Segment 1 to Level 3: Michigan Teen Licensing Explained

Michigan’s teen licensing system has several stages, beginning with Segment 1 of driver education and ending with a Level 3 license. Between the two sit a learner’s license, supervised practice, a further classroom segment, a driving skills test, and an intermediate license with restrictions of its own. Teens can start at 14 years and eight months, so families have more than two years to plan. The costs arrive in separate pieces along the way, and each piece is charged by a different party.

What the Process Costs

Parents asking how much is drivers training in Michigan should separate the state fees from the amount charged by the driver education provider. The Michigan Secretary of State lists a $25 fee for the Level 1 learner’s license, while program fees are set by each provider. Segment 1 requires at least 24 classroom hours over three or more weeks, six hours behind the wheel, and four hours of observation.

From Level 1 to Level 3

• Level 1 opens at 14 years and nine months and calls for 50 supervised hours, 10 of them at night. A parent, guardian, or designated adult aged 21 or older must supervise every drive, and a driving log records the hours. Segment 2 follows once the teen has held Level 1 for three consecutive months, and it consists of six more classroom hours. Two licenses come after that, each with conditions of its own:
• Level 2 begins at age 16 and follows a passed driving skills test. The teen must also have held Level 1 for six months and stayed free of violations and at-fault crashes for 90 days. Level 2 limits passengers to one person under 21, except immediate family, and bars driving from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
• Level 3 begins at age 17 for a teen who has spent six months at Level 2 and 12 months without violations or at-fault crashes. Once a parent gives authorization, the license is issued at no charge.

Using an Online Course

According to the Secretary of State, an online course alone cannot replace the instruction, testing, behind-the-wheel training, or supervised practice the state requires. These courses can still serve as study aids, which is how a teen can use one alongside an approved program. ETS Traffic School sells online drivers ed courses in most states, and its self-paced Michigan teen course costs $49. The course covers the classroom portion of Segment 1 and Segment 2 only, so it does not include behind-the-wheel instruction or the 50 supervised hours. Progress saves automatically. Topics include signs, signals, and markings, sharing the road, risky behaviors, and alcohol and drugs. The course prepares a teen for the Level 1 knowledge test and does not replace it.

Takeaways

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Fees for classroom lessons, driving instruction, and skills testing vary by provider, so a written price for each step is worth requesting before enrolling. A teen who starts Segment 1 at 14 years and eight months can reach Level 3 at 17 if the required supervised hours and other conditions are met.