Indiana Learner’s Permit Driving Restrictions: Supervision, Passengers, Phones, Night and Highway Rules

Indiana's learner's permit carries restrictions beyond the supervisor requirement. Rules govern who can ride with you, where you can drive, and what devices you can use. wheel.

The BMV learner's permit page outlines all permit rules. Most teens get tripped up by supervision requirements, not the actual driving.

Supervision Is Required With an Indiana Learner's Permit

Indiana learner-permit holders must drive with a qualified supervisor in the front passenger seat. The exact age, relationship, license-status, instructor, and rehabilitation-specialist rules belong on the dedicated Supervisor Requirements page.

Passengers With an Indiana Permit Holder: The Legal Rules

Indiana places no passenger restriction on permit holders, friends can ride as long as the qualified supervisor is present. Passenger limits apply later when you upgrade to the probationary license, not during the permit stage.

Passenger limits kick in later: after you upgrade to a probationary license. Many people confuse permit rules with probationary license rules. The Graduated Driver's License PDF clarifies the difference.

Can you drive through a drive-thru? Yes. Your supervisor must be present, but they don't need to place the order.

Where Indiana Permit Holders Are, and Aren't, Allowed to Drive

With a supervisor, you can drive anywhere in Indiana, freeways, interstates, rural highways, and urban streets. No geographic restrictions exist. No curfew applies during the permit stage either; night driving is allowed with proper supervision.

1. Freeway driving, Legal with a supervisor. Start on less busy highways before tackling I-465.
2. Driving to school, Allowed, but only with your supervisor in the front seat. Solo trips are never permitted.
3. Night driving, No curfew applies. You can drive at any hour with proper supervision.

You must complete 50 hours of supervised practice before taking your skills test. At least 10 of those hours must be at night. Use State Form 54706 to log your hours. Your supervisor signs each entry. The BMV will reject incomplete or forged logs, which delays your skills test.

What Phone and Device Rules Apply to Indiana Permit Holders?

Indiana's statewide texting ban applies to all drivers including permit holders. Keep your phone down, there's no special permit-holder exemption, and a distracted supervisor who's texting fails the "alert" requirement under Indiana supervision rules.

Indiana bans texting while driving for all drivers: permit holders included. Hand-held phone calls are legal for drivers 21 and older, but keep your phone down while learning.

There's no special cell phone restriction targeting permit holders specifically. The statewide texting ban applies equally to everyone.

What Happens If You Break an Indiana Permit Restriction?

Violating a permit restriction can lead to a citation, points, or other BMV consequences depending on the offense. Detailed driving-alone and traffic-violation consequences belong on the dedicated Penalty — Driving Alone and Traffic Violations on Permit pages.

Where to Find Detailed Permit-Violation Consequences

Use the dedicated penalty pages for offense-specific examples, points, hearings, and suspension consequences. This page stays focused on the restrictions themselves.

Keeping Indiana Permit Practice Drives Legal

Keep each practice drive within the permit's actual driving restrictions: use a qualified supervising driver, carry the permit, and do not drive alone. For who can supervise, see Supervisor Requirements. For logging the required driving hours, use Required Practice Hours.