Driving Without a License
IC 9-24-18-1 — never licensed is a Class C misdemeanor, and climbs with a prior or an injury
Driving a motor vehicle on a highway takes a valid driver's license or permit, with any endorsement the vehicle needs, issued by the bureau as a physical credential. Breaking that rule is a Class C infraction.
Who handles this in Indiana: legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Indiana directory.
Knowingly or intentionally driving on a highway having never received a valid driver's license is a separate and more serious offense, a Class C misdemeanor, which rises with the circumstances.
| Never licensed, and | Level |
|---|---|
| Never licensed, andNothing more | LevelClass C misdemeanor |
| Never licensed, andA prior unrelated conviction under the same section | LevelClass A misdemeanor |
| Never licensed, andThe driving results in bodily injury | LevelClass A misdemeanor |
| Never licensed, andThe driving results in serious bodily injury | LevelLevel 6 felony |
| Never licensed, andThe driving results in the death or catastrophic injury of another person | LevelLevel 5 felony |
In a prosecution for driving without ever having been licensed, the defendant carries the burden of proving, by a preponderance of the evidence, that a valid license or permit had been issued, or that the vehicle was a motor driven cycle.
Sources for this section (2)
- IC 9-24-1-1 — License required; violation
- IC 9-24-18-1 — Driving without a license
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Indiana attorney.