Louisiana License Restrictions
In certain situations, the Office of Motor Vehicles may have to limit your driving privileges to operating a vehicle only when certain conditions are met. Restrictions are usually placed onto your Louisiana drivers license at the time of the initial application. Removing a Louisiana drivers license restriction is not easy and will most likely require you to submit to additional testing to prove that the condition that warranted for the restriction in the first place no longer applies. Teenagers should be mindful of Louisiana intermediate license restrictions that are part of the state's graduated drivers license program.
Restriction Codes
A list of Louisiana drivers license restriction codes is provided below. Mind you, this list does not get updated too frequently, so if your Louisiana driver license spots a code that is not presented here, it may be a good idea to refer to the official OMV website or contact a local OMV branch directly.
- 01. Corrective lens.
- 02. Operating a vehicle only with licensed driver.
- 03. Using left outside rearview mirror.
- 04. Eyes cannot be improved.
- 05. Automatic transmission
- 06. Power steering
- 07. Motorcycle endorsement
- 08. Daytime driving only
- 09. Special restriction
- 10. Hearing cannot be improved
- 11. Must wear hearing aid
- 12. Restricted to no more than 5 mile radius of home
- 13. Restricted to no more than 10 mile radius of home
- 14. Restricted to no more than 15 mile radius of home
- 15. Restricted to no more than 20 mile radius of home
- 16. Restricted to no more than 25 mile radius of home
- 17. Restricted to rural area only
- 18. No interstate highway driving
- 19. driving only within parish or principal residence
- 20. Restricted to driving a maximum of 50 m.p.h.
- 21. Restricted to driving a maximum of 45 m.p.h.
- 22. Restricted to driving a maximum of 40 m.p.h.
- 23. Restricted to driving a maximum of 35 m.p.h.
- 24. Vision medical exam required every six months
- 25. Vision medical exam required every year.
- 26 Vision medical exam required every 2 years.
- 27 Complete medical exam required every 6 months.
- 28 Complete medical exam required every year.
- 29 Complete medical exam required every two years.
- 30 Driving only between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- 31 Seat cushion required.
- 32 Accelerator pedal on left side.
- 33 Mechanical turn signals.
- 34 Hand controls required.
- 35 Brake and accelerator controls required.
- 36 Extension bar for gas pedal.
- 37 Dimmer switch on steering column.
- 38 Specific driving route must accompany license.
- 39 Light traffic in the parish of residence only.
- 40 Wearing of artificial limb.
- 41 Inside and outside rearview mirror.
- 42 Left and right rearview mirrors.
- 43 Specific visual for cdl.
- 44 Eyeglasses/contacts, left outside rearview mirror, eyes cannot be improved.
- 45 Eyeglasses/contacts, left outside rearview mirror, eyes cannot be improved, daytime driving only.
- 46 Restricted to driving a vehicle equipped with automatic transmission, power steering, mechanical turn signals, hand controls, extension bar for gas pedal.
- 47 CDL waiver for farm related service industries.
- 48 Light traffic only.
- 49 Air over-hydraulic brake system.
- 50 Hardship restricted license.
- 51 Interlock device.
- 52 Intra-state only.
- 53 Intra-state only.
- 54 Airbrakes restriction.
- 55 No 18-wheelers.
- 60 Restriction card.
- 61 Intermediate license.
- 62 Front/side fender mirrors .
- 63 Class b passenger endorsement.
- 64 Class c passenger endorsement.
- 70 Loss of vision in left eye.
- 71 Loss of vision in right eye.
- 72 Vision medical every 4 years.
As you can see, there are quite a few license restrictions available for the OMV to place onto your drivers license. These restrictions are usually placed onto your license once you take the initial Louisiana driver's license test and receive your original driving license. If you currently have a restriction that you would like to remove, please contact a local OMV office for assistance.
Intermediate License Restrictions
Intermediate license restrictions are part of Louisiana's graduate drivers license program and apply to those who receive a drivers license before their 17th birthday. The main idea behind this type of license is to allow teenagers to start driving unsupervised while preventing them from getting into trouble. For example, it is a known fact that most of the accidents that involve teenagers happen at night, so the OMV bans intermediate license holders from operating a vehicle during nighttime hours.
The following intermediate driver's license restrictions are currently active in Louisiana:
- Curfew. The nighttime driving restriction prohibits all intermediate license holders from driving between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a licensed parent or guardian, a licensed driver at least 21 years of age or by a licensed sibling at least 18 years of age.
Intermediate drivers license needs to be held until the licensee reaches the age of 17 years. At that point, the intermediate license can be upgraded to a full unrestricted drivers license and all license restrictions are lifted.
Drivers Permit Restrictions
Louisiana driver permit restrictions apply to those who currently hold a learners permit. Permit restriction are age dependent, since most of them are part of the graduated license program. If you obtain a learners permit in Louisiana and you are at least 17 years of age, the only restriction that you will need to follow is that you cannot drive alone and must have a licensed driver 21 years of age or older seated next to you whenever you are driving. However, you must still go through the same testing procedures and pass the Louisiana driver permit test before you can be issued with a permit. If you are not sure whether you are ready to take the real knowledge exam, you may try yourself against this free Louisiana practice drivers test that is provided online.
Permit holders under 17 years of age are required to complete a state-approved Louisiana drivers education course. Once the course is completed and the permit test is passed, the following learners permit restrictions need to be observed:
- No driving alone. You must have a licensed parent/legal guardian or another licensed driver at least 21 years of age supervise your driving practice.
- No cell phones. You cannot use a cell phone or any other communication device while driving.
These restrictions must be observed for at least 180 days and you need to be at least 16 years of age before you can upgrade to a drivers license.
If you want to know more about Louisiana drivers license or driver's permit restrictions, please refer to the Louisiana drivers license handbook, the book contains answers to most of the questions you may have.
