by Jim Thompson | Last Updated: March 1, 2021

Georgia teens wanting to get a Georgia provisional drivers license will need to complete a drivers education course. This course will consist of both classroom and behind the wheel training. The classroom portion may be completed at a professional driving school or online.

Georgia Drivers Ed and Joshua’s Law

The Georgia legislature created Joshua’s Law to ensure that teenage drivers are properly prepared before getting behind the wheel. This law requires 16-year-olds to complete both a state-approved drivers ed course and 40 hours of practice driving (including six hours of night driving).

For drivers age 17 or older, the law doesn’t require the completion of drivers ed, but the practice driving requirement must still be fulfilled.

Eligibility Requirements for Drivers Ed Georgia

Before enrolling in drivers ed, a driving candidate must hold a Georgia driving permit. To qualify for the permit, the new driver must be at least 15 years old and will have to pass a written test.

There are several ways to prepare for a permit test, including:

• Studying the Georgia DDS driver handbook
• Completing a driver prep course
• By making use of a permit practice test

Georgia permit practice tests will allow you to know exactly what is expected from you on your permit exam because practice tests feature questions taken from actual Department of Driver Services exams. It’s like knowing the answers before the test even begins!

New to Georgia?

If you have recently moved to Georgia in completed drivers ed in another state, you may not need to retake drivers ed. Contact the Georgia Department of Driver Services at (866) 754-3687 to ask about qualification details. If you are a military dependent or older, you may also contact the DDS for detailed information about transferring an out-of-state license or permit.

How Georgia Drivers Ed Works

Georgia drivers ed is delivered in two parts. To fulfill all requirements, a student must:

• Complete 30 hours of instruction either in a classroom or online
• Six hours of behind the wheel training with an approved instructor OR the 40-hour parent program provided by the state

Nothing beats the convenience of an online defensive driving course, but it’s important that you select the right one. To meet all requirements, the course you select must be approved by the Georgia Department of Driver Services. To start your search for an online course, take a look at our list of Georgia DDS approved course providers.

The classroom curriculum will cover topics such as:

• Georgia traffic law
• Handling emergency situations
• Sharing the road safely with others
• Defensive driving and safety techniques

Out Of Georgia Drivers Ed and Out Onto the Road

Once you have completed drivers ed you are ready to apply for your intermediate license. To do so, you must:

• Be at least 16 years old
• Have held your learners permit for at least 12 months
• Have completed 40 hours of practice driving (including six hours at night) supervised by a licensed driver 21 years of age or older
• Complete ADAP, an alcohol and drug awareness program
• Pass a vision exam and a road skills test