Teen Drivers

One of the most exciting times in your teenage life is when you become eligible to drive. Most people cannot wait to get their first taste of freedom behind the wheel of a car.

But driving is a serious responsibility, and it's not all fun and games. Virginia has strict laws about who can drive and when. These laws help keep you safe and give you time to gain experience before driving on your own.

Experience will keep you safer and lower your chances of getting in an accident, being injured, and injuring others.

Getting a Teen Driver's License

Step 1: Driver Education

In Virginia, teen drivers under age 19 must complete a state-approved driver education course. These are offered at high schools as well as at commercial driving schools. You must be 15 1/2 years of age to enroll and get your learner's permit.

Step 2: Learner's Permit

First-time teen drivers in Virginia must get learner's permits before being licensed. You do this at your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) customer service center.

You'll need to show two proofs of identity, one proof of legal presence, and one proof of Virginia residency, as well as proof of your Social Security number, if you have one. The DMV offers a comprehensive list of the documents you can use as proof.

You should also be prepared to pay for your combined learner's permit and driver's license. Depending on how old you are when your permit is issued, your license will be valid for between three and seven years. The fee for your license is $4 for each year. In addition, your learner's permit requires a one-time fee of $3.

Of course, if you are under 18, your parent or legal guardian must give written consent for you to apply for a learner's permit (unless you are an emancipated minor or married). Your parent or guardian should be with you when you apply.

A learner's permit allows you to operate a motor vehicle with a validly licensed driver who's at least 21 years old seated next to you. Your supervising driver can be 18 or older if he or she is your legal guardian, sibling, step-sibling, or half-sibling.

This allows someone to teach you how to drive while you practice driving. You'll get experience at driver's ed, but you should also practice outside of school. The more you practice, the better you will become.

When you apply for your permit, you will also apply for your driver's license and pay fees for your permit and license. In order to get your learner's permit, you must pass a vision screening as well as the knowledge exam, otherwise known as the written test.

The Virginia Driver's Manual is a good place to learn the basics so you can pass your written test.

You must hold your learner's permit for at least nine months. When you are at least 16 years and three months old, you can get your driver's license, provided you meet certain conditions.

Step 3: License Eligibility

To get your license, you must have successfully completed a state-approved driver's education program and have held your permit for at least nine months. Also, you must have had at least 40 hours of practice behind the wheel―10 of those after sunset. Your parent or guardian must certify that you received this practice.

You will get a certificate of completion when you successfully finish your driver's education course, which your parent or guardian should sign.

If you are between the ages of 16 years and three months and 18, you have your certificate signed by a parent or legal guardian, and you have had a valid learner's permit for at least nine months, you can drive unsupervised.

Your school or driving school will forward a copy of your completion certificate to the DMV. You'll then receive a notice to appear in court with a parent or legal guardian for your licensing ceremony. You'll receive your permanent license there.

Driver's licenses issued to 16 and 17 year olds will expire at age 20.

Passenger Restrictions

If you are under 18 and hold a learner's permit or a driver's license, Virginia law says you may only carry one passenger who is under age 18 while you hold a permit and during the first year that you drive. After that, you may only carry three passengers who are under age 18, until you reach age 18.

The passenger restrictions do not apply to your family members.

Curfews

If you are under 18 and hold a learner's permit or a driver's license, Virginia has a curfew law that prohibits you from driving between midnight and 4 a.m. You may only drive during those hours in emergencies, to and from work or school-sponsored events, when accompanied by a parent or other adult, or during emergencies when you are responding as a volunteer firefighter or rescue squad member.

Anyone under the age of 21 who is convicted of a moving violation, must take the written knowledge exam again before renewing their license.