The minimum driving age is the minimum age at which a person may obtain a driver's license to lawfully drive a motor vehicle on public roads. That age is determined by each jurisdiction and is most commonly set at 18 years of age, but learner drivers may be permitted on the road at an earlier age under supervision. Before reaching the minimum age for a driver's licence or anytime afterward, the person wanting the licence would normally be tested for driving ability and knowledge of road rules before being issued with a licence, provided he or she is above the minimum driving age. Countries with the lowest driving ages (17 and below) are Australia, The Bahamas, Canada, Malaysia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (mainland), United States, the United Arab Emirates and Zimbabwe. In some jurisdictions in the United States[citation needed] and Canada, drivers can be as young as 14 (with parental supervision).[1]

Minimum age to drive by country (2024):
  25
  18
  18, supervised driving from the age of 17
  18, supervised driving from the age of 16
  17
  17, supervised driving from the age of 16
  16
  15
  No data

Most jurisdictions recognize driver licences issued by another jurisdiction, which may result in a young person who obtains a licence in a jurisdiction with a low minimum driving age being permitted to drive in a jurisdiction that normally has a higher driving age. A notable exception to this is the United States, where many states ban drivers below their minimum driving age, even if they hold permits or licences issued by another state.[citation needed]

The minimum age may vary depending on vehicle type. This list refers to the minimum driving age for a light motor vehicle (typically under 3500 kg gross vehicle mass) or motorcycle, where noted.

Africa

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More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 Algeria 18[2]
 Cameroon 16[3][4]
 Egypt 18 (cars),[5]
16 (motorcycles)[citation needed]
 Eswatini 18[6]
 Ethiopia 18

[7]

 Africa 18[8]
 Kenya 18[9]
 Lesotho 18[10]
 Libya 18[11]
 Mali 18[12]
 Mauritania 18[13]
 Mauritius 15 (autocycles),
17 (motorcycles),
18 (cars)[14]
 Mayotte 18[15]
 Morocco 16 (motorcycles),
18 (cars),
21 (trucks)[16][17][18]
 Mozambique 17[19]
 Namibia 18[20]
 Niger 16 (light motor vehicles),

18 (commercial passenger vehicles)[21]

 Nigeria 18[22]
 Réunion (France) 18[23] you can obtain a learner's license and be legally allowed to drive with supervision at age 15. A full driving license will be fully granted by age 18.
 Rwanda 18[24]
 Senegal 16[25]
 South Africa 17 The National Road Traffic act specifies that a driver needs to be 17 to legally obtain a licence for all motor vehicles under 3500 kg. 17-year-olds may allow one to obtain a learners licence, to drive while supervised by an already licensed driver who has had their licence for more than a year. To obtain an actual driving licence, the age is 18 years old.[26]
 Tanzania 18[27]
 Tunisia 18[28]
 Uganda 18[29][30]
 Zambia 16[31]
 Zimbabwe 16[32]
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Americas

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Perspective

North America

More information Country, Minimum driving age ...
Country Minimum driving age Notes
 Canada varies between provinces
 Mexico 15 (with parental supervision),
16 (with parental agreement),
18[33]
 United States varies between states
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Central America

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 Costa Rica 18[34]
 El Salvador 15[35] Driving age for cars is 15 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18.[36] You can't drive in El Salvador if you are over 75 years.[35]
 Guatemala 16 (with parental approval),
18[37]
 Honduras 18[38]
 Nicaragua 18[39]
 Panama 16 (with parental approval),
18[40][41]
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South America

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 Argentina 17 (with parental approval),
18 (without)
21 is the minimum age to drive a truck, bus or emergency vehicle. 16 is the minimum age to drive a moped (without passengers). Parental approval is necessary for any license issued to any individual aged under 18.[42]
 Bolivia 18[43]
 Brazil 18[44] 18 is the minimum age to drive a mopeds, motorcycle, and cars.

21 is the minimum age to drive a trucks, buses, or transporting. Drivers have to be previously licensed in cat. 'B' for at least one year before applying for a professional license. 'C' category are usually for load trucks, 'D' for buses and trucks and 'E' for articulated vehicles.

 Chile 17 (with parental approval),
18,[45]
20 (professional license)[46]
 Colombia 16,[47]
18 (professional license)[48]
 Ecuador 18[49]
 Falkland Islands 17[50]
 French Guiana 17[51]
 Guyana 17[52]
 Paraguay 18[53]
 Peru 18[54]
 Suriname 18[55]
 Uruguay 18[56]
 Venezuela 18[57]
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Caribbean

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 Anguilla 18[58]
 Bahamas 17[59]
 Cayman Islands 17[60]
 Cuba 18[61]
 Curaçao 18[62]
 Dominican Republic 18[63]
 Guadeloupe 17[64]
 Jamaica 16-17 (learners permit or with adult supervision),
18 fully licensed[65]
 Martinique 17[66]
 Puerto Rico (American territory) 16 (with learner's permit), 18[67]
 Saint Barthélemy 17[68]
 Saint Martin 18[69]
 Trinidad and Tobago 17[70]
 St. Kitts and Nevis 17 (for permit),[71]
18 (for license)[72]
 US Virgin Islands (American territory) 16 (with learner's permit), 18[73]
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Asia

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Perspective

Western Asia

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 Bahrain 18[74]
 Iran 18[75]
 Iraq 16 for motorcycles
17 for cars[76]
 Israel 16 years for motorcycles
16 years 6 months with driving teacher
16 years 9 months for cars with 3 months parental supervision all times and 3 more months at night[77]
 Jordan 18[78]
 Kuwait 18 for Kuwaitis
21 for non-Kuwaitis[79]
 Lebanon 18
 Oman 18[80]
 Qatar 18 for light motor vehicles [81]
21 for heavy vehicles[82]
 Saudi Arabia 18 for cars,
17 for temporary permits,

16 for motorcycles[83]

 Syria 18[84]
 United Arab Emirates 17 for cars and motorcycles
[85]
 Yemen 18[86]
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South Asia

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 Afghanistan 18[87] As of 2024, the right to drive is not extended to women.
 Bangladesh 18[88]
 India 18
   Nepal 16 for two-wheelers,
18 for four-wheelers[89]
 Pakistan 18[90]
 Sri Lanka 17[91]
 Maldives 18[92]
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East Asia

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 China 18[93]
 Hong Kong 18[94] Special Administrative Region of China
 Japan 16 (motorcycles under 400 cc)
18 (ordinary/semi-medium vehicle and motorcycles over 401 cc)[95]
 Macau 18[96] Special Administrative Region of China
 South Korea 18 for regular passenger cars and motorbikes over 125 cc
16 for motorbikes under 125 cc
19 for commercial license
 Taiwan 18[97]
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Southeast Asia

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 Brunei 18[98]
 Myanmar 18[99]
 Cambodia 18[100]
 Indonesia 17[101][102]
 Laos 18[103]
 Malaysia 17 (cars),
16 (motorcycles)[104]
 Philippines 16 (student permit);
17 (non-professional driver's license);
18 (professional driver's license)[105]
 Singapore 18[106]
 Thailand 18 (cars and motorcycles);
15 (motorcycles with 110 cc or smaller engines)[107][108]
Other restrictions apply to large or specialised vehicles.
 Vietnam 16 (motorcycles under 50cc), 18[109]
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Europe

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Perspective
Thumb
Minimum driving age in Europe:
  Minimum driving age is 18
  Minimum driving age is 18; Supervised driving at 17
  Minimum driving age is 18; Supervised driving at 16
  Minimum driving age is 17
  Minimum driving age is 17; Supervised driving at 16
  Minimum driving age is 17; Supervised driving at 15
  Minimum driving age is 16

European Driving Licence Area

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 Austria 17 for cars
15 for mopeds[110]
(Start with 15,5 under L17 attendant driving training
 Belgium 18
16 for mopeds[111]
17 for cars, with learners permit (supervised)
 Bulgaria 18[112]
16 for mopeds[110]
 Croatia 18
15 for mopeds[113]
 Cyprus 18
 Czech Republic 18
17 with supervision [114]
15 for mopeds.[115]
 Denmark 24 for heavy bus,
21 for heavy truck,
17 for cars[116]
15 for mopeds, quads and snowmobiles*
The minimum age for driving a car without supervision is 18.

The minimum driving age for heavy truck and heavy bus can go down to 18, if the license is obtained during military service

*It is only possible to obtain a license for snowmobiles on Greenland.

 Estonia 18 for cars,
16 with supervision,
14 for mopeds[117]
Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision.[117] Unrestricted licence available at 18.
 Finland 18 for cars,
17 with exception permit,[118]
15 (mopeds, micro cars, tractors)[119]
 France 17,
15 with supervision [120]
Driving age for cars is 15 with supervision.[120] Licence available at 17 with speed restrictions, reduced number of points[121] and blood alcohol level is reduced to 0.2g/L. Restrictions drops after 2 or 3 years of holding a license.[122]
 Germany 18,

17 with supervision[123]

Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision.
Unrestricted licence available at 18. Licenses for mopeds < 25 km/h are available at 15, for scooters < 45 km/h and motorcycles under 126ccm at 16.[124]
 Gibraltar 17[125]
 Greece 17[126] 16 for motorcycles up to 50 cc and light quadricycles [127] Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision.
Unrestricted license is available at 18.
 Hungary 17
16 for motorcycles under 125 ccm
14 for vehicles under 50 ccm[128]
 Iceland 16[129][130] Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision.
Unrestricted licence available at 17.
 Ireland 17[131][132][133] 16 for motorcycles under 125cc, mopeds, work vehicles or land tractors
 Italy 17[134] Driving 17 with supervision of a person under 60 years in possession of full B licence (or superior).
Unrestricted licence available at 18.
 Latvia 18 for cars (B), trailers (C1, BE, C1E),
24 motorcycles (A),
21 motorcycles (A2),
16 for motorcycles (A1), resting boats,
14 for mopeds (M),
10 for bicycle
16 for cars(B), 21 for motorcycles(A2), trailers(C1, BE, C1E), 16 for motorcycles(A1), 14 for mopeds(M) – if supervised by a person holding a B category licence for at least three years (also known as training driving)[135][136]
 Liechtenstein 18[137]
 Lithuania 14 to 18 (for permit),
18 (for full license) for cars,
15 for mopeds[138]
 Luxembourg 16 for motorcycles
18 for cars[139]
Driving age for low power motorcycles and tractors 16.
Driving licence for cars available at 18.
 Malta 18[140]
 Netherlands 17 for cars
16 for mopeds and tractors[141]
Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision.
Driving lessons available at 16½.
Unrestricted licence available at 18.
 Norway 18 for cars
16 for mopeds and light motorcycles
 Poland 18
16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc
14 for mopeds and quads
 Portugal 18 for cars,[142]
16 for motorcycles,[143] 14 for motorcycles and tricycles under 50cm3

[144]

 Romania 18
16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc[145]
 Slovakia 17[146] Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision.
Unrestricted licence available at 18.
 Slovenia 16 for cars and motorcycles[147] Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision.
Unrestricted licence available at 18.
 Spain 15 for mopeds and quads
16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc
18 for general licence[148]
 Sweden 18 for cars[149]
15 for mopeds and tractors
Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision.
Unrestricted licence available at 18.[149]
  Switzerland 17 for cars,
16 for scooters,
18 for motorcycles under 35 kW
14 for mopeds and tractors[150]
 Turkey 18 (cars)
16 (mopeds and light-motorcycles)[151]
 United Kingdom 17 (cars),
16 (mopeds and tractors) (cars if disabled and in receipt of PIP or DLA),
16 (Light Quadricycle)[152]
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Rest of Europe

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 Albania 18[citation needed]
 Andorra 18[153]
 Armenia 18[154]
 Azerbaijan 18[155]
 Belarus 18[156] 16  mopeds (AM), <125 cc/11 kW motorcycles (A1);
17  <80 kW wheeled tractors and self-propelled machines (A) and all kinds of continuous tracked tractors, SPMs and bulldozers (C);
18  all kinds of motorcycles (A), cars with light trailers and up to 8 passengers buses (B), trucks with light trailers (C), all kinds of wheeled tractors (B), SPMs (D), special vehicles (E) and <1 m3 excavators (F);
21  buses for more than 8 passengers (D), cars, trucks and buses with heavy trailers (BE, CE, DE), trams (F) and trolleybuses (I).[157]
 Bosnia and Herzegovina 18[158]
 Georgia 17[159]
 Guernsey 17[160] 2 or 3 wheel vehicles, 14 under 50cc <4 kW, 16 for 50–125cc <50 km/h <11 kW, 17 for >125cc [161]
 Isle of Man 16[162] 16 moped, 16 motorbike <125cc <11Kw, 17 motorbike >125cc.
 Jersey 17[163] 2 wheel vehicles, 16 <50cc, 2 or 3 wheel vehicles 17 <125cc, 18 >240cc.[164]
 Kosovo 18[165]
 Moldova 18[166]
 Monaco 18[167]
 Montenegro 18[168]
 Northern Cyprus 18
 North Macedonia 18
(16 with parental supervision)[169]
 Russia 18
(16 for motorcycles)[170]
 San Marino 18[171]
 Serbia 18
(17 with adult supervision)[172]
 Ukraine 18[173][174]
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Oceania

More information State, Minimum driving age ...
State Minimum driving age Notes
 American Samoa (American territory) 16[175]
 Australia 18 (VIC)
17 (ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, WA)
16½ years (NT)
The minimum age to obtain a car or motorcycle learner license which allows driving under supervision is 15 years and 9 months, in the ACT.[176] All other states and territories require learner drivers to be 16 years of age or older. Driving unsupervised by progressing to a provisional license is possible after 12 months, with minimum supervised hours (including nighttime driving) required in the form of a logbook.[176][177][178][179][180][181][182] The exception to this is the Northern Territory, where learner drivers can progress to a provisional license after 6 months, without the need for a driving test or logbook.[183]
 Fiji 17[184][185]
 Guam (American territory) 16[186]
 Marshall Islands 18[187]
 New Zealand 16 The minimum age to obtain a car or motorcycle learner licence which allows driving under supervision is 16. The minimum possible age to obtain a full licence, without any supervision or conditions, is 17½ years if a driver completes an advanced driving course.[188] Without an advanced driving course, the minimum age is 18, the same as a heavy vehicle licence.[189]
 Northern Mariana Islands (American territory) 15½ years[190]
 Papua New Guinea 18[191]
 Tonga 18[192]
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References

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