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DC’s GRAD (Gradual Rearing of Adult Drivers) program sets the hours, passenger limits and penalties for every DC driver aged 16 to 20. Learner permit holders can drive from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Provisional drivers, and full license drivers aged 17 to 18, can drive until 10:59 p.m. on school nights and until 11:59 p.m. on weekend nights and all summer. This explainer sets out each stage’s rules, the exceptions, and what happens if you break them.
Key facts
- GRAD applies to DC drivers aged 16 to 20. You join automatically when you get a permit under 21.
- Three stages: learner permit, provisional license, full license (with conditions until 18).
- The hour and passenger limits end at 18. The GRAD program ends at 21.
- Breaking a GRAD rule on a provisional license or full license with conditions: 30, 60 or 90-day suspension.
- If you are under 18, DC DMV tells your parent or guardian about GRAD violations.
DC GRAD driving hours by stage
| Stage | September to June | July and August |
|---|---|---|
| Learner permit | Every day: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. | Every day: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Provisional license | Sunday to Thursday: 6 a.m. to 10:59 p.m.; Friday and Saturday: 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. | Every day: 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Full license with conditions (17 to 18) | Sunday to Thursday: 6 a.m. to 10:59 p.m.; Friday and Saturday: 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. | Every day: 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. |
| Full license, 18 and over | No GRAD hour limits | No GRAD hour limits |
These are the hours on DC DMV’s GRAD page. They match DC Code § 50-1401.01, which bans driving from 11 p.m. on Sunday to Thursday nights, and from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings and every night in July and August, until 6 a.m. The December 2023 Driver Manual prints slightly different weekday groupings. Follow the DMV page and the Code.
Exceptions to the DC curfew
Provisional and full-with-conditions drivers may drive outside these hours when:
- driving to or from work
- driving to or from a school-sponsored activity, a religious or athletic event, or a related training session you take part in, sponsored by DC, a civic organization or a similar body that takes responsibility for you
- a licensed driver aged 21 or older is in the seat beside you, wearing a seat belt
The learner permit has no exceptions: 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. only.
Passenger and other limits
| Stage | Passengers | Other rules |
|---|---|---|
| Learner permit | A licensed driver aged 21 or older must sit beside you. The Driver Manual says no other passengers. | No phone or electronic device, even hands-free. No driving for pay. Passenger vehicles only. |
| Provisional license | One licensed driver aged 21 or older in the front seat, plus your siblings or parents. The manual also allows your children. | You may drive alone. Everyone belted. No driving for pay under 18. |
| Full license with conditions (under 18) | No more than 2 passengers under 21. Siblings don’t count (the manual also exempts your children). | Everyone belted. Passenger vehicle or motorized bicycle only, for pleasure, not for pay. |
Every DC driver must use a phone hands-free only. See hands-free and texting laws. For the alcohol rules for drivers under 21, see zero tolerance laws.
Moving up a stage
| To get | Minimum age | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Provisional license | 16 and a half | Permit held 6 months; no pointable violations in that time; 40-hour certification; pass the road skills test |
| Full license with conditions | 17 | Provisional held 6 months; 12 consecutive months with no pointable violations (6 on the permit plus 6 on the provisional); 10-hour night driving certification with a copy of the tutor’s license |
A provisional license lasts up to 1 year and can be renewed. Both forms are covered in DC 40-hour and 10-hour night driving certifications.
Upgrading online for $47
If you meet the full-license-with-conditions rules above, you can apply online. Upload the 10-hour form and your tutor’s license copy, and pay the $47 driver license fee (as of November 2026). Once approved, DC DMV mails the license to your address of record. You can track the request online.
GRAD penalties in DC
- Learner permit: any pointable violation pushes back your provisional license. 8 or more points, or a GRAD violation, means a 90-day permit suspension and a reinstatement fee.
- Provisional and full with conditions: a 30-day suspension for a first GRAD violation, 60 days for a second, 90 days for a third or later. The suspension time is added to the wait for your next stage, on top of any other penalty.
- Points: like any DC driver, you are automatically suspended at 10 points. You then pay a reinstatement fee.
- Parents: DC DMV notifies a parent or guardian in writing if a driver under 18 breaks GRAD rules.
How points work across states: points systems and license suspensions.
Turning 18 and 21
- At 18 on a full license, the hour and passenger limits end.
- At 21 you leave GRAD. A permit holder can book a road test straight away. A provisional holder can get a regular license at a service center without the form or the 6-month wait. You don’t have to convert; you can wait until the provisional expires.
Common questions
What time can I drive with a DC provisional license?
September to June: 6 a.m. to 10:59 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and until 11:59 p.m. Friday and Saturday. July and August: 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. every day.
Can I drive my friends on a DC provisional license?
No. Besides one licensed driver aged 21 or older in the front seat, only your siblings or parents may ride with you.
Can I drive home from work after curfew?
Yes. Driving to or from work is an exception for provisional and full-with-conditions drivers. It is not an exception for learner permit holders.
Do GRAD rules apply to an 18-year-old with a provisional license?
Yes. The provisional license limits apply until you upgrade or turn 21. The “no limits at 18” rule is for full license drivers.
Do I have to take another test for the full license with conditions?
No road test. You need the age, the time held, the clean record and the 10-hour night driving form.
Does GRAD apply if I move to DC with a permit from another state?
DC Code lets drivers under 21 with a permit from another jurisdiction get a comparable DC permit, subject to DC’s restrictions. DC DMV’s permit page says you take the DC knowledge test to start the process. Ask DC DMV which applies to you.
Back to the complete guide to learning to drive in Washington DC. Compare with GDL rules in other states.
Sources
- District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “GRAD License Program” (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, “Learner Permits and Provisional Licenses” (dmv.dc.gov)
- District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Obtain a REAL ID Learner Permit” (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)