Virginia Code § 46.2-324.1
Do I need driver's ed in Virginia? (2027 rule checker)
House Bill 1224 changed Code § 46.2-324.1, effective January 1, 2027 (2026 Acts of Assembly, chapters 754 and 755). A first license at age 18, 19, or 20 needs both a learner’s permit held at least 90 days and state-approved driver education. The checker below applies the rule DMV and the code describe. It is not a DMV determination.
What the rule is
| Who | Before January 1, 2027 | On and after January 1, 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | Driver education, a nine-month permit hold, and 45 hours with 15 after sunset | Unchanged |
| 18 through 20, first license | 60 days or driver education | 90 days and driver education |
| 21 or older, first license | 60 days or driver education | Still 60 days or driver education |
The code applies this section to someone who has never held a driver’s license from Virginia or any other state, U.S. territory, or foreign country, and also to someone who has never held the license class they want now. DMV’s pages say the 18-through-20 course is completed while holding the permit. The code lists the course and the 90 days as two requirements in the same sentence and does not use the words “while holding the permit” there.
How long the course is
DMV describes two formats, and they are not the same length. A licensed in-person school uses 36 classroom sessions of 50 minutes and 14 fifty-minute in-car periods, seven driving and seven observation, including the final road skills exam. Certificates on that page are DTS 36 for classroom, DTS B under 18, and DTS D for 18 and over. An online school uses 30 hours of online classroom instruction, then an in-person final exam, then 14 behind-the-wheel sessions. DMV says that final exam is not the DMV knowledge exam.
Anyone 15 years and 6 months or older can start the classroom portion without a permit. A permit is required for the driving portion. Before 2027, completing in-person driver education, including the end-of-course skills exam, waives the 60-day hold and the DMV-administered skills exam. The other pre-2027 path is a 60-day permit plus a Behind-the-Wheel Checklist that a licensed driver certifies.
Wording that does not match
- One DMV FAQ bullet says “older than 18 and younger than 21.” The code says “at least 18 years old and less than 21,” and DMV’s driver education and licensed-school pages say ages 18, 19, or 20. This page follows the code.
- That same FAQ says a pre-2027 permit still needs driver education if the license is obtained after January 1, 2027. The statute’s effective date is January 1, 2027.
- On the driver education page, the age-21 paragraph says you must submit the completion certificate. A later sentence, and the FAQ, say the school submits it and DMV does not accept it from the applicant.
- Subsection E of the 2027 code can make a non-motorcycle learner’s permit a temporary license for an 18-to-20-year-old who has finished an approved course, but only if the other requirements of that chapter are met. It is not a waiver of the 90 days. Confirm with DMV before driving alone.
Check your situation
The result uses the answers on this form. It does not replace DMV.
Read the 2027 guides
Where to find a school
Use DMV’s own lists. This page does not name a provider as approved.
Frequently asked questions
From January 1, 2027, do first-time applicants ages 18 through 20 need driver's education in Virginia?
Yes. Code § 46.2-324.1 requires both a completed state-approved course and a learner’s permit held at least 90 days for an applicant who is at least 18 and less than 21. DMV’s driver education page states the same pair for ages 18 through 20, and it says the course is completed while holding the permit. DMV also says a permit issued before 2027 still needs proof of driver education if the license is obtained after January 1, 2027.
What if I am 21 or older?
On and after January 1, 2027, a first license at 21 or older still requires either a learner’s permit held at least 60 days or a state-approved driver education course while holding the permit. The rule that requires both applies to ages 18 through 20.
Did the 2027 law change the rules for drivers under 18?
No. DMV says applicants under 18 still complete a state-approved driver education program, hold a learner’s permit at least nine months, and have a parent or guardian certify at least 45 hours of driving, 15 of them after sunset.
I already have a license from another state. Do I need Virginia driver's education?
DMV says proof of a license from another state, U.S. territory, or country may mean you do not repeat driver education or the knowledge and road tests. An out-of-state learner’s permit is not a license, and the first-license requirements still apply. Confirm the documents with DMV.
One DMV FAQ says “older than 18 and younger than 21.” Does that exclude 18-year-olds?
No. The code says at least 18 and less than 21. DMV’s driver education page and licensed-school page say ages 18, 19, or 20. A different bullet on the FAQ page says “older than 18 and younger than 21.” This page follows the code and the 18-through-20 pages.
Does the 2027 code let me drive alone before the 90 days are up?
Subsection E says a learner’s permit other than a motorcycle permit, plus proof that the driver is at least 18 and less than 21 and has completed an approved driver’s education course, can act as a temporary driver’s license to drive unaccompanied by a licensed driver 18 or older until the permanent license is issued, if all other requirements of that chapter are met. It does not say the 90-day hold can be skipped. Confirm with DMV before driving alone.