DMV Information

DMV Policies:

If you are a Virginia resident under age 18, you must hold your Virginia learner’s permit for at least nine months and complete a Virginia state-approved driver education program.  The driver education program consists of classroom and behind the wheel training.  The classroom and behind the wheel components can be taken at different driver training schools.  The classroom portion may also be taken online through a driver training school.

Classroom training consists of 36 periods, including components about alcohol safety, drug abuse awareness, aggressive driving, distracted driving, pedestrian and bicycle safety, handicapped parking, fuel-efficient driving practices, motorcycle awareness, and organ and tissue donation awareness.  A parent or guardian must participate with the student in an additional 90-minute driver education component as part of the in-classroom portion of the driver education curriculum, and sign the Affirmation of Attendance.

The behind the wheel training program must include 14 in-car instruction periods – 7 periods of driving and 7 periods of observation, including the final road skills examination.

You must also complete 45 hours (15 hours after sunset) of driving.   Your parent, guardian, or foster parent must provide his or her driver’s license or state-issued identification card number and sign the driver education completion certificate. By signing the certificate, they attest to your academic standing and certify that you have driven at least 45 hours (15 of which occurred after sunset) and that the statements made, and the information submitted on the certificate are true and correct. Certifying false statements can result in prosecution.

If you are a Virginia resident age 18 or older and have never held a license issued by any state, U.S. territory or foreign country, you must either:

  1. Hold a Virginia learner’s permit for at least 60 days and complete a Behind-the-Wheel Checklist (Form CSMA 19). This checklist describes specific driving tasks that you may be asked to perform while taking the road skills test, to be administered by a DMV staff member.  A licensed driver must certify on the form that he/she has been with you while you practiced your driving skills and that you have complied with all requirements for learner’s permit holders while operating a motor vehicle

OR

  1. Show completion of a state-approved driver education program. Doing so will waive the requirement to hold your learner’s permit for at least 60 days. In addition, as the road skill test will be administered as part of the driver education course, you will not be required to take the road skills test at DMV.

 

Please go to www.dmvnow.com for more information.