Where to study

Tests

Driving testsCitizenship testsSchool and university admissionsNursing, medicine and healthEnglish and French testsTeachingMoney, law and insuranceTrades and work licencesPilots, drones, boats and radio

Countries

United StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustraliaNew Zealand

Iowa · Permit test

The Iowa intermediate license

At 16 you can drive without an adult between 5 a.m. and 12:30 a.m. The Iowa intermediate license sits between the instruction permit and the full license in the state's graduated driver's license for teens. To get it you need driver education, 12 months on a permit, six months with a clean record and 20 hours of supervised driving, two of them at night. A full license can follow at 17.

Where to study

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

What do you need for an intermediate license in Iowa?

  • Be at least 16.
  • Finish an Iowa-approved driver education course.
  • Hold an instruction permit, or a permit and then a school license, for 12 months in total.
  • Keep a clean driving record for at least six months in a row right before you apply.
  • Log 20 hours of supervised driving, at least two of them between sunset and sunrise.
  • Get a parent or guardian's written consent, in person or on form 430018.
  • Pass a drive test if your driver's ed instructor asks for one, or if you did parent-taught driver's ed.
Iowa DOT: Under-18 appointment ↗

Rules once you have it

  • Between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m., you need adult supervision. A parent can file a waiver (form 431170) for school or work, and you keep it in the car.
  • If the back of your license shows a passenger restriction, you can't carry more than one minor passenger who isn't a relative when you drive alone, for the first six months. Brothers, sisters, stepsiblings and other minors in your home count as relatives.
  • No more passengers than seat belts.
  • No cell phone or other electronic device while driving, apart from equipment built into the car.
Iowa DOT: Hour restriction waiver (431170) ↗

Tickets and crashes on an intermediate license

A first conviction, crash or restriction violation brings a warning letter and a possible suspension. The DOT's Parent's Supervised Driving Program adds that it can also mean extra passenger or hour limits. A second one means a 30-day suspension, and each one delays your full license by 12 months.

Moving up to a full license at 17

  • Hold your intermediate license for at least 12 months in a row.
  • Keep a clean record for those 12 months.
  • Log 10 more hours of supervised driving on the intermediate license, two of them between sunset and sunrise.
  • Bring a parent's consent, then book a visit.

Once you turn 18, you can get a full license without these steps.

How to get an Iowa driver's license →
Sources: Iowa DOT and 2 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

OverviewWhere to learnDriver's licenseAppointmentsWhat to bringOnline testDriving testDriver's manualDMV locationsInstruction permitSchool permitDriver's edMotorcycleMopedCDL permitChauffeur licenseState IDDriving recordEn español