Arizona Teen License (Class G)
Arizona's Class G Graduated Driver License is the intermediate step between the instruction permit and a full Class D license. It's issued at age 16 to teens who have logged the required practice time and held an instruction permit for at least 6 months. Class G drivers can drive solo, but Arizona attaches passenger and nighttime restrictions that stay in place until the holder turns 18.
Eligibility
To apply for a Class G license, the teen must be:
- At least 16 years old on the day of the road test.
- Have held an Arizona instruction permit for a minimum of 6 consecutive months.
- Have completed at least 30 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night, with the practice log signed by a parent or legal guardian.
- Have had no traffic convictions during the permit period.
- Pass a road test administered by Arizona MVD or an authorized ATP testing location.
Teens who have completed an approved driver education program may shorten the supervised practice requirement to 20 hours and 5 night-time hours, provided the school certifies the additional behind-the-wheel hours separately.
Class G restrictions (age 16-18)
Once issued, the Class G license carries two strict restrictions during the first 6 months:
- Passenger restriction: No more than one passenger under age 18, unless those passengers are the driver's siblings or a parent or licensed driver age 21+ is in the front passenger seat.
- Nighttime curfew: No driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m., unless the driver is on the way to or from work, school, school-related activity, or accompanied by a parent, guardian, or licensed driver age 21+.
After the first 6 months, the passenger restriction lifts but the curfew remains until the driver turns 18 or qualifies for an unrestricted Class D license. Cell-phone use of any kind — handheld or hands-free — is prohibited for Class G holders during the entire under-18 period, with the limited exception of one-touch GPS use.
Penalties for restriction violations
Arizona MVD treats Class G restriction violations as moving violations recorded on the teen's driver record:
- First conviction: 30-day extension of the under-18 restriction period.
- Second conviction: 60-day license suspension.
- Third conviction: 6-month license suspension and reapplication required.
Any Class G holder convicted of an alcohol- or drug-related driving offense triggers Arizona's zero-tolerance law for under-21 drivers and an automatic license suspension — see the Arizona DUI laws page for the full set of consequences. Points accumulated during the under-18 period are also tracked under the Arizona point system; 8 or more in 12 months brings mandatory Traffic Survival School attendance.
Graduating to a full Class D license
The Class G license automatically converts to a full unrestricted Class D license on the holder's 18th birthday, provided the driver has had no convictions in the prior 6 months and is not currently under suspension. No road test is required at the conversion. The credential card itself doesn't need to be replaced — the restrictions simply expire by operation of law — though many teens replace the card to remove the visible "G" notation.
Teens who turn 16 with no permit history but want a license still have to complete the standard 6-month permit period before a road test. There's no shortcut around the supervised-practice requirement, and Arizona MVD audits the 30-hour log if the road-test examiner finds inconsistencies in the parent's certification.
Insurance and parent liability
Arizona's minimum auto liability is 25/50/15. Adding a Class G driver to a parent's policy is mandatory the day the teen begins solo driving; insurers generally rate Class G drivers as the highest-risk category until age 18 or two clean years on record. The signing adult who certified the under-18 application is financially liable for any judgment arising from the teen's driving until the teen turns 18 or the certification is formally withdrawn at MVD — review Arizona car insurance for the teen-specific options.