Idaho Restricted Supervised License

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

The Restricted Supervised License is the middle stage of Idaho's graduated driver licensing track. It's available at age 15 to teens who have held a Supervised Instruction Permit for at least 6 months, completed the 50-hour supervised log, and finished a state-approved driver-ed course. The credential allows independent driving for the first time, but with strict limits on when the teen can drive, who can ride along, and what triggers a violation reset.

Eligibility

To qualify, the applicant must:

Be at least 15 years old.
Have held a Supervised Instruction Permit for at least 6 months with no traffic convictions.
Have completed the 50-hour supervised driving log, including at least 10 night hours, signed by a parent or guardian.
Have completed a state-approved driver education course (classroom plus behind-the-wheel).
Pass the road skills test administered by ITD or an authorized third-party tester.

The skills test mirrors the road test for the full Class D license, with extra weight given to lane discipline, head checks, and stop-sign behavior.

Nighttime curfew

Restricted Supervised License holders cannot drive between sunset and sunrise unless one of the following applies: a licensed adult 21 or older is in the front passenger seat, the teen is driving directly to or from work or a school activity (with documentation), or the teen is responding to a family emergency. The sunset-sunrise rule is stricter than a fixed-time curfew because it adjusts naturally to the season — in winter, the restriction begins as early as 5:00 p.m. in northern Idaho.

Passenger restrictions

For the first 6 months after the Restricted Supervised License is issued, the teen may not transport more than one passenger under the age of 17 who is not a family member. After 6 months, the passenger limit relaxes, but no Restricted holder may transport more passengers than the vehicle has functioning seat belts. Family-member passengers are exempt from the under-17 limit at all times.

Cell phone and texting

Idaho prohibits all use of a handheld electronic device while driving for anyone under 18, even hands-free configurations. The rule applies on top of the statewide texting-while-driving prohibition that covers all drivers. A first violation by a Restricted holder is treated as a moving violation that pauses the GDL clock.

The 12-month violation-free rule

The Restricted Supervised License must be held for at least 12 months without a moving-violation conviction before the teen can move to a full unrestricted Class D license at age 17. Any conviction during this period restarts the 12-month clock. Two convictions within the GDL period typically extend the restricted phase or trigger an administrative review by ITD that can require driver-improvement training.

Stepping up to the full license

When the Restricted holder reaches age 17 with the 12-month violation-free record, the teen may apply for a full Class D license by visiting an ITD driver service office, paying the regular license fee, and surrendering the restricted card. No additional skills test is required for teens stepping up cleanly through the GDL track. Adult applicants who skipped the GDL track follow a separate route that does require both knowledge and skills testing.

Why the GDL track matters

Idaho's graduated structure is built on national research showing that teens who drive longer with adult supervision and shorter with peer passengers crash less often during the first year of solo driving. Most insurers also recognize the GDL completion as a positive factor in teen auto insurance rates, especially when paired with a good-student discount or a defensive-driving certificate from an Idaho-approved provider.