Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) Rules for Permit and Intermediate Holders
GDL questions test whether you know the conditions on a Kentucky learner's permit and intermediate license - and what ends them.
Permit stage
A Kentucky learner's permit is available at age 16 after passing the written and vision tests. Permit holders must drive with a licensed driver at least 21 years old in the front passenger seat. The permit must be held for at least 180 days. Before advancing, the driver must log at least 60 hours of supervised driving, including at least 10 hours at night. Permit holders may not use a cell phone while driving.
Intermediate stage
At 16.5, after meeting the permit requirements and passing the road test, a driver may receive an intermediate license. Intermediate holders may not drive between midnight and 6 a.m. unless for school, work, or an emergency. For the first six months, they may carry no more than one passenger under 20 who is not a family member. A parent or guardian must certify the driving hours.
Full license
Restrictions are lifted when the driver completes the intermediate stage and meets Kentucky's age and clean-record requirements.
Worked example
A 16-year-old with a permit drives at 9 p.m. with a licensed 22-year-old friend in the front seat. Reasoning: the supervision requirement is met (licensed adult 21+ in front), and there is no nighttime restriction at the permit stage. If the driver were alone, it would be a violation.
Traps
Driving alone on a permit; counting hours that are not signed by a parent; carrying friends during the first six months of the intermediate stage; and assuming the permit automatically becomes a license at 16.5.