The graduated licensing program

Key points

1. Per mile driven, teen drivers ages 16 to 19 are four times more likely to crash than older drivers.

   Source: Handbook p. 6

   “Per mile driven, teenage drivers ages 16-19 are four times more likely to crash than older drivers.”
   Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide, Handbook p. 6

2. For a learner's permit you must be at least 15 and complete 30 hours of classroom and 8 hours of behind the wheel instruction.

   Source: Handbook p. 7

   “Must be a minimum of fifteen (15) years of age. 2. Must complete thirty (30) hours classroom instruction and eight (8) hours behind-the-wheel driving instruction.”
   Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide, Handbook p. 7

3. Permit holders may drive only with a licensed adult 21 or older, or a sibling 18 or older.

   Source: Handbook p. 7

   “Is authorized to drive only with a licensed adult at least twenty-one (21) years of age or sibling at least eighteen (18) years of age.”
   Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide, Handbook p. 7

4. Hold the permit at least 180 days, and you cannot advance before your 16th birthday.

   Source: Handbook p. 7

   “Must maintain learner's license for a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) days and cannot advance to intermediate stage until attainment of sixteenth (16th) birthday.”
   Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide, Handbook p. 7

5. A parent must certify at least 50 hours of supervised driving, 15 of them at night.

   Source: Handbook p. 7

   “has a minimum of fifty (50) hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience with a licensed parent, guardian, or adult at least twenty-one (21) years of age. At least fifteen (15) of these hours must be night time driving.”
   Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide, Handbook p. 7

6. Intermediate drivers may not drive from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. without a licensed adult 21 or older or sibling 18 or older.

   Source: Handbook p. 7

   “Is prohibited from driving between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless accompanied by a licensed adult at least twenty-one (21) years of age or sibling at least eighteen (18) years of age.”
   Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide, Handbook p. 7

7. From 6:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., intermediate drivers may carry only one non family passenger under 21.

   Source: Handbook p. 7

   “between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., an intermediate licensee may not transport more than one passenger under the age of twentyone (21) years of age that is not a member of the immediate family.”
   Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide, Handbook p. 7

8. The intermediate license must be kept until your 17th birthday.

   Source: Handbook p. 7

   “Must be maintained until seventeenth (17th) birthday.”
   Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide, Handbook p. 7

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Louisiana practice test

1. 1. What is the minimum age for a Louisiana learner's permit under the graduated licensing program?

   1. 14
   2. 15
   3. 16
   4. 17
   Show answer

   15. Stage 1 of Louisiana's graduated licensing program begins with a learner's permit, and the applicant must be at least 15 years old. The next stage requires age 16, while a full license can be obtained through the listed pathway at age 17. Age 14 is below the learner's permit threshold. The permit also carries instruction, testing, supervision, and holding period requirements, so reaching the age does not by itself complete the licensing process. Keep the three stages in order when distinguishing the age associated with each license.

2. 2. How long must a Louisiana learner's license be maintained before advancing to the intermediate stage?

   1. At least one year
   2. At least 30 days
   3. At least 90 days
   4. At least 180 days
   Show answer

   At least 180 days. The learner's license must be maintained for a minimum of 180 days before the driver can advance to the intermediate stage, and the driver must also reach the sixteenth birthday. Thirty and 90 days are shorter periods than the guide specifies. One year is longer than the stated minimum and is not the program's threshold. Read the condition as two requirements joined together: the time minimum alone is insufficient if the applicant has not reached age 16. A calendar reminder for both the 180-day mark and the birthday helps avoid confusing this stage change with a full license.

3. 3. How many supervised driving hours must be documented before a Louisiana Class E intermediate license is issued?

   1. 50 hours, including at least 15 at night
   2. 30 hours, including at least 5 at night
   3. 40 hours, all during daylight
   4. 60 hours, including at least 20 at night
   Show answer

   50 hours, including at least 15 at night. The intermediate license upgrade requires a documented total of at least 50 practice hours, and the manual adds a separate nighttime minimum of 15 hours. A log that reaches 50 hours without 15 nighttime hours is incomplete. The 30, 40, and 60 hour options change the stated requirement rather than applying the Louisiana rule. Record the time of each session and verify both categories independently. The key memory cue is that nighttime practice is a required portion of the total, not an optional extra or a replacement for daytime driving.

Source: the Louisiana Class D and E Driver's Guide, Chapter 1: Getting a Driver's License. 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.