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Michigan · Permit test

The Michigan Level 1 license, the teen learner’s license

The Level 1 Learner’s License is the first of three Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) levels, and it’s Michigan’s learner’s permit for drivers under 18. You get the Michigan Level 1 license at a Secretary of State (SOS) office after Segment 1 of driver education, and from then on you drive only with a qualified supervisor beside you.

  • $25Licensing fee at the office
  • 6 monthsLeast time on Level 1 before Level 2
  • 14 years, 9 monthsYoungest age for a Level 1 license
Read the teen license stepsFree practice test

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

How do you get a Michigan Level 1 license?

After Segment 1, you and your parent or legal guardian:

  1. Pre-apply online when you schedule a visit to an SOS office
  2. Go to the office together
  3. Pass the vision test and meet the health standards
  4. Show your Segment 1 Certificate of Completion and the four proofs: Social Security number, legal presence, identity and Michigan residency
  5. Pay the licensing fee and have your photo taken
See the documents to bring →See the Segment 1 rules →

Michigan Level 1 license rules

While you hold it:

  • Drive only with a licensed parent or guardian, or a licensed adult 21 or older whom they designate, in the front seat next to you. A designated adult needs a signed letter of authorization from your parent or guardian
  • Don’t use a cell phone while you drive. Kelsey’s Law bans it on Level 1 and Level 2, except in an emergency
  • Have your license with you whenever you drive, and show it if a police officer asks

Breaking a Level 1 rule is a civil infraction, and the SOS sends notice of it to a parent or guardian. A moving violation, a crash in which the police report shows a moving violation on your part, or a suspension extends Level 1 until you’ve gone 90 days in a row without one, or until you turn 18.

The Michigan driving log

Keep a log of your supervised driving. You need at least:

  • 30 hours, with at least 2 at night, before you start Segment 2
  • 50 hours, with at least 10 at night, before the driving skills test

Your supervisor must hold a valid license. The SOS gives parents its Supervised Driving Guide, with a sample log and coaching tips, and the Driving Skills Test Study Guide names its own log and the free RoadReady app as the preferred formats.

See the Segment 2 rules →Read the skills test steps →

When Level 1 ends

A Level 1 license runs out at 18, and from then on the rules for drivers 18 or older apply. Before that, a parent or guardian can keep you at Level 1 or cancel your license, as the GDL page explains.

See how GDL works →
Sources: Michigan Department of State · Michigan Legislature and 2 more. Checked November 2026.

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

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