{"id":23641,"date":"2024-11-07T07:25:59","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T15:25:59","guid":{"rendered":"\/wp-site\/?p=23641"},"modified":"2024-11-20T07:01:40","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T15:01:40","slug":"california-teenage-driving-laws","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/state-laws\/california-teenage-driving-laws\/","title":{"rendered":"California Teen Driving Laws: What Teens and Parents Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><a href=\"\/car-insurance\/california\/\">California<\/a> restricts teenage drivers due to the high risks associated with new drivers. Drivers under 18 may not transport passengers under age 20 without an adult over 25 years old in the vehicle, and minors with an instructional permit may not drive alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those are just a couple of the laws laid out by the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for teenage drivers. If you\u2019re a teen trying to get your license in California\u2014or if you have teenage kids\u2014it\u2019s important to familiarize yourself with the state laws for young drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>More: <\/strong><a href=\"\/car-insurance\/car-insurance-for-teens\/\">Finding cheap car insurance for teen drivers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rules-for-teen-drivers-in-California\">Rules for teen drivers in California<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/handbook\/california-driver-handbook\/getting-an-instruction-permit-and-drivers-license\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Section 2<\/a> of the California Driver\u2019s Handbook outlines special rules for minors driving in California. A minor is anyone under 18 years old\u2014which happens to be the age group most likely to get into a car crash.<br><br>Drivers under 18 must follow two different sets of rules in California based on whether they hold a learner&#8217;s permit or a provisional license. We\u2019ll review both sets of rules so that you and your family know exactly how to stay safe and compliant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">California learner\u2019s permit<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For California drivers under 18 years old who have never driven, obtaining a learner\u2019s permit, also known as a provisional instruction permit, is the first step towards a driver\u2019s license. In California, you can apply for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/driver-licenses-identification-cards\/instruction-permits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">learner\u2019s permit<\/a> if you are at least 15 \u00bd and under 18 years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to the California Department of Motor Vehicles, to apply for a provisional instruction permit, you must fill out a Driver License or Identification Card Application form, provide identification documents, meet specific driver\u2019s education requirements, and have permission from a parent or guardian.<br><br>If you are at least 17 \u00bd years old, you do not need to meet any driver education requirements. However, if you want to get your driver\u2019s license before you are 18, you will still need to provide proof of driver training and driver\u2019s education.<br><br>Once you\u2019ve got your permit, the rules are pretty simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your permit is not valid until you begin driver training (e.g., a driver\u2019s ed course)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A minor with a permit may not drive alone under any circumstances (not even to the DMV)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You must practice with an adult 25 years or older (e.g., a licensed driving instructor, a parent, or a legal guardian)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Driving with an adult isn\u2019t just a way to ensure safety on the road\u2014it\u2019s also an essential part of California\u2019s licensing process. To get a driver\u2019s license, a California teen must complete at least 50 hours of supervised driving practice, including 10 hours of night driving. The California DMV provides a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dmv.ca.gov\/portal\/file\/supervised-driving-log-pdf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Supervised Driving Log <\/a>form to record those hours so that you\u2019re ready to submit proof to the DMV along with your license application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">California provisional driver\u2019s license<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>After a learner\u2019s permit, the next step to getting a California driver\u2019s license is to get a provisional driver\u2019s license. Teens can apply for a provisional driver\u2019s license if they are at least 16 years old and have had their permit for at least six months. In addition to filling out the DMV\u2019s application form, applicants must provide proof of identity and proof of residency and pass both a written knowledge test and a practical driving test.<br><br>Once a teenager holds a valid California driver\u2019s license, their driving privileges open up\u2014but not without some restrictions. Failure to follow the laws could cause minors to lose their license (and that violation will go on their driving record), which can affect their insurance rates and future driving opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For the first year of their license, teenage drivers cannot:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Drive between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. (i.e., no late-night drives)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Transport any passengers under 20 years old unless accompanied by an adult 25 years or older, a licensed driving instructor, or a parent\/guardian who is a licensed California driver.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a few exceptions to these provisional license restrictions, such as needing to drive because of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Medical necessity<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>School-related activities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Employment<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Needs for an immediate family member<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll need a note signed by your doctor, school principal, supervisor, or parent\/guardian in all cases. The signed note explaining the necessity of driving outside of the legal curfew must include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An explanation of why driving is necessary (i.e., no other reasonable transport is available)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A predicted end date (e.g., recovery date, end of the school play or football season)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You must always keep the signed note with you when driving outside of your license restrictions. If you get pulled over at midnight for driving as a minor, you\u2019ll want to have that note ready to show law enforcement (along with your license, registration, and <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/proof-of-insurance\/\">proof of insurance<\/a>).<br><br>There\u2019s one final exception to the above restrictions placed on minors with a provisional license. If you are an emancipated minor (and declared so when applying for your license), you don\u2019t need a note to drive for work or other valid purposes. You do, however, need court documents showing that you\u2019ve been legally emancipated\u2014and you\u2019re not exempt from any of the driver training requirements for a valid California driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"is-it-legal-to-use-cell-phone-while-driving\">Is it legal to use a cell phone while driving in California?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Using a cell phone to text, make calls, or check social media behind the wheel is a serious form of distracted driving that leads to thousands of car accidents each year, according to data from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhtsa.gov\/risky-driving\/distracted-driving\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The rules around cell phone use for teenage drivers in California are simple: it\u2019s illegal for any teen driver to use a cell phone (including a hands-free device) while driving for any purpose. Don\u2019t text; don\u2019t make or receive calls. Any violation of these laws will result in fines, starting with a $20 base fine totaling $162 after additional fees and assessments for a first-time offense.<br><br>The only exception to California\u2019s ban on teen driver cell phone use applies to emergencies. If you\u2019re a minor in California, you may use a cell phone to contact law enforcement, emergency services, the fire department, or a health care provider while driving. That said, it\u2019s still a good idea to pull over before calling if possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>More:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/california\/best-ca\/\">Best car insurance in California<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"penalties-for-violating-California-teen-driving-laws\">Penalties for violating California teen driving laws<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you hold a provisional license, it\u2019s up to you to follow all traffic laws to keep your driving privileges. Teenage drivers holding a license are subject to the following penalties for certain violations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Failure to appear in court for a traffic ticket: License suspended until you appear in court<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>One <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/at-fault-accident\/\">at-fault collision<\/a> or traffic violation within 12 months: Warning letter from the DMV<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Two at-fault collisions or traffic violations within12 months: Driving privileges revoked for 30 days (except with a parent or passenger 25 years old or older)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Three at-fault collisions or traffic violations within 12 months: License suspended for six months and probation for one year<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Additional at-fault collisions or traffic violations while on probation: License suspension<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Conviction for alcohol or drug use between 15 and 20 years old: License suspension for one year<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re subject to any of the penalties above, your suspension or probation period will continue for the entire term\u2014even if you turn 18 before it\u2019s up. You\u2019ll also need to pay DMV fines, and you can expect your insurance rate to go up, especially if you\u2019ve got multiple violations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-find-affordable-car-insurance-for-teenage-drivers\">How to find affordable car insurance for teenage drivers in California<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Teen drivers have to contend with complicated restrictions on their driving privileges in California and face some of the highest <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/\">auto insurance<\/a> rates of any group. Because insurance companies see new drivers as a <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/affordable-car-insurance-for-high-risk-drivers\/\">high-risk category<\/a>, they charge more for drivers under 25 years old than for older, more experienced drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks to California\u2019s proof of financial responsibility laws, buying coverage for a teenage driver is essential despite those high insurance costs. As a licensed broker with over 50 partner companies, <a href=\"\/signup\/\">Jerry<\/a> can help you find the absolute <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/car-insurance-for-teens\/\">cheapest car insurance quotes for teen drivers<\/a>. Sign-up is free, and the whole shopping process takes under a minute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>More:<\/strong> <a href=\"\/car-insurance\/california\/cheap-ca\/\">Cheapest car insurance in California<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jerry-meet-experts\" data-wp-interactive=\"jerry\/meet-experts\" data-wp-context=\"{&quot;modalVisible&quot;:false}\">\n  <div class=\"font-circular text-2xl font-extrabold text-slate-900\">Expert-driven. Built for you.<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-3\">\n    <div class=\"flex justify-between items-center py-3 border-b border-neutral-200 cursor-pointer font-semibold text-gray-900\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.toggleModal\">\n  <button class=\"text-left text-base\" type=\"button\">\n    Why you can count on Jerry&#8217;s articles  <\/button>\n\n  <div class=\"transition data-[visible=true]:md:rotate-180 text-xs iconify i--chevron-down text-gray-500\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"modal-backdrop fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-50 overflow-hidden overscroll-contain bg-black\/70 font-body transition-transform delay-100 duration-0 md:relative md:z-auto [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:bg-black\/0 [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onModalInit\" data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n  <div class=\"modal-view fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 flex max-h-[75%] w-full flex-col rounded-t-3xl bg-white pb-7 pl-7 pt-3.5 transition md:relative md:rounded-none md:pl-0 md:transition-none [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:translate-y-full [&amp;:not([data-visible=true])]:md:hidden\" data-wp-bind--data-visible=\"context.modalVisible\">\n    <div class=\"modal-header md:hidden flex justify-between items-center pb-1 mb-1 border-b border-zinc-200\">\n      <div class=\"modal-title text-base font-semibold\">Summary<\/div>\n\n      <div\n        class=\"modal-close-btn wp-block-group w-11 h-11 mr-2.5 content-center text-center\"\n        data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.hideModal\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"iconify i--close text-gray-500 cursor-pointer\"><\/div>\n      <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"modal-body pr-7 overflow-y-auto\"><div class=\"wp-block-template-part\"><div class=\"flex flex-row items-center gap-2.5 rounded-lg bg-gray-pink px-4 py-5\">\n  <span class=\"iconify mt-0.5 shrink-0 self-start text-xs text-primary i--shield-check\"><\/span>\n\n  <div>\n    <div class=\"font-body text-xs font-bold text-primary\">Our goal is clear, trustworthy information.<\/div>\n    <div class=\"mt-1 font-body text-xs text-gray-600\">\n      Our content is created, edited and fact checked by a team of licensed insurance agents, automotive pros and\n      experienced journalists who know the industry inside and out. Facts are thoroughly researched, verified and kept\n      current, and our editorial team is separate from our business partners, so our opinions &#038; tips are unbiased. All\n      insights drawn from Jerry\u2019s proprietary, aggregated customer auto insurance quotes data provide unique, real-world\n      guidance.\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n  <\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"text-base font-semibold text-gray-900\">Our experts<\/div>\n\n  <div class=\"my-8 flex flex-col gap-8 items-center justify-center\">\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Giselle-Gomez.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Giselle-Gomez.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Giselle-Gomez-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Giselle-Gomez-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Giselle-Gomez-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Giselle Gomez            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Giselle Gomez is an editor with over a decade of experience editing content across personal finance, education, travel, and sports. In editing for Jerry, Giselle\u2019s focus is on making sure content is consumer and SEO-friendly and helping readers understand all things car ownership. In prior roles, she worked as a content strategist, syndication editor, and writer. Her work is featured in AP, NerdWallet.com, BestColleges.com, and more. Giselle holds a master\u2019s degree from Arizona State University.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n          <div\n        class=\"meet-experts-item group relative flex h-auto w-full flex-none flex-col justify-between overflow-hidden rounded-3xl py-9 text-sm shadow-variant-card\"\n        data-expand=\"false\"\n        data-wp-init=\"callbacks.onItemInit\"\n      >\n        <div class=\"grid h-full w-full grid-cols-1 overflow-hidden px-8 md:grid-cols-4\">\n          <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman.png\" class=\"size-16 rounded-full md:size-32 col-span-1 md:ml-4\" alt=\"meet-experts-thumbnail\" srcset=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman.png 250w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman-150x150.png 150w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman-56x56.png 56w, \/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/Kayda-Norman-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 346px) 260px, (max-width: 576px) 432px, (max-width: 720px) 540px, (min-width: 720px) 250px, 100vw\" fetchpriority=\"low\"\/>\n          <div class=\"col-span-3\">\n            <div class=\"my-4 flex-1 content-center font-circular text-lg font-medium text-slate-900 md:mt-0\">\n              Kayda Norman            <\/div>\n\n            \n            <div class=\"text-slate-500 mt-2 leading-6\">\n              <p>Kayda Norman is an insurance writer and editor with more than 12 years of content experience. She previously worked at NerdWallet as an insurance writer and content management specialist. She has covered a wide range of insurance topics such as high-risk drivers, auto insurance rate factors, and credit-based insurance scores. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and USA Today.<\/p>            <\/div>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n\n        <div class=\"absolute hidden group-data-[expand=true]:flex bottom-0 w-full h-24 bg-gradient-to-t from-white from-30% to-transparent to-100% items-end justify-center\">\n          <div\n            class=\"flex cursor-pointer flex-row items-center gap-2 my-4 font-circular text-primary\"\n            data-wp-on-async--click=\"actions.onItemExpandClick\"\n          >\n            <span class=\"text-sm\">See more<\/span>\n            <span class=\"iconify i--chevron-down text-xs\"><\/span>\n          <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To ensure safe driving practices, California teen driving laws include restrictions on instructional permits and provisional driver&#8217;s licenses for minors.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":64389,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-advice","format":"standard","meta":{"jerry_authors":"[{\"id\":\"119\",\"type\":\"main-author\"},{\"id\":\"184\",\"type\":\"editor\"}]","jerry_author_ids":[119],"jerry_idx_page_label":"","jerry_meta_desc":"To ensure safe driving practices, California teen driving laws include restrictions on instructional permits and provisional driver's licenses for minors.","jerry_related_posts":"[4676,3836,3090]","jerry_summary":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[515],"tags":[31],"class_list":["post-23641","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-state-laws","tag-car-insurance"],"modified_by":"harveen.sran@getjerry.com","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23641","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23641"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23641\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64376,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23641\/revisions\/64376"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64389"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23641"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23641"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jerry.ai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23641"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}