Georgia DMV Permit Test Instructional Permit and Teen Licenses (TADRA) Summary

In Georgia you may apply for a Class C instructional permit (Class CP) once you reach age 15. You must pass a vision test and the knowledge exam on road signs and road rules.

Wrong choices

• 15 and a half: Georgia does not use a 15 and a half rule. The permit age is 15.
• 14: You cannot get a Class CP permit before age 15.
• 16: 16 is the youngest age for a Class D provisional license, not the permit.

With a Class CP permit you may drive only with a person at least 21 years old who is licensed to drive a Class C vehicle, is fit and able to take control, and is sitting in the seat beside you.

Wrong choices

• Any licensed driver at least 18, sitting anywhere in the car: The supervising driver must be at least 21, not 18, and must sit beside you.
• No one, as long as you drive in daylight: A permit holder may never drive alone, day or night.
• Any adult passenger, licensed or not: The supervising driver must hold a Class C license.

A Class D license holder may not drive between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. Georgia allows no exceptions to this rule.

Wrong choices

• From 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., unless driving to work: The hours are midnight to 5 a.m., and there is no work exception.
• From 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., unless a parent is in the car: The limit starts at midnight, and a parent in the car does not create an exception.
• From 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.: The limit starts at midnight, not 10 p.m.

You can apply for a Class D provisional license at age 16, after holding your instructional permit for one year and one day and meeting the other requirements.

Wrong choices

• 17: You do not have to wait until 17 for a Class D license.
• 15: 15 is the age for the Class CP instructional permit.
• 18: 18 is the age for a full Class C license.

To get a Class D provisional license, you must be at least 16 and have held a valid instructional permit for one year and one day, among other requirements.

Wrong choices

• Six months: Six months is not long enough in Georgia.
• Two years: Two years is longer than required.
• Nine months: Nine months is not long enough in Georgia.

A teen getting a Class D license at 16 or 17 must complete at least 40 hours of supervised driving, with at least 6 hours at night. This is on top of the required driver education course.

Wrong choices

• 20 hours, with no night hours needed: Night driving practice is required.
• 50 hours, including 10 hours at night: 50 hours with 10 at night is not Georgia's rule.
• 30 hours, including 3 hours at night: 30 hours is the classroom part of driver education, not the supervised driving total.

Anyone under 18 must present proof such as a Certificate of School Enrollment (DS-1), a high school diploma, or a GED. A parent, guardian, or responsible adult must also sign the application.

Wrong choices

• A report card with a B average: Grades are not part of the requirement.
• Proof that you own a car: You do not need to own a car to get a permit.
• A letter from a driving school: A driving school letter does not replace proof of school enrollment.

A Class C license is the full license for drivers 18 and older who have met all requirements. Before 18, teens drive with a Class D provisional license and its limits.

Wrong choices

• 17: At 17 a teen still holds a Class D license with limits.
• 21: You do not have to wait until 21 for a full Class C license.
• 16: 16 is the youngest age for a Class D provisional license.

Joshua's Law requires a DDS-approved driver education course: 30 hours of classroom instruction (or an approved online course), and either 6 hours of on-the-road training with a certified instructor or completion of the DDS Parent/Teen Driver Guide.

Wrong choices

• Driver education is optional if the teen passes the road test: Driver education is required for a Class D license at 16 or 17.
• Only a 4-hour online video course: A short video is not enough. The classroom part is 30 hours.
• 10 hours of classroom instruction and no driving lessons: 10 hours is not the rule, and the behind-the-wheel part is required.

For the first six months after a Class D license is issued, only immediate family members may ride with the driver. Immediate family includes parents and stepparents, grandparents, brothers and sisters (including step-siblings), children, and anyone who lives at the driver's home.

Wrong choices

• Anyone, as long as everyone wears a seat belt: Seat belts are always required, but they do not change the passenger limits.
• Up to three passengers under 21 who are not family: Three non-family passengers under 21 is the rule after the first year.
• One passenger under 21 who is not family: One non-family passenger under 21 is the rule for the second six months.