Photo: Skip Plitt, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In Virginia, a first driver’s license for someone under 18 is not handed over at DMV. It is sent to your local juvenile and domestic relations district court, and a judge gives it to you at a formal licensing ceremony. Until then, you drive on a temporary license. This explainer covers how the ceremony works, who must attend and when it can be skipped.
Key facts (Code of Virginia 46.2-336, as of November 2026)
- DMV sends original licenses for under 18s to the juvenile and domestic relations court where you live.
- A judge or substitute judge issues the license at a formal ceremony about the responsibility of driving.
- If you are under 18 at the ceremony, a parent, guardian, spouse or person acting as a parent must come with you.
- Courts may waive the ceremony or hold it differently. Then DMV mails the license to you.
- Teens who already hold a valid license from another state are not part of this process.
Before the ceremony: your temporary license
Once you pass driver education, including the road skills assessment, and are at least 16 years and 3 months old, your learner’s permit plus the signed driver ed completion documentation counts as a temporary driver’s license. You can drive without a supervisor, subject to the provisional license rules.
- The temporary license is valid only until you receive your permanent license.
- The Board of Education regulation calls it a 180-day temporary license, so watch for your court notice well within that time.
- Carry both the permit and the completion paperwork whenever you drive.
What happens at the Virginia licensing ceremony
- Notice: the court contacts you with the date and time.
- Attend with an adult: if you are still under 18, a parent, guardian, spouse or other person acting as a parent must come.
- The ceremony: the judge explains the responsibility that comes with driving. The local Commonwealth’s attorney may ask to take part and speak about enforcement, prosecutions and penalties.
- Your license: the judge hands you your license.
When the ceremony can be skipped or changed
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| The chief judge of your court district has waived the ceremony | DMV mails or delivers the license directly to you |
| The chief judge orders an alternative format | The ceremony is held in that manner |
| You are a student at a school outside Virginia | The judge may mail or deliver the license for good cause |
| You hold a valid license from another state | The ceremony rules do not apply |
Practice varies between districts, so check with your local juvenile and domestic relations court.
Common questions
Do my parents have to come to the licensing ceremony?
Yes, if you are under 18 on the day. A parent, guardian, spouse or other person acting as a parent must accompany you.
What if I turn 18 before the ceremony?
The accompanying-adult rule applies only if you are under 18 when the ceremony is held.
Can I drive while waiting for the ceremony?
Yes, on your temporary license (permit plus driver ed completion documentation), as long as all other requirements are met.
Why does Virginia have a court ceremony?
The law requires the judge to stress the responsibility that comes with the privilege of driving, with parents present.
What if I miss my ceremony date?
Contact the court on your notice straight away to rearrange. Your temporary license does not last forever.
Back to the full guide: learning to drive in Virginia. Related: the road skills test and driver ed waiver and the 45-hour log and driver ed.
Sources
- Virginia General Assembly, “Code of Virginia 46.2-336: Manner of issuing original driver’s licenses to minors” (law.lis.virginia.gov)
- Virginia General Assembly, “Code of Virginia 46.2-334: Conditions and requirements for licensure of persons under 18” (law.lis.virginia.gov)
- Virginia General Assembly, “Code of Virginia 46.2-335: Learner’s permits” (law.lis.virginia.gov)
- Virginia General Assembly, “8VAC20-340-10: Driver education program” (law.lis.virginia.gov)
- Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, “Parents in the Driver’s Seat” (DMV 16, 2014 edition) (dmv.virginia.gov)