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Pennsylvania Supervised Driving Hours: Complete 2026 Guide
Getting your license in Pennsylvania means logging 65 supervised driving hours — 55 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.
Pennsylvania permit requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Total supervised hours | 65 |
| Daytime hours | 55 |
| Night hours | 10 |
| Bad weather hours | 5 |
| Minimum permit age | 16 |
| Minimum hold period | 6 months |
| Supervisor minimum age | 21 |
| Driver education required | No |
Night driving rules in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, 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 21 and hold a valid license.
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.
Bad weather driving
You need 5 hours in bad weather. Rain, snow, sleet, fog, or heavy wind all qualify. You can’t control the weather, so don’t skip practice just because it’s drizzling — that’s actually exactly when you should go out.
Don’t manufacture dangerous conditions either. A steady rain is fine. A blizzard with zero visibility isn’t practice — it’s a risk. Use common sense, and let weather come to you naturally over your permit period.
How to plan your 65 hours
You have a 6-month hold period in Pennsylvania. If you spread your hours evenly, that’s about 3 hours a week. Totally doable.
Here’s what a realistic schedule looks like:
| Timeline | Sessions per week | Session length | Total time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Relaxed (33 weeks) | 2 | 1 hour | ~33 weeks |
| Moderate (17 weeks) | 3-4 | 1 hour | ~17 weeks |
| Aggressive (11 weeks) | 5-6 | 1 hour | ~11 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 15% 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 Pennsylvania compares to other states
Pennsylvania ranks #2 in the nation for total required hours. The most common requirement across all states is 50 hours (30 states use it).
Neighboring comparison: Maine requires 70 hours — 5 more than Pennsylvania. On the other end, Kentucky only requires 60 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. Moda tracks every session automatically — start time, end time, day vs. night, weather conditions, distance driven. When you’re done, it generates your state’s DMV form so you don’t have to fill anything out by hand.
Calculate your remaining hours or estimate your night hours to see where you stand.
How many supervised driving hours does Pennsylvania require?
Pennsylvania requires 65 total supervised driving hours. 10 must be at night and 55 during the day.
What counts as night driving in Pennsylvania?
Night driving in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?
You must hold your learner’s permit for at least 6 months in Pennsylvania before you can take your road test.
How old do you have to be to get a learner’s permit in Pennsylvania?
You can apply for a learner’s permit in Pennsylvania at age 16.
Who can supervise a permit driver in Pennsylvania?
Your supervising driver must be at least 21 years old with a valid license.
Does Pennsylvania accept a digital driving log?
Most DMV offices accept printed driving logs. Moda generates a PDF in Pennsylvania’s required format that you can print and bring to your road test appointment.
How long does it take to finish 65 driving hours?
At 2-3 sessions per week, most families finish in 22 to 33 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.