How To Get A Learners Permit In Georgia

Under Georgia law, teens under the age of 18 must be enrolled in public school, private school, or home school in order to obtain a driver's permit or driver's license. For homeschoolers, this means you will need to provide a copy of your Declaration of Intent with the 36-character signature code on the parent signature line, along with the other DDS required documents. You can use the links provided below to find more information on the Georgia Department of Driver Services website

Additionally, teens under the age of 18 must complete an Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program (ADAP) in order to apply for their driver's license. ADAP is a 4-hour course usually completed in conjunction with classes taken at a traditional school. There is an electronic version of this course (eADAP) available for teens who are not able to take the traditional ADAP course. For more information on eADAP, click here.

NOTE: Some driver's education programs have included ADAP as part of their instruction. If your student is participating in a DDS approved program, check to see if ADAP is a part of their program. Also, make sure you will receive an ADAP certificate upon completion as this is your proof of successfully completing this requirement. You do not need to complete eADAP if you receive an ADAP certificate.

What is Joshua's Law?

In 2005, the Georgia General Assembly passed Senate Bill 226 which is also known as Joshua's Law. Taking effect in 2007, this bill changed the requirements for teens (under the age of 18) applying for a driver's license. The Joshua Law requirements depend on the age of the child when s/he applies for his/her driver's license.

If your child is 16 years old when applying, s/he must complete a Georgia DDS approved driver's education course and a total of 40 hours of supervised driving (6 of which must be at night). You can search for approved driver's education courses online at this website . The DDS approved courses include both traditional classroom instruction as well as virtual, online instruction.

If your child is 17 years old when applying, s/he must complete a total of 40 hours of supervised driving (6 of which must be at night), but does not need to show successful completion of an approved driver's education course.

How does my child complete the 40 hours of supervised driving?

According to the DDS, there are two ways to fulfill this requirement.

The student successfully completes 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training with a DDS approved school and 40 hours of supervised training with a parent/guardian.
The student successfully completes the Parent Teen Driving Guide provided by the DDS.

The following links to the Georgia DDS website are provided for your convenience.

Driver's Manual, Parent Teen Driving Guide, and other DDS forms can be found here.

Requirements for Instructional Permit can be found here.

Requirements for Provisional Driver's License (under the age of 18) can be found here.

Requirements for Class C Driver's License (18 years old or older) can be found here.

List of DDS accepted documents to show proof of residency, citizenship status, social security, etc., can be found here.