Utah bill would let teens start driving six months earlier, change supervised-hour requirements

Photo: Photo by Ulrik Skare

SALT LAKE CITY, UT — A bill introduced this week would allow teens to apply for learner permits and driver licenses six months earlier than current requirements and would expand a parent-led option for completing driver education.

House Bill 464, sponsored by Rep. Nicholeen Peck, would allow a teen to apply for a learner permit at 14 years and six months and apply for a driver’s license at 15 years and six months, according to the introduced text posted by the Utah State Legislature.

The bill was introduced on Feb. 3, 2026, received a first reading in the House, and was sent to House Rules, according to legislative tracking information from LegiScan.

What’s required now

Current state guidance sets the minimum age to apply for a learner permit at 15, according to the Utah Driver License Division.

For drivers ages 15 to 17, the division’s driver education checklist states that applicants must hold a learner permit for at least 6 months before applying for a license.

What HB 464 would change

Beyond moving up the timeline, the introduced bill adjusts the supervised driving-hour certification required for minors seeking a Class D license. The bill changes the minimum certification from 40 hours of supervised driving — including 10 hours after sunset — to 60 hours, including 15 hours at night, according to the bill text.

The measure also outlines a parent-taught pathway to meet driver education requirements. Under the introduced version, a “local education agency” could provide a parent with the classroom materials needed for driver education at no cost, and the parent could complete the student’s classroom requirements and behind-the-wheel hours.

For families using the parent-taught approach, the bill includes additional requirements: the parent must sit in the passenger seat during supervised driving hours, and the parent and teen must attend a “Zero Fatalities Parent-Teen Night” provided by the Department of Public Safety, according to the bill text.

What’s next

HB 464 is in the early stages of the legislative process, with no amendments or roll-call votes listed in the public tracking record yet.

If the bill advances, it is likely to draw scrutiny around teen driver safety, licensing readiness, and how schools and state licensing offices would implement the expanded parent-taught option alongside existing driver education programs.