Who Can Supervise a Teen Driver With a Permit in Minnesota?

Once a teen receives a Minnesota instruction permit, much of their driving experience will come from supervised practice. Parents often take on most of that responsibility, but they don't have to be the only people who help.

In Minnesota, a teen with an instruction permit can practice with a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old and sits in the front passenger seat beside the teen.

That means the supervising driver does not necessarily have to be the teen's parent or guardian.

Who Can Be a Supervising Driver?

As long as the person meets Minnesota's requirements, supervised practice could potentially take place with a:

• Parent or guardian

• Grandparent

• Adult sibling

• Other relative

• Family friend

• Other licensed adult age 21 or older

  
  

This can be especially helpful for families when one parent isn't available for every practice drive or when another trusted adult can provide the teen with additional opportunities to gain experience.

The important requirements are the supervising driver's age, valid driver's license, and position in the vehicle—not their relationship to the teen.

Where Does the Supervising Driver Sit?

The supervising driver needs to sit in the front passenger seat beside the teen driver.

That positioning matters because the supervising adult needs to be able to observe what is happening, communicate with the new driver, and provide guidance when necessary.

A qualified adult riding somewhere else in the vehicle does not replace the supervising driver in the front passenger seat.

Can an Older Brother or Sister Supervise?

Possibly.

An older sibling who is a licensed driver and at least 21 years old can meet the supervising-driver requirement.

A licensed 18-, 19-, or 20-year-old sibling, however, is not old enough to serve as the supervising driver for a teen practicing with an instruction permit.

The same age requirement applies to other relatives and family friends.

Does All Practice Have to Be With the Same Person?

No. A teen's supervised driving experience does not have to come entirely from one supervising driver.

Having more than one qualified adult available can make it easier to accumulate meaningful practice throughout the permit period.

There can also be value in driving with different experienced adults, provided everyone is giving the teen safe and consistent guidance.

Make Sure Everyone Is Teaching the Same Habits

Using multiple supervising drivers can create more opportunities to practice, but it can also create a challenge: different adults sometimes have very different driving habits.

One person may tell the student to do something one way while another gives completely different advice.

That can be confusing for a new driver.

Families can help by focusing on consistent fundamentals such as observation, speed management, following distance, lane position, signaling, and safe decision-making.

If the teen is also receiving professional behind-the-wheel instruction, parents and other supervising drivers can use feedback from those lessons to guide what they practice between lessons.

Supervised Practice Is About More Than Accumulating Hours

Minnesota requires teen drivers to complete supervised driving practice before becoming eligible for a provisional license. But the purpose of those hours shouldn't simply be filling out a driving log.

The permit period gives teens an opportunity to experience different roads, traffic levels, weather conditions, and driving situations while an experienced driver is still sitting beside them.

Having several qualified adults available can create more opportunities for that experience.

At Milestone Driving Academy, I encourage families to use the time between behind-the-wheel lessons to practice the skills their student is developing. Whether that practice happens with a parent, grandparent, adult sibling, or another qualified supervising driver, consistent practice is an important part of becoming a safe, independent driver.

For families in Eagan, Apple Valley, Rosemount, Burnsville, and surrounding South Metro communities, professional behind-the-wheel instruction and purposeful supervised practice can work together throughout the permit period.