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Michigan Level 1 permits require strict supervision and follow specific restrictions. Violation penalties include fines and license delays.
Michigan Level 1 drivers cannot drive alone—not to school, work, an SOS office, or anywhere else. They may drive only with a licensed parent or legal guardian, or with a licensed driver age 21 or older who has the parent or guardian's permission, seated in the front seat. If the supervisor is a designated adult rather than the parent or legal guardian, Michigan SOS says the teen should carry a signed letter of authorization from the parent or guardian.
| Situation | Allowed? | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Drive alone | No | A qualified supervising driver must be present. |
| Drive at night | Yes | Allowed with qualified supervision. |
| Drive on freeways | Yes | Allowed with qualified supervision. |
| Carry passengers | Yes | Passengers do not replace the required supervisor; normal restraint laws still apply. |
| Use a cell phone | No, except emergencies | Kelsey's Law applies to Level 1 drivers. |
| Drive after drinking alcohol | No | Under-21 Zero Tolerance laws apply. |
Level 1 drivers may use freeways, expressways, and night roads as long as the qualified supervisor is present. There is no road type or hour restriction when proper supervision is in place. The restriction is on the supervisor requirement, not on road type or time of day.
Michigan Level 1 drivers are subject to Kelsey's Law, under-21 alcohol rules, and Michigan restraint laws. Points depend on the specific offense, and a qualifying conviction or civil infraction can affect GDL progression even when an offense carries no points.
Kelsey's Law prohibits Level 1 drivers from using a cell phone while driving except for emergencies. Michigan's current traffic guidance also treats Level 1 drivers more strictly than the general hands-free law.
Michigan law requires the driver and front-seat passengers to wear seat belts, and passengers ages 8-15 must be buckled in all seating positions. Everyone should wear a seat belt on every trip, even where the statute does not create the same blanket requirement for an adult rear-seat passenger.
Michigan law requires the driver and front-seat passengers to buckle up, and passengers ages 8-15 must use a seat belt in every seating position. The law does not impose the same blanket seat-belt rule on an adult riding in the rear seat, but everyone should stay buckled for safety.
A Level 1 driver may carry passengers when the required supervising driver is present. Kelsey's Law separately restricts Level 1 drivers from using a cell phone while driving except in an emergency.
No separate Level 1 passenger-count limit is stated in Michigan's Level 1 rules. The required supervising driver must still be present, and reducing extra passengers can make practice less distracting.
Not for an ordinary phone call while driving. Kelsey's Law applies specifically to Level 1 and Level 2 drivers, and current Michigan State Police guidance says the restriction includes a voice-operated system integrated into the vehicle. Emergency exceptions still apply. See Michigan State Police traffic-law guidance.
Night driving and freeway use are both legal on a Michigan Level 1 permit provided a qualified supervising driver is in the front passenger seat. Building night and highway experience during the 50-hour log period is recommended before the road test, not avoided. The 50-hour practice requirement includes 10 night hours. Build up to freeway driving gradually and avoid heavy traffic until the learner is comfortable.
Driving without the required Level 1 supervision is a graduated-license restriction violation. Michigan's current offense index classifies it as a civil infraction with 2 points, not a misdemeanor.
You still cannot drive to school alone. If a qualifying conviction, civil-infraction determination, suspension, or at-fault crash falls within the applicable GDL clean-record period, it can delay progression. Points and other consequences depend on the specific offense.
For the current offense classification, see the Michigan SOS Offense Index.
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