Virginia Behind-the-Wheel Training: Teen and Adult Requirements

Virginia requires the approved driver-education program for drivers under 18. Adult requirements depend on age and date: beginning January 1, 2027, first-time applicants ages 18–20 must also complete driver education and hold the learner's permit for 90 days.

Virginia's Legal Requirements for Behind-the-Wheel Training

The standard Virginia driver-education program includes 36 classroom sessions, 7 fifty-minute driving sessions, 7 fifty-minute observation sessions, and a final road-skills examination.

• Under 18: Complete the approved teen driver-education program before licensing.
• Age 18–20 beginning January 1, 2027: First-time applicants must complete driver education and hold the permit 90 days.
• Age 21+: Driver education can remain an alternative to the standard 60-day permit-hold/DMV-test route where eligible.

How Many Driving Lessons Do Virginia Teens and Adults Need?

The standard program uses 14 in-car periods, while remedial training after three road-skills-test failures follows a different structure. The table below shows the distinction.

Teen applicants also complete 45 hours of supervised practice outside the school program, including 15 hours after sunset.

Are Virginia's 14 In-Car Sessions 14 Sessions of Actual Driving?

No. In the standard driver-education program, the 14 in-car periods are split into 7 fifty-minute driving sessions and 7 fifty-minute observation sessions. They are not 14 periods of the student personally driving.

What Training Is Required After Failing the Virginia Road Test Three Times?

After three road-skills-test failures, DMV requires 14 fifty-minute periods of actual driving before another attempt. This remedial requirement is different from the standard 7-driving/7-observation driver-education structure.

Is Professional Driving Instruction Worth It for Virginia Adults?

Professional instruction can be useful even when it is not mandatory, but the legal path depends on age and date.

What a Virginia Driver Training Certificate Does for You

The completion certificate documents the approved training path and is submitted through the driver-training process. Certificate type depends on the applicant and program.

• Teens: A qualifying DTS B/TDL-180 can serve as temporary licensing authority after the teen meets the required age, permit-holding, training, and testing conditions.
• Adults: Approved adult programs use the applicable adult completion certificate, such as DTS D, for the adult driver-education route.

Do not rely on a certificate as a generic scheduling shortcut. It documents completion of the approved program and determines which licensing path applies.

Submitting the Driver-Training Completion Certificate to Virginia DMV

The approved driver-training school submits the completion certificate to DMV. Keep any copy the school gives you for your records, but the training provider handles the DMV submission.

Can Virginia Parents Teach Behind-the-Wheel Instead of Schools?

For most teen drivers, parents or guardians provide the 45 hours of supervised practice, while the required in-car driver-education sessions come through an approved program.

Virginia has a separate home-school driver-education route. A qualifying home-school parent applies to DMV for authorization using Form HS-1 and the required home-school/classroom documentation; the parent is not simply “certified through a DMV-approved provider.”

Behind-the-Wheel Training Costs in Virginia

Training prices vary by school and location. For detailed package, hourly, teen, and adult pricing, use the dedicated Virginia behind-the-wheel training cost guide. When comparing providers, confirm that the quoted package matches the training path required for your age and date.