Supervising a New Driver in Oregon: Parent's Guide
If your teen is going through Oregon's graduated licensing system, your supervised-driving role is built into the law. Here's what your teen needs to log, what restrictions apply, and where parents most commonly slip up.
The supervising adult is half of how this works. Oregon expects you to log the practice hours, sit in the passenger seat for them, and sign the form that says it happened. Oregon relies on the parent or guardian certification, so treat the log as a real record of completed practice. The drive examiner does not road-test the parent. But the results downstream (the knowledge test, the drive test, the first year of solo driving on a provisional license) all reflect what happened with you in the right seat.
This chapter is what to know going in.
Who counts as a supervising driver
Oregon sets two requirements for the supervising driver, and both must be true. You must be at least 21 years old, and you must have held valid driving privileges for at least 3 years. The learner's hours only count when the person in the right seat meets both.
Practically: a 21-year-old sibling who was licensed at 18 qualifies. A 21-year-old who got their license last year does not, and a session with that person in the right seat does not belong on the supervised-driving log. Plan the supervisor lineup around the 3-year floor, not just the age.
The permit itself requires the learner to be at least 15, and applicants under 18 must hold the permit for at least 6 months (180 days) before they can apply for the driver license. An out-of-state instruction permit counts toward that 6-month total. There is no shortcut around the hold period for first-time under-18 applicants. (An under-18 applicant who already holds a valid out-of-state driver license and surrenders it when applying for an Oregon license is treated separately.)
The 100-hour rule, and the 50-hour shortcut
Applicants under 18 must complete one of the following before applying for the driver license:
- 100 hours of supervised driving experience, or
- 50 hours of supervised driving plus an ODOT-approved traffic safety education course.
DMV must receive proof of course completion; the school or provider files it. The hours themselves go on the supervised-driving log the learner keeps, which you sign. Keep one row per drive: the date, the hours, the conditions, what you worked on, and a running total. A spreadsheet or a ruled sheet kept in the car both work. That covers the supervised-driving requirement for license eligibility. The drive test is a separate step.
The course route does more than cut the hour total. Oregon also has a separate drive-test waiver: DMV may waive the behind-the-wheel test for applicants who present proof of completing an ODOT-approved Driver Education Course within the past two years. If the course the learner is enrolled in qualifies for both the 50-hour credit and the waiver, the learner may be licensed without taking the drive test at all. Not every approved course qualifies for both, so confirm course status with DMV before banking on the waiver. The course also covers material the learner is unlikely to absorb from the manual alone (highway merging discipline, scanning, hazard recognition at speed) in a structured setting with a professional instructor. If the schedule and the budget allow, the course route tends to produce a more confident driver than 100 hours of parent-only supervision. The hour total is not what the test measures. The driving is.
Oregon does not break out a night-driving subset of the 100 hours. The total is a single number. That said, a learner who has only ever driven in daylight is in trouble the first time they drive home from a friend's house in November at 5:30 p.m. Build night driving into the practice rhythm well before the drive test, not after the license.
A practice rhythm that actually works
The hours are the floor. The pattern matters more than the number.
Aim for short, frequent sessions early, longer and more varied sessions later. A useful rhythm during the permit phase:
- Weeks 1 to 4. Empty parking lots, residential streets, low-speed turns, parking, backing in a straight line, mirror habits. 20 to 30 minutes per session, three or four sessions a week.
- Weeks 5 to 12. Mixed-speed roads, four-way stops, protected and unprotected left turns, lane changes on multi-lane streets, school zones during the posted hours. Begin night practice in this window.
- Months 4 to 6. Freeway merging and exiting (start on a quieter stretch of I-5 or US-26 outside rush hour, then build to denser traffic), parking on a hill, rain driving, and any state-highway segments the route home from the drive test will use.
The learner should drive in conditions you would not personally choose: light rain, the start of dusk, a Saturday-morning errand run where the parking lot is half full and someone backs out of a spot without looking. Practice near the test area and in varied conditions, but do not try to memorize a specific drive-test route; the examiner can use different routes from the same office.
Topics Oregon learners commonly miss
Two Oregon topics get underestimated in home practice. Both come up on the knowledge test and both produce wrong answers from learners who otherwise know the manual cold.
Pedestrians in crosswalks. Every Oregon intersection has a crosswalk, marked or not. The learner has to know that the duty to stop applies to unmarked crosswalks, and that at a signal-controlled intersection the pedestrian has to be at least six feet clear of the lane you are turning into before the turn can begin. Read the wording carefully. Quiz the learner on the unmarked-crosswalk rule specifically.
The move-over law. Oregon's move-over duty applies to any roadside vehicle with flashing or hazard lights on, including disabled passenger cars. Move over when there is another lane in your direction; if moving over is unsafe, slow to at least 5 mph below the posted limit while passing. Make sure the learner has the current version of the rule, not the old emergency-vehicle-only one.
Three more gaps are worth drilling. Each shows up on the test in some form.
- The bicycle safety stop. Cyclists may slow and roll through a stop sign or flashing red signal after yielding; they do not have to put a foot down. Teach the learner to expect it and to yield when the cyclist has the right of way.
- The school-bus stop on a divided road. A painted median or a turn lane does not divide the road for this rule, so every lane still has to stop. Only an unpaved median strip or a barrier releases traffic on the opposite side from the bus.
- The passenger limits on the provisional license. The limit changes at the six-month mark, and the test checks whether the learner knows which stage applies:
- First six months: no passengers under 20, except immediate family.
- Months seven through twelve: no more than three passengers under 20, except immediate family.
Oregon law does not define immediate family for this restriction. Treat it as the learner's household family and resolve edge cases conservatively: if you are not sure whether a cousin counts, the cousin rides with another driver until the restriction lifts.
The knowledge test, then the drive test
The Oregon knowledge test is 35 questions; the learner needs 28 right to pass (80 percent). Plan on 20 to 30 minutes. A failed knowledge test may be retaken the same day if office resources allow. Two attempts in a 24-hour period is the limit whichever way the learner tests. The online version through DMV2U adds a lifetime ceiling of four online attempts; after four, the learner must test at a DMV office. The drive test has the next-business-day retake rule, not the knowledge test. The knowledge-test fee is $7 per attempt. The instruction permit itself costs $30 once the learner passes.
When a drive test is required, Oregon offers two scheduling paths, and the second is the more likely one. DMV gives a limited number of drive tests at selected field offices only; book those through DMV2U or by phone at 503-945-5000, and start looking as soon as the knowledge test is passed. The other route is a DMV-contracted Class C testing business. Oregon authorizes these businesses to administer the same drive test on DMV's behalf, and they can often schedule sooner, including on days the local DMV office is closed. They set their own fees and days of operation, and typically charge more than the $45 DMV drive-test fee. The list of authorized testers is at Oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV; DMV does not schedule, cancel or reschedule for them, so contact the business directly. Either route ends with the same scored result on DMV's record. The first driver license is $64 once issued.
Bring to the drive-test appointment:
- The instruction permit (the physical card).
- Proof of identity, date of birth, and current Oregon residence (originals or certified copies).
- A passenger vehicle with current registration displayed.
- Valid proof of insurance for the test vehicle. Without it, the test is rescheduled.
- For an under-18 applicant: a parent or legal guardian signature certifying school enrollment or exemption, plus proof of a diploma or GED if that is the basis used, and the parent or guardian signature paperwork if not already on file.
- A signed certification on the application that the 100-hour practice requirement (or the 50-hour driver-ed alternative) has been completed; DMV receives course-completion proof separately if you are on the 50-hour driver-ed path.
Only the applicant and the examiner may be in the vehicle during the drive test. The examiner walks the vehicle before the drive and checks lights, signals, horn, mirrors, tires, seatbelts, registration, and an unobstructed view to the front, sides, and rear. A failed equipment check reschedules the appointment; it does not count as a fail.
After the drive, the examiner discusses the result in the car before the learner gets out. A pass routes back inside for the photo, paperwork, and a temporary credential while the permanent card is mailed. A fail produces a score sheet itemizing where points were lost. Read that sheet carefully before the next attempt; it is the cheapest practice plan available.
The first year on the provisional license
Once the learner is licensed under 18, the card looks like a regular Oregon Class C. It is not. It carries restrictions during the restricted provisional period: passenger limits in two stages, plus a curfew from midnight to 5:00 a.m. Oregon's curfew has listed exceptions; the Graduated Driver Licensing in Oregon chapter spells out the exceptions and when each restriction ends. Until age 18, the driver also cannot use a mobile communication device while driving, even hands-free. The single most important thing for a supervising parent to know is that the passenger limit changes at the six-month mark; the rule that applies in month four is not the rule that applies in month eight. Read that chapter with the learner before the first solo drive, not after.
Manual reference: Oregon Driver Manual, sections on the instruction permit, the Class C knowledge test and online testing guidelines, provisional driver license, and drive test.
GDL stages and supervised-driving requirements
- Earliest age: instruction permit
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15
- Permit holding period (months, under 18)
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Required only for applicants under 18. The 6-month minimum may be satisfied with an out-of-state instruction permit. Adults 18+ have no statutory minimum permit holding period (ORS 807.065 applies only to applicants under 18).
- Supervised driving hours required
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Under-18 applicants must complete 100 hours of supervised driving experience, OR 50 hours plus an ODOT-approved traffic safety education course. DMV must receive proof of course completion. Supervising drivers must be at least 21 years old and have held valid driving privileges for at least 3 years.
- Of which, night hours required
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Oregon does not break out a night-driving subset of the supervised-hours requirement. The manual (p.89) and ORS 807.065(1)(c)-(d) specify only the 100-hour total (or 50 + ODOT-approved course) with no separate night-hours floor.
- Earliest age: provisional license
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Oregon does not have a separately named "intermediate" license tier. A license issued to a driver under 18 is a provisional license (ORS 807.065(4)) - same Class C document, but subject to GDL restrictions: stepped passenger limits and a midnight-5 a.m. curfew that each end one year after issuance or at age 18, whichever comes first (ORS 807.122). The under-18 ban on all mobile-device use while driving lasts until 18. Earliest issuance age is 16.
- Provisional curfew: start
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For the first year after a provisional license is issued, the holder may not drive between 12 midnight and 5 a.m., except when: (1) driving between home and work, (2) driving between home and a school event with no other transportation available, (3) driving for employment purposes, or (4) accompanied by a licensed driver at least 25 years old. The curfew ends one year after issuance or at age 18, whichever comes first.
- Provisional curfew: end
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The restricted period ends at 5:00 a.m. The curfew itself applies only during the first year after provisional issuance (or until age 18, whichever comes first).
Source: ORS 807.122(1)(b) (curfew window ends 5 a.m.); ORS 807.122(4) (restriction lifts at age 18).
- Provisional passenger restriction
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Provisional licensees face stepped passenger limits during the first year of licensure: First 6 months: may not carry any passenger under 20 years of age, except members of the licensee's immediate family. Second 6 months (months 7-12): may not carry more than 3 passengers under 20 years of age, except members of the licensee's immediate family. Restrictions end one year after issuance or when the licensee turns 18, whichever comes first. Statutory exceptions to the passenger limits (not the curfew): driving co-workers solely for employment in an employer-owned, insured vehicle for a farmer, rancher, or orchardist (with signed employer certification and a seat belt for every passenger), and driving with a certified traffic-safety-education instructor or a parent/stepparent with valid driving privileges in the vehicle. Oregon law does not define "immediate family" for this restriction.
- Earliest age: unrestricted license
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Provisional-license passenger and nighttime restrictions lift one year after the license is issued, or at age 18, whichever comes first (ORS 807.122). There is no fixed unrestricted age: a teen licensed at 16 becomes unrestricted at 17 only by coincidence, while one licensed later stays restricted until 18 (or their one-year mark if sooner).
Source: ORS 807.122(1)(a)-(b), (4)
- Minimum age: learner permit
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15
- Minimum age: driver license
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Class C driver license may be issued at 16. Drivers under 18 receive a provisional license carrying GDL restrictions (curfew, passenger limits, supervised-hours prerequisite); see the graduated-licensing section. Full unrestricted driving privileges begin at age 18, when the GDL restrictions lift automatically.
Phone laws for new drivers
- Handheld phone: banned for all drivers
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Handheld use of a mobile electronic device while driving is banned for all drivers in Oregon. Drivers 18 and older must use a hands-free accessory; the device may only require minimal use of a finger to activate or deactivate. Drivers under 18 may not use a cell phone or any mobile electronic device at all, even hands-free. The ban applies whenever a vehicle is being operated, including while stopped at a traffic light.
Source: OR Driver Manual 2026-2027, "Distracted Driving," p.79-80; codified at ORS 811.507.
- Texting: banned for all drivers
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Texting while driving is illegal for all drivers under the same statute that bans handheld phone use (ORS 811.507). The handbook explicitly lists texting as a "dangerous" eyes-off-road activity to avoid. There is no separate texting offense; texting is one mode of prohibited mobile-electronic-device use.
- Hands-free also banned for minors?
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Drivers under 18 are subject to a complete ban; they may not use a cell phone or any mobile electronic device while driving, even with a hands-free accessory. The hands-free exception applies only to drivers 18 and older.
- First-offense fine (maximum)
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Maximum fine on first offense: $1,000. The handbook prints the offense ladder: 1st offense (no crash): Class B traffic violation, up to $1,000 (presumptive fine ~$265 under ORS 153.018). 2nd offense in 10 years, or 1st offense contributing to a crash: Class A traffic violation, up to $2,000. 3rd offense in 10 years: Class B misdemeanor, up to $2,500 and 6 months jail. A first offender with no crash may be eligible to attend a distracted-driving avoidance course in lieu of the fine (ORS 811.508).
Seatbelt and passenger rules
- Seatbelt law enforcement
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Oregon is a primary-enforcement seatbelt state; an officer may stop and cite a driver for a seatbelt violation alone, without any other infraction. The driver is responsible for ensuring all passengers under 16 are properly restrained.
- Seats required to belt
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Safety belt use is mandatory for all drivers and passengers in all available seating positions, front and rear. Slack must not be left in the lap or shoulder portion; the shoulder strap may not be worn under the arm or behind the back.
- Booster/child seat: age threshold
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Child passengers must be restrained in an approved child safety seat or booster until they are 8 years of age or at least 4 feet 9 inches in height, and the adult lap and shoulder belt fits them correctly. Infants must ride rear-facing until they reach 2 years of age. Note on the height line: the statute (ORS 811.210) keeps a child who is exactly 4'9" and under 8 in a booster; only a child taller than 4 feet 9 inches may move to the adult belt on height alone.
- Booster seat: weight threshold
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Oregon's booster-cutoff rule is age + height (8 years or 4'9"), not weight. There is no statutory weight at which booster use ends. Weight enters the rule only for the transition from a full child safety seat to a booster: a child weighing 40 lbs or less must ride in a child safety seat; only a child weighing more than 40 lbs (and still 4'9" or shorter, under age 8) moves to a booster. A child weighing exactly 40 lbs stays in the child safety seat. The driver manual states only the age/height rule; the 40-lb boundary comes from the statute.
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The parent's-eye view of the permit phase: Oregon's GDL numbers, the supervised-hours ladder, how to coach mistakes without breaking confidence, and a test-week plan.
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