Virginia Drivers Ed for 18 Year Olds Is Required Starting January 1, 2027
If you are 18, 19, or 20 and have never held a driver’s license anywhere, Virginia law now requires you to hold a learner’s permit for 90 days and complete a state-approved driver education program before you can be licensed. Both. Not one or the other. Drive Well is a DMV-certified driving school in Loudoun County, and our complete program satisfies the requirement.
Reserve Your Spot →Program at a Glance
Already have your permit? It does not exempt you. Virginia DMV confirms that if you are 18, 19, or 20 and you get licensed on or after January 1, 2027, you must show proof of completed driver education, no matter when your permit was issued. Finish before December 31, 2026 and the requirement never applies to you.
What Changes on January 1, 2027
Virginia House Bill 1224 was signed into law on April 13, 2026 as Chapter 754 and amends section 46.2-324.1 of the Code of Virginia. It closes what safety advocates called the licensing loophole, where someone who waited until their eighteenth birthday could get a Virginia license with far less training than a sixteen year old. Here is exactly who it affects.
Both requirements apply
- Hold a Virginia learner’s permit for a minimum of 90 days
- and
- Successfully complete a state-approved driver education program while holding that permit
Driver education no longer shortens your permit hold. You serve the full 90 days and you complete the program.
One or the other
- Hold a learner’s permit for a minimum of 60 days
- or
- Successfully complete a state-approved driver education program while holding the permit
If you are 21 or older, driver education is optional and still the faster route. See our Adult Behind the Wheel program.
Source: Virginia DMV, Revised Learner’s Permit Holding Period and Driver Education Requirements FAQs. Requirements are set by the Commonwealth of Virginia and are subject to DMV guidance.
Finish Driver Education and You Can Drive Alone While You Wait
This is the part almost nobody knows about. Under the same law, a Virginia learner’s permit combined with documentation that you are between 18 and 21 and have completed an approved driver education course acts as a temporary driver’s license for driving unaccompanied, as long as the other permit requirements are met.
In plain terms: complete your program with Drive Well and you are not stuck waiting 90 days with a licensed adult in the passenger seat. You finish the course, you get your certificate, and you drive on your own while the clock runs out.
That is the single best reason to start your program the same week you get your permit rather than three months later.
How the 90 Day Clock Actually Works
The permit date is what sets your timeline, not the course. The course runs alongside it. Starting both at once is what gets you licensed on day 91 instead of day 180.
Get your permit
Pass the DMV knowledge exam and get your Virginia learner’s permit. Your 90 day clock starts the day it is issued.
Start the classroom
Begin the 30 hour online course immediately. Self-paced, works on any phone or laptop, available statewide.
Seven in-car sessions
Roughly 50 minutes each with a DMV-certified instructor in a dual-brake car. We pick you up and drop you off.
Road test with us
Your instructor administers the final road skills exam. No DMV road test appointment. We issue your DTS-D and submit it.
Wait until day 90 to start the course and you add roughly six to eight weeks to your timeline. Start on day one and your certificate is ready when your permit hold ends.
Pricing for Virginia Drivers Ed for 18 Year Olds
A state-approved driver education program in Virginia is not the classroom alone. The DMV defines the program as 36 classroom sessions, seven driving sessions, seven observation sessions and a final road skills examination. That means if you are 18 to 20 and licensing after January 1, 2027, the complete program is what satisfies the law.
| Program | Who it is for | Price | Meets the 2027 requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete ProgramRecommended Driver’s Ed plus Adult Behind the Wheel |
Ages 18 to 20 who have never held a license anywhere. This is the path the law requires. | $525 | Yes |
| Online Driver’s Ed 30 hour classroom only |
Students who have already completed behind the wheel training with another DMV-licensed school. | $145 | Classroom portion only |
| Adult Behind the Wheel Seven in-car sessions |
Students who have already completed the 30 hour classroom portion elsewhere. | $390 | In-car portion only |
Credit card, Zelle and Venmo accepted. The classroom final exam is taken in person. If you are unsure which pieces you have already completed, call or text 703-817-5047 and we will check before you pay.
Driver Privilege Card applicants: tell us at signup. Road test waiver eligibility can differ for Driver Privilege Card holders and we will confirm your exact path before you enroll.
What the Complete Program Includes
30 hour online classroom
DMV-approved and available anywhere in Virginia. Self-paced on phone, tablet or laptop. Final exam is taken in person.
Seven in-car sessions
Approximately 50 minutes each, one on one with a DMV-certified, FBI-cleared instructor in an insured dual-brake vehicle.
Final road skills exam
Administered by your Drive Well instructor on the routes you trained on. No separate DMV road test appointment needed.
DTS-D certificate
We issue your completion certificate and submit it to DMV directly. DMV does not accept certificates from applicants.
Pickup and drop-off
Lessons start from your home, school or workplace anywhere in our Loudoun County and Northern Virginia service area.
English and Spanish
Instruction and support available in both languages. Call or text and we will answer in whichever you prefer.
Where We Teach
Behind the wheel training is available across Loudoun County and Northern Virginia. Our online driver’s education course is available to students anywhere in Virginia. Drive Well is a DMV-certified Class B driving school with an office at 44330 Mercure Circle, and every instructor is DMV-certified and FBI-cleared.
Reserve Your Spot
January 2027 will be the busiest month this school has ever had. Fill this out and we will confirm exactly which program you need and lock in your dates. No payment required to reserve. If you do not have your permit yet, tell us and we will keep your spot and remind you when your clock starts.
Questions About the New Requirement
I am 18. Do I really have to take driver’s ed to get my Virginia license?
If you get licensed on or after January 1, 2027 and you have never held a driver’s license in any state, U.S. territory or foreign country, yes. You must hold a Virginia learner’s permit for at least 90 days and complete a state-approved driver education program. Both are required. This applies to anyone 18, 19 or 20.
I already have my learner’s permit. Does that exempt me?
No. Virginia DMV states that if you are 18, 19 or 20 and you obtain your license after January 1, 2027, you must show proof of completed driver education regardless of when your permit was issued. The only way to avoid the requirement is to complete your licensing before December 31, 2026.
Does completing driver’s ed let me skip the 90 day permit hold?
No, and this is the most common misunderstanding. Before 2027, adults could use driver education to waive the 60 day hold. Starting January 1, 2027, if you are 18 to 20 the 90 day hold and the driver education requirement both apply. Driver education does not shorten the wait for this age group. It does, however, allow you to drive unaccompanied during the wait.
Can I drive by myself during the 90 days?
Under the new law, a learner’s permit accompanied by documentation showing you are at least 18 and under 21 and have completed an approved driver education course functions as a temporary driver’s license for driving unaccompanied, provided the other requirements are met. That is why finishing your course early rather than late is worth doing.
Is the 30 hour online course enough on its own?
Not for this requirement. Virginia DMV defines a driver education program as 36 classroom sessions, seven driving sessions, seven observation sessions and a final road skills examination. The classroom portion alone does not complete the program. Our $525 complete program covers both parts and results in a DTS-D certificate.
Do I still have to take the road test at DMV?
No. The final road skills examination is part of the driver education program and your Drive Well instructor administers it on the routes you trained on. We issue your completion certificate and submit it to DMV directly. DMV does not accept completion certificates from applicants.
How long does the whole thing take?
The permit hold is the limiting factor at 90 days minimum. If you start the classroom course and schedule your in-car sessions right after you get your permit, your certificate is typically ready around the time the hold ends. If you wait until the hold is nearly over to begin, expect to add another six to eight weeks.
I held a license in another country. Does this apply to me?
Virginia DMV states that if you can provide proof you were previously licensed in another state, U.S. territory or foreign country, you may not be required to repeat driver education or take the written and road skills tests. Bring your documentation to DMV. If you are unsure, call us at 703-817-5047 before you enroll and we will help you figure out which path applies.
What about a Driver Privilege Card?
Tell us at signup. Eligibility for road test waivers can be different for Driver Privilege Card applicants, and we would rather confirm your exact path before you pay than sort it out afterward. Call or text 703-817-5047 and we will walk through it with you.
Do you teach in Spanish?
Yes. Instruction and phone support are available in English and Spanish. There is a Spanish version of this page linked at the bottom right of your screen, and you can call or text 703-817-5047 in either language at any hour.
Where do the lessons start?
We pick you up and drop you off from your home, school or workplace anywhere in our service area, which covers Ashburn, Leesburg, Sterling, Herndon, Chantilly, South Riding, Brambleton, Aldie, Purcellville and the surrounding Northern Virginia communities. The online course is available anywhere in Virginia.
What if the DMV changes the rules before 2027?
The law is already signed. HB 1224 became Chapter 754 of the 2026 Acts of Assembly on April 13, 2026 with an effective date of January 1, 2027. If DMV issues additional guidance on paperwork or procedure, we will update this page and notify anyone enrolled. Our program is built to meet the requirement as written.
Start Before Everyone Else Does
Every 18, 19 and 20 year old in Virginia who has not been licensed yet is about to need this. Seats in January will be gone. Get your permit, start your course the same week, and be licensed while everyone else is still on a waitlist.
Reserve Your Spot → Or call and text 703-817-5047. English and Spanish, seven days a week.