Testing and Preparing to Drive in Indiana
Once you reach the age of 15, you can begin to prepare to get your license in Indiana. You will start with the learner’s permit, which is good from the age of 15 until you are 16 and 90 days or 16 and 270 days old. Then, you can test for the provisional license as a part of the graduated licensing program. When you turn 21, you can go to any BMV to update your license to a full, unrestricted license.
Provisional Driver’s License and Driver’s License
Drivers in Indiana have a provisional license until they are 21. This license can be upgraded within 30 days of their 21st birthday.
To get a provisional license, a new driver can take Driver’s Ed at 15 years of age. Those who are 16 or older don’t need to take the test, but it is helpful in preparing for the BMV road test. Both the written test and road test have to be passed before a provisional license will be granted.
You will also need to show that you:
- Completed at least 50 hours of supervised driving with a driver who was 25 years of age or older
- Have held the learner’s permit for 90 days
- Are at least 16 and 90 days old
- Can complete and submit a Log of Supervised Driving Practice, which is form 54706.
If you didn’t take a driver’s education course, you need to be at least 16 and 270 days before you can take the tests to obtain your provisional license.
Indiana Driver Program
The Indiana Driver Program curriculum is available in the classroom and behind the wheel. It’s important, because this curriculum teaches traffic laws and safety tips, how to operate a vehicle, how to respond to hazards, and the safest driving practices. Driver’s education courses should provide at least 30 hours of classroom or online training as well as another six hours of behind-the-wheel training.
Defensive Driving Courses
Indiana offers the Driver Safety Program that allows those who have been convicted of traffic offenses to avoid a license suspension. Anyone in Indiana can take these courses, even if they have not committed traffic violations. If they take them, then the Indiana BMV will credit four points to the license upon completion. This course will cost, at a maximum, $55 and can be taken once every three years for points or as often as you’d like for better driver training.