Alaska (AK)

How many practice hours do you need in Alaska?

In Alaska, a learner driver must log 40 hours of supervised driving practice—including 10 in poor weatherbefore applying for a license.

40
Total practice hours
None set
Night hours
14
Permit age
16
License age

Alaska learner permit requirements

  • Minimum permit age: 14
  • Supervised practice required: 40 hours total, no night minimum set, 10 in poor weather
  • Permit hold period: 6 months
  • License eligibility age: 16
  • How hours are certified: 40-hour driving log certified by a parent, guardian, or licensed adult 21+.

Alaska has one of the earliest permit ages in the country at 14, and requires 40 hours of supervised driving before the provisional license. Alaska does not set a night-hours minimum: Form 433 asks a parent to certify "at least 10 hours of driving experience in inclement weather (snow, ice, rain, darkness, etc.) for a total of 40 hours driving experience" — darkness is one qualifying condition among several, so night driving counts toward the 10 but is not required on its own.

Requirements change and have exceptions. Always confirm the current rules with the Alaska DMV before applying.

Alaska's graduated licensing stages

1
Instruction permit · age 14

Drive only with a licensed adult 21+; log 40 hours of practice, at least 10 of them in inclement weather (snow, ice, rain or darkness).

2
Provisional license · age 16

Issued after 6 months with the permit; night and passenger limits apply for 6 months.

3
Full license · age 16½ or later

Issued after 6 clean months on the provisional license.

Driving restrictions for new Alaska drivers

Night driving

Provisional license holders can't drive between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed driver 21+ or driving for work.

Passengers

Provisional drivers may not carry passengers under 21 unless a licensed driver 21+ is present, or the passengers are immediate family.

Phone use

Texting while driving is banned for all Alaska drivers.

Log every Alaska practice hour automatically

DriveMint tracks each supervised drive, separates day and night hours, and generates a PDF you can print or show at the DMV. Prove all 40 hours without a paper logbook falling apart in the glove box.

Alaska driving practice FAQs

How many driving hours do you need in Alaska?+

Alaska requires 40 hours of supervised driving practice, including 10 hours in poor weather, before a teen can apply for a license.

How old do you have to be to get a permit in Alaska?+

14 — Alaska allows the instruction permit earlier than almost any other state, but the 40-hour practice requirement still applies.

Does Alaska require night driving hours?+

Not specifically. Alaska requires 10 of the 40 hours to be in inclement weather — the DMV's Form 433 lists "snow, ice, rain, darkness, etc." Driving after dark counts toward those 10 hours, but so does driving in snow or rain, and Alaska sets no separate night-hours minimum.

How long is Alaska's provisional stage?+

At least 6 months of violation-free driving before the restrictions can be removed.

Requirements in other states

Compare practice hours in all 50 states side by side, or read what actually counts as a night driving hour.