 (motorcycles)[9]
Lesotho	18[10]
Libya	18[11]
Mali	21[12]
Mauritania	18[13]
Mauritius	18 (cars)[14] 17 (motorcycles) 15 (autocycles)
Mayotte (France)	18[15][16]
Morocco	18 (cars)[17][18][19] 21 (trucks)[citation needed] 16 (motorcycles)
Mozambique	17[20]
Namibia	18[21]
Niger	16 (light motor vehicles) 18 (commercial passenger vehicles)[22]
Nigeria	18[23]
Réunion (France)	18[24]	One may obtain a learner's license and be legally allowed to drive with supervision at age 15. A full driving license will be fully granted by age 18.
Rwanda	18[25]
Senegal	16[26]
South Africa	18 17 (provisional licence) 16 (motorcycles up to 125 cc)[27]	A Code 1 licence is obtainable at age 16, and allows for the use of motorcycles with engines that do not exceed 125 cc. The National Road Traffic act specifies that a driver needs to be 17 to legally obtain a provisional licence for all motor vehicles under 3500 kg. To obtain any other class of driving licence, one must be 18 years old.[28]
Tanzania	18[29]
Tunisia	18[30]
Uganda	18[31][32]
Zambia	16[33]
Zimbabwe	16[34]

Americas

North America

Country	Minimum driving age	Notes
Canada	varies between provinces	See also: Driver's licences in Canada
Mexico	15 (with parental supervision), 16 (with parental agreement), 18[35]
United States	16 is legal driving age, but permit can be obtained at 15	See also: Driver's licenses in the United States

Central America

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
Costa Rica	18[36]
El Salvador	15[37]	Driving age for cars is 15 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18.[38] You can't drive in El Salvador if you are over 75 years.[37]
Guatemala	16 (with parental approval), 18[39]
Honduras	18[40]
Nicaragua	18[41]
Panama	16 (with parental approval), 18[42][43]

South America

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
Argentina	17 (with parental approval), 18 (without)	21 is the minimum age to drive a truck, bus or emergency vehicle. 16 is the minimum age to drive a moped (without passengers). Parental approval is necessary for any license issued to any individual aged under 18.[44]
Bolivia	18[45]
Brazil	18[46]	18 is the minimum age to drive a mopeds, motorcycle, and cars. 21 is the minimum age to drive a trucks, buses, or transporting. Drivers have to be previously licensed in cat. 'B' for at least one year before applying for a professional license. 'C' category are usually for load trucks, 'D' for buses and trucks and 'E' for articulated vehicles.
Chile	17 (with parental approval), 18,[47] 20 (professional license)[48]
Colombia	16,[49] 18 (professional license)[50]
Ecuador	18[51]
Falkland Islands	17[52]
French Guiana	17[53]
Guyana	17[54]
Paraguay	18[55]
Peru	18[56]
Suriname	18[57]
Uruguay	18[58]
Venezuela	18[59]

Caribbean

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
Anguilla	18[60]
Bahamas	17[61]
Cayman Islands	17[62]
Cuba	18[63]
Curaçao	18[64]
Dominican Republic	18[65]
Guadeloupe	17[66]
Jamaica	16-17 (learners permit or with adult supervision), 18 fully licensed[67]
Martinique	17[68]
Puerto Rico	16 (with learner's permit), 18[69]
Saint Barthélemy	17[70]
Saint Martin	18[71]
Trinidad and Tobago	17[72]
St. Kitts and Nevis	17 (for permit),[73] 18 (for license)[74]
US Virgin Islands	16 (with learner's permit), 18[75]

Asia

Western Asia

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
Bahrain	18[76]
Iran	18[77]	You can go to driving class 1 to 3 weeks before the driving exam. After reaching the age of 18 you can get the driving licence.
Iraq	16 for motorcycles 17 for cars[78]
Israel	16 years for motorcycles 16 years 6 months with driving teacher 16 years 9 months for cars with 3 months parental supervision all times and 3 more months at night[79]
Jordan	18[80]
Kuwait	18 for Kuwaitis 21 for non-Kuwaitis[81]
Lebanon	18[82]
Oman	18[83]
Qatar	18 for light motor vehicles [84] 21 for heavy vehicles[85]
Saudi Arabia	18 for cars, 17 for temporary permits, 16 for motorcycles[86]
Syria	18[87]
United Arab Emirates	17 for cars and motorcycles [88]
Yemen	18[89]

South Asia

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
Afghanistan	18[90]	As of 2024, the right to drive is not extended to women.
Bangladesh	18[91]
India	18	See also: Driving licence in India
Nepal	16 for two-wheelers, 18 for four-wheelers[92]
Pakistan	18[93]
Sri Lanka	17[94]
Maldives	18[95]

East Asia

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
China	18[96]
Hong Kong	18[97]	Special Administrative Region of China
Japan	16 (motorcycles under 400 cc) 18 (ordinary/semi-medium vehicle and motorcycles over 401 cc)[98]	See also: Driving license in Japan
Macau	18[99]	Special Administrative Region of China
South Korea	18 for regular passenger cars and motorbikes over 125 cc 16 for motorbikes under 125 cc 19 for commercial license	See also: Driving license in South Korea
Taiwan	18[100]	See also: Driver's license in Taiwan

Southeast Asia

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
Brunei	18[101]
Myanmar	18[102]
Cambodia	18[103]
Indonesia	17[104][105]	See also: Driving license in Indonesia
Laos	18[106]
Malaysia	17 (cars), 16 (motorcycles)[107]	See also: Driving licence in Malaysia
Philippines	16 (student permit); 17 (non-professional driver's license); 18 (professional driver's license)[108]	See also: Driving license in the Philippines
Singapore	18[109]	See also: Driving licence in Singapore
Thailand	18 (cars and motorcycles); 15 (motorcycles with 110 cc or smaller engines)[110][111]	See also: Driving licence in Thailand Other restrictions apply to large or specialised vehicles.
Vietnam	16 (motorcycles under 50cc), 18[112]

Europe

Minimum driving age in Europe

  Minimum driving age is 18

  Minimum driving age is 18; Supervised driving at 17

  Minimum driving age is 18; Supervised driving at 16

  Minimum driving age is 17

  Minimum driving age is 17; Supervised driving at 16

  Minimum driving age is 17; Supervised driving at 15

  Minimum driving age is 16

European Driving Licence Area

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
Austria	17 for cars 15 for mopeds[113]	(Start with 15,5 under L17 attendant driving training
Belgium	18 16 for mopeds[114]	17 for cars, with learners permit (supervised)
Bulgaria	18[115] 16 for mopeds[113]
Croatia	18 15 for mopeds[116]
Cyprus	18	See also: Driving licence in Cyprus
Czech Republic	18 17 with supervision [117]	15 for mopeds.[118]
Denmark	24 for heavy bus, 21 for heavy truck, 17 for cars[119] 15 for mopeds, quads and snowmobiles*	The minimum age for driving a car without supervision is 18. The minimum driving age for heavy truck and heavy bus can go down to 18, if the license is obtained during military service *It is only possible to obtain a license for snowmobiles on Greenland.
Estonia	18 for cars, 16 with supervision, 14 for mopeds[120]	Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision.[120] Unrestricted licence available at 18.
Finland	18 for cars, 17 with exception permit,[121] 15 (mopeds, micro cars, tractors)[122]	See also: Driving licence in Finland
France	17, 15 with supervision [123]	Driving age for cars is 15 with supervision.[123] Licence available at 17 with speed restrictions, reduced number of points[124] and blood alcohol level is reduced to 0.2g/L. Restrictions drops after 2 or 3 years of holding a license.[125]
Germany	18, 17 with supervision[126]	See also: Driving licence in Germany Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. Licenses for mopeds < 25 km/h are available at 15, for scooters < 45 km/h and motorcycles under 126ccm at 16.[127]
Greece	17[128] 16 for motorcycles up to 50 cc and light quadricycles [129]	Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Unrestricted license is available at 18.
Hungary	17 16 for motorcycles under 125 ccm 14 for vehicles under 50 ccm[130]
Iceland	16[131][132]	Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 17.
Ireland	17[133][134][135]	16 for motorcycles under 125cc, mopeds, work vehicles or land tractors
Italy	17[136]	See also: Driving licence in Italy Driving 17 with supervision of a person under 60 years in possession of full B licence (or superior). Unrestricted licence available at 18.
Latvia	18 for cars (B), trailers (C1, BE, C1E), 24 motorcycles (A), 21 motorcycles (A2), 16 for motorcycles (A1), resting boats, 14 for mopeds (M), 10 for bicycle	16 for cars(B), 21 for motorcycles(A2), trailers(C1, BE, C1E), 16 for motorcycles(A1), 14 for mopeds(M) – if supervised by a person holding a B category licence for at least three years (also known as training driving)[137][138]
Liechtenstein	18[139]
Lithuania	14 to 18 (for permit), 18 (for full license) for cars, 15 for mopeds[140]
Luxembourg	16 for motorcycles 18 for cars[141]	Driving age for low power motorcycles and tractors 16. Driving licence for cars available at 18.
Malta	18[142]
Netherlands	17 for cars 16 for mopeds and tractors[143]	See also: Driving licence in the Netherlands Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Driving lessons available at 16½. Unrestricted licence available at 18.
Norway	18 for cars 16 for mopeds and light motorcycles	See also: Driving licence in Norway
Poland	18 16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc 14 for mopeds and quads	See also: Driving licence in Poland
Portugal	18 for cars,[144] 16 for motorcycles,[145] 14 for motorcycles and tricycles under 50cm3 [146]
Romania	18 16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc[147]
Slovakia	17[148]	Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18.
Slovenia	16 for cars and motorcycles[149]	Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18.
Spain	15 for mopeds and quads 16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc 18 for general licence[150]
Sweden	18 for cars[151] 15 for mopeds and tractors	See also: Driving licence in Sweden Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18.[151]
Switzerland	17 for cars, 16 for scooters, 18 for motorcycles under 35 kW 14 for mopeds and tractors[152]
Turkey	18 (cars) 16 (mopeds and light-motorcycles)[153]

Rest of Europe

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
Albania	18[citation needed]
Andorra	18[154]
Armenia	18[155]
Azerbaijan	18[156]
Belarus	18[157]	16 – mopeds (AM), <125 cc/11 kW motorcycles (A1); 17 – <80 kW wheeled tractors and self-propelled machines (A) and all kinds of continuous tracked tractors, SPMs and bulldozers (C); 18 – all kinds of motorcycles (A), cars with light trailers and up to 8 passengers buses (B), trucks with light trailers (C), all kinds of wheeled tractors (B), SPMs (D), special vehicles (E) and <1 m3 excavators (F); 21 – buses for more than 8 passengers (D), cars, trucks and buses with heavy trailers (BE, CE, DE), trams (F) and trolleybuses (I).[158]
Bosnia and Herzegovina	18[159]
Georgia	17[160]
Gibraltar	17[161]
Guernsey	17[162]	2 or 3 wheel vehicles, 14 under 50cc <4 kW, 16 for 50–125cc <50 km/h <11 kW, 17 for >125cc [163]
Isle of Man	16[164]	16 moped, 16 motorbike <125cc <11Kw, 17 motorbike >125cc.
Jersey	17[165]	2 wheel vehicles, 16 <50cc, 2 or 3 wheel vehicles 17 <125cc, 18 >240cc.[166]
Kosovo	18[167]
Moldova	18[168]
Monaco	18[169]
Montenegro	18[170]
Northern Cyprus	18	See also: Driving licence in Northern Cyprus
North Macedonia	18 (16 with parental supervision)[171]
Russia	18 (16 for motorcycles)[172]
San Marino	18[173]
Serbia	18 (17 with adult supervision)[174]
Ukraine	18[175][176]
United Kingdom	17 (cars), 16 (mopeds and tractors) (cars if disabled and in receipt of PIP or DLA), 16 (Light Quadricycle)[177]	See also: Driving licence in the United Kingdom

Oceania

State	Minimum driving age	Notes
American Samoa	16[178]
Australia	18 (VIC) 17 (ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, WA) 16½ years (NT)	See also: Driver licences in Australia The minimum age to obtain a car or motorcycle learner license which allows driving under supervision is 15 years and 9 months, in the ACT.[179] All other states and territories require learner drivers to be 16 years of age or older. Driving unsupervised by progressing to a provisional license is possible after 12 months, with minimum supervised hours (including nighttime driving) required in the form of a logbook.[179][180][181][182][183][184][185] The exception to this is the Northern Territory, where learner drivers can progress to a provisional license after 6 months, without the need for a driving test or logbook.[186]
Fiji	17[187][188]
Guam	16[189]
Marshall Islands	18[190]
New Zealand	16	See also: Driver licence in New Zealand The minimum age to obtain a car or motorcycle learner licence which allows driving under supervision is 16. The minimum possible age to obtain a full licence, without any supervision or conditions, is 17½ years if a driver completes an advanced driving course.[191] Without an advanced driving course, the minimum age is 18, the same as a heavy vehicle licence.[192]
Northern Mariana Islands	15½ years[193]
Papua New Guinea	18[194]
Tonga	18[195]