List of minimum driving ages
The minimum driving age is the minimum age at which a person may obtain a driver's licence to lawfully drive a motor vehicle on public roads. That age is determined by and for each jurisdiction and is most commonly set at 11
years of age, but learner drivers may be permitted on the road at an earlier age under supervision. Before reaching the minimum age for a driver's licence or anytime afterwards, the person wanting the licence would normally be tested for driving ability and knowledge of road rules before being issued with a licence, provided he or she is above the minimum driving age. Countries with the lowest driving ages (17 and below) are Canada, El Salvador, Iceland, Israel, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the United Kingdom (mainland), United States and Zimbabwe. In some jurisdictions in the United States and Canada, drivers can be as young as 14 (with parental supervision).
Most jurisdictions recognise driver's licences issued by another jurisdiction, which may result in a young person who obtains a licence in a jurisdiction with a low minimum driving age being permitted to drive in a jurisdiction which normally has a higher driving age. A notable exception to this is the United States, where many states ban drivers below their minimum driving age, even if they hold permits or licences issued by another state.
The minimum age may vary depending on vehicle type. This list refers to the minimum driving age for a light motor vehicle (typically under 3500 kg gross vehicle mass) or motorcycle, where noted.
Africa
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
18 | ||
16 | ||
18[1] | ||
18[2] | ||
18[3] | ||
18[4] | ||
18[5] | ||
18[2] | ||
18[6] | ||
18 | ||
18 | ||
15 (autocycles), 17 (motorcycles), 18 (cars)[7] | ||
18 | ||
18[8][9] | ||
18 | ||
18[10] | ||
18[11] | ||
18 | ||
18 | ||
18 | ||
17 | The National Road Traffic act specifies that a driver needs to be 17 to legally obtain a license for all motor vehicles under 3500 kg. 17 years old may allow one to obtain a learners license, to drive while supervised by an already licensed driver who has had their license for more than a year. Yet to obtain an actual drivers license, the age is 18 years old.[12] | |
18[13] | ||
18[14] | ||
16[15] | ||
16[16] | ||
Americas
North America
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
16 in most provinces (Graduated Licensing Program) 14 with GLP in Alberta[17] 15 with GLP in Yukon, NWT, and Nunavut [18][19][20] |
||
15 (with parental supervision), 16 (with parental agreement), 18[21] | ||
14–16 (for permit) 16–17 (for restricted license) 17–18 (for unrestricted license) varies between states |
Central America
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
18[22] | ||
15 | ||
16 (with parental approval), 18 | ||
18[23] | ||
18[24] | ||
16 (with approval), 18[25][26] |
South America
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
17 | 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.[27] | |
18[28] | ||
18[29] | 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. | |
17 (with parental approval), 18,[30] 20 (professional license)[31] | ||
16[32] | ||
18[33] | ||
18 | ||
17[34] | ||
18 | ||
18[35] | ||
18 | ||
18[36] | ||
18[37] |
Caribbean
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
18[38] | ||
17[39] | ||
18[40] | ||
17 | ||
16 | ||
18 | ||
18 | ||
18 | ||
18[41] | ||
16 (with learner's permit)[42] | ||
18 | ||
18 | ||
17 | ||
17 (for permit),[43] 18 (for license)[44] | ||
16 (with learner's permit), 18[45] |
Asia
Middle East
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
18[46] | ||
18[47] | ||
16 for motorcycles 18 for cars |
||
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[48] |
||
18[49] | ||
18[50] | ||
18 | ||
18[51] | ||
18[52] | ||
18[53] | ||
18 for cars 16 for motorcycles 17 for temporary permit for cars | ||
18[54] | ||
18 | ||
18[55] |
South Asia
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
18[56] | ||
18[57] | ||
18 | Applications for a provisional driving licence can be made from the age of 16. Valid for driving a moped or gearless motorcycle (with a capacity of up to 50 cc) from aged 16, and a car from aged 18 or older to drive any other type of vehicle. |
|
18 | ||
18[58] | ||
17[59] |
East Asia
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
18[60] | ||
18[61] | Special Administrative Region of China | |
16 (motorcycles under 400 cc) 18 (ordinary/semi-medium vehicle and motorcycles over 401 cc)[62] |
||
18[63] | Special Administrative Region of China | |
18 for regular passenger cars and motorbikes over 125 cc 16 for motorbikes under 125 cc 19 for commercial license |
||
18[64] |
Southeast Asia
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
18[65] | ||
18 | ||
18[66] | ||
17[67][68] | ||
18[69] | ||
17 (cars), 16 (motorcycles)[70] | ||
17 (student permit); 18 (non-professional & professional driver's license)[71] | ||
18[72] | ||
18 (cars), 15 (motorcycles)[73] | ||
18[74] |
Europe
European driving licence area
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
18 for cars 16 for mopeds[75] |
(17 with special training) | |
18 16 for mopeds[76] |
||
18[77] | ||
18[78] | ||
18 | ||
18 15 for mopeds[79] |
||
17 for cars[80] 15 for mopeds |
The minimum age for driving a car without supervision is 18. | |
16 (14 for mopeds)[81] | Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision.[81] Unrestricted licence available at 18. | |
18 for cars 15 (mopeds, micro cars, tractors)[82] |
||
15[83] | Driving age for cars is 15[83] with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18[84] | |
17 | 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. [85] | |
17[86] | ||
18 | ||
17 | ||
16[87][88] | Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 17. | |
17[89][90][91] | 16 for work vehicles, tractors etc. and motorbikes <125cc | |
17[92] | 17 with supervision of a person under 60 years in possession of full B licence (or superior). Unrestricted licence available at 18. | |
16 for cars 14 for mopeds |
16 if supervised by a person holding a B category license for at least three years[93][94] | |
18 | ||
18 | ||
17 | Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. | |
18[95] | ||
17 for cars 16 for mopeds and tractors[96] |
Driving lessons available at 16½. Unrestricted licence available at 18. | Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision.|
18 for cars 16 for mopeds and light motorcycles |
||
18 | ||
18 for cars
16 for motorcycles |
||
18 16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc[97] |
||
17 | Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. | |
16 for cars and motorcycles | Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. | |
15 for mopeds and quads 16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc 18 for general license[98] |
||
18 for cars[99] 15/16 for mopeds and tractors |
Unrestricted licence available at 18.[99] | Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision.|
18 for cars, 14 for mopeds and tractors[100] | ||
17 (cars)
16 (mopeds and tractors)(card of disabled and in receipt of PIP [101] |
Rest of Europe
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
18 | ||
18[102] | ||
18[103] | ||
18[104] | ||
18[105] | 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 <1m3 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).[106] | |
18[107] | ||
17[108] | ||
17[109] | ||
16[110] | ||
17[111] | ||
18[112] | ||
18[113] | ||
18[114] | ||
18[115] | ||
18 | ||
18 (16 with parental supervision)[116] | ||
18 (16 for motorcycles)[117] | ||
18[118] | ||
18 (17 with adult supervision)[119] | ||
18 (cars) 16 (mopeds and light-motorcycles)[120] |
||
18[121][122] |
Oceania
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
16[123] | ||
18 (VIC) 17 (All other States) 16½ years (NT) | Learner drivers may drive under qualified supervision from the minimum age set in each state or territory. | |
17[124][125] | ||
16[126] | ||
18[127] | ||
16 | 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.[128] Without an advanced driving course, the minimum age is 18, the same as a heavy vehicle licence.[129] | |
15 years 6 months[130] | ||
18 | ||
18[131] | ||
See also
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