Iowa students with school permits will now be able to drive unsupervised to and from a job as well as an hour before and after classes due to a new law that updates the school permit privilege. That law went into effect July 1.

The update is in response to the Iowa Legislature passing SF2109 in the most recent legislative session. This updates the current minor school license (MSL) to the Special Minor’s Restricted License (SMRL). Under the new law, homeschooled students are eligible for the license in addition to students that attend a public or private school. Public school students are no longer required to live at least one mile from their school to qualify for the license. They can drive to school regardless of the distance, if they live within the district of enrollment.

Also, the SMRL allows students to drive for employment, in addition to farm work, farm related work, school, extracurricular activities, and to stop at a gas station to refuel up to 25 miles from their residence. They can drive unsupervised over the most direct and accessible route in the hour before and after their scheduled classes, activity, or work shift.

While the update has given additional driving privileges to students, it has also increased consequences which are more strict. With an SMRL, license holders will receive a three-month suspension for any traffic violation (excluding parking violations), violation of a restriction of the license, or for causing an accident. For each violation, the license holder will be delayed an additional three months before they are eligible to upgrade to an intermediate license when they turn 16.

“As a Drivers Ed instructor, it’s our job to make sure the students understand driving is a privilege and that the consequences that come along with the responsibility of driving,” said Sara Davis, Iowa Central Community College driver’s education instructor. “Now with the new special minor’s restricted license, it will give teens and parents more flexibility in schedules for activities and work. However, as a parent of a 15 and 14 year old, the responsibility of parents also needs to come into play, to make sure your kids understand the law and the consequences that are set forth by the DOT.”

The new legislation is the result of the minor driver’s license interim study committee which was established by Gov. Kim Reynolds in the previous legislative session. The Department of Education, Department of Public Safety, Iowa Workforce Development and the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies were part of the decision making committee.

Minors who currently have a school permit do not need to go to the Department of Transportation to be issued a new license as a result of the law change. Instead, students automatically became SMRL holders effective July 1.

“Current MSL holders should be receiving a letter in the mail that explains the changes and includes a copy of a new form they are required to carry in the vehicle when they drive and present to law enforcement if requested,” said Kasey Lee, drivers license compliance officer for the Iowa Department of Transportation. “The new form should be completed by their parent or guardian and lists the student’s employment and extracurricular activity information as well as additional residences if the student lives in more than one household.”

Parents and guardians of students that will be applying for the SMRL following the law change should complete form 430021 Affidavit for Special Minor’s Restricted License as found on the Iowa DOT’s website and bring it with them when they go to a license appointment.

According to Davis, these changes will not affect drivers education as the underlying criteria for qualifying for a school license remains the same. A student must be between the ages of 14 and 18, have held an instruction permit for at least six months, and have successfully completed driver’s education.