A 13-year-old wants to begin Iowa’s ordinary under-18 instruction-permit process. What minimum age must the applicant reach?
Correct answer: 14 years old.
Iowa lists age 14 as the minimum for an under-18 instruction permit. Knowledge and vision testing, consent and required documents are also part of the process.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; How Do I Get an Instruction Permit?; read September 29, 2026. ↗
An under-18 Iowa instruction-permit holder wants to practice with a family friend who is not a driving instructor or relative. Which arrangement meets the listed supervision rule?
Correct answer: A validly licensed friend at least 25, with written permission from the parent, guardian or custodian.
The nonfamily-supervisor option requires a valid license, age 25 or older and written permission from the designated adult. Other listed categories, such as parents and instructors, have their own qualifications.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; What Can I Do With This Permit?; read September 29, 2026. ↗
A teen has an ordinary Iowa instruction permit and wants to drive alone to a part-time job. What does that permit allow?
Correct answer: Only supervised driving; it does not authorize that solo trip.
An instruction permit does not authorize unsupervised school or work trips. Iowa has a separate special minor’s restricted license with its own eligibility and trip rules.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; What Can’t I Do With This Permit?; read September 29, 2026. ↗
A teen wants an Iowa intermediate license. Which combination matches the ordinary age, permit-holding and clean-record milestones?
Correct answer: At least 16, 12 months holding the qualifying permit credentials, and the immediately preceding 6 months with a clean record.
These are the age and time milestones listed by Iowa DOT, not the complete application checklist. Approved driver education, consent, satisfied delays and any required drive test also matter.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; How Do I Get an Intermediate License?; read September 29, 2026. ↗
An Iowa intermediate-license holder has no adult supervisor and no applicable school/work hour waiver. Which interval is outside the ordinary unsupervised driving hours?
Correct answer: 12:30 a.m. to 5 a.m.
Ordinary unsupervised intermediate driving is allowed from 5 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. The page separately describes qualified supervision and a carried school/work waiver; this scenario has neither.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; What Can I Do With This License?; What Can’t I Do With This License; read September 29, 2026. ↗
The back of your new Iowa intermediate license lists a passenger restriction. During its first six months, you drive without adult supervision. How many unrelated minor passengers may you carry?
Correct answer: No more than one.
The one-unrelated-minor limit applies in the first six months when that restriction is on the license and there is no adult supervision. It is not stated as a universal restriction on every intermediate license.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; What Can’t I Do With This License — passenger restriction; read September 29, 2026. ↗
An instruction-permit holder has proper adult supervision but more passengers than available seat belts. What should happen before the trip?
Correct answer: Reduce the passenger count so each person has a seat belt.
Iowa’s permit page prohibits carrying more passengers than the number of seat belts. Supervision does not waive the limit.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; What Can’t I Do With This Permit?; read September 29, 2026. ↗
An intermediate-license holder wants to make a nonemergency call using a portable phone through Bluetooth while driving. Does hands-free operation alone make this allowed under the novice restriction?
Correct answer: No; the novice restriction still prohibits use of that portable communication device while driving.
Iowa’s intermediate page separately prohibits electronic communication or entertainment devices while driving, with an exception for permanently installed equipment. Adult hands-free guidance does not erase that novice restriction.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; What Can’t I Do With This License — electronic devices; read September 29, 2026. ↗
An adult driver is moving with traffic and holds a phone to make a routine call. What does Iowa’s hands-free guidance require?
Correct answer: Do not hold the phone; use a lawful hands-free option or park safely off the traveled roadway before handling it.
Iowa’s current guidance prohibits holding a phone while driving, not just typing messages. This ordinary-call scenario does not involve an emergency exception.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; What actions are prohibited; read September 29, 2026. ↗
An adult starts a video call by voice command while driving. Does voice activation make the video call permissible?
Correct answer: No; the guidance prohibits video calls even with voice commands.
Hands-free does not mean every screen-based task is permitted. Iowa specifically lists streaming video and video calls among prohibited actions even when voice activated.
Source: Iowa DOT current guidance; What actions are prohibited; read September 29, 2026. ↗
You are preparing to drive your car on Iowa roads. Which documents should be available?
Correct answer: Your license or permit, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance.
The manual directs drivers to carry the driving credential, registration and insurance proof. It permits registration and insurance proof in paper or electronic form.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 5, physical PDF page 5; Required documents while driving. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
You stop after a collision and someone appears injured. What information is important when calling 911?
Correct answer: The crash location and the need for emergency assistance.
Contact emergency services for an injury crash and give a clear location. This question does not state disputed property-damage reporting thresholds or written-report deadlines.
Source: Iowa Driver's Manual, MM1170 07/23/2026; printed page 63, physical PDF page 63; In the event of a crash. Readable text only; no diagram interpretation used. ↗
