DC 40-Hour and 10-Hour Night Driving Forms: How to Fill Them

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DC drivers under 21 need two signed practice logs from DC DMV to move through the GRAD program. The 40-hour form, form DMV-GRAD-HR40, comes before the road test. The 10-hour night driving form, form DMV-GRAD-HR10, comes before the full license with conditions. This checklist shows who can sign them, how to fill them in, and where to hand them in.

Key facts

• Each form is signed by a tutor aged 21 or older with a valid full driver’s license from any state.
• Each tutor attaches a photocopy of their own driver’s license.
• Several tutors can share the hours. Each one signs only for the hours they supervised.
• The forms come in English, Spanish, Amharic, Chinese, French, Vietnamese and Korean.
• A false statement on either form can bring a fine of up to $1,000, up to 180 days in jail, or both (D.C. Official Code § 22-2405). DC DMV may also deny, suspend or revoke the permit.

The two DC forms side by side

Who can be your tutor

• Aged 21 or older
• Holds a valid full driver’s license. It can be from any state.
• Sits in the seat beside you and wears a seat belt for every hour logged
• Fills in their name and signature, plus their driver’s license number, state of issue and expiration date

A parent is the usual tutor, but the form does not require one. Any adult who meets these rules can sign.

How to fill in the log, step by step

1. Write your full name (last, first, middle, suffix). Add your learner permit number on the 40-hour form, or your provisional license number on the 10-hour form.
2. Log every session as you go, not from memory at the end. Each row needs the date, the tutor’s printed name, the time span and the total time.
3. Add up the total hours at the bottom. Check it reaches 40 (or 10).
4. Each tutor signs and dates and adds their license details. Signing certifies only their own hours.
5. Attach a photocopy of each tutor’s driver’s license.
6. Sign and date it yourself.

Example rows

The forms show entries in this style:

The first row is from the 40-hour form. The second is from the 10-hour night form.

Getting the night hours right

• The forms don’t define “night”. The Driver Manual requires headlights from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, so log your night hours in that window. Ask DC DMV if you are unsure.
• The night hours are logged on a provisional license, and GRAD curfews still apply. Plan night practice with your tutor in the seat beside you: that also covers you if you are out after curfew.
• Use the time to practice the skills the manual covers: low and high beams, dipping your lights within 500 feet of oncoming traffic, and within 300 feet when following.

Before you hand it in: checklist

• Total hours reach 40 (or 10)
• Every row has a date, tutor name, time span and total
• Every tutor has signed and dated, with their license number, state and expiration date
• A photocopy of each tutor’s license is attached
• You have signed and dated
• For the 40-hour form: you bring it to the road test, with your permit and a licensed driver aged 21 or older (see the DC road skills test guide)
• For the 10-hour form: you are 17 or older, with 6 months on the provisional and 12 consecutive months with no pointable violations

Common questions

Do I need the 40-hour form if I am 21 or older?

No. Once you are 21 you leave GRAD and can book a road test without the form or the 6-month wait.

Can driving school lessons count toward the 40 hours?

The form counts hours with a tutor aged 21 or older who holds a valid full license and signs for them. Check with DC DMV whether a particular instructor’s hours qualify.

Can two parents split the hours?

Yes. Each tutor signs for the hours they supervised, and attaches a copy of their own license.

Can my tutor have an out-of-state license?

Yes. The form asks for the state of issue. The 40-hour rule in DC Code accepts a license from any jurisdiction.

Where do I get the forms?

Both are free downloads on the DC DMV “Certification of Eligibility for Provisional and Full Licenses With Conditions” page.

Can I submit the 10-hour form online?

Yes. The online provisional license conversion takes the form, the tutor’s license copy and the $47 fee.

How these hours fit into the stages: DC GRAD license program hours and restrictions. Starting out? See the DC learner permit guide and the complete guide to learning to drive in Washington DC. Compare with supervised driving hours by state.

Sources

• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Certification of Eligibility for Provisional License” form DMV-GRAD-HR40 Rev. 08/24/09 (dmv.dc.gov)
• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Certification of Eligibility for Full License with Conditions” form DMV-GRAD-HR10 Rev. 07/20/09 (dmv.dc.gov)
• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Certification of Eligibility for Provisional and Full Licenses With Conditions” (dmv.dc.gov)
• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Provisional License” (dmv.dc.gov)
• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Full License with Conditions” (dmv.dc.gov)
• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “GRAD License Program” (dmv.dc.gov)
• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Road Skills Tests” (dmv.dc.gov)
• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Driver License Fees” (dmv.dc.gov)
• District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “DC DMV Driver Manual (English)” (December 2023, linked from dmv.dc.gov)
• Council of the District of Columbia, “§ 50-1401.01. Fee; examination; age requirements; … restrictions for minors” (code.dccouncil.gov)