Virginia Learner's Permit

By Javier Marín, Editor·Last reviewed September 2026·How we check this

A Virginia learner's permit is the first credential in the state's Graduated Driver Licensing track. It allows a teen to practice driving with a licensed adult while building the supervised hours and seat time required to earn a Virginia provisional license later. The permit must be held for at least nine consecutive months with no convictions before a teen can move up.

Minimum age and prerequisites

The minimum age for a Virginia learner's permit is 15 years 6 months. Applicants must:

Have parental or guardian consent, signed in person at the DMV.
Be enrolled in or have completed an approved Virginia driver education classroom course (Module 1 of the state DE curriculum).
Pass a vision screening at the customer service center.
Pass the Virginia DMV knowledge test (10 sign questions and 25 general knowledge questions).

Adults 18 and older can also obtain a learner's permit without driver education — they only need to pass the knowledge test and present the same documents as any first-time applicant.

Documents required

Bring originals to the customer service center:

Two proofs of identity (one must establish legal presence — passport, certified birth certificate, or USCIS document).
Proof of Social Security number.
Two proofs of Virginia residency from different sources (the parent's lease or utility bill plus a school enrollment letter is the typical pairing for teens).
The completed DL 1P application, signed by both the teen and a parent or guardian.

Fees and validity

The Virginia learner's permit fee is $3 per year, billed for the term remaining until the holder turns 19 or qualifies for an unrestricted license. Most teens pay a one-time charge of $9-$12. The permit is also valid as a Virginia ID card while held.

Driving rules under the permit

A Virginia learner's permit holder may drive only when:

Accompanied by a licensed driver age 21 or older (or by an approved licensed sibling 18+ when no parent or guardian is available) seated in the front passenger seat.
Restricted to no more than one passenger under 18 in the vehicle, in addition to the supervising adult, unless the others are immediate family.
Hands-free of cell phones at all times — Virginia's distracted-driving law has no exception for permit holders.
Every occupant is wearing a seat belt; child passenger safety rules under §46.2-1095 apply normally.

The 45-hour practice log

Virginia requires 45 hours of supervised practice driving, of which at least 15 hours must be after sunset, before a teen is eligible to take the road test. The hours are recorded in the DMV's practice log and certified by a parent or guardian under penalty of perjury. Driver education programs often provide a printable log; the school's behind-the-wheel hours count toward the 45-hour total.

Driver education in Virginia

Virginia teens must complete the state-approved 36-period classroom segment and the 14-period in-car segment (Module 2) — typically delivered by the public high school or a licensed commercial driving school. Both segments must be completed before the road skills test. The Driver Education Certificate (DEC-1) is presented at the customer service center when applying for the provisional license.

Moving up from the permit

Once the permit holder has reached 16 years 3 months, has held the permit at least nine consecutive months without convictions, has logged the 45/15 supervised hours, and has completed driver education, they can take the Virginia road skills test and apply for the provisional license. A first conviction during the permit period extends the permit by an additional 30 days; a serious conviction can require a juvenile court hearing before any license is issued.

Permits revoked for violations or for accumulating demerit points are reinstated only after a sit-down meeting with a DMV hearing officer. For document checklists shared with the full license, see the Virginia driver's license guide.