Missouri Permit Practice Hours: 40 Hours, 10 at Night and Logging Rules (2026)

Teen drivers under 18 must complete 40 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night. Adults 18 and older have no state-mandated minimum practice hours.

How Many Practice Hours Does Missouri Require for Teen Permit Holders?

Missouri requires permit holders under 18 to complete 40 hours of supervised driving, including 10 hours at night. Form 4901 is an optional tracking tool, not a required form for every practice drive.

The requirement depends on age:

• Under 18: 40 hours of supervised driving, including at least 10 nighttime hours.
• Age 18+: No state-mandated minimum practice-hour requirement.

Under-18 applicants must also satisfy the separate permit-holding and clean-record requirements before moving to the Intermediate License stage.

How Can You Track Missouri's Required Practice Hours?

You may use the official Driver Experience Log (Form 4901) to track practice, but Missouri provides it for convenience and does not make it the only acceptable log format.

Keep a clear record of your total hours and nighttime hours. When an under-18 applicant applies for an Intermediate License, the required adult certifies that the 40-hour requirement has been completed at the license office.

Is Missouri Form 4901 required for the 40 driving hours?

No. Form 4901 is an optional tracking tool provided for convenience. The under-18 GDL requirement is to complete 40 supervised hours, including 10 at night, and have the required adult certify completion when you apply for the Intermediate License.

Does every practice drive need the supervisor's signature?

No. Form 4901 has a Trainer's Name field for each entry; it does not require a supervisor signature after every practice drive.

What Types of Driving Count Toward Missouri's 40-Hour Requirement

Behind-the-wheel time with a qualified supervisor can count toward the 40-hour total. Professional instructor time can also count. The supervisor must meet Missouri's age-based GDL requirements for the learner.

For the full supervisor rules, see the Missouri permit driving-rules guide.

Can more than one qualified supervisor contribute to the 40 hours?

Yes. Practice can be completed with more than one person as long as each supervising driver qualifies under Missouri's age-based permit rules. Qualifying professional-instructor time can also count.

How Are Missouri's 40 Practice Hours Verified?

Missouri does not require a routine Form 4901 audit as part of every Intermediate License application. The required adult certifies completion of the 40 supervised hours when the teen applies at the license office.

If you fail the driving skills test three times within 12 months, the normal MSHP testing limit is exhausted and additional DOR permission or training requirements can apply before another attempt. That is separate from a Form 4901 audit.

Keep your practice record accurate so the required adult can truthfully certify the total and the 10 nighttime hours.

What Happens After You Complete the Required Practice Hours?

Completing the required practice hours satisfies one part of the under-18 GDL pathway. You still must meet the applicable age, permit-holding, and clean-record requirements, pass the MSHP skills test, and complete the licensing transaction at DOR. For the full sequence, use the Road Test & License guide.

Do the 40 practice hours still apply once you turn 18?

The 40-hour certification is part of the under-18 GDL path to an Intermediate License. At age 18 or older, you are not required to qualify for an Intermediate License, although you still must meet the applicable testing and license-issuance requirements.

How Can You Avoid Practice-Hour Verification Delays?

Track the total hours and the 10 nighttime hours as you go. Form 4901 is a convenient way to do this, but do not treat it as the only valid record format.

Make sure each practice session uses a supervisor who qualifies for the learner's age. Before the licensing visit, check the current DOR document requirements for the type of credential you want; standard and REAL ID residency-document requirements are not identical.