The Teen License and Its Curfew
MCL 257.310e — level 1, level 2, the 10 p.m. limit and the one passenger rule
A license issued to someone 17 or under is a graduated license. Level 1 can come at 14 years and 9 months, after a vision test, the first segment of driver education with at least 6 hours on the road, and a parent's written approval. At level 1 the driver may drive only with a licensed parent or guardian, or with their permission a licensed driver 21 or older, for at least 6 months.
Who handles this in Michigan: State Bar of Michigan Lawyer Referral Service; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Michigan directory.
| Level 2 rule | Unless |
|---|---|
| Level 2 ruleNo driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. | UnlessA parent, guardian or designated licensed driver 21 or older is along, or the drive is for work or an authorized activity |
| Level 2 ruleNo more than 1 passenger under 21 | UnlessA parent, guardian or designated driver 21 or older is along, the others are immediate family, or the drive is for work or an authorized activity |
Level 2 takes at least 6 months at level 1, the second segment of driver education, 90 days without a moving violation, a parent's certification of at least 50 hours behind the wheel including 10 at night, and a skills test. Level 3, the end of the restrictions, can come at 17 after 12 consecutive months at level 2 without a moving violation, an at fault crash, a suspension or a restriction violation.
A violation stretches the level. A moving violation, an at fault crash, a suspension or a breach of the level's own limits extends the level until the driver completes 90 consecutive days clean at level 1, or 12 consecutive months at level 2, or turns 18. Breaking the level 1 or level 2 limits is a civil infraction.
A curfew that keeps a minor off the street, as opposed to out from behind the wheel, is set locally where it exists and is not on this page. A particular ticket is a question for a licensed Michigan attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- MCL 257.310e — Graduated licensing
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Michigan attorney.