Why More States Are Requiring Driver’s Ed Past Age 18

For decades, the structure of driver licensing in America was built around a simple assumption: people learn to drive at 16. Graduated Driver Licensing programs were designed for teens. Driver education requirements were aimed at teens. Safety protections — supervised practice hours, nighttime curfews, passenger limits — were for teens.

That assumption no longer matches reality. And state legislatures across the country are starting to catch up.

The shift that changed everything

Federal highway data tells the story clearly. In the early 1980s, nearly half of all 16-year-olds held a driver’s license. By 2014, that figure had dropped to about one in four — and it has stayed there since. The estimated median age of first licensure has risen from around 16 to approximately 18.

This means that the fastest-growing group of new drivers in America isn’t teenagers. It’s young adults in their late teens and early 20s — people who, in most states, can walk into a DMV and leave with a full license without ever taking a single driving lesson.

A handful of states have decided that doesn’t make sense anymore.

What states are doing

The most comprehensive approach so far comes from Ohio, where a law effective September 2025 requires all first-time license applicants under 21 to complete the full driver training program: 24 hours of classroom instruction, 8 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a certified instructor, and 50 hours of supervised practice. No exceptions.

Washington State took a phased approach with HB 1878. Starting in January 2027, driver training will be required for first-time applicants aged 18. That extends to age 19 in 2028 and age 20 in 2029. Notably, the law also creates a voucher program for low-income novice drivers — a recognition that the cost of driver education shouldn’t be a barrier to getting trained.

Colorado’s HB 24-1021, effective January 2027, gives applicants options: those under 18 must complete a 30-hour education course. Those 18 and older can take either that course or a shorter 4-hour driver awareness program. But applicants who complete neither must wait until 21 to obtain a permit.

These three states have gotten the most attention, but they’re not alone. Illinois has required a 6-hour adult driver education course for applicants aged 18 to 20 since July 2014 — making it one of the earliest states to address the gap. Texas requires a similar 6-hour course for first-time applicants aged 18 to 25. Connecticut mandates an 8-hour safe driving practices course and a 90-day permit hold for adult first-time applicants. New Jersey extended its GDL provisions — including 50 hours of supervised practice — to novice drivers under 21, effective February 2025.

And some states have never had the gap at all. Maryland requires 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training for every first-time applicant, regardless of age. Louisiana requires a 14-hour pre-licensing course for all applicants. In these states, turning 18 doesn’t let you skip the education.

Why now?

The legislative push isn’t happening in a vacuum. It’s a direct response to the data on what happens when inexperienced drivers skip training.

NHTSA data shows that drivers aged 16 to 19 are involved in fatal crashes at a rate of 4.8 per 100 million miles driven — more than triple the rate for experienced drivers. The 20-to-24 group, which includes many novice adult drivers, still faces an elevated rate of 3.3. Inexperience is the common factor.

Washington State’s legislature was explicit about the rationale. The findings of HB 1878 state that young adults who obtain their license after 18 without driver training are “statistically more likely to be involved in or cause serious injury or fatal crashes” than those who completed training.

The logic is straightforward: if the reason we require driver education for 16-year-olds is that new drivers need training, then the same reasoning applies to new drivers who happen to be 19, or 21, or 24.

What this means going forward

The trend is still early. Most states have not yet extended their driver education requirements, and the default across much of the country remains: turn 18, skip the training.

But the direction of travel is clear. As more first-time drivers enter the licensing system at 18 and older, the policy framework built for 16-year-olds is becoming increasingly mismatched with reality. States that have acted are seeing this not as raising the driving age, but as making sure the safety net covers everyone who needs it.

For families, the practical takeaway doesn’t depend on what your state requires. The evidence that professional driver education reduces crash risk is strong, regardless of the learner’s age. If your state doesn’t require it for someone over 18, that doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. It means the law just hasn’t caught up yet.

Coastline is on a mission to eradicate car crashes by training safe and confident drivers for life. Learn why Coastline instructors have over 100,000 5-star reviews by signing up for behind-the-wheel lessons via our website or phone/text at 1-800-489-1896.