Arizona Driver Licensing Law

Obtaining an Arizona Graduated Instruction Permit

To be eligible to apply for a Graduated Instruction Permit in Arizona, the applicant must be at least 15 years and six months old. The Arizona permit application can be completed online. When submitting the application to a Motor Vehicle Department office, the applicant must submit:

  • Two forms of identification (three forms if one is not a photo ID)
  • Social Security Number
  • Proof of residency

If under 18, a parent or guardian who agrees to be legally and financially responsible for the applicant must consent.

The applicant must then pass written and vision tests. Once the permit is issued, the teen driver must have a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old seated in the front seat, next to the driver, at all times.

Obtaining a Graduated Driver License

Upon reaching 16 years old, Arizona drivers may obtain a Graduated Driver License, provided they have held a Graduated Instruction Permit for six months and have completed 20 hours of supervised, daytime driving practice and ten hours of supervised, nighttime driving practice.

The following restrictions apply:

  • For the first six months, no driving is permitted between 12 AM and 5 AM unless accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian in the front seat; driving to or from a sanctioned school, religious, or work activity; or in case of a family emergency.
  • For the first six months with a graduated driver license, you must not drive a motor vehicle containing more than one passenger under the age of 18, unless: (1) the passengers are your siblings or (2) you are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian with a valid Class A, B, C or D driver license who occupies the front passenger seat.
  • Barring an extension of the restricted driving period during the first six month period, a teen may drive without restriction until turning 18 and becoming eligible for a Class D license.

The following are the penalties if you are under the age of 18, have a graduated driver license and are convicted of a traffic violation:

  • 1st Conviction: Must attend Traffic Survival School; violation goes on driving record
  • 2nd Conviction: 3-month suspension of driving privilege; violation goes on your driving record
  • 3rd conviction: 6-month suspension; violation goes on your driving record

There are additional penalties for violation of curfew and passenger restrictions, including fines and mandatory extension of the 6-month restricted driving period. Suspension of driving privilege results for a third conviction of curfew and/or passenger violations, convictions of other violations including alcohol-related convictions.

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Note: Our attorneys are licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and Virginia. This information is not intended to solicit clients for matters outside of the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia, although if you are injured in an accident, we have relationships with other personal injury attorneys and lawyers throughout the United States.