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Indiana Permit Hours: Requirements, Night Rules, and Tracking
Getting your license in Indiana means logging 50 supervised driving hours — 40 during the day and 10 after dark. Most families take 6 months to finish. Some do it faster. Here’s what you need to know.
Indiana permit requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Total supervised hours | 50 |
| Daytime hours | 40 |
| Night hours | 10 |
| Minimum permit age | 15 |
| Minimum hold period | 6 months |
| Supervisor minimum age | 25 |
| Driver education required | Yes |
Night driving rules in Indiana
In Indiana, night driving counts from sunset to sunrise. The hours shift with the seasons. In December, sunset might be as early as 4:30 PM. In June, it could be past 8:30 PM. That seasonal swing matters — winter is actually the easier time to knock out night hours because darkness comes early.
Plan to start your evening sessions about 30 minutes before sunset. That way you get comfortable in fading light before it goes fully dark. 10 hours sounds like a lot, but at 1-2 sessions per week you’ll be done within a couple months.
Supervisor requirements
Your supervising driver must be at least 25 and hold a valid license. That’s higher than most states, so double-check before assuming any licensed adult qualifies.
They need to sit in the front passenger seat, stay alert, and be ready to grab the wheel if needed. No scrolling, no napping, no backseat supervising. If you get pulled over and your supervisor doesn’t meet the requirements, that session might not count — and you could both get a citation.
Driver education
Indiana requires a state-approved driver education course. This includes classroom instruction and usually some behind-the-wheel time with a certified instructor. You’ll need to complete it before or during your permit period.
Driver’s ed isn’t just a checkbox. The classroom covers rules you won’t learn from your parents — right-of-way edge cases, what to do at railroad crossings, how to handle emergency vehicles. Take it seriously.
How to plan your 50 hours
You have a 6-month hold period in Indiana. If you spread your hours evenly, that’s about 2 hours a week. Totally doable.
Here’s what a realistic schedule looks like:
| Timeline | Sessions per week | Session length | Total time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relaxed (25 weeks) | 2 | 1 hour | ~25 weeks |
| Moderate (13 weeks) | 3-4 | 1 hour | ~13 weeks |
| Aggressive (9 weeks) | 5-6 | 1 hour | ~9 weeks |
Most families land somewhere in the moderate range. The key is consistency. Two sessions a week for six months beats cramming 10 hours into a single weekend. You learn more, retain more, and your supervisor won’t burn out.
Night hours are 20% of your total. Don’t save them all for the end. Mix in one evening session per week from the start and you’ll have them done well before the rest of your hours.
How Indiana compares to other states
Indiana’s 50-hour requirement puts it right around the middle of the pack. The most common requirement across all states is 50 hours (30 states use it).
Illinois requires the same 50 hours. Kansas requires the same 50 hours.
See all state requirements for a complete comparison.
Tracking your driving hours
Nobody enjoys tracking driving hours on paper. Entries get missed, pages get lost, and at the end of six months you’re guessing how many night hours you actually have.
Indiana wants State Form 54706, the “Log of Supervised Driving Practice,” when you apply for your licence. Each row needs the date and the day and night minutes for that drive, and a parent or guardian signs the affirmation if the applicant is under 18. Moda records every drive as you go and fills the form in from that history, including splitting a drive that crosses sunset across the day and night columns rather than guessing at one or the other. You print it, get it signed, and bring it in.
Calculate your remaining hours or estimate your night hours to see where you stand.
How many supervised driving hours does Indiana require?
Indiana requires 50 total supervised driving hours. 10 must be at night and 40 during the day.
What counts as night driving in Indiana?
Night driving in Indiana is defined as sunset to sunrise (varies by season and location). You need 10 hours of night driving to qualify for your license.
How long do I need to hold my permit in Indiana?
You must hold your learner’s permit for at least 6 months in Indiana before you can take your road test.
How old do you have to be to get a learner’s permit in Indiana?
You can apply for a learner’s permit in Indiana at age 15.
Who can supervise a permit driver in Indiana?
Your supervising driver must be at least 25 years old with a valid license.
What is Indiana State Form 54706?
Indiana State Form 54706, “Log of Supervised Driving Practice,” is the official log required by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The current revision is R5 / 8-24 and you can download a blank one from forms.in.gov. It takes 108 drives: four columns of 31, 31, 23 and 23. Moda fills it from your logged sessions and prints it ready to sign.
If you have logged more than 108 drives, Moda prints additional copies rather than dropping the extras. Section 1 of the form allows this in as many words: “Multiple logs may be completed and attached, if necessary.”
Does Indiana accept a digital driving log?
Indiana wants State Form 54706 when you apply. Moda fills it from your session history, you print it and get it signed, and you bring the paper to the BMV. The app is what does the counting; the form is what you hand over.
Is driver’s ed required in Indiana?
Yes. Indiana requires a state-approved driver education course for applicants under 18. This is in addition to the supervised driving hours.
How long does it take to finish 50 driving hours?
At 2-3 sessions per week, most families finish in 17 to 25 weeks. Some move faster with daily sessions, but spreading practice out leads to better skill retention.
Calculate your remaining hours
Enter the hours you've already completed to see what's left.
