Photo: Tristan W, Pexels
This guide is for Maryland teens, parents and adult first-time drivers who want to know how to get a driver’s license in Maryland. In short: get a learner’s instructional permit at 15 years 9 months, finish driver education and 60 hours of logged practice, pass the skills test for a provisional license at 16 years 6 months or later, then hold the provisional license for 18 months without a conviction. The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) runs every step.
Key facts (Maryland Transportation Article)
- Learner’s permit: minimum age 15 years 9 months (§16-103).
- Provisional license: minimum age 16 years 6 months (§16-103).
- Full license: minimum age 18, after 18 months on a provisional license with no moving violation conviction (§16-111).
- Before the skills test: driver education (at least 30 hours classroom and 6 hours behind the wheel) plus at least 60 hours of supervised practice, 10 of them at night, for drivers under 25 (§16-105).
The three stages of Maryland’s graduated license
| Stage | Earliest age | What you can do | How you move on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Learner’s instructional permit | 15 years 9 months | Drive only with a supervisor who is 21 or older, licensed for at least 3 years and seated beside you | Hold it for the minimum period, finish driver ed and the practice log, pass the skills test |
| Provisional license | 16 years 6 months | Drive alone, with night, passenger, seat belt and phone restrictions while under 18 | 18 months with no moving violation conviction, and age 18 |
| Full license | 18 | Drive without provisional restrictions. Under 21, any alcohol in your blood is still banned | The MVA upgrades you automatically |
How long must you hold a Maryland learner’s permit?
It depends on your age when you take the skills test (§16-105(d)):
- Under 19: at least 9 months from the later of the date you got the permit or your most recent moving violation conviction.
- 18 with a high school diploma or equivalent, or 19 to 24: at least 3 months from the permit date, or 9 months after your most recent moving violation, whichever is later.
- 25 or older with no moving violations: at least 45 days, and the practice requirement drops to 14 hours (3 at night).
A first-time permit is valid for 2 years. A ticket while on your permit restarts the 9-month clock, so drive carefully.
Step by step: from permit to full license in Maryland
- Book a knowledge test appointment at a full-service MVA office. Bring identity, Social Security and residency documents, and a parent or guardian to cosign if you are under 18. Under 16, you also need a school attendance record. See the Maryland knowledge test and learner’s permit.
- Pass the vision screening and the 25-question knowledge test. The MVA pass mark is 88%.
- Take an MVA-approved driver education course. See Maryland driver education requirements.
- Log your practice hours in the Rookie Driver Practice Skills Log. See the Practice Skills Log guide.
- Pass the driving skills test. It has a closed-course part and an on-road part. See the Maryland driving skills test explained.
- Follow the provisional rules for 18 months. See Maryland provisional license rules.
- Keep your record clean. Points and convictions restart the clock and can suspend your license. See the Maryland MVA points system for new drivers.
What does it cost?
As of November 2026, the MVA fee page lists $65 for a first learner’s permit if you have never been licensed. That fee also covers converting to your license later. There is no separate MVA fee for taking the knowledge test. Driver education schools set their own prices. Check current fees with the MVA before your appointment.
What the Maryland Driver’s Manual covers
The knowledge test draws on the Maryland Driver’s Manual. Most of it follows national standards. Where Maryland law adds its own rule, it is noted below.
| Manual topic | Maryland detail worth knowing | Read more |
|---|---|---|
| Signs, signals and markings | Maryland uses the national sign system | Road signs, signals, road lines |
| Rules of the road | Running a steady red light carries 2 points | Four-way stops, right on red, speed limits |
| Safe driving | Drivers under 18 may not use any phone, even hands-free, except to call 911 | Phone laws, bad weather |
| Sharing the road | Failing to stop for a school bus with flashing red lights carries 3 points | School buses, move over, trucks and bikes |
| Alcohol and drugs | Under 21, your license carries a restriction banning any alcohol in your blood | Zero tolerance, implied consent |
| Emergencies and crashes | Failing to report a crash carries 5 points | After a crash |
| Points, suspensions, insurance | 3 points brings a warning letter, 8 a suspension, 12 a revocation | Maryland points, insurance |
Maryland road rules worth memorizing
From the December 2025 Maryland Driver’s Manual:
- Following distance: the MVA recommends at least 3 to 4 seconds in ideal conditions.
- Headlights: on whenever you cannot see clearly 1,000 feet ahead, and whenever your wipers are on in bad weather. Dip to low beams within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within 300 feet when following.
- Move over: for any vehicle stopped, standing or parked on the road with its lights flashing, move to a lane not next to it. If you cannot, slow to a safe speed.
- School buses: when a bus has stopped with its red lights flashing, stop at least 20 feet from it, whether you are behind it or facing it.
- Bicycles: leave at least 3 feet when passing, and yield to cyclists in a bike lane or shoulder when you cross it.
- Seat belts and child seats: everyone must be belted. Children under 8 ride in a child safety seat unless they are 4 feet 9 inches or taller, and children under 2 ride rear-facing.
- Earphones: you may not drive with headsets, earphones or earplugs in both ears. Hearing aids are allowed.
- Insurance: carry your insurance card (electronic is fine) whenever you drive.
- Funeral processions: vehicles in a procession with headlights and hazard lights on have the right of way, even if you have a green light. Wait until the procession has passed unless you can go without crossing its path.
Medical conditions you must report
Maryland law makes you tell the MVA, when you apply or when you are diagnosed, about conditions such as epilepsy or seizures, a stroke, sleep apnea or narcolepsy, blackouts or fainting, diabetes that caused a low blood sugar episode needing help in the past 6 months, a heart condition that caused a loss of consciousness in the past 6 months, a traumatic brain injury, alcohol or drug use problems, and vision below 20/70 in your better eye or a field under 110 degrees. The MVA’s Driver Wellness and Safety Division or Medical Advisory Board then decides on your license. See driving with a medical condition.
Common questions
How old do you have to be to drive in Maryland?
You can get a learner’s permit at 15 years 9 months and a provisional license at 16 years 6 months. A full license comes at 18 at the earliest.
Can a 16 year old drive alone in Maryland?
Not at 16 exactly. Solo driving starts with the provisional license, at 16 years 6 months at the earliest, and only after 9 months on a permit.
Do adults need driver’s ed in Maryland?
Yes. The 30-hour classroom and 6-hour behind-the-wheel course applies to first-time drivers of every age. Drivers 25 and older need only 14 practice hours instead of 60.
Can a parent cancel a teen’s license?
Yes. Under 18, the adult who cosigned your application can ask the MVA in writing to cancel your license. It stays canceled until you turn 18, unless a qualifying adult cosigns a new application.
Who can supervise a Maryland permit driver?
Someone at least 21 who has held a license for at least 3 years and sits in the front passenger seat. Nobody else may sit in the front.
What if I already have a license from another state?
The MVA can issue a license without a permit stage. If you have been licensed for less than 18 months, you get a provisional license for the rest of that time. See moving to a new state.
Do I need a REAL ID?
It is optional for driving but matters for flights. See REAL ID and your first license.
Comparing states? See how to get a driver’s license in the US and GDL laws by state.
Sources
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-103” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-105” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-107” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-111” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-113” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-402” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-404” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §21-1124” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland MVA, “License & ID Fees” (mva.maryland.gov)
- Maryland MVA, “Knowledge Tests” (mva.maryland.gov)
- Maryland MVA, “Full Driver’s License” (mva.maryland.gov)
- Maryland MVA, “Maryland Driver’s Manual” (mva.maryland.gov)