Getting your first Virginia driver license
The steps in plain English. Each one links to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) page it came from. Last checked Nov 15, 2026.
If you are under 18, hold your permit at least 9 months.
Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026Log at least 45 hours of driving, 15 after sunset, certified by a parent or guardian.
Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026Complete a driver education program approved by the Department of Education.
Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026At 16 years and 3 months or older, apply with a parent's signature on the application.
Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026Pass the road test (or the driver education course's equivalent); if you fail a DMV road test, wait two days.
Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026Receive your license from a juvenile court judge at a licensing ceremony, then follow provisional limits until 18.
Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026
Check before you go: requirements and fees change, and some depend on your age or situation. The official page is the final word.
Related facts
- Learner's permit fee
- $3 (no fee for homeless youth).Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026
- Retake after failing the road test
- Wait two days. After three failures you must complete in-car instruction at a licensed driving school first.Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026
- First license at 18 or older
- Until Jan 1, 2027: new adult drivers need a driving-school course or must hold a learner's permit 60 days before the road test. From Jan 1, 2027, applicants 18–20 need both a course and a permit held 90 days.Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026
- License fee
- $2.40 per year of the license term (statutory base fee; DMV surcharges may also apply).Source: law.lis.virginia.gov · checked Nov 15, 2026
More in the Virginia guide
Official Virginia links
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