Photo: Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
To get a driver’s license in Georgia as a teen, you get a Class CP instructional permit at 15, hold it for one year and one day, then take a road test for a Class D provisional license at 16 or later. At 18 the Class D becomes a full Class C license. This guide maps every step, every rule in the Georgia Driver’s Manual and where to find the detail.
Key facts (as of November 2026)
- Class CP permit: from age 15, $10, valid 2 years.
- Class D provisional license: from 16, after holding the permit 1 year and 1 day. $10 for 5 years.
- Class C full license: from 18. $32 for 8 years.
- Teens under 18 need Joshua’s Law driver education, 40 hours of supervised driving (6 at night), ADAP, proof of school enrollment and a responsible adult to sign.
- Knowledge exam: Road Signs and Road Rules, 20 questions each, 15 correct to pass each part.
- Road test: by appointment only, minimum score 75%.
The three stages of Georgia’s graduated license
Georgia’s graduated licensing comes from the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act (TADRA) of 1997. Teens move through three classes:
| Stage | Minimum age | What you can do | How you move on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class CP instructional permit | 15 | Drive only with a licensed Class C driver aged 21 or older in the seat beside you | Hold it 1 year and 1 day, finish driver ed, ADAP and 40 hours, pass the road test |
| Class D provisional license | 16 | Drive alone, but no driving 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. and passenger limits apply | Reach 18 with no major traffic convictions in the previous 12 months |
| Class C license | 18 | Full non-commercial license | Not applicable |
Full details: Georgia Class CP and Class D license rules.
Step 1: Get your Class CP permit at 15
At a DDS Customer Service Center you show identity, lawful presence and Georgia residency documents, give your Social Security Number, and bring proof of school enrollment if you are under 18. A parent, guardian or responsible adult signs for you. You pass a vision exam (20/60 in at least one eye, with a 140-degree field of vision) and the knowledge exam, then pay the $10 permit fee. DDS asks everyone to submit the online License/ID/Permit Form before visiting.
Documents and supervisor rules: Georgia instructional permit at 15.
Step 2: Pass the knowledge exam
The exam has a Road Signs test and a Road Rules test. Each has 20 questions and you need 15 correct on each. Tests are walk-in, and you must start at least 30 minutes before the center closes. The $10 fee is paid before each attempt and is not refunded if you fail. DDS’s test page lists 26 languages, including English. If you fail, wait until the next day to retake. After a second failure, wait 7 days.
How to prepare: Georgia DDS permit test.
Step 3: Complete Joshua’s Law, ADAP and 40 hours
To get a Class D at 16 or 17 you need:
- A DDS-approved driver education course: 30 hours of classroom or online instruction, plus either 6 hours behind the wheel with a certified instructor or the DDS Parent/Teen Driving Guide.
- At least 40 hours of supervised driving, 6 of them at night. No log is required, but a parent or guardian signs an affidavit at the road test.
- ADAP, the 4-hour Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program. Most teens take it in school, and eADAP is free online for teens who qualify.
More detail: Joshua’s Law explained, the 40 hours and the Parent/Teen Driving Guide and ADAP and eADAP.
Step 4: Take the Georgia road test
Road tests are by appointment only, booked through DDS Online Services, and same-day appointments are not available. You provide a four-wheel vehicle with registration, insurance and a valid plate. It must also pass a DDS safety inspection. The examiner scores parallel parking, about 50 feet of straight-line backing, a turnabout in a narrow space, stops, turns, yielding, passing, following distance and posture. You need at least 75%.
Non-commercial road tests can be virtual, with a licensed adult aged 21 or older in the car. Some certified driving schools can also test their own students.
- Georgia road test: tasks and scoring
- Georgia virtual road test explained
- Taking your Georgia road test at a driving school
Step 5: Drive on a Class D, then upgrade to Class C
Class D rules: no driving between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., with no exceptions. For the first 6 months, only immediate family can ride with you. For the second 6 months, you can carry one non-family passenger under 21. After that, the limit is three. At 18 you can upgrade to Class C if you have no major traffic convictions in the previous 12 months, and DDS lets you do the upgrade through Online Services.
If you are 18 or older
Adults applying for the first time can apply for a Class C straight away: pass the knowledge and road tests and sign an affidavit confirming 40 hours of supervised driving, 6 at night. You can also get a Class CP first to practice. Joshua’s Law and ADAP do not apply at 18.
New to Georgia?
Georgia law requires new residents to get a Georgia license within 30 days of becoming a resident. Teens with a valid out-of-state license or permit are normally eligible for a comparable Georgia credential. See Moving to Georgia: license transfer for adults and teens and the national guide to moving to a new state.
What the Georgia Driver’s Manual covers
The knowledge exam draws on the manual. Here is each section, with the Georgia facts that matter most and where to read more.
| Section | Georgia points to know |
|---|---|
| 1 General Licensing Information | 30-day residency rule, vision standard, license classes, fees, restriction codes (“A” means no restrictions) |
| 2 Obtaining a License, Permit or ID | CP, Class D and Class C requirements, driver education, REAL ID documents (REAL ID guide) |
| 3 Testing Information | Knowledge exam rules, road test tasks, retest waits |
| 4 Other Services | Renewals, replacements and changes, many available online |
| 5 Traffic Laws | Right-of-way, Move-Over Law, passing, turns, parking, speed, railroad crossings, work zones, hands-free law |
| 6 Teen Driving Laws | TADRA, school enrollment, responsible adult, Joshua’s Law, teen suspensions |
| 7 Signs, Signals and Markings | Seven basic sign shapes, signals, pavement markings, roundabouts |
| 8 Safety Guidelines | Tire pressure, steering, fog, hydroplaning, skids, curves, expressway driving |
| 9 Sharing the Road | Pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists, trucks, school buses |
| 10 Losing Your Driving Privileges | Suspensions, implied consent, the points system |
| 11 Crashes | What to do after a crash, moving vehicles off the road, deer crashes |
Georgia traffic laws learners get tested on
Right-of-way
- At an uncontrolled intersection, the driver on the left yields to the driver on the right.
- At an all-way stop, the first to arrive goes first. If two arrive together, yield to the vehicle on your right (four-way stops explained).
- Right on red is allowed after a full stop unless a sign prohibits it. Left on red is allowed only from a one-way street onto a one-way street going left (right on red in the US).
- Pull to the right and stop for emergency vehicles using lights and sirens (move over laws).
- School buses: slow down for flashing yellow lights. Once the red lights and stop signs are out, you must not pass, unless you are on the opposite side of a highway divided by a median (school bus laws).
Speed
Unless signs say otherwise, Georgia’s general limits are 30 mph in urban or residential districts, 35 mph on unpaved county roads, 70 mph on rural interstates, 65 mph on urban interstates and multi-lane divided highways, and 55 mph everywhere else. Under the Super Speeder law, a conviction for 75 mph or more on a two-lane road, or 85 mph or more on any road, adds a $200 state fee. See Super Speeder and points for new drivers and speed limits and the basic speed law.
Passing and lanes
Do not pass within 100 feet of a railroad crossing, bridge, viaduct or tunnel, or when an oncoming car would be within 200 feet before you finish. Georgia’s “Slow Poke” law requires slower drivers to move out of the passing lane when faster traffic approaches.
Parking and railroad crossings
No stopping, standing or parking within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection, or within 30 feet of a stop sign, yield sign or signal, except momentarily to pick up or drop off passengers. When a crossing signal is flashing or the gates are down, stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail (railroad crossings, US parking rules).
Phones and alcohol
Georgia’s hands-free law bars all drivers from holding or supporting a phone (Hands-Free Georgia Act for teens). Drivers under 21 are considered under the influence at 0.02 blood alcohol or more (zero tolerance laws).
More Georgia rules from Sections 5, 8 and 9
- Seat belts: everyone in the front seat must be belted, and every occupant under 18 must be belted in any seat. Children under 8 ride in a child restraint suited to their height and weight (seat belt and car seat laws).
- Headlights: required from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, whenever it is raining and when visibility is poor. Dip your high beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 200 feet of a vehicle you are following.
- Emergency vehicles: do not follow a fire truck answering an alarm closer than 200 feet, and do not park within 500 feet of one that has stopped at a fire.
- Postal and sanitation vehicles showing flashing lights: move to a lane that is not next to them if you safely can. If you cannot, slow to at least 10 mph under the limit or 25 mph, whichever is higher, and be ready to stop.
- Cyclists: leave at least 3 feet when you pass a bicycle.
- School buses: on a two-lane road, a road with a center turn lane, or a four-lane road without a median, traffic in both directions stops. Only on a divided highway with a median may opposite traffic keep going.
- Diverging diamond interchanges: traffic briefly crosses to the left side of the road so you can turn left onto the on-ramp without stopping. Follow the lane markings and signals through the crossover.
- Steering lock: never turn the ignition to lock while the car is moving, because the steering will lock.
- Litter: throwing or leaving litter from a vehicle is a misdemeanor in Georgia, with a fine of up to $1,000, and a judge can order you to pick up litter.
How teens lose their license in Georgia
- Drivers under 21 face a 6-month suspension (12 months for a second conviction) for offenses like hit and run, racing, fleeing police, reckless or aggressive driving, any 4-point offense, or speeding 24 mph or more over the limit.
- Drivers under 18 who reach 4 points in any 12 months are suspended.
- The adult who signed your application can ask DDS to revoke your permit or license at any time before you turn 18.
See points systems and license suspensions.
After a crash in Georgia
Stop in a safe place. Notify police right away if anyone is hurt or killed, or if property damage exceeds $500. Exchange name, address, plate and license numbers with the other driver. On a multilane highway with no apparent serious injury, move the vehicles off the road. More: what to do after a car crash.
Common questions
How old do you have to be to drive alone in Georgia?
16, with a Class D provisional license, after holding a Class CP permit for 1 year and 1 day and meeting Joshua’s Law and ADAP.
Can I skip driver’s ed in Georgia?
Not if you want a license at 16 or 17. DDS says applicants aged 17 on or after July 1, 2021 must meet the same driver education rules as 16-year-olds. At 18 driver ed is not required.
What time is the Class D curfew?
12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., with no exceptions.
How much does a Georgia license cost?
As of November 2026: permit $10, Class D $10 (5 years), Class C $32 (8 years). DDS says eligible online transactions may get a $5 discount.
Where do I practice for the permit test?
DDS offers a free online practice test, and the Driver’s Manual contains everything on the exam.
Do I need a learner’s permit to take the road test at 18?
DDS’s road test page lists a valid Georgia learner’s permit as a requirement for drivers 18 and over.
Other states and national guides
Compare Georgia with other states: learning to drive in the USA, US graduated licensing compared, US permit test by state and supervised driving hours by state. New drivers should also read car insurance for new drivers.
Sources
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Georgia Driver’s Manual” online edition, Sections 1 to 11 (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Get a Learners Permit (Class CP)” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Get a Class D Provisional License” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Fees and Terms” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Test and Exams Information” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Road Test Appointments” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “Joshua’s Law Requirements” (dds.georgia.gov)
- Georgia Department of Driver Services, “ADAP FAQs” (dds.georgia.gov)