Training to Obtain Your Hawaii Drivers License
If you're a Hawaiian teenager looking to get your drivers license, there are a few things you need to know. Depending on how old you are and what path you choose to take, you will face different requirements. Hawaii operates on a Graduated Licensing Program (GLP), meaning that applicants younger than 18 will have to possess additional information before they can be issued a license.
Enroll in our Hawaii adult drivers ed course to learn about driving safety. Please note: This course is not state approved.
Graduated License Program
Hawaii’s GLP establishes a three-stage program for drivers under the age of 18. This program allows beginning drivers to develop their driving skills over time as they gain experience and maturity.
To apply for an instructional permit, you must be at least 15 years and 6 months in age. When you are ready to obtain one:
- Bring your Social Security card and birth certificate
- Be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian (they, too, must have valid identification)
- Pass the vision test, written test, and the road sign identification test.
For the inexperienced driving student, passing these exams can be tricky. Many students opt for an online test prep course to help ensure they pass on the first try. These prep courses offer valuable insights on the rules of the road, safe driving techniques, and building a foundation for becoming an attentive and responsible driver. In fact, instilling these best practices from the very beginning is a great way to become a safe driver throughout the rest of your life, avoiding traffic accidents, and costly citations.
Once You Have Your Hawaii Instruction Permit
Your next step will be to complete your Hawaii drivers education course. This course can be taken online or in the classroom and is 37 hours long. Please note: Our drivers ed course does not meet the state-required, 37-hour classroom training.
You will also need to enroll in a Department of Transportation-approved behind-the-wheel course. Throughout the course, you must include a total of 50 hours of driving with an instructor, parent, or legal guardian – 10 hours of which must have been completed at night. When you apply for the provisional license, a signed driving log must be presented to the examiner.
Hawaii Instruction Permit Restrictions
- You must have a passenger (in the front passenger seat) at all times. This passenger must have a valid drivers license and be 21 or older.
- You may not drive between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless you have a parent or guardian in the passenger's seat.
- You must hold your instructional permit for a total of 180 days before you can apply for the road test.
Getting Your Hawaii Provisional License
The next phase of a teenager's driver education is the provisional license. In order to apply for this, you must:
- Hold your instruction permit for a minimum of 180 days
- Possess your certificate of completion from your Department of Transportation-approved driver education course
- Pass the road test.
Hawaii Provisional License Restrictions
The same restrictions from your instruction permit will still apply, but with the provisional license, you are now able to drive with one passenger under the age of 18, and the licensed parent or guardian is not required to accompany you, so long as the reason for your drive is school-related or work-related.
Of course, you are also required to stay out of trouble. Any traffic violations may result in the suspension of your license for up to a year.
Getting Your Official Hawaii Drivers License
This is the final phase of becoming a licensed driver in the state of Hawaii. To get this, you must have your provisional license in good standing until you turn 17 years old. If you're 17, and you've held your provincial license for 6 months without any tickets or penalties, you are eligible for the official driver's license.
Of course, if you are under 21, your license will look a little different. The photo will be vertical, rather than horizontal. This is a standard orientation, to acknowledge at a glance that you are under 21, but rest assured, it offers all the benefits and features of an official Hawaii drivers license.
