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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]
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.
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 | |
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] | |
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] |
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] |
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] |
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[80] | |
Oman | 18[81] | |
Qatar | 18 for light motor vehicles [82] 21 for heavy vehicles[83] |
|
Saudi Arabia | 18 for cars, 17 for temporary permits, 16 for motorcycles[84] |
|
Syria | 18[85] | |
United Arab Emirates | 17 for cars and motorcycles [86] |
|
Yemen | 18[87] |
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
China | 18[94] | |
Hong Kong | 18[95] | Special Administrative Region of China |
Japan | 16 (motorcycles under 400 cc) 18 (ordinary/semi-medium vehicle and motorcycles over 401 cc)[96] |
|
Macau | 18[97] | 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[98] |
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
Brunei | 18[99] | |
Myanmar | 18[100] | |
Cambodia | 18[101] | |
Indonesia | 17[102][103] | |
Laos | 18[104] | |
Malaysia | 17 (cars), 16 (motorcycles)[105] |
|
Philippines | 16 (student permit); 17 (non-professional driver's license); 18 (professional driver's license)[106] |
|
Singapore | 18[107] | |
Thailand | 18 (cars and motorcycles); 15 (motorcycles with 110 cc or smaller engines)[108][109] |
Other restrictions apply to large or specialised vehicles. |
Vietnam | 16 (motorcycles under 50cc), 18[110] |
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
Austria | 17 for cars 15 for mopeds[111] |
(Start with 15,5 under L17 attendant driving training |
Belgium | 18 16 for mopeds[112] |
17 for cars, with learners permit (supervised) |
Bulgaria | 18[113] 16 for mopeds[111] |
|
Croatia | 18 15 for mopeds[114] |
|
Cyprus | 18 | |
Czech Republic | 18 17 with supervision [115] |
15 for mopeds.[116] |
Denmark | 24 for heavy bus, 21 for heavy truck, 17 for cars[117] 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[118] |
Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision.[118] Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
Finland | 18 for cars, 17 with exception permit,[119] 15 (mopeds, micro cars, tractors)[120] |
|
France | 17, 15 with supervision [121] |
Driving age for cars is 15 with supervision.[121] Licence available at 17 with speed restrictions, reduced number of points[122] and blood alcohol level is reduced to 0.2g/L. Restrictions drops after 2 or 3 years of holding a license.[123] |
Germany | 18,
17 with supervision[124] |
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.[125] | Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision.
Gibraltar | 17[126] | |
Greece | 17[127] 16 for motorcycles up to 50 cc and light quadricycles [128] | 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[129] |
|
Iceland | 16[130][131] | Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 17. |
Ireland | 17[132][133][134] | 16 for motorcycles under 125cc, mopeds, work vehicles or land tractors |
Italy | 17[135] | Unrestricted licence available at 18. | Driving 17 with supervision of a person under 60 years in possession of full B licence (or superior).
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)[136][137] |
Liechtenstein | 18[138] | |
Lithuania | 14 to 18 (for permit), 18 (for full license) for cars, 15 for mopeds[139] |
|
Luxembourg | 16 for motorcycles 18 for cars[140] |
Driving age for low power motorcycles and tractors 16. Driving licence for cars available at 18. |
Malta | 18[141] | |
Netherlands | 17 for cars 16 for mopeds and tractors[142] |
Driving lessons available at 16½. Unrestricted licence available at 18. | Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision.
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,[143] 16 for motorcycles,[144] 14 for motorcycles and tricycles under 50cm3 |
|
Romania | 18 16 for motorcycles up to 125 cc[146] |
|
Slovakia | 17[147] | Driving age for cars is 17 with supervision. Unrestricted licence available at 18. |
Slovenia | 16 for cars and motorcycles[148] | 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[149] |
|
Sweden | 18 for cars[150] 15 for mopeds and tractors |
Unrestricted licence available at 18.[150] | Driving age for cars is 16 with supervision.
Switzerland | 17 for cars, 16 for scooters, 18 for motorcycles under 35 kW 14 for mopeds and tractors[151] |
|
Turkey | 18 (cars) 16 (mopeds and light-motorcycles)[152] |
|
United Kingdom | 17 (cars), 16 (mopeds and tractors) (cars if disabled and in receipt of PIP or DLA), 16 (Light Quadricycle)[153] |
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
Albania | 18[citation needed] | |
Andorra | 18[154] | |
Armenia | 18[155] | |
Azerbaijan | 18[156] | |
Belarus | 18[157] | 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).[158] |
Bosnia and Herzegovina | 18[159] | |
Georgia | 17[160] | |
Guernsey | 17[161] | 2 or 3 wheel vehicles, 14 under 50cc <4 kW, 16 for 50–125cc <50 km/h <11 kW, 17 for >125cc [162] |
Isle of Man | 16[163] | 16 moped, 16 motorbike <125cc <11Kw, 17 motorbike >125cc. |
Jersey | 17[164] | 2 wheel vehicles, 16 <50cc, 2 or 3 wheel vehicles 17 <125cc, 18 >240cc.[165] |
Kosovo | 18[166] | |
Moldova | 18[167] | |
Monaco | 18[168] | |
Montenegro | 18[169] | |
Northern Cyprus | 18 | |
North Macedonia | 18 (16 with parental supervision)[170] |
|
Russia | 18 (16 for motorcycles)[171] |
|
San Marino | 18[172] | |
Serbia | 18 (17 with adult supervision)[173] |
|
Ukraine | 18[174][175] |
State | Minimum driving age | Notes |
---|---|---|
American Samoa (American territory) | 16[176] | |
Australia | 18 (VIC) 17 (ACT, NSW, QLD, SA, TAS, WA) 16½ years (NT) |
[177] 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.[177][178][179][180][181][182][183] 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.[184] | 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.
Fiji | 17[185][186] | |
Guam (American territory) | 16[187] | |
Marshall Islands | 18[188] | |
New Zealand | 16 | [189] Without an advanced driving course, the minimum age is 18, the same as a heavy vehicle licence.[190] | 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.
Northern Mariana Islands (American territory) | 15½ years[191] | |
Papua New Guinea | 18[192] | |
Tonga | 18[193] |
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