Joshua’s Law Requirements for Georgia Teen Drivers

Joshua’s Law requirements apply to every 16- and 17-year-old in Georgia seeking a Class D provisional license. To satisfy the law, you must hold a learner’s permit for at least one year and one day, complete a 30-hour driver education course, finish behind-the-wheel training through one of two approved paths, and log 40 hours of supervised driving with a parent or guardian (6 of them at night) before you can apply.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Joshua’s Law Requirements

Who Has to Complete Joshua’s Law

The law covers 16- and 17-year-olds applying for a Class D license. When Joshua’s Law first took effect in 2007, only 16-year-olds had to complete the full driver education course. That changed on July 1, 2021: since then, 17-year-olds must meet the same education and training requirements as 16-year-olds.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Joshua’s Law Requirements

If you are 18 or older, Joshua’s Law does not apply. Adults apply directly for a standard Class C license through the regular knowledge and road skills tests, with no classroom course or supervised driving log required.

The Learner’s Permit Comes First

You cannot skip the permit stage. Every teen applicant must hold a learner’s permit for at least one year and one day before applying for a Class D license.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Joshua’s Law Requirements You can apply for the permit at age 15, and a parent or guardian must go with you to the Department of Driver Services office to sign the application.2Georgia Department of Driver Services. Learners Permit

All of the classroom instruction, behind-the-wheel training, and supervised driving hours are completed during that permit year.

The 30-Hour Driver Education Course

Every applicant has to finish 30 hours of driver education. You can take it in person at a DDS-approved driving school or through an approved online virtual program.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Joshua’s Law Requirements Both formats cover the same material and count equally toward the requirement.

The provider matters. A course from a school or virtual program that is not on the DDS-approved list will not count, no matter how thorough the content is.

Behind-the-Wheel Training: Two Paths

Georgia gives you two ways to handle the hands-on driving portion.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Joshua’s Law Requirements

  • Six hours of behind-the-wheel training at a DDS-approved driving school with a certified instructor.
  • Forty hours of parent-taught behind-the-wheel training, using the official Parent/Teen Driving Guide published by DDS. The parent or guardian delivers the instruction.

Which one you pick changes how the supervised driving requirement works.

Forty Hours of Supervised Driving

Joshua’s Law requires 40 hours of practice driving with a parent or guardian before you apply for the Class D, and at least 6 of those hours have to be at night.1Georgia Department of Driver Services. Joshua’s Law Requirements

If you took the 6-hour instructor-led course, you still owe the full 40 supervised hours on top of that training. If you went the parent-taught route, the 40 hours you drove with your parent already satisfy the supervised requirement; you do not double up. Either way, the total practice comes to 40 hours with a parent or guardian.

The Four Approved Combinations

DDS recognizes four combinations that satisfy Joshua’s Law. Every one includes the 30-hour classroom course.3Georgia Department of Driver Services. Joshua’s Law Course Chart

  • In-person 30-hour course, 6 hours of instructor-led behind-the-wheel training, and 40 hours of supervised driving with a parent or guardian (6 at night).
  • In-person 30-hour course and 40 hours of parent-taught behind-the-wheel training using the Parent/Teen Driving Guide, which covers the supervised hours.
  • Online 30-hour course, 6 hours of instructor-led behind-the-wheel training, and 40 hours of supervised driving with a parent or guardian (6 at night).
  • Online 30-hour course and 40 hours of parent-taught behind-the-wheel training using the Parent/Teen Driving Guide, which covers the supervised hours.

Restrictions After You Get the Class D

Meeting Joshua’s Law gets you the provisional license, but the Class D comes with its own restrictions that ease over the first year of driving.

Nighttime Curfew

Class D holders cannot drive between midnight and 5:00 a.m. Georgia allows no exceptions, not for work, school, or emergencies.4Georgia Department of Driver Services. Teen Driving Laws FAQs

Passenger Limits

The passenger rules loosen in stages:5Georgia Department of Driver Services. Chapter 1: TADRA

  • First six months: only immediate family members may ride with you.
  • Months seven through twelve: one non-family passenger under 21 is allowed.
  • After one year: up to three non-family passengers under 21.

Georgia defines immediate family broadly for this rule: parents, stepparents, grandparents, siblings, step-siblings, children, and anyone else who lives in your household.5Georgia Department of Driver Services. Chapter 1: TADRA A roommate at your address counts; a cousin across town does not.

If You Do Not Complete the Requirements

There is no workaround. DDS will not issue a Class D provisional license to a 16- or 17-year-old who has not completed Joshua’s Law. Extra supervised hours cannot replace the classroom course, and a strong score on the knowledge exam does not test you out of it.

Once you turn 18, the law no longer applies, and you can pursue a standard Class C through the regular testing process. Some teens who could not finish the course or the hours in time go this route, though it means giving up a year or more of the supervised experience the law is built around.