Whether you’re simply curious or you have a teenager eager to get their own car, it’s good to know if there are any restrictions or requirements when it comes to test-driving a vehicle. So, we took the liberty of researching a few different factors such as the age to test drive cars and more.
Is there an actual legal age to test drive a car? From the research we gleamed, there isn’t a legal age requirement beyond being legally allowed to operate a vehicle.
In this case, it appears that you at least need to have a driver’s license. When it comes to age, some dealerships may have their own requirements and this is based on their personal discretion.
So, you may encounter a dealership that mandates you have to be at least 21-years-old to test drive one of their vehicles. Other businesses might have a lower minimum at 18-years-old instead. There are even some that might allow 16-year-olds to drive with a parent or guardian present.
Plenty of major dealerships require that you have a driver’s license to test drive any of their vehicles. For example, Tesla no longer appears to have a driver’s age limit, but they do clearly state that you need a valid driver’s license to take a test drive.
Some dealerships might be okay with someone who just has a permit, but that may be a more plausible situation when it comes to used car dealerships or small local businesses. In this case, it’s always a requirement to have a licensed individual such as a parent in the car with them while they take the test drive.
Beyond considering age and license status, there are some other considerations to keep in mind when you want to test drive a car.
If you’ve been given the go-ahead to test driving a car, one of the first questions to ask is how far you’re allowed to travel. Some dealerships already have a pre-planned route for you to take, and you have to stick to it. Other times, you may be given some freedom to go where you’d like within the confines of the area. Largely, it boils down to how far they are willing to let you go in the car.
It’s commonplace for a salesperson to accompany you during a test drive. Most of them may even insist on the matter. However, you may be able to talk some of them into letting you go for the drive alone. Or if it’s a dealership that allows teenagers to drive with a parent present, they may be more willing to allow the family to drive on their own.
It’s nice to drive with a salesperson so you can ask all of your questions during the ride. However, some people may not like the hard sell that many give while on a test drive. In that case, you can always try to convince them to let you go at it alone so you can get a feel for the vehicle without any interference.
Seeing as you’ll need proof of insurance to drive off the lot with a newly purchased car, it may be expected that you have insurance before you test drive one. In any case, the dealership should take responsibility for anything that may happen during the test drive, but it’s always a good precaution to keep yourself protected by already having insurance before you step into the vehicle.
There are not too many hard requirements from how old you need to be to test drive a car or whether you can test drive with a license or learner’s permit. As long as you’re the legal age to drive where you live, the rest is at the discretion of the specific dealership you’re going to.
A good rule of thumb you can practice is to simply check out the dealership website to see if they have any information on test driving their cars. You can always call ahead as well to learn about their exact requirements so that you don’t waste a trip.
Check these guides to learn more on test driving:
A Beginners Guide To Learning To Drive A Car & Passing Your Driving Test Successfully
How Many Times Can You Fail A Driving Test?
Top Tips For Buying A Car
