The state of Maryland requires the following process to obtain a noncommercial, class C driver's license...

1) Learner's Permit
An applicant may apply for a learner's permit at the age of 15 years and 9 months. To obtain the learner's permit the applicant should study the Maryland Driver's Manual. The applicant will then take a 25 question test administered by MVA. A learner's permit must be held for a minimum of 9 months (with no moving violations). If a moving violation occurs within 9 months, they must start over again for another 9 months. A learner's permit expires after 2 years.

2) Practice Requirements

For a minimum of 9 months the applicant is required to practice. The MVA will provide a skills log book. The applicant must log a minimum of 60 hours of practice with a mentor in the log book. The mentor must be at least 21 years old and must have held their license for at least 3 years.

3) Driver's Education

This is also a mandatory requirement. Maryland Driving School is happy to provide our MVA-certified driver's education program of 30 hours of classrom instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction. When these requirements are successfully completed Maryland Driving School will electronically notify MVA for the student. After 2 or 3 business days the student will be able to schedule the driving test with MVA.

4) Schedule and take the driving test

All driving tests must be scheduled in advance.
Click here to schedule your MVA driving test

The actual driving test will be conducted at MVA. An examiner from MVA will sit in the passenger side of your car and ask you to perform some driving maneuvers. Note: parallel parking is no longer a requirement in the first part of the test (basic maneuvers). In the second part of the test you will drive on the street with normal traffic and pedestrians for about 10-12 minutes.

5) Provisional License

After passing your driving test you will have a provisional license. You must drive without any violations for 18 consecutive months with the provisional license. If you obtain a moving violation before 18 months, your 18 months will start over from the beginning. For the first 5 months the driver may not have any friends under 18 years in the vehicle (unless a family member or a supervising driver is present).

After 18 months of violation-free driving your provisional license will convert to a full driver's license!