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How to Get Your Arizona Permit License

The actual step-by-step process, from application to full license — not just what's on the exam. Confirm anything time-sensitive (fees, forms) with Arizona MVD directly.

Standard Track (30 Supervised Hours)

  1. Apply for an instruction permit at 15 years 6 months

    Apply for an Arizona instruction permit starting at 15 years 6 months old, valid for 12 months.

    • Parent/guardian consent

  2. Pass the knowledge test

    Pass the 30-question knowledge test (80%, 24 correct) and a vision screening. Under-18 applicants can test at home via Permit Test @ Home, with a parent or guardian administering it through AZ MVD Now.

  3. Log 30 hours of supervised driving

    Log at least 30 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night, with a licensed adult supervising.

  4. Hold the permit at least 6 months

    Hold the instruction permit for at least 6 months, or until turning 18, whichever comes first.

  5. Apply for your Class G license at 16

    Once you've turned 16 and met the holding period and hour requirements, apply for a Class G graduated license.

    • Supervised driving log

  6. Follow graduated-license restrictions

    For the first 6 months (or until 18), no driving midnight to 5 a.m. except with a licensed guardian or for school, work, a sponsored activity, a religious activity, or a family emergency.

  7. Move to a full license

    Once the restricted period ends (6 months or turning 18, whichever comes first), the graduated-license restrictions lift automatically.

Reduced-Hours Track (20 Supervised Hours)

  1. Enroll in a qualifying driver education program

    Enroll in a traffic survival school or a defensive driving school approved by the Arizona Supreme Court — an unusual detail, since most states' driving-school approvals come from a transportation agency, not the judicial branch.

    • Driver education enrollment record

  2. Apply for an instruction permit and pass the knowledge test

    Apply at 15 years 6 months and pass the same 30-question knowledge test (80%) and vision screening as the standard track.

  3. Log 20 hours of supervised driving

    Completing the approved course reduces the supervised-driving requirement to 20 hours, including 6 at night, instead of the standard 30/10.

  4. Hold the permit at least 6 months, then apply for your Class G license

    The 6-month holding period (or until 18) and the Class G application process are otherwise identical to the standard track.

Notes

  • Arizona's graduated-license restrictions apply regardless of which supervised-hours track an applicant takes.
  • Exact fees and current course-provider approvals change over time — confirm the current process on the official Arizona MVD website before your appointment.

Last reviewed: 2026-07-20