Indiana Permit Supervisor Rules: Must Be 25+, Sober, and Licensed

To drive legally with an Indiana learner's permit, a qualified adult must supervise you. The rules vary based on your age and your supervisor's qualifications.

Indiana's Supervisor Age Rule: Who Qualifies at 25+

A supervisor must hold a valid license and be at least 25 years old, or be a licensed spouse who is at least 21. For permit holders under 18, the supervisor must also be a relative by blood, marriage, or legal status. A 24-year-old sibling or cousin does not qualify, regardless of how close the relationship is.

For permit holders under 18, the supervisor must be a relative. This includes a parent, guardian, grandparent, sibling, aunt, or uncle. Teens who completed driver education still need a qualified family member to supervise practice sessions.

A 21-year-old sibling cannot supervise unless they're your spouse. Once you turn 18, any licensed driver 25 or older can supervise: relationship doesn't matter anymore.

Indiana's wrong-relation rule caught one Fort Wayne family off guard. A 17-year-old's driving log was rejected at the BMV because their 24-year-old cousin had supervised all sessions. The cousin was a relative, but under 25. Every logged hour was declared invalid. Indiana BMV enforces the age cutoff strictly; close family doesn't override the 25-year minimum.

What License and Sobriety Standards Must Indiana Supervisors Meet?

The supervisor's license must be valid and not suspended, an out-of-state license is acceptable. There is no legal BAC limit for supervisors: any level of alcohol or drug impairment disqualifies them, and the permit holder gets cited for driving without valid supervision.

The supervising driver must hold a valid driver's license that isn't suspended or expired. An out-of-state license works fine. According to the Indiana driver's manual, the supervisor must sit in the front passenger seat at all times.

• The supervisor must be completely sober. There is no "legal limit" for supervisors: they cannot be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while instructing.
• If a supervisor is impaired, the permit holder gets cited for driving without valid supervision.

At the Evansville BMV, a clerk noticed a parent had signed for 10 consecutive night hours logged on a single date, physically impossible. The inconsistency was flagged immediately and the teen's license application was delayed for weeks. Complete the log honestly after each session; BMV clerks spot back-filled entries without difficulty.

Verify your supervisor's license isn't expired before starting a practice session. A citation voids your logged hours.

Supervisor Responsibility for the Practice Log

A qualified supervisor should make sure the supervised-driving entries are truthful and complete and provide the required signature when applicable. The detailed rules for State Form 54706, total hours, nighttime hours, and log corrections belong on the dedicated Required Practice Hours page.