Everything a Pennsylvania parent needs in one place — required practice hours, night-driving rules, permit age, and what the written test looks like — plus a free log that keeps the hours straight.
Requirements summarized from the official Pennsylvania driver handbook.
Requirements: Pass the vision and knowledge tests. Log 65 supervised hours, including 10 at night and 5 in bad weather.
Restrictions: A licensed driver 21+ (or a parent/guardian 18+) must ride in the front seat. No more passengers than seat belts. No driving 11 p.m.-5 a.m.
Requirements: Hold the permit at least 6 months, complete the logged hours, and pass the road test.
Restrictions: No driving 11 p.m.-5 a.m. First 6 months: no more than one passenger under 18 who is not family.
Requirements: At 17 with driver education and 12 months violation-free, or automatically at 18.
Restrictions: None specific to age.
In Pennsylvania, a junior driver may never carry more passengers than there are seat belts in the vehicle. Before every drive, count belts, not seats - if there is no belt for someone, they cannot ride.
A posted Pennsylvania speed limit is the maximum for ideal conditions only - rain, snow, or traffic mean you must slow down. School zones drop to 15 mph when the lights flash, and driving 26 mph or more over the limit brings a mandatory 90-day suspension.
Pennsylvania's zero tolerance law means a driver under 21 with a BAC of .02 percent or more is driving under the influence - roughly one drink. Texting behind the wheel is a primary offense, so an officer can stop you for that alone.
Yield to pedestrians at intersections and crosswalks, and travel no faster than 15 mph when school-zone yellow signals are flashing. For a school bus displaying flashing red lights and an extended stop arm, stop at least 10 feet away and remain stopped until the signals stop, the arm is withdrawn, and the children are safe.
When approaching an emergency scene, police stop, or tow truck picking up a disabled vehicle, move into a nonadjacent lane; if you cannot move over, reduce your speed to at least 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit.
Pennsylvania law gives no one the right-of-way at intersections; yield as required and stop or yield when necessary to avoid a crash. Yield to pedestrians, oncoming traffic when turning left, vehicles already in a roundabout, and vehicles on your right when arriving at about the same time.
Which Pennsylvania driver's license class is required to operate a single vehicle rated in excess of 26,000 pounds?
A Class B license is required for a single vehicle rated above 26,000 pounds.
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