Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia has a very confusing process. You don't have to do all the steps in a specified order. My DS has a very late summer birthday and took the classroom portion of Driver's Ed BEFORE he was old enough to take the permit test.

To get a license you need to complete:
Permit Test
Hours driving with a parent
Classroom driver's ed (taken during PE if you're in FCPS)
Partners for Teen Safe Driving presentation - offered during the evenings at various FCPS high schools
Behind the Wheel - can take it through ACE (FCPS Adult Community Education) or a private company like I Drive Smart

The earliest you can take your permit test is at 15 years and 6 months. The earliest you can get your license is 16 years and 3 months. You need to have your permit for a minimum of 9 months.

Thank you so much!

Why cant FCPS put this in such a simple direct way? I was going through the pages of stuff and pdf's and it is like filling a jigsaw puzzle.

I wish they just listed this out in logical order like you did.

Thank you!!

They explain it in school when the students take Driver’s Ed - so your DC should have learned that. You can also look it up on the state DMV website. It isn’t FCPS responsibility to make sure kids get their licenses.

Count your lucky stars they have made it simpler.
Prior to COVID, the student would get a provisional license after Behind the Wheel (if they passed) and get a postcard in the mail three months later with a court date and they and a guardian had to go the courthouse to listen to a judge tell them to act responsibly. Then the judge gave the license to the guardian and said it was up to the guardian to give it to the student or not. If you couldn’t make the court date, they would give you another date a month or two after that. A couple hundred kids and their guardians would be in the room together and you had to wait until your student’s name was called.

That's crazy! It currently feels like a more thorough process than I remember from when I was 15/16. I think this is probably a good thing, especially considering driving conditions in our area. I was surprised at how difficult the written test is to pass. I have several friends whose kids failed it multiple times.

Is Behind the Wheel that is offered at the high schools after school? How many days? Wondering how that will work with spring sports - might need to wait til summer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virginia has a very confusing process. You don't have to do all the steps in a specified order. My DS has a very late summer birthday and took the classroom portion of Driver's Ed BEFORE he was old enough to take the permit test.

To get a license you need to complete:
Permit Test
Hours driving with a parent
Classroom driver's ed (taken during PE if you're in FCPS)
Partners for Teen Safe Driving presentation - offered during the evenings at various FCPS high schools
Behind the Wheel - can take it through ACE (FCPS Adult Community Education) or a private company like I Drive Smart

The earliest you can take your permit test is at 15 years and 6 months. The earliest you can get your license is 16 years and 3 months. You need to have your permit for a minimum of 9 months.

Thank you so much!

Why cant FCPS put this in such a simple direct way? I was going through the pages of stuff and pdf's and it is like filling a jigsaw puzzle.

I wish they just listed this out in logical order like you did.

Thank you!!

They explain it in school when the students take Driver’s Ed - so your DC should have learned that. You can also look it up on the state DMV website. It isn’t FCPS responsibility to make sure kids get their licenses.

Count your lucky stars they have made it simpler.
Prior to COVID, the student would get a provisional license after Behind the Wheel (if they passed) and get a postcard in the mail three months later with a court date and they and a guardian had to go the courthouse to listen to a judge tell them to act responsibly. Then the judge gave the license to the guardian and said it was up to the guardian to give it to the student or not. If you couldn’t make the court date, they would give you another date a month or two after that. A couple hundred kids and their guardians would be in the room together and you had to wait until your student’s name was called.