A minimum driving age is the youngest age at which a person is permitted by law to drive a motor vehicle on public roads, including to practice for a driving test and obtain a driving licence.
Minimum driving age laws are in place in most places, though the age varies between jurisdictions. In most jurisdictions, the minimum driving age for cars is 18. In many cases, persons below the minimum driving age may be able to drive under supervision from a competent driver or driving instructor. The lowest minimum driving age is in South Dakota in the United States, where a person aged fourteen can drive under adult supervision and a person aged fourteen and a half can obtain a driver's licence and drive unsupervised, albeit with restrictions. In other parts of the US, persons as young as fourteen can be given permission to drive where such permission would not normally be afforded due to exceptional hardship.
The minimum driving age can vary by vehicle type, with many jurisdictions operating lower minimum ages for motorcycles than cars, for instance.
Africa
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | 18 | |
| Cameroon | 16 | |
| Egypt | 18 (cars) 16 (motorcycles) |
|
| Eswatini | 18 | |
| Ethiopia | 18 | |
| Ghana | 18 | |
| Kenya | 18 (cars) 16 (motorcycles) |
|
| Lesotho | 18 | |
| Libya | 18 | |
| Mali | 18 21 (Allowed to rent cars) |
|
| Mauritania | 18 15 (Motorcycles) |
|
| Mauritius | 18 (cars) 17 (motorcycles) 15 (autocycles) |
|
| Mayotte (France) | 18 | |
| Morocco | 18 (cars) 21 (trucks) 16 (motorcycles) |
|
| Mozambique | 17 | |
| Namibia | 18 | |
| Niger | 16 (light motor vehicles) 18 (commercial passenger vehicles) |
|
| Nigeria | 18 | |
| Réunion (France) | 18 | One may obtain a learner's license and be legally allowed to drive with supervision at age 15. A full driving license will be fully granted by age 18. |
| Rwanda | 18 | |
| Senegal | 16 | |
| South Africa | 18 17 (provisional licence) 16 (motorcycles up to 125 cc) |
A Code 1 licence is obtainable at age 16, and allows for the use of motorcycles with engines that do not exceed 125 cc. The National Road Traffic act specifies that a driver needs to be 17 to legally obtain a provisional licence for all motor vehicles under 3500 kg. To obtain any other class of driving licence, one must be 18 years old. |
| Tanzania | 18 | |
| Tunisia | 18 | |
| Uganda | 18 | |
| Zambia | 16 | |
| Zimbabwe | 16 |
Americas
North America
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | varies between provinces | |
| Mexico | 15 (with parental supervision), 16 (with parental agreement), 18 |
|
| United States | 16 is legal driving age, but permit can be obtained at 14 or 15 depending on state laws |
Central America
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Rica | 18 | |
| El Salvador | 15 | Driving age for cars is 15 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
| Guatemala | 16 (with parental approval), 18 |
|
| Honduras | 18 | |
| Nicaragua | 18 | |
| Panama | 16 (with parental approval), 18 |
South America
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 17 (with parental approval), 18 (without) |
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. |
| Bolivia | 18 | |
| Brazil | 18 | 18 is the minimum age to drive a mopeds, motorcycle, and cars.
21 is the minimum age to drive a trucks, buses, or transporting. 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. |
| Chile | 17 (with parental approval), 18, 20 (professional license) |
|
| Colombia | 16, 18 (professional license) |
|
| Ecuador | 18 | |
| Falkland Islands | 17 | |
| French Guiana | 17 | |
| Guyana | 17 | |
| Paraguay | 18 | |
| Peru | 18 | |
| Suriname | 18 | |
| Uruguay | 18 | |
| Venezuela | 18 |
Caribbean
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Anguilla | 18 | |
| Bahamas | 17 | |
| Cayman Islands | 17 | |
| Cuba | 18 | |
| Curaçao | 18 | |
| Dominican Republic | 18 | |
| Guadeloupe | 17 | |
| Jamaica | 16-17 (learners permit or with adult supervision), 18 fully licensed |
|
| Martinique | 17 | |
| Puerto Rico | 16 (with learner's permit), 18 | |
| Saint Barthélemy | 17 | |
| Saint Martin | 18 | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 17 | |
| St. Kitts and Nevis | 17 (for permit), 18 (for license) |
|
| US Virgin Islands | 16 (with learner's permit), 18 |
Asia
Western Asia
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bahrain | 18 | |
| Iran | 18 | You can go to driving class 1 to 3 weeks before the driving exam. After reaching the age of 18 you can get the driving licence. |
| Iraq | 16 for motorcycles 18 for cars |
|
| Israel | 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 |
|
| Jordan | 18 | |
| Kuwait | 18 for Kuwaitis 21 for non-Kuwaitis |
|
| Lebanon | 18 | |
| Oman | 18 | |
| Qatar | 18 21 for heavy vehicles |
|
| Saudi Arabia | 17 years 6 Months for cars, 16 years 6 months for temporary permits, 15 years 6 Months for motorcycles |
Saudi Arabia Law specifies 18, 17 and 16 for car licenses, temporary permits and motorcycles respectively, but calculates age based on the Islamic Calendar which has shorter years. |
| Syria | 18 | |
| United Arab Emirates | 17 for cars and motorcycles |
|
| Yemen | 18 |
South Asia
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 18 (for men)
Prohibited (for women) |
As of 2024, the right to drive is not extended to women.
Afghanistan is currently the only country to ban the right to drive based on gender. [1] |
| Bangladesh | 18 | |
| India | 18 | |
| Nepal | 16 for two-wheelers, 18 for four-wheelers |
|
| Pakistan | 18 | |
| Sri Lanka | 17 | |
| Maldives | 18 |
East Asia
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| China | 18 | |
| Hong Kong | 18 | Special Administrative Region of China |
| Japan | 16 (motorcycles under 400 cc) 18 (ordinary/semi-medium vehicle and motorcycles over 401 cc) |
|
| Macau | 18 | Special Administrative Region of China |
| South Korea | 18 for regular passenger cars and motorbikes over 125 cc 16 for motorbikes under 125 cc 19 for commercial license |
|
| Taiwan | 18 |
Southeast Asia
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Brunei | 18 | |
| Myanmar | 18 | |
| Cambodia | 18 | |
| Indonesia | 17 | |
| Laos | 18 | |
| Malaysia | 17 (cars), 16 (motorcycles) |
|
| Philippines | 16 (student permit); 17 (non-professional driver's license); 18 (professional driver's license) |
|
| Singapore | 18 | |
| Thailand | 18 (cars and motorcycles); 15 (motorcycles with 110 cc or smaller engines) |
Other restrictions apply to large or specialised vehicles. |
| Vietnam | 16 (motorcycles under 50cc), 18 |
Europe
European Driving Licence Area
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 17 for cars 15 for mopeds |
(Start with 15,5 under L17 attendant driving training) |
| Belgium | 18 16 for mopeds |
17 for cars, with learners permit (supervised) |
| Bulgaria | 18 16 for mopeds |
|
| Croatia | 18 15 for mopeds |
|
| Cyprus | 18 | |
| Czech Republic | 18 17 with supervision |
15 for mopeds. |
| Denmark | 24 for heavy bus, 21 for heavy truck, 17 for cars 15 for mopeds, quads and snowmobiles* |
17-year-olds may drive alone from 5 AM to 8 PM. Outside this time frame, a companion with a driver's license is required.
The minimum driving age for heavy truck and heavy bus can go down to 18, if the license is obtained during military service *It is only possible to obtain a license for snowmobiles on Greenland. |
| Estonia | 18 for cars, 16 with supervision, 14 for mopeds |
Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
| Finland | 18 for cars, 17 with exception permit, 15 (mopeds, micro cars, tractors) |
|
| France | 17, 15 with supervision |
Driving age for cars is 15 with supervision. Licence available at 17 with speed restrictions, reduced number of points and blood alcohol level is reduced to 0.2g/L. Restrictions drops after 2 or 3 years of holding a license. |
| Germany | 18,
17 with supervision, 16 for motorcycles up to 125ccm 15 for Scooters/Mopeds up to 50ccm and 45km/h |
Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. Licenses for mopeds/scooters < 45 km/h at 15 and motorcycles under 125ccm at 16. |
| Greece | 17 16 for motorcycles up to 50 cc and light quadricycles | Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Unrestricted license is available at 18. |
| Hungary | 17 16 for motorcycles under 125 ccm 14 for vehicles under 50 ccm |
|
| Iceland | 16 | Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 17. |
| Ireland | 17 | 16 for motorcycles under 125cc, mopeds, work vehicles or land tractors |
| Italy | 17 | Driving 17 with supervision of a person under 60 years in possession of full B licence (or superior). Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
| Latvia | 18 for cars (B), trailers (C1, BE, C1E), 24 motorcycles (A), 21 motorcycles (A2), 16 for motorcycles (A1), resting boats, 14 for mopeds (M), 10 for bicycle |
16 for cars(B), 21 for motorcycles(A2), trailers(C1, BE, C1E), 16 for motorcycles(A1), 14 for mopeds(M) – if supervised by a person holding a B category licence for at least three years (also known as training driving) |
| Liechtenstein | 18 | |
| Lithuania | 14 to 18 (for permit), 18 (for full license) for cars, 15 for mopeds |
|
| Luxembourg | 16 for motorcycles 18 for cars |
Driving age for low power motorcycles and tractors 16. Driving licence for cars available at 18. |
| Malta | 18 | |
| Netherlands | 17 for cars 16 for mopeds and tractors |
Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Driving lessons available at 16½. Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
| Norway | 18 for cars 16 for mopeds and light motorcycles |
|
| Poland | 18, 17 with supervison 16 for tractors and motorcycles up to 125 cc 14 for mopeds and quads |
|
| Portugal | 18 for cars, 16 for motorcycles, 14 for motorcycles and tricycles under 50cm3
|
|
| Romania | 18 16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc |
|
| Slovakia | 17 | Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
| Slovenia | 16 for cars and motorcycles | Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
| Spain | 15 for mopeds and quads 16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc 18 for general licence |
|
| Sweden | 18 for cars 15 for mopeds and tractors |
Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
| Switzerland | 17 for cars, 16 for scooters, 18 for motorcycles under 35 kW 14 for mopeds and tractors |
Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision.
Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
Rest of Europe
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Albania | 18 | |
| Andorra | 18 | |
| Armenia | 18 | |
| Azerbaijan | 18 | |
| Belarus | 18 | 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 <1 m3 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). |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 18 for cars
14 for mopeds |
|
| Georgia | 17 | |
| Gibraltar | 17 | |
| Guernsey | 17 | 2 or 3 wheel vehicles, 14 under 50cc <4 kW, 16 for 50–125cc <50 km/h <11 kW, 17 for >125cc |
| Isle of Man | 16 | 16 moped, 16 motorbike <125cc <11Kw, 17 motorbike >125cc. |
| Jersey | 17 | 2 wheel vehicles, 16 <50cc, 2 or 3 wheel vehicles 17 <125cc, 18 >240cc. |
| Kazakhstan | 18 | 16 for mopeds and light motorcycles (A1). Special categories such as trucks, buses, and vehicles with trailers require higher ages and prior experience |
| Kosovo | 18 | |
| Moldova | 18 | |
| Monaco | 18 | |
| Montenegro | 18 | |
| Northern Cyprus | 18 | |
| North Macedonia | 18 (16 with parental supervision) |
|
| Russia | 18 (16 for motorcycles) |
|
| San Marino | 18 | |
| Serbia | 18 (17 with adult supervision) |
|
| Ukraine | 18 | |
| United Kingdom | 17 (cars), 16 (mopeds and tractors) (cars if disabled and in receipt of PIP or DLA), 16 (Light Quadricycle) |
Oceania
| State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| American Samoa | 16 | |
| Australia | 18 (VIC) 17 (ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, WA) 16½ years (NT) |
The minimum age to obtain a car or motorcycle learner license which allows driving under supervision is 15 years and 9 months, in the ACT. All other states and territories require learner drivers to be 16 years of age or older. Driving unsupervised by progressing to a provisional license is possible after 12 months, with minimum supervised hours (including nighttime driving) required in the form of a logbook. The exception to this is the Northern Territory, where learner drivers can progress to a provisional license after 6 months, without the need for a driving test or logbook. |
| Fiji | 17 | |
| Guam | 16 | |
| Marshall Islands | 18 | |
| New Zealand | 16½ | 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. Without an advanced driving course, the minimum age is 18, the same as a heavy vehicle licence. |
| Northern Mariana Islands | 15½ years | |
| Papua New Guinea | 18 | |
| Tonga | 18 |
