Almost every state has a provision that allows parents to teach their children to drive, rather than enrolling them in a driver's education course. In most states, children must be at least 15 to get a permit from the Department of Motor Vehicles once they have completed the required amount of practice and hours as attested by a parent. In North and South Dakota, however, 14-year-olds can get a provisional learner's permit, and after driving for six months, they can get a full driver's license. New Jersey, on the other hand, doesn't allow young drivers to hit the road on their own until they are 17.
In most states, the age for getting a provisional permit is 15. You do not have to take a formal driver's education class; your parents can teach you to drive and then attest that you have completed driving requirements. You must then take a written and operator's driving test to prove you have the skills necessary to be safe on the road. If you pass the tests, you will get a minor's license. It looks slightly different than a normal driver's license given to an adult. This protects minors from purchasing alcohol and other controlled substances when they are underage. In some states, it has a sideways orientation, rather than a vertical orientation.
Some states are concerned about the safety of 15- and 16- year-olds driving on the road. Teenagers in some states have developed a reputation for unsafe driving behavior, such as driving alone with a provisional permit at 15 and misrepresenting their age, texting while driving or driving under the influence. To stop these practices, federal lawmakers have considered making 18 the legal age for a provisional permit. The idea behind these proposed stipulations is that teenagers would be forced to slow down the process of learning to drive and being in unsafe situations.
Each state differs in their requirements for teenage drivers. However, no states require teenagers to take official driver's education programs before they can get a provisional permit. You may be 14 or 18 before you are allowed to drive on your own, but you can be any age in between and drive with our parents or another responsible adult beside you.
Visit the Department of Motor Vehicles and find out your state's stipulations before hitting the road. This will help you avoid getting pulled over and delaying the process of getting a license, which is the result of being an underage driver.