Behind the Wheel

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. 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
  2. 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.