Supervised practice and driver education in Massachusetts

By the end of this topic you can

• You can list the parts of an RMV-approved driver's education program.
• You can state how many supervised hours a parent or guardian must certify.
• You can describe who may supervise a permit holder.
• You can plan practice that covers a wide range of roads and conditions.

What you need to know and understand

• Driver's education includes 30 hours of classroom instruction, 12 hours behind the wheel and 6 hours observing other student drivers.
• You must pass a final exam so the school can file your certificate electronically with the RMV.
• A parent or guardian must certify at least 40 hours of supervised driving, or 30 hours if you completed a driver skills development program.
• A parent or guardian must attend two hours of the driver's education curriculum, unless they did so in the past five years.
• Your supervisor must be at least 21, have one year of experience, hold a valid U.S. license and sit in the front passenger seat.
• Driving schools in Massachusetts must be licensed by the RMV.

What driver's ed must include

If you moved here after completing driver's education in another state, you can apply to convert that certificate. It is accepted only if the program met or beat Massachusetts minimums.

• 30 hours of classroom teaching.
• 12 hours of in-car, behind-the-wheel training with an instructor.
• 6 hours in the car observing other student drivers.
• A final exam, after which your certificate is filed electronically with the RMV.
• A two-hour session for a parent or guardian.

Building your 40 hours

The 40 hours are on top of driver's ed lessons. Spread them over the whole six-month permit period rather than cramming. Short, frequent drives build habits better than a few long ones.

Work from quiet streets to busier roads: parking lots, residential streets, main roads, highways and rotaries. Include rain, dusk and winter conditions, because the manual stresses practicing in different weather. Remember that under-18 permit holders cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless a parent or guardian is with them.

A practice log that works

1. Write down the date, time, length and route of every drive.
2. Note the skill you focused on, such as three-point turns or merging.
3. Mark night and bad-weather drives so you can see gaps.
4. Review the log with your supervisor every couple of weeks.

Common mistakes

• Counting driver's ed lessons toward the 40 parent-supervised hours. They are separate requirements.
• Practicing with a supervisor who is under 21 or newly licensed. They do not qualify.
• Only driving familiar local routes. Examiners and real traffic will test you on unfamiliar roads.
• Leaving the parent class until the last minute. Without it the requirements are not complete.

Test yourself: Supervised practice and driver education in Massachusetts

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

Go deeper

• Massachusetts Driver’s Ed and 40-Hour Practice Checklist
• Massachusetts Permit Practice Test
• How to Drive Through a Massachusetts Rotary