Nevada Teen Driving

Nearly all Nevada beginning drivers under 18 must complete a drivers education course. You can enroll at age 15. Exceptions are not made for home-schooled students.

The course is not a requirement to obtain an instruction permit.  It is a requirement for a driver license. 

You have the choice of courses offered through your public school district or those offered by private Nevada professional driving schools. The course consists of 30 hours of classroom instruction. If training in a vehicle is offered, each hour of behind-the-wheel training is the equivalent of three hours of classroom instruction. Only a limited number of private schools are authorized for this activity. Ask and ensure your school is properly licensed.

The Department of Motor Vehicles licenses and monitors professional driving schools but does not regulate schedules or pricing. See Professional Drive Schools for a current list. 

Any professional driving school offering courses by television, Internet or other means must be specifically licensed for this by the Nevada DMV for the course to be accepted. Your local school district may or may not offer 'distance learning' courses by television, Internet or other means.

All schools issue a Certificate of Completion which must be presented to the DMV when you apply for your full license.

Drivers Education Laws/Population Requirements
Any beginning driver under 18 who attends public or private school in a county whose population is over 50,000, or whose city/town population is over 25,000, is required to complete a minimum of 30 hours of drivers education along with 50 hours of behind-the-wheel experience. This includes all areas of Carson City, Henderson, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Reno, Sparks and the Clark County townships of Paradise, Spring Valley, Sunrise Manor and Winchester. 
(NRS 483.250 and NAC 483.7906 (1)(b))

The requirement for drivers education is based on the location of the school the student is attending, not the student's residential address.

Drivers education is not required only if the applicant attends a school that:

• Is located in a county whose population is less than 50,000 or located in a city or town whose population is less than 25,000; and

• Does not offer a course in automobile drivers education.

A school official or administrator must sign the lower portion of the Affidavit For Minor To Be Licensed (DLD-102) attesting to these facts. 

Home-schooled students are considered to be enrolled at their residential address and must follow the above population guidelines.

Instruction Permits are valid for one year. If your permit has expired, you must apply for renewal in person at a DMV office and a parent/guardian must sign another Financial Responsibility Statement. You will have to take the written test again if the permit is expired more than 30 days.

The parent/guardian who signed the Financial Responsibility Statement when the minor applied for the permit can request its cancellation at any time by completing the Minor Affidavit (DLD-38) form and presenting it in person at a DMV office. Nevada law requires the permit itself be surrendered in person.

The department can require testing, cancel a permit or deny the renewal if the applicant has been convicted of traffic violations or other offenses listed under License Suspensions and Revocations.

Young drivers are required to complete 50 hours of behind-the-wheel experience. You must have a licensed driver, who is 21 or older and has been licensed for at least one year, seated next to you at all times. 

When you apply for your driver license, you must have a parent or guardian sign the Affidavit for Minor To Be Licensed (DLD-102) stating you have completed this training.

A log book or formal curriculum is not required. However, additional materials are available from the American Driver and Traffic Safety Education Association (ADTSEA).

• New Driver Skills Log (PDF) | Full Curriculum

Call the DMV to schedule a driving skills test when you have met the requirements for Drivers Education, Time Limits and Behind The Wheel Experience.

Bring the following with you:

• Parent/Guardian 
  (must sign Financial Responsibility Statement and Affidavit for Minor to be Licensed)

• Drivers Education Certificate of Completion

• Instruction Permit

• Vehicle with Registration and Insurance

You can take the skills test in any passenger car or truck which is properly registered and insured, including rental cars. The Drive Examiner will check the registration and insurance and perform a safety inspection.

The examiner will give you instructions on where to drive for the test. Serious traffic violations such as speeding or failure to yield will result in automatic failure. Examiners use a point system to grade other aspects of performance. If you fail the test, the examiner will explain why and instruct you on how to re-take it. A 30-day time limit can be imposed.

Young drivers cannot transport any passenger under the age of 18, except for immediate family members, for one of the following time periods after the license was issued:

• 90 days if you were under the age of 16 when the license was issued
• 60 days if you were at least 16 but under 17 when the license was issued
• 30 days if you were at least 17 but under 18 when the license was issued

Nevada has a .02 blood alcohol limit for drivers under 21.
Drivers can also be arrested for any detectable amount of a controlled substance.
Minor driver licenses can be suspended for any of the same reasons as adult licenses and also for alcohol/drug convictions, firearms violations or habitual truancy. See License Suspensions.

It is illegal to drive in violation of any local curfew law:

Visitors - Nevada honors out-of-state instruction permits. If the permit is valid in your home state, you can drive in Nevada with a licensed driver 21 years or older seated next to you. Nevada also honors out of state driver licenses, but you must follow Nevada's restrictions.

New Residents - Drivers education is not required for any applicant age 18 or older, or for a driver under 18 who has received a license with full driving privileges issued by another state. All applicants under 25 must take the written test.

Applicants with restricted or graduated licenses or those with out-of-state instruction permits must complete drivers education unless they live in an area of Nevada which is exempt. 

Out-of-state drivers education classes are accepted if the course was offered as part of the curriculum in a public school. The course and grade must appear on the student's report card. Other out-of-state schools are not accepted.

Out-of-state permits and licenses are valid for proof of name and date of birth, and for proof of Social Security number if the number is printed on the permit. All new residents must obtain a Nevada license or permit and vehicle registration within 30 days. See our New Resident Guide.

Nevada Residents - Whether you are moving to another state or just visiting, most states will honor a Nevada Instruction Permit. However, you should check with the police or state DMV in each area where you will be traveling.  If you are moving permanently, contact your new state's DMV for information on drivers education and other requirements to obtain your license.

Military - Military members who are residents of another state and stationed in Nevada do not have to transfer their driver license. Spouses and dependent children are also exempt unless they obtain employment. Employed spouses and dependents are considered Nevada residents and must obtain their Nevada driver license and vehicle registration. Click here for more information.

If you are a Nevada resident and stationed in another state, you do not have to obtain a license in the other state. Please keep your address current with us as you move by mailing a Change of Address form. Check with your new state's DMV on requirements for spouses and dependents. Click here for more information.