Overview
- The change was enacted in House Enrolled Act 1200 and will take effect on July 1, 2026, when the Indiana BMV will allow eligible teens to receive a full license on their 16th birthday.
- All existing prerequisites remain in place: a 180-day Indiana learner’s permit, completion of driver education, a signed supervised driving log, a written test, vision screening and a driving test.
- The law also permits qualifying 16-year-olds to add a motorcycle endorsement if they meet current endorsement requirements.
- The BMV says driving tests can still be administered by driver education providers or teachers and that a parent or guardian must sign a financial liability agreement and provide ID to complete licensing.
- Previously the minimum effective age after completing driver education was 16 years and 90 days, so the new rule shortens the wait and may give teens and families extra supervised driving time before curfews and other limits apply.