Provisional Driver's License
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About provisional licenses
A provisional license is the second step in Maryland’s Rookie Driver program. With a provisional license, you can drive without a supervising driver. This is your chance to build real-world driving experience. However, you must still follow important restrictions to keep yourself and others safe.
Requirements for a provisional license
Requirements to apply for a provisional license depend on your age and education status.
Requirements for a provisional license
- Hold a learner’s permit for at least 9 months
- Complete a certified drivers education course that includes 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours behind-the-wheel training
- Complete 60 supervised practice driving hours, including at least 10 nighttime hours
- Have no recent moving violations. You must not have been convicted of, or granted probation before judgment for, a moving violation within the past 9 months.
- Hold a learner’s permit for at least 3 months
- Complete a certified drivers education course that includes 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours behind-the-wheel training
- Complete 60 supervised practice driving hours, including at least 10 nighttime hours
- Have no recent moving violations. You must not have been convicted of, or granted probation before judgment for, a moving violation within the past 9 months.
- Hold a learner’s permit for at least 3 months
- Complete a certified drivers education course that includes 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours behind-the-wheel training
- Complete 60 supervised practice driving hours, including at least 10 nighttime hours
- Have no recent moving violations. You must not have been convicted of, or granted probation before judgment for, a moving violation within the past 9 months.
- Hold a learner’s permit for at least 45 days
- Complete a certified drivers education course that includes 30 hours of classroom instruction and 6 hours behind-the-wheel training
- Complete 14 supervised practice driving hours, including at least 3 nighttime hours
- Have no recent moving violations. You must not have been convicted of, or granted probation before judgment for, a moving violation within the past 9 months.
How to apply for a provisional license
To apply for your provisional license, you must successfully pass the behind-the-wheel driving test.
Parent approval for drivers under 18
Drivers under 18 need permission from a parent, guardian, or co-signer to have a provisional driver’s license. Parents and guardians may withdraw their consent for driving at any time.
Rules for driving with a provisional license
If you are under under 18, your provision license has the following restrictions:
- Passenger restrictions: For the first 151 days, you may not drive with passengers under 18 unless they are your immediate family members, without a qualified supervising driver must be in the car.
- Nighttime driving: You may not drive between midnight and 5 a.m. unless:
- A licensed, experienced driver (at least 21 years old with 3 years of driving) is with you, or
- You are driving to or from a job, official school activity, organized volunteer program, or athletic event/training.
- Phone and device use: You may not use any wireless communication device, even hands-free.
- Safety belts: You must wear a seatbelt every trip, and all passengers must wear seatbelts or child safety seats.
- Alcohol restriction: You may not drive with any measurable alcohol in your system.
If you are 18 or older, your provision license has the following restrictions:
- If you are under 21, you may not drive with any measurable alcohol in your system.
- If you are 21 or older, you must follow Maryland’s impaired driving laws.
Penalties for breaking provisional license restrictions
If you break the rules on your provisional license, you face serious penalties.
- Passenger restrictions: Your license will be suspended for 1 year.
- Nighttime driving restrictions: Your license will be suspended for 1 year.
- Phone and device use: Your license can be suspended for 90 days.
- Alcohol restriction: After the first violation, you must use an Ignition Interlock device or have your license suspended for 6 months. After the second violation, your license will be revoked
Penalties for moving violations with a provisional license
If you have a provisional license and get a moving violation, you may get points and fines. You also can face extra penalties called sanctions.
Penalties for moving violations with a provisional license
After the first office, you’ll need to attend a Driver Improvement Program.
- Second offense
- Your license will be suspended for 30 days.
- After the suspension ends, you’ll be allowed to drive only to work or school for 90 days.
- Third offense
- You must complete a Young Driver Improvement Program
- Your license will be suspended for 180 days
- After the suspension ends, you’ll be allowed to drive only to work or school for 180 days.
- Fourth offense and beyond
- Your license will be revoked.
- You must retake all driving tests to get your license reinstated.
- Second offense: Your license will be suspended for 30 days
- Third offense and beyond: Your license will be suspended for 180 days
Points are added to your driving record when you break certain traffic laws.
The first time you accumulate 5 or more points in a 12 month period, your provisional license will be suspended for 6 months.
For all subsequent times that you accumulate 5 or more points in a 12 month period, your provisional license will be suspended for 12 months.
High risk driving is speeding, racing, reckless, aggressive or negligent driving.
If you are convicted of high risk driving with a provisional license, your license will be suspended for 6 months for the first offense, and 1 year for subsequent high risk offenses.
Parental notifications
If a new driver under 18 is cited for a moving violation, the MVA will notify the adult who co-signed the application.
Getting a full license
Drivers with a provisional license must keep a clean driving record for 18 months in order to get a full driver’s license.
If you are convicted of a traffic offense or receive probation before judgment (PBJ), your 18-month period will start over. Your 18 months will restart from the date you were convicted or given PBJ, or the date your license was restored after a suspension or revocation.