Supervised practice and driver education in Georgia

By the end of this topic you can

• You can explain what Joshua's Law requires for a Class D at 16 or 17.
• You can state how many supervised hours you need and how many must be at night.
• You can describe who may supervise you on a permit.
• You can explain how ADAP fits into the licensing process.
• You can plan practice sessions that cover a range of roads and conditions.

What you need to know and understand

• Joshua's Law driver education is 30 hours of classroom instruction or an equivalent online course.
• It also includes 6 hours behind the wheel with a certified instructor, or completion of the DDS Parent/Teen Driving Guide.
• Separately, you need at least 40 hours of other supervised driving, including at least 6 hours at night.
• A parent or guardian signs an affidavit at the road test to confirm the 40 hours.
• ADAP is required for anyone under 18 getting a license; it is taught in most schools and is also available online.
• Your supervisor must be at least 21, licensed for Class C vehicles and seated beside you.
• Adults 18 and older do not need driver education or ADAP, but they still sign the 40-hour affidavit.

Joshua's Law in plain terms

Joshua's Law is Georgia's driver education requirement for teens. To get a Class D at 16 or 17 you need a course approved by the Department of Driver Services (DDS) made up of two parts:

• Theory: 30 hours of classroom teaching, or an equivalent online virtual course.
• Behind the wheel: 6 hours on the road with a certified instructor, or completion of the DDS Parent/Teen Driving Guide with a parent.

The 40 hours and the night requirement

On top of driver education, you must build up at least 40 hours of supervised driving, at least 6 of them at night. DDS does not ask you to hand in a detailed log, but a parent or guardian signs an affidavit at the road test to certify the hours were done. If you used a certified instructor for the 6 behind-the-wheel hours, a separate document confirming that is also completed at the road test.

There is one notable exception. Children of active-duty U.S. military parents may use an out-of-state driver education certificate if they move to Georgia within 9 months of their 16th birthday.

Getting the most from practice drives

Our 40-hour Parent/Teen guide, our Joshua's Law guide and our ADAP guide explain each requirement in more depth.

1. Start in an empty parking lot to learn steering, braking and smooth starts.
2. Move to quiet residential streets at 30 mph or below.
3. Add busier roads, left turns at lights and four-way stops.
4. Practice parallel parking, straight-line backing and turnabouts, which are scored on the road test.
5. Drive in rain and at night, then on multi-lane highways once you are confident.

Common mistakes

• Leaving the 6 night hours until the last week. Spread them out so you see dusk, darkness and rain at night.
• Assuming ADAP and driver education are the same course. They are separate requirements unless your course clearly includes both.
• Practicing with a supervisor who is under 21. That drive does not count and breaks permit rules.
• Only practicing familiar routes. The road test route will be new to you.

Test yourself: Supervised practice and driver education in Georgia

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

Go deeper

• Georgia 40-Hour Supervised Driving and the Parent/Teen Guide
• Georgia Permit Practice Test
• Georgia ADAP and eADAP