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Driver Education
Get a FREE Auto Insurance Quote (sponsored)GEICO could save you over $500. Get an instant insurance quote.www.GEICO.comSafe Drivers Save up to 20% on Auto Insurance. Get a Quote in Minutes.Allstate.comIn Virginia, you can begin the process of getting a driver's license when you are 15 1/2 years old. You start with a state-approved driver education course at your high school, then practice driving under the supervision of a licensed adult while you have your learner's permit. Finally, you can get your license once you are eligible.
Teens have a higher crash rate than more experienced drivers. This learner's permit is designed to prevent crashes and fatalities, as well as injuries, by giving adolescent drivers more practice before they are licensed.
Teen driver education must be done in 36 classroom periods. Topics include alcohol safety and drug abuse, organ and tissue donation, motorcycle awareness, and aggressive and distracted driving. Unless you are homeschooled, you must take the course at your high school or a private driver training school.
There are only 14 in-car instruction periods required―seven periods of driving, and seven of observing. Of course, you will need much more practice than this to become a proficient driver. Practicing outside of driver's ed will allow you to become a better, safer driver.
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Once you complete the driver's education course successfully, you will receive a completion certificate. This gets sent to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) so they can issue your permanent driver's license.
If you're under 18 years old, your parent or legal guardian must sign the certificate to attest to your good academic standing and authorize you to get a license. Your parent must also certify that you have driven for at least 45 hours (15 of those after sunset). You will receive your license at a court ceremony with your parent or legal guardian present.
Top New Juvenile Residents Already Licensed
If you are between 16 and three months and 19 years of age and move into Virginia, you can exchange your out-of-state license under certain conditions. You must have successfully completed driver education while you lived in another state. The course must have had at least 36 classroom periods and 14 in-car instruction periods (seven driving, seven observing).
As with other license applicants, you must also show proof of legal presence, proof of identity, proof of Virginia residency, and proof of your Social Security number. Acceptable documents are listed on the DMV's official Web site.
If you have not completed a driver education course, the DMV may give you a temporary six-month license to give you time to take the course here.
Top Adult Drivers
Driver education requirements for teens are pretty straightforward: teens between the ages of 16 and three months and 19 generally must take a driver education course (unless the teen is a new resident who already has a license―see above).
But what about the applicant who is older than 19?
He, too, must complete a driver education course, unless:
- He's held a driver's license in another state, US territory, or country.
- He's obtained a learner's permit and held it 30 days before taking the driving test.
If you're older than 19 and either of the above apply to you, you don't have to complete a driver education course. For more information about your requirements, visit the state's information on first-time drivers.
Top Special Information for Parents and Legal Guardians
Parents, you are under no obligation to allow your teen to drive. Until he or she turns 18, your child will need your permission to get a learner's permit and a license.
For further information about your rights and responsibilities as the parent or guardian of a juvenile driver, see the Virginia DMV's publication, Parents in the Driver's Seat.
Related Questions from DMV Answers
What is the legal driving age in my state?
See the chart below to determine the legal driving age in your state. Keep in mind that most states have additional steps to complete prior to obtaining your drivers license or drivers permit. For example, find out whether your particular state requires a drivers ed class for teen drivers or first time drivers. These drivers education requirements will vary from state-to-state, so refer to your local DMV Web site for specific requirements. Your local DMV Web site will also be a good source for downloading a practice test, any requisite administrative forms, study guides and manuals. These materials will make the quest for a learners permit and drivers license much easier. The following chart specifies the age at which one may be fully privileged to drive in a particular state.
Read more >>What are the age requirements to get a learner’s permit?
See the chart below for the age requirements in the various states for obtaining your learners permit. Note that most states require teens to complete a driver's ed course before obtaining a learner's permit or drivers license, and several states will allow you to obtain a drivers permit sooner if you take an appropriate driver's ed class.Look to your particular state's DMV Web site to find out about any additional steps necessary for obtaining a permit and eventually your driver's license. The individual state's driver's manual often provides an excellent resource for the various requirements and will provide the information you will need regarding testing, forms, fees, and driver's ed details.The Age Requirements for Getting a Learner's Permit by State...
Read more >>How many questions do I have to get right to pass drivers permit test?
Check the grid below for your state’s requirements. It will tell you how many questions – or, how high a percentage of questions – you must answer correctly in order to pass your drivers permit test.Every state requires applicants to take a written test (or, knowledge test, as it’s often called) at some point, whether it’s to obtain a learners permit, a junior or provisional license, or a full drivers license. The results of this test help examiners determine whether or not you have a sufficient knowledge and understanding of driving-related matters like the rules of the road and traffic signs and markers. In order to make sure you do have that knowledge and understanding – and can prove it to examiners – it’s best to actually prepare for the test. Many states require applicants to complete a driver education or training course, but other ways to get ready for the drivers permit exam include studying your driver handbook and taking a p...
Read more >>How long must I hold a learners permit before I can apply for my license?
The time requirements vary from state to state; check the grid below.Before you commit the grid to memory (or, at least your state’s part of it), keep these factors in mind: States employ graduated driver licensing (GDL) programs, and within these programs many states require more than one kind of learners permit. This grid deals mostly with each state’s first learners permit, but notes other kinds of drivers permits (like provisional licenses) when possible. The majority of states allow drivers 18 years old and older to apply for their drivers license the same day they pass their written exams – or, very soon after. This isn’t always the case, so be sure to get details from your examiner when you go in for the written test. This grid focuses on the amount of time you have to wait between obtaining your learners permit and obtaining your drivers license; it doesn’t focus on any other requirements, such as completing a drivers ed course. Be sure to che...
Read more >>How do I apply for a temporary license?
There are huge differences from state to state about this matter, so it's impossible to give a single answer. You'll need to visit your state's drivers license agency site to get this information, or call the department directly (you can find the number on the site).No matter where you live, you'll need to pass a written exam that will test your driving knowledge. The information on this test varies, but it will likely include questions about driving laws in your state, situational driving, parking requirements, road signs, and other driving safety matters. Additionally, you'll need pass a vision test, and complete a permit application. Your parents or guardians may have to be with you at the license branch office.Your state dictate the minimum age needed to take this test. And, you may need to be enrolled - or have completed - a driver education class to be eligible for the exam.
Read more >>
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