Supervised practice and driver education in Washington

By the end of this topic you can

• You can state the practice hours required before an intermediate license.
• You can explain who may supervise practice that counts toward the 50 hours.
• You can describe where a Washington driver training course can be taken.
• You can say which young adults must take driver training and from when.
• You can plan a practice log that covers different roads and conditions.

What you need to know and understand

• Applicants under 18 must pass an approved driver training course.
• Before an intermediate license, a parent, guardian, employer or approved responsible adult certifies 50 hours of driving, 10 at night.
• Practice counting toward the 50 hours must be supervised by someone at least 21 who has held a license for at least three years.
• Courses are offered by school district traffic safety programs and by DOL-licensed driver training schools.
• From January 1, 2027, first-time applicants aged 18 also need driver training. The age band widens each year to under 22 by 2030.
• From November 1, 2026, first-time applicants under 25 must pass a free online work zone and first responder safety course.

Choosing a driver training course

You can take driver training through a school district or approved private school traffic safety program, or through a driver training school licensed by the Department of Licensing (DOL). Both combine classroom learning with behind-the-wheel lessons. In hardship cases, such as long travel distances, behind-the-wheel lessons can run up to four hours in one day.

Enrolling early has a bonus: you can apply for your permit at 15 instead of 15 and a half. Our guide to the Washington driver training course and 50-hour practice log lists the course minimums.

Making the 50 hours count

Keep a written log from your first drive. Record the date, start and end time, whether it was dark, and who supervised.

• Spread night driving across seasons, since darkness comes at very different times in winter and summer.
• Include freeways, city streets, rural roads, rain and, if you can do it safely, snow.
• Practice hill parking and parallel parking, which appear on the drive test.
• Check that each supervisor is at least 21 and has been licensed for three years or more.

Not a teen? Check the new rules

Washington is phasing in driver training for older first-time drivers: applicants aged 18 from January 1, 2027, under 20 from 2028, under 21 from 2029 and under 22 from 2030. People already licensed in another jurisdiction that Washington recognizes are exempt. DOL can pause the phase-in if there are not enough courses, so check its current guidance.

Our guide to Washington driver training rules for new drivers aged 18 to 24 explains the changes.

Common mistakes

• Doing almost all night hours in one month. Spread them out so you see different conditions.
• Using a supervisor who is under 21 or newly licensed. Those hours do not count.
• Only practicing the same quiet route. Examiners notice weak lane changes and intersection skills.
• Leaving the log until the end and guessing. Fill it in after every drive.

Test yourself: Supervised practice and driver education in Washington

Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.

Go deeper

• Washington Driver Training Course and 50-Hour Practice Log
• Washington Permit Practice Test
• Learning to Drive in Washington State