In Virginia, how long you have to hold a permit depends on your age: drivers under 18 must hold a learner’s permit for at least nine months before getting a license, while drivers 18 and older only need to hold it for 60 days. Adults can skip the 60-day wait entirely by completing a state-approved driver education course.1Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Eligibility Requirements
Nine Months if You’re Under 18
Drivers under 18 must hold a Virginia learner’s permit for a minimum of nine months before they can receive a driver’s license.2Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-335.2 – Learner’s Permits; Required Before Driver’s License The clock starts on the day the DMV issues the permit.
If you turn 18 before those nine months are up, the teen holding period ends on your birthday and you move onto the adult pathway instead.
The nine months is a floor, not a finish line. Even after the time passes, you can’t get your license until you’ve also completed 45 hours of supervised driving practice and a state-approved driver education program.
Sixty Days if You’re 18 or Older
Adults 18 and older who have never held a driver’s license from any state, territory, or country have two paths. You can hold your learner’s permit for at least 60 days and then pass the DMV road skills test, or you can complete a state-approved driver education course, which waives the 60-day wait altogether.1Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver License Eligibility Requirements
The driver education route is often faster if you can find a course with open enrollment, since many programs run just a few weeks.
If you already held a valid license from another state or country, you may be able to exchange it for a Virginia license without going through the permit process at all. That’s handled separately through the DMV’s license exchange procedure.
What Has to Happen During the Holding Period
The waiting period is only part of what stands between you and a license. If you’re under 18, three other requirements run alongside those nine months.
45 Hours of Supervised Driving
Drivers under 18 must log 45 hours of supervised driving practice, and at least 15 of those hours must take place after sunset.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-335 – Learner’s Permits; Fees; Certification Required Crash rates for new drivers spike after dark, so don’t save the nighttime hours for the last week.
The person supervising must be a licensed driver at least 21 years old. A legal guardian or sibling can supervise at age 18.4Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Apply for a Learner’s Permit Your parent or guardian certifies the hours by signing the driver education completion certificate and providing their driver’s license or state ID number. Virginia doesn’t use a separate driving log form.5Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver Education
Adults 18 and older are not required to log a specific number of supervised hours, though practicing before the road skills test is a good idea.
Driver Education
Every Virginia resident under 18 must complete a state-approved driver education program before getting a license.5Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Driver Education The program has a classroom component and a behind-the-wheel component with a certified instructor. Those instructor hours are separate from the 45 hours of parent-supervised practice. You need both.
When you finish, your instructor sends a completion certificate to the DMV. Once your parent or guardian signs it, the certificate plus your learner’s permit acts as a temporary driver’s license for 180 days.6Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-334 – Conditions and Requirements for Licensure of Persons Under Age 18 Teens who complete driver education don’t have to take a separate road skills test at the DMV.7Virginia Rules. Keeping Your Driver’s License
What You Can’t Do While Holding the Permit
A learner’s permit never allows solo driving. A qualifying supervising driver must always be in the front seat beside you. You also can’t carry more than one passenger under 21, though family members don’t count toward that limit.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-335 – Learner’s Permits; Fees; Certification Required
The permit itself costs $3 and stays valid until you get your license or no longer qualify to hold one. Virginia doesn’t put a hard expiration date on a standard learner’s permit, so a longer-than-expected process won’t cost you a renewal fee.3Virginia Code Commission. Virginia Code 46.2-335 – Learner’s Permits; Fees; Certification Required