Washington Intermediate License

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

Washington's intermediate license is the second step in the state's Graduated Driver Licensing program. It carries adult driving privileges with two sets of restrictions — a passenger cap and a nighttime curfew — that age out automatically when the holder turns 18 or completes 12 violation-free months at the intermediate level.

Eligibility

A Washington teen is eligible for an intermediate license once all of the following are true:

Age 16 or older.
Has held a Washington instruction permit for at least 6 consecutive months with no traffic violations.
Has logged at least 50 hours of supervised practice driving, including 10 hours after sunset, certified by a parent or guardian.
Has completed an approved Traffic Safety Education program (30 hours classroom + 6 hours behind-the-wheel + 1 hour observation).
Has passed the Washington skills test administered by the DOL or an approved third-party tester.

Passenger restriction

Washington's GDL passenger restriction operates in two phases:

Months 1-6 of the intermediate license: no passengers under age 20 except immediate family members (parents, siblings, half-siblings, stepsiblings sharing a household).
Months 7-12 (and through age 18): up to 3 passengers under age 20, with no exception cap on immediate family members.

The passenger restriction does not apply when a licensed parent or guardian is in the front passenger seat.

Nighttime curfew

Washington bars intermediate license holders from driving between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. with the following exceptions:

Driving to or from work, with documentation if asked.
Driving for an agricultural employer.
Driving for an emergency.
Driving accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian.

Outside those exceptions, a curfew violation is a moving violation that extends the intermediate period and is reported to the parent or guardian.

Cell phone and seat-belt rules

Washington bans all cell phone use by drivers under 18, including hands-free, while operating any vehicle (RCW 46.61.667). Texting while driving is prohibited at any age. Every occupant of a vehicle driven by an intermediate license holder must wear a seat belt; passengers who are not wearing seat belts produce a citation against the under-18 driver, not the passenger.

Convictions during the intermediate period

Under Washington's three-strike rule:

First moving-violation conviction: warning letter from DOL.
Second moving-violation conviction: license suspension for 30 days; parent meeting required.
Third moving-violation conviction: license suspension until age 18.

A first or second alcohol or drug-related conviction is treated more harshly: the intermediate license is suspended immediately and reinstatement requires waiting until age 17 or completing a substance-use evaluation.

Graduating to a full license

The intermediate license automatically converts to an unrestricted Washington driver license on the holder's 18th birthday — no DOL trip required. Drivers who maintain a clean record for 12 months at the intermediate level may also have all restrictions lifted when they reach the 12-month mark, even if still under 18. The credential's expiration date does not change at conversion; the teen continues on the same 6-year cycle described in the Washington driver license guide.

Insurance during the intermediate period

Insurance carriers price coverage for intermediate license holders at adult-comparable rates only after the GDL period ends. Most carriers add a teen surcharge until the license becomes unrestricted; the surcharge is highest in the first 6 months and declines step-wise through the second year. Check rates with your carrier through the Washington car insurance page.