Missouri Driver Education FAQs

You can apply for a Missouri instruction permit at age 15 after passing the required vision, road sign recognition, and written tests.

No. Missouri does not require a driver education course for its graduated licensing process. You must instead meet the state's testing and supervised-driving requirements.

You must pass a vision test, a road sign recognition test, and a 25-question written test. The written test requires at least 20 correct answers, or 80%.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol administers the written and driving examinations at its driver examination stations. Permits and licenses themselves are issued through Missouri Department of Revenue license offices.

An instruction permit is valid for up to 12 months and may be renewed.

The person who supervises you depends on your age and the circumstances. Before 16, Missouri allows certain qualified adults, including a parent, guardian, grandparent, or qualified driving instructor; at 16 or older, your accompanying licensed driver must generally be at least 21.

You need at least 40 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, including at least 10 hours between sunset and sunrise.

You must hold your instruction permit for at least 182 days before you can graduate to an intermediate license.

Not necessarily. If your previous vision, road sign, and written test results are more than one year old, you must take those tests again. Otherwise, a valid permit holder generally only needs to pass the driving test.

A valid instruction permit holder applying for an intermediate license must pass the driving test with a score of at least 70%.

You must provide the vehicle yourself, and it must be a street-legal passenger vehicle with current registration and insurance.

During your first six months, you can have no more than one passenger under 19 who is not an immediate family member. After six months, the limit becomes three such passengers.

Generally, you cannot drive alone between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. There are exceptions for situations such as school activities, work, emergencies, or when you are accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21.

Yes. Missouri allows parents and guardians to impose restrictions that are stricter than the state's minimum graduated-license requirements. They can also request that a teen's driving privilege be denied or reinstated before the teen turns 18.

No. An online course is optional in Missouri and does not replace the required examinations, 182-day permit period, 40 hours of supervised driving, or driving test.