Driver training and instruction permits

Key points

1. You can be licensed at 15, but if you are under 17 you must first complete approved driver training and the graduated license program.

   Source: Handbook p. 3

   “You can be licensed in Idaho when you are 15 years of age. However, if you are under 17 years of age, you must first successfully complete an approved driver's training program and the graduated driver's license program.”
   Idaho Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 3

2. New residents must apply for an Idaho license within 30 days of living in Idaho.

   Source: Handbook p. 4

   “Upon moving to Idaho, you will need to apply for an Idaho driver's license within 30 days of residing in Idaho”
   Idaho Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 4

3. A Driver Training Permit lets anyone from 14 1/2 up to 17 attend a public or private driver training program.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “Driver Training Permits (DT) allow anyone 14 1/2 and under 17 years of age to attend any public school or private driver training program.”
   Idaho Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 15

4. For people 17 1/2 and older, the permit expires after 6 months (180 days).

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “The permit expiration for people 17 1/2 years of age and older is 6 months (180 days).”
   Idaho Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 15

5. While enrolled in driver training, the DT permit is valid only with a driver training instructor.

   Source: Handbook p. 15

   “While you are enrolled in a driver training program, the DT permit is valid only to operate a vehicle with a driver's training instructor.”
   Idaho Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 15

6. Driver training requires 30 hours of classroom instruction, 6 hours observing other students and 6 hours behind the wheel.

   Source: Handbook p. 19

   “An approved Idaho Driver Training (DT) program consists of a required 30 hours of classroom instruction, 6 hours of in-car experience observing other student drivers, and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel practice”
   Idaho Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 19

7. A Class D Instruction Permit lets someone 17 or older practice for 1 year with a licensed adult who is at least 18.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “Class D Instruction Permits (IP) allow an applicant who is 17 years of age or older to practice safely operating a motor vehicle for one (1) year when accompanied by an adult (someone who is 18 years of age or older)”
   Idaho Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 16

8. You must pass a knowledge test to get an instruction permit.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “You must pass a knowledge test to be issued an instruction permit.”
   Idaho Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 16

9. Applicants under 18 need a parent or guardian to sign as the liability signer.

   Source: Handbook p. 16

   “All applicants under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian, who has verifiable custody of guardianship, sign as the liability signer”
   Idaho Driver's Handbook, Handbook p. 16

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Idaho practice test

1. 1. How many hours of classroom instruction are required in an approved Idaho Driver Training program?

   1. 30 hours
   2. 20 hours
   3. 6 hours
   4. 50 hours
   Show answer

   30 hours. An approved Idaho Driver Training program includes 30 hours of classroom instruction. That number is separate from the six hours of in-car observation and six hours of behind-the-wheel practice also listed in the program description. The 50-hour figure belongs to supervised driving under the GDL program, while 20 hours is not the classroom requirement in this passage. Keeping the three training totals separate prevents a common mix-up: classroom is 30, each in-car component is 6.

2. 2. How long is an Idaho instruction permit valid for applicants 17 and a half or older?

   1. 6 months, or 180 days
   2. One year
   3. Two years
   4. 30 days
   Show answer

   6 months, or 180 days. The permit expiration for people 17 and a half years of age and older is 6 months, or 180 days, while a younger teen's driver training permit expires 5 days after the 18th birthday. During a driver training program the permit is valid only with an instructor or the supervising driver, and the supervised instruction phase must be completed before the skills test.

3. 3. How long after moving to Idaho must a new resident apply for an Idaho driver's license?

   1. Within 60 days of moving household goods
   2. Within 10 days of signing a lease
   3. Within 30 days of residing in Idaho
   4. By the next license renewal date
   Show answer

   Within 30 days of residing in Idaho. A person who moves to Idaho must apply for an Idaho driver's license within 30 days of residing there. The deadline is tied to residence, not to signing a lease, transporting belongings, or the expiration of an out-of-state credential. The handbook expressly says the rule applies whether the other license has expired or not. A new resident should treat the 30-day period as the planning window for the county licensing process and required documents.

Source: the Idaho Driver's Handbook, One Driver, One License, One Record. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.