Georgia 30-Hour Driver Education for Class D License
Take the online Georgia 30-Hour Driver Education Course to satisfy the Joshua's Law classroom requirement for teens seeking their provisional driver license (Class D). You'll learn about the basics of operating a vehicle, driver responsibilities, Georgia driving laws and more.
American Safety Council is a Georgia DDS-Certified Driver Training School. After you complete your training, you'll be emailed an official Certificate of Completion to bring with you when you apply for your Georgia provisional driver license in 1-2 business days. Your completion of the course is also automatically reported to Georgia DDS within two business days.
Read on for more information about Joshua's Law, what the driver education course covers and the steps to earning your Georgia driver license.
Joshua's Law Course Details
Satisfies Training Requirements for:
Joshua's Law classroom requirement
Accredited by:
Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS)
Designed for:
Georgia teens seeking a provisional license (Class D)
Provides:
Official Georgia DDS Certificate of Completion
Format:
100% online course
Support:
24/7 customer support
What Is Joshua's Law?
Joshua's Law is a Georgia law that applies to teens seeking their Class D provisional driver license. As of January 1, 2007, the law requires any teen under age 17 to take a DDS-approved driver education course and complete 40 hours of supervised driving, including six hours of night driving.
The law is named after Joshua Brown, a high school student who suffered fatal injuries in 2003 after a hydroplaning accident. Joshua's father created the legislation to ensure that teens receive quality driver education that saves lives.
What Will I Learn in the 30-Hour Georgia Driver Education Course?
The Georgia 30-hour driver education course includes 10 learning modules:
- Your Responsibility as a Licensed Driver
- Motor Vehicle Operation Fundamentals
- Motor Vehicle Operation Fundamentals Part 2
- Basic Maneuvering Tasks — Moderate Risk Environments
- Limited Access Driving Environments
- Immediate Risk Information Processing
- Driver Performance — Personal Factors
- Operating a Motor Vehicle — Adverse Conditions
- Vehicle Systems and Performance
- Georgia Driver Responsibilities — Post-License Issuance
To earn your Joshua's Law certificate, you must pass a knowledge test at the end of each module and a final exam that covers all course topics. You must score at least 70% on the final exam and each end-of-module test to pass the course.
Joshua's Law Course Benefits
Upon completion of the Georgia 30-Hour Driver Education Course and final exam, teen drivers will understand how to drive safely and responsibly. They will learn driving skills to use throughout their lifetime.
Teens who earn a Joshua's Law certificate understand that they should put safety first, be aware of others on the road, avoid speeding and never drive while intoxicated.
Knowledge and skills covered in the course include:
- Basic driving maneuvers
- Driving in severe weather
- Signs, signals, markings and intersections
- Traffic control
- Georgia's DUI laws
- Risk assessment
- High-speed driving environments
- Lane management
- Avoiding fatigue and aggressive driving
What Are the Steps to Earning a Georgia Driver License?
Teens seeking a Georgia driver license must first meet the requirements to earn their learner's permit and provisional license. At age 18, teens with a provisional license can apply for their Class C driver license.
Step 1: Learner's Permit (Class CP)
The first step to getting your license is obtaining a Georgia learner's permit. Teens ages 15 and up can apply for a learner's permit by making an appointment at a DDS location.
To earn your permit, you must:
- Be at least 15 years old
- Provide proof of identity
- Provide proof of school enrollment
- Pass a vision exam
- Pass a knowledge exam
You will also be required to take a photo and pay the state permit fee, which is $10. Anyone operating a vehicle with a Georgia learner's permit must be accompanied by a driver-side passenger that is at least 21 years old and holds a valid Class C driver license.
Step 2: Provisional License (Class D)
The second step is obtaining a Class D provisional license. Applicants must be at least 16 years old. A minimum requirement for this license includes holding a learner's permit for at least 12 months and one day.
Additionally, applications must prove they have satisfied their Joshua's Law requirements and have not committed any major traffic violations.
To earn your provisional license, you must:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Hold a learner's permit for at least one year and one day
- Complete a drug and alcohol course (ADAP or eADAP)
- Complete a 30-hour driver education course
- Complete 40 hours of behind-the-wheel training
- Have no major traffic violations on your record
- Provide proof of identity and school enrollment
- Pass a vision exam and road test
Applicants for a provisional license must make an appointment at a Georgia DDS location and provide all required documents. Once your documentation is verified and you pass your road test and vision test, you will need to pay the $10 state fee to earn your Class D license. Please note that Class D drivers must follow certain driving restrictions.
Step 3: Full License (Class C)
The third and final step is obtaining a Class C license, the standard driver license in Georgia. To apply for this license, you must be at least 18 years or old and cannot have committed any major traffic violations in the past year.
Teens with a Class D provisional license can apply online to upgrade to a Class C license. You can start this process within seven days of your 18th birthday. The state fee for a Class C license is $32, and the license will remain valid for eight years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will it take for me to receive my Joshua's Law Certificate of Completion?
After completing 30 hours of online driver education training, you'll receive your certificate by email within one to two business days.
How long is the Joshua's Law course?
Joshua's Law requires teens seeking their license to complete a 30-hour driver education course. You can meet this requirement with an online or in-person class.
How do I get my Joshua's Law certificate?
You will receive your Joshua's Law certificate by email after you complete the Georgia 30-Hour Driver Education Course and pass the online final exam. Your course completion will also be reported to Georgia DDS automatically.
Is driver ed required in Georgia?
Yes, Georgia requires driver education training for all teen drivers under the age of 18. To earn a valid driver license, Georgia teens must satisfy Joshua�s Law requirements by completing a 30-hour driver education course and 40 hours of supervised driving.
Is Joshua's Law the same as driver education?
Joshua's Law is not actually driver education. It is a Georgia law that requires teens to complete a Georgia DDS-approved driver education course and get 40 hours of behind-the-wheel driving experience in order to earn their driver license.
How do I meet the behind-the-wheel training requirement for Joshua's Law?
In addition to the driver education requirement, Joshua's Law requires teens seeking their Class D license to complete 40 hours of supervised driving experience, including six hours of night driving. Georgia DDS provides a Parent/Teen Driving Guide to explain the requirements and assist parents in teaching their teen how to drive.
What is a Georgia provisional license (Class D)?
The Georgia provisional license is available to drivers ages 16 or 17 who have held a Georgia learner's permit for at least 12 months and one day. A provisional license allows you to drive unsupervised, but there are certain restrictions on when you can drive and who you can have as a passenger.
What are the restrictions on a Georgia provisional license?
According to the Georgia DDS website, teens with a provisional license:
- Cannot drive between the hours of midnight and 5:00 a.m.
- Can only have immediate family members as passengers during the first six months after issuance
- Can have no more than one passenger under 21 who is not an immediate family member during the second six months of issuance
One year after drivers are issued a Class D provisional license, they are permitted to have no more than three passengers in the vehicle under 21 years of age who are not members of their immediate family.
Do I need a learner's permit (Class CP) to take this course?
Yes. Students must provide their learner's permit number to be printed on their course completion certificate. Most DDS licensing offices require a Joshua's Law certificate that lists your permit number.
