How To Apply For Colorado Drivers License As A Teen

If you have met the age requirements and are ready to apply for your driver's license in Colorado, you may be wondering what that process looks like. When it comes to Colorado, new teen drivers applying for their drivers license have pretty strict guidelines to follow. If you follow the steps below, you will get behind the wheel and gain that freedom you are looking for with your driver license.

First Up: Instruction Permit

The first step to getting your driver's license in Colorado is to obtain your Instruction Permit. For this, the requirements are based upon your age.

If you are 14.5 years old, but less than 15 years and 6 months, then the State of Colorado requires you to:

• Attend and complete a DMV-approved 30-hour Drivers Ed course.
• Once you turn 15, you must pass a written test.

If you are 15 years and 6 months, but less than 16 years of age, then the State of Colorado requires you to:

• Attend and complete a pre-qualification four-hour Driver Awareness Program that is DMV-approved OR attend and complete a DMV-approved 30-hour Driver Education course.
• Pass a written test

If you are 16 years of age, then the State of Colorado requires you to:

• Pass a written test

Next Step: Get Your Colorado Driver License

The next step in the process is getting your driver's license. Again, the requirements for this step are based on your age.

If you are under 18 years of age, then the State of Colorado requires you to:

• Be at least 16 years of age or older.
• Hold your Colorado Instruction Permit for one full year. This is from the original date the Colorado Instruction Permit was issued to you by the DMV.
• If you are under 16.5 years of age, you must complete six hours of behind-the-wheel driving lessons with a state-certified instructor, which Coastline offers.
• Have a completed and signed (by the parent or legal guardian that signed the Affidavit of Liability for the Instruction Permit) the Drive Time Log sheet with a total of 50 hours of drive time, which includes at least 10 hours of driving at night.
• Pass the Behind-The-Wheel Driver’s Test.

If you are 18 years of age or older, then the State of Colorado requires you to:

• Pass the written Instruction Permit exam.
• Pass the Behind-The-Wheel Driver’s Test.

Driver's License Laws

Once you actually get your driver's license in hand, you will have some rules to follow if you are under the age of 18. The big rule to follow is that everyone in the vehicle must be wearing a seat belt or child restraint system. The following rules also apply, but are emergency exempt if an emergency should arise:

• You can not drive between midnight and 5 a.m.
• You may not use a cell phone while driving a vehicle.
• For the first six months of having your driver license, you may not have any passengers under 21 (siblings are exempt).
• Between six months and one year of holding your driver's license, you may have only one passenger under the age of 21 (siblings are exempt).

It may seem like a lot, but as you work through the steps, it will all become easier and easier for you and then you'll have that driver license before you know it!

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to our friendly support staff. If you want to start your driver's license journey with Coastline Academy, make sure to sign up for Drivers Ed and book your driving lesson today.