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Oregon's permit rules are strict but simple. You cannot drive alone, period. A qualified supervisor must sit in the front passenger seat every time you're behind the wheel. There are no passenger limits, no curfews, and no freeway bans, just one ironclad Oregon instruction permit driving restriction: supervision at all times.
| Credential | Supervisor Required? | Passenger / Night Rules | Mobile Device Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Instruction permit | Yes. A licensed driver age 21+ must sit beside the permit holder. | No separate provisional-license passenger limit or midnight–5 a.m. curfew applies at the permit stage. | If the permit holder is under 18, mobile-device use is prohibited, including hands-free use. |
| Provisional driver license | No supervisor is normally required. | Passenger and midnight–5 a.m. restrictions apply during the provisional period, with listed exceptions. | Drivers under 18 still cannot use a mobile device while driving, even hands-free. |
Yes. An instruction permit centers on supervised driving. The later provisional driver license adds passenger and midnight–5 a.m. restrictions for a limited period. Do not apply the provisional-license curfew or passenger limits to the permit stage.
No Oregon instruction permit holder may drive alone. A person with a valid driver license who is at least 21 years old must sit beside the permit holder whenever they drive.
If the permit holder is under 18, the supervisor must have held a valid license for at least three years only for those practice hours to count toward the 50- or 100-hour requirement. The three-year rule is not an extra condition for basic legal supervision.
Use Oregon's Practice Driving Log (Form 735-7190) to track teen supervised practice. Detailed supervisor eligibility belongs in the dedicated Supervisor Requirements guide.
Oregon sets no passenger restrictions for permit holders. You can carry any number of passengers as long as every person has a working seatbelt and a qualified supervisor rides in front.
Friends in the car? Completely legal. Siblings piled in the back? Also fine. The only requirement is supervisor presence, they don't count as a passenger themselves.
| Scenario | Allowed? | Key Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Driving with 3 friends | Yes | Supervisor 21+ in front seat |
| Driving with siblings | Yes | Supervisor 21+ in front seat |
| Driving alone to school | No | Supervision always required |
Driving to school with friends is allowed with supervision. Driving to school alone, even "just this once", triggers serious consequences. A Hillsboro teen lost their permit and three months of progress after one solo school trip.
Oregon instruction permit holders may drive at night and on freeways as long as a licensed driver age 21 or older is seated beside them. Oregon's provisional-license passenger and midnight–5 a.m. restrictions apply after a teen gets a provisional driver license, not while the teen is still driving on an instruction permit.
No separate permit-stage curfew is listed by Oregon DMV. The midnight–5 a.m. restriction is part of the provisional driver license stage. A permit holder still needs the required supervisor every time they drive.
Yes. Oregon does not list a freeway ban for Class C instruction permit holders. The normal permit supervision rule still applies.
Using a drive-through is allowed when the permit holder is otherwise driving legally with the required supervisor. For drivers under 18, Oregon prohibits mobile-device use while driving, including hands-free use.
At age 18, the special under-18 ban no longer applies, but Oregon's general distracted-driving law still applies. Drivers age 18 or older may use hands-free or built-in functions within the limits of that law; holding and using a mobile device while driving remains illegal.
Driving contrary to an instruction permit restriction is a Class B traffic violation. The standard presumptive fine for a Class B violation is $265; the maximum can be higher. One violation does not automatically suspend the permit or restart the six-month permit-holding period.
Additional Driver Improvement restrictions or suspensions depend on the driver's record and the type or number of qualifying offenses. Detailed fines, towing, insurance effects and repeat-offense consequences belong in the dedicated Penalty — Driving Alone and Traffic Violations guides.
For mobile-device use by a driver under 18, describe $265 as the presumptive fine, not a statutory minimum.
Before practice starts, confirm that the supervising driver is at least 21 and has a valid license. If the permit holder is under 18 and the hours must count toward the 50- or 100-hour requirement, also confirm that the supervisor has been licensed for at least three years.
Track teen practice with Oregon's Practice Driving Log (Form 735-7190). The detailed hour-counting rules belong in the Required Practice Hours guide.
Keep the instruction permit in the driver's possession whenever driving. If the card is lost, stolen or left behind, use the dedicated Lost / Stolen Permit or Forgot Permit While Driving guide for the next steps.
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