Missouri Teen License (Intermediate)

Missouri's intermediate driver's license is the middle stage of the state's graduated driver licensing program — between the instruction permit and the full Class F license. The Missouri Department of Revenue issues the intermediate license at age 16 with passenger and curfew restrictions that apply until the holder turns 18.

Eligibility

To qualify for a Missouri intermediate license, the applicant must:

• Be at least 16 years old.
• Have held a Missouri instruction permit for at least 6 months.
• Have completed 40 hours of supervised driving practice, including 10 hours at night.
• Have no traffic convictions or alcohol-related offenses during the previous 6 months.
• Pass the driving skills test administered at a fee office or Missouri State Highway Patrol examination station.

The driving practice log signed by a parent or legal guardian must be submitted with the intermediate license application. The skills test is the same on-road exam used for the full Class F license.

Application steps

Visit any Missouri fee office with:

• The current instruction permit.
• The completed Driver Practice Log signed by the parent or guardian.
• Proof of school enrollment, graduation, or GED — Missouri requires drivers under 18 to be enrolled in school or to have completed secondary education.
• The parent or legal guardian present to sign the financial responsibility statement.
• Proof of Missouri auto insurance on the vehicle used for the driving test.

The intermediate license fee is $5.50, paid at the fee office. The card is mailed within 7 to 10 business days; a paper temporary license is issued on the spot.

Intermediate license restrictions

The Missouri intermediate license imposes these restrictions until the holder turns 18:

• Nighttime curfew: driving is prohibited between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver age 21+ in the front passenger seat, or unless driving to or from work, school, or a school-sponsored activity.
• Passenger limit: for the first 6 months of intermediate driving, the holder may not transport more than one passenger under age 19 who is not a sibling. After 6 months, the limit rises to three passengers under 19.
• Cell phone ban: use of any handheld or hands-free telecommunications device is prohibited for any driver under 21.
• Zero tolerance: a BAC of 0.02% or higher results in an automatic 90-day suspension and possible DWI charge — see the Missouri DWI laws page.
• Seat belts: all occupants must wear seat belts; the intermediate driver is liable for unbelted passengers under 16.

Graduating to a full license

The intermediate license converts to a full Class F driver's license when the holder turns 18, provided the license is current and not under suspension. No new application is required at age 18 — the existing card is honored as a full license until the renewal date. The intermediate-to-full transition usually requires the driver to visit a fee office to update the photo and remove the "intermediate" indicator from the printed card; some drivers wait until the regular renewal cycle if the card has more than a year of validity remaining.

Penalties for restriction violations

Violations of intermediate license restrictions carry separate penalties beyond the underlying citation:

• First violation: warning letter and 90-day extension of the intermediate period before full license eligibility.
• Second violation: 30-day license suspension.
• Any DWI under intermediate status: 1-year license suspension, mandatory ignition interlock for any reinstatement, and SR-22 insurance for 3 years.
• Two moving violations during the intermediate period: a state-required driver improvement course before continuing.

Parents who signed the financial responsibility statement for an intermediate license can withdraw consent at any time by submitting a written request to the DOR. Withdrawal of consent suspends the intermediate license until the teen turns 18 or until a new sponsor signs. See the suspended license page for the reinstatement steps that apply when a points or DWI suspension affects a teen's intermediate or transitional license.