Oregon Instruction Permit

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

The Oregon instruction permit is the entry point into the state's graduated driver licensing system. A teen aged 15 or older who passes the knowledge test and a vision screening can begin practice driving with a licensed adult in the front passenger seat. The permit is held for at least 6 months before a teen can apply for a provisional license.

Eligibility

To qualify for an Oregon instruction permit, the applicant must:

Be at least 15 years and 0 days old.
Have written consent from a parent or legal guardian (or self-consent if 18 or older).
Pass a vision screening at the DMV office.
Pass the Oregon knowledge test.
Provide proof of identity, Social Security number, and Oregon residency.

Documents to bring

Oregon requires REAL ID-compliant identity documents at the first DMV visit:

One proof of identity — certified U.S. birth certificate or U.S. passport.
Proof of Social Security number — SS card, W-2, or pay stub showing the full SSN.
Two proofs of Oregon residency — utility bill, school enrollment letter, parent's mortgage statement, or lease.
Form 735-31, signed by both the applicant and a parent or legal guardian.
The permit fee — currently $23.50 for the original instruction permit.

Knowledge test

The Oregon permit knowledge test has 35 multiple-choice questions covering speed limits, right-of-way rules, signs, signals, lane markings, school zones, and the basics of Oregon impaired-driving law. You need to answer at least 28 correctly to pass. Failed attempts may be retaken — typically the next day at busy offices, sometimes the same day at smaller ones. The Oregon Driver Manual is the only study source ODOT endorses; many third-party practice tests are based on outdated versions of the manual.

Supervised driving requirements

Once the permit is in hand, the teen must complete one of the following before applying for a provisional license at 16:

50 hours of supervised driving with at least 10 hours at night or in inclement weather, documented on a parent-signed log; or
Approved driver education course plus 50 supervised hours (the course waives some of the night requirement); or
100 hours of supervised driving if no driver education is taken — most families pick option 1 with a course to keep the hour count manageable.

The supervising adult must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid Oregon driver's license, and sit in the front passenger seat with access to the controls if needed. A licensed driver-education instructor counts as a supervisor during course practice sessions.

Permit restrictions

The Oregon instruction permit is not a license to drive alone. Throughout the permit period:

The permit holder may drive only when supervised by an adult described above.
No drugs or alcohol — Oregon's zero-tolerance law applies to permit holders the same as to provisional drivers.
Cell-phone use, including hands-free, is prohibited while driving on a permit.
All occupants must wear seat belts.

Oregon does not impose a midnight curfew on instruction-permit holders the way it does on provisional licensees, since the permit already requires supervision at all times. However, supervised practice during the night and weather counts toward the 10-hour requirement, so families typically build that practice in deliberately.

Validity and renewal

The Oregon instruction permit is valid for 2 years. A teen who turns 16 partway through the permit period and has met the 6-month and supervised-hour thresholds can apply for the provisional license without waiting for the permit to expire. If the permit expires before the teen is ready, it can be renewed for an additional fee — but the supervised hours and the 6-month holding period continue to count from the original date the practice log started.

For the next step, see the Oregon provisional license page or jump to the full Class C driver's license guide for adults.