Georgia’s provisional license restrictions apply to Class D holders under 18 and cover three things: a midnight-to-5:00 a.m. curfew, phased passenger limits over the first year, and a 0.02% blood alcohol limit. The point system is also stricter for provisional drivers, with a license suspension triggered by just 4 points in 12 months. The rules are set in O.C.G.A. 40-5-24 and stay in force until the driver turns 18 and upgrades to a full Class C license.
The Midnight Curfew
Class D holders cannot drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. There are no exceptions for work, school events, or emergencies.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Class D Provisional License A teen working a closing shift that ends after midnight cannot legally drive home. Families sometimes discover this only after the schedule is already set, so it’s worth checking before a job starts.
A curfew citation brings a fine and points on the record. Because the suspension threshold is so low, a single curfew stop combined with one other infraction can be enough to put the license at risk. Repeated violations can end up in front of a judge, who may add requirements like a driver improvement course.
Passenger Limits by Month
Passengers are phased in over the first year of holding the Class D license:
- First six months: only immediate family members may ride in the vehicle.
- Months seven through twelve: one non-family passenger under 21, in addition to immediate family.
- After one year: up to three non-family passengers under 21.
“Immediate family” under the statute is broader than the everyday meaning. It covers parents, stepparents, grandparents, siblings, stepsiblings, children, and anyone else who lives at the driver’s home.2Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-24 – Instruction Permits, Graduated Licensing and Related Restrictions, Temporary Licenses A roommate in the household counts. A cousin who lives across town does not.
A passenger-limit violation on its own cannot be the reason for a traffic stop. An officer can only add it as a secondary charge alongside another traffic offense.2Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-24 – Instruction Permits, Graduated Licensing and Related Restrictions, Temporary Licenses Once the stop happens for something else, though, the passenger charge still lands on the record and adds points and fines to the primary violation.
The 0.02% Alcohol Limit
Georgia applies a 0.02% blood alcohol concentration limit to all drivers under 21, far below the 0.08% threshold used for adults. At 0.02%, even a single drink can put a teenager over the line.3Georgia Department of Driver Services. Chapter 1 Continued
Points and License Suspension Under 18
An adult license is suspended at 15 points in 24 months. For anyone under 18, the trigger is 4 points in 12 months.4Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-57.1 – Suspension of Licenses of Persons Under 21 Years for Certain Offenses, Suspension of Licenses of Persons Under 18 Years for Certain Point Accumulation
That threshold is easier to hit than it sounds. Speeding 15 to 18 mph over the limit is a 2-point violation. Speeding 19 to 23 mph over is 3 points. A single improper-passing or failure-to-obey-a-traffic-device violation carries 3 or 4 points on its own.5Georgia Department of Driver Services. Points Schedule One afternoon of aggressive driving can be enough.
A first suspension for point accumulation lasts six months. A second or later suspension runs 12 months.4Justia. Georgia Code 40-5-57.1 – Suspension of Licenses of Persons Under 21 Years for Certain Offenses, Suspension of Licenses of Persons Under 18 Years for Certain Point Accumulation To get the license back, the driver has to complete a defensive driving course approved by the DDS commissioner and pay a reinstatement fee.6FindLaw. Georgia Code 40-5-57.1 – Suspension of Driver’s License of Persons Under 18 Years of Age
These suspensions also appear in the National Driver Register, a federal database other states can check when a driver applies for a license elsewhere. A Georgia suspension can follow the driver if the family moves.
When the Restrictions End
The Class D restrictions apply until the driver turns 18 and upgrades to a Class C license. The upgrade is done online through the DDS website or the DDS 2 GO mobile app, with no additional road test or knowledge exam.7Georgia Department of Driver Services. Class C License The Class C costs $32 and is valid for eight years.8Georgia.gov. Apply for a Georgia Driver’s License (Class C)
The upgrade is not automatic. Until the driver initiates it, the Class D restrictions technically remain in effect even after their 18th birthday. DDS does not require the Class D to have been held for any specific period before upgrading, only that the driver is 18 and holds a valid Class D.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Class D Provisional License
Driving for Work Is Separately Restricted
A valid Class D license does not clear a teenager to drive for a job. Federal labor law under the Fair Labor Standards Act lists driving a motor vehicle as a hazardous occupation for anyone under 18, and most employers cannot assign driving duties to a worker under that age. A narrow exception lets 17-year-olds drive cars or small trucks during daylight hours under strictly limited conditions.9U.S. Department of Labor. Fact Sheet 43 – Child Labor Provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act for Nonagricultural Occupations Delivery jobs, pizza runs, and any position that puts a teen behind the wheel of a company vehicle sit inside that federal rule regardless of what Georgia allows.