WV · Drivers education
West Virginia drivers ed guide
West Virginia families can skip a formal drivers ed course: every driver under 18 instead works through three Graduated Driver Licensing levels with 50 logged practice hours, and a Driver Education Card from a completed program can replace the parent's signed log. Adults who have never been licensed begin on a regular Class E instruction permit. After a ticket, an approved classroom defensive driving course takes 3 points off your DMV record once every 12 months, though the conviction stays.
Checked against West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles on 2026-10-23.
Raising a West Virginia Teen Driver: Permit at 15 to Level 3 at 17
This page is for West Virginia parents with a teen turning 15, and for teens who want to know what lies between them and driving alone. Your choice is between a formal drivers ed program and handling the practice yoursel...
- Youngest age for the Level 1 permit15
- Level 1 knowledge test$7.50 each attempt
- Practice needed for Level 250 hours, including 10 at night
Getting a West Virginia License as an Adult First-Time Driver
This page is for anyone 18 or older in West Virginia who has never been licensed, and for adults moving in with a license from elsewhere. The decision is whether to pay for lessons, because no course is required. Never l...
- Course required at 18 or olderNo
- Permit type for new adult driversRegular Class E instruction permit
- Wait before the road test30 days minimum
Cutting Points in West Virginia: The Defensive Driving Course
This page is for West Virginia drivers who have a ticket, are watching their points climb, or just got a suspension notice. The decision is when, and whether, to take an approved classroom defensive driving course. Finis...
- Points the course removes3
- How oftenOnce in 12 months
- Online course acceptedNo; approved classroom courses only