Overview / FAQ
DMV Manual
Brief Overview of this course, this course:
Pennsylvania requires that if you are under 18, you complete a DMV-approved driver education course to earn a certificate of completion. This certificate is necessary to obtain your instruction permit (learner permit) and ultimately your driver's license.
DMV List of approved schools
This course:
Is approved by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education for any student or licensee statewide.
Was designed to provide the opportunity for all young drivers to receive a driving education regardless of where they live.
Consists of only the classroom/online phase of your requirements.
Does not offer driving (the 65-hour Parent/Teen Driving guide. (See below under Driving)
This is what our course consists of:
This course consists of 10 modules, 37 quizzes, and 10 module tests.
Why are there laws regarding Graduated Licenses?
To enhance safety on Pennsylvania roads, changes to the Vehicle Code involving graduated driver licensing requirements were made about passenger restrictions for junior drivers and passenger restraint laws. The rules took effect in Dec. 2011. The changes to the law were initiated to help junior drivers receive more comprehensive training and ease young driver distractions by limiting the number of passengers.
Changes Affecting Graduated Driver Licensing and Passenger Restraint Laws
https://www.dmv.pa.gov/ONLINE-SERVICES/Pages/New-Teen-Driver-Law.aspx
How much time do I have to drive during the supervised driving phase?
The number of hours increased from 50 to 65, including 10 hours at night, and 5 hours in poor weather before taking the junior license test.
Act 81 of 2011 FACT SHEET
https://www.dmv.pa.gov/ONLINE-SERVICES/Pages/New-Teen-Driver-Law.aspx
Can a junior license holder transport any passengers?
For the first 6 months after receiving their junior driver’s license, a driver is not permitted to have more than one passenger under the age of 18 who is not an immediate family member
Immediate family members: brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister of the junior driver and adopted or foster children living in the same household as the junior driver in their vehicle unless they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
If they have not been convicted of a driving violation or been partially or fully responsible for a reportable crash after six months, they may have up to three passengers under age 18 who are not immediate family members only with a parent or legal guardian present.
If they have any convictions or are partially or fully responsible for a reportable crash while a junior driver, they are once again restricted to one passenger.
https://www.dmv.pa.gov/ONLINE-SERVICES/Pages/New-Teen-Driver-Law.aspx
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), no licensed junior driver shall drive a vehicle upon a public highway between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. unless accompanied by a spouse 18 years of age or older, a parent, or a person in loco parentis.
If a probationary driver license holder who is 16 is convicted of having committed one moving violation during the first six months of having a driver's license, the person must be accompanied by a parent or guardian whenever operating a motor vehicle during the six-month period commencing on the date on which the person is convicted of or pleads guilty to the moving violation or until the person turns 17.
Junior Driver's License Information
What are the seat belt requirements?
Drivers and occupants in a vehicle who are under the age of 18 must wear a properly adjusted and fastened seat belt, and children under the age of eight must be securely fastened in a child restraint system. Failure to comply with the new law’s seat belt provisions is a primary offense, meaning that a driver can be pulled over and cited solely for that violation.
Can be found under Click It or Ticket Campaign
Whoever violates this section will be found guilty of a minor misdemeanor and shall be fined not less than $25. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of this section or of a municipal ordinance that is substantially similar, the offender is guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
Change from $25 to $10
Found in the document under (b) Offense
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/75/00.045.081.000..HTM
Offense.--Anyone who fails to comply with the provisions of subsection (a)(1) or (1.1) commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $75. The court imposing and collecting any such fines shall transfer the fines thus collected to the State Treasurer for deposit in the Child Passenger Restraint Fund, pursuant to section 4582 (relating to Child Passenger Restraint Fund).
Anyone who violates subsection (a)(2) or (3) commits a summary offense and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to pay a fine of $10. No person shall be convicted of a violation of subsection (a)(2)(ii) unless the person is also convicted of another violation of this title that occurred at the same time.
Common Questions
When can I get a learner’s permit?
A learner’s permit can be obtained at age 15 years of age and kept for at least 6 months; however, the permit is valid for 1 year. The permit holder must be accompanied by an eligible adult, who is defined as a parent, guardian, legal custodian, or licensed driver age 21 or older acting in loco parentis. The eligible adult must hold a valid driver's license and occupy the front passenger seat.
Found under Learner's Permit
https://www.penndot.pa.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/TrafficSafetyAndDriverTopics/Pages/Young-Driver.aspx
65 hours of adult-supervised skill building: A parent or guardian must certify (Parent or Guardian Certification Form (DL-180C)) that the young driver's six months of skill building included at least 65 hours of practical, adult-supervised driving experience. The 65 must include 10 hours of night driving and five hours of driving in poor weather conditions. The night driving and poor weather hours do not apply for a motorcycle learner's permit; however, the 65 hours of practical driving experience must still be achieved.
Parent or Guardian Certification Form (DL-180C))
https://www.penndot.pa.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/TrafficSafetyAndDriverTopics/Pages/Young-Driver.aspx
Have the ages at which permits and driver licenses are issued been raised because of this new law?
https://www.dot.state.pa.us/Public/DVSPubsForms/BDL/BDL%20Publications/Pub%20178.pdf
No, the ages remain the same: 15½ years old for a permit, and 16 years old for a driver's license.
Found under APPLYING FOR A LEARNER’S PERMIT
Are 18-year-old drivers affected by the new teen driving law?
No, they are not. The law changes apply to permit holders and driver's license holders under the age of 18.
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2011&sessInd=0&act=81
What is the definition of a “family member”?
Family member of a probationary license holder includes any of the following: a parent, step-parent, grandparent, or parent-in-law, a sibling, whether of whole or half blood or by adoption, a brother-in-law or sister-in-law, a spouse, a child or step-child, an aunt or uncle, a son or daughter of the probationary license holder’s step-parent if the step-parent has not adopted the probationary license holder.
Changes to Junior Driver Passenger Restrictions
https://www.dmv.pa.gov/ONLINE-SERVICES/Pages/New-Teen-Driver-Law.aspx
Two family members, both 16, are in the same vehicle. Both are probationary license holders. How many passengers may ride in the vehicle?
Only 1 passenger, who is not a family member, would be allowed to ride in the vehicle. It is based upon who is operating the vehicle.
Passenger limitation:
If a 16-year-old probationary license holder is driving a vehicle with a passenger 18 years or older, can they have another passenger with them?
Passenger limitation:
No, the age of the passenger does not matter. If the passenger is not a family member, they can only have one passenger in the vehicle, unless the driver’s parent or guardian is in the vehicle.
Passenger limitation:
Would I need to present proof of relationship for additional passengers?
Proof of relationship is not required by law, but it could be helpful to avoid being charged with a violation.
section 2.1
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2011&sessInd=0&act=81
Are there exceptions for 16-year-old drivers to take more than one unrelated passenger to school or school activities?
section 2.1
https://www.dmv.pa.gov/ONLINE-SERVICES/Pages/New-Teen-Driver-Law.aspx
No, 16-year-old licensed drivers are not permitted to transport more than one person who is not a family member at any time, unless the driver’s parent or guardian is in the vehicle as well.
Students carpool to and from school and activities. Allowing fewer passengers in one vehicle increases the amount of vehicles operated, as well as increases emissions. Why increase the likelihood of more crashes?
Passenger limitation
https://www.penndot.pa.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/Documents/Teen%20Driver%20Safety%20TPs.pdf
Statistics indicate a higher rate of accidents/fatalities to and from school when groups of teenagers are riding in one vehicle.
https://www.penndot.pa.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/Documents/2022_CFB_linked.pdf
Why were the restricted hours expanded from 1 a.m.-5 a.m. to 11 pm -5 a.m.?
11 p.m. and 5 a.m. found under Learner permit
Statistics indicate more accidents/fatalities occur during these hours.
stats 2022 p 20
https://www.penndot.pa.gov/TravelInPA/Safety/Documents/2022_CFB_linked.pdf
How are these new laws going to be enforced?
Whoever violates having more than one passenger in the vehicle, who is not a family member, is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. It is a primary violation, meaning law enforcement can pull over a vehicle solely for violating the passenger limit law; they do not have to see any other violations. A restricted nighttime hours violation is secondary, so law enforcement would need another reason to pull the vehicle over.
Found Under 2.1
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/li/uconsCheck.cfm?yr=2011&sessInd=0&act=81