Photo: G. Edward Johnson, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Maryland requires 60 hours of supervised driving practice, with at least 10 at night, before a learner under 25 can take the driving skills test. You record those hours in the Rookie Driver Practice Skills Log (form DL-195). This checklist is for Maryland permit holders and the parents or other adults coaching them. It covers who can supervise, what counts as night driving, how to fill in and sign the log, and how to spread the hours sensibly.
Key facts
- Under 25: at least 60 hours, 10 of them at night.
- 25 or older: at least 14 hours, 3 of them at night.
- “Night” means from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise.
- The signed log goes with your permit to the skills test.
Who can be a Maryland Rookie Driver coach?
Under Transportation Article §16-105, every supervising driver must:
- hold a valid driver’s license
- be at least 21 years old
- have been licensed to drive for at least 3 years
The coach sits in the front passenger seat, and nobody else may sit in the front. More than one coach can share the hours, as long as each one signs for the driving they supervised.
What goes in the Practice Skills Log
The Rookie Driver guide includes the log and a set of practice lessons for coaches. For every session, write down:
- the date
- start and end times
- the skill or activity practiced
- the hours, adding up to a running total
Keep a separate night-hours tally so you can see at a glance when you pass 10 (or 3 if you are 25 or older).
Signing the log: who signs what
- Each supervising driver signs to certify that you showed the required skills and completed the practice hours.
- The parent or guardian who cosigned your permit application also signs, if you are under 18.
- You bring the log and its certification page to the skills test with your unexpired learner’s permit. Without a completed, signed log you cannot take the test.
Practice checklist: covering the skills the test needs
The 60 hours are a minimum. Aim to cover each item below with your coach before you book the test.
- Pre-drive checks: mirrors, seat, seat belts, lights and controls.
- Smooth starting, steering and braking in an empty parking lot.
- Quiet neighborhood streets with light traffic.
- Stop signs, traffic lights and four-way stops.
- Left and right turns, including right on red.
- Pull-in parking, back-in parking and a three-point turn: the closed-course maneuvers on the skills test. Parallel parking is no longer tested, but learn it anyway.
- Busier roads, lane changes and freeway merging.
- Work zones. The posted limit applies even when no workers are present.
- Night driving: at least 10 hours, in different places.
- Rain and poor visibility. See driving in snow, fog and rain.
- Sharing the road with trucks, bikes and motorcycles.
How to spread 60 hours over the permit period
Teens under 19 must hold the permit for at least 9 months, so there is time to build up gradually. As a rough plan, about 7 hours a month across 9 months reaches 60 with a little to spare. Start with short sessions in easy places, and leave night driving and busy roads until the basics are smooth. Log each session the same day, because reconstructing hours later leads to gaps.
Common questions
Can a driving instructor’s hours count toward the 60?
The law counts practice supervised by anyone who meets the coach rules above. Driver education’s 6 behind-the-wheel hours are a separate requirement, so check with your school or the MVA before counting them twice.
Do I need the log if I am over 25?
Yes, but only 14 hours, 3 of them at night.
Can a grandparent or older sibling be my coach?
Yes, if they are 21 or older and have held a license for at least 3 years.
Where do I get the log?
It is part of the MVA’s Rookie Driver practice guide. The MVA has announced an updated edition, so make sure you use the current version from the MVA website.
What counts as night hours?
Driving from 30 minutes before sunset until 30 minutes after sunrise.
Back to the Maryland learner driver guide. Related: the Maryland skills test, driver education requirements, the learner’s permit and supervised hours by state.
Sources
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-105” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland General Assembly, “Transportation Article §16-107” (mgaleg.maryland.gov)
- Maryland MVA, “Rookie Driver Manual: A Practice Guide for Coaches & Drivers” (mva.maryland.gov)
- Maryland MVA, “Updates to Maryland Rookie Driver: A Practice Guide for Coaches & Drivers” (mva.maryland.gov)
- Maryland MVA, “Learner’s Permit” (mva.maryland.gov)
- Maryland MVA, “Maryland Driver’s Manual” (mva.maryland.gov)