Driving Tests

Georgia Class D License Rules: Curfew, Passengers and Upgrade at 18

informational·how to guide·Published September 4, 2026

When can you get a Georgia Class D license, and when can you not drive?

In Georgia, you can get a Class D license at age 16 if you held a Class CP permit for at least 1 year and 1 day, had no major violation that suspended it, finished Joshua's Law and ADAP, and pass the road test. You may not drive from 12:00 midnight to 5:00 a.m., with no exceptions. For the first 6 months, only immediate family may ride with you.

Where the Georgia Class D facts come from

The Class D rules come from the DDS page on the Class D Provisional License. The Class D to Class C upgrade comes from the DDS page on the Class C Driver's License. Driver education, immediate family, the revocation fee and the upgrade cost come from the DDS Drivers Manual; the list of major violations comes from the TADRA chapter of the DDS ADAP manual, and the Class D fee from the DDS Fees and Terms page. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the Georgia Department of Driver Services (dds.georgia.gov) before you drive.

Georgia Class D rules at a glance

Georgia Class D rules at a glance
Topic	Rule
Minimum age	16
Permit time	Class CP permit held at least 1 year and 1 day
Fee and term	$10 for a 5-year Class D license
Night driving	Not allowed from 12:00 midnight to 5:00 a.m., no exceptions
Passengers	Immediate family only for the first 6 months, then wider limits
Upgrade	Class C at age 18, if you have no listed major violation in the 12 months before

Class D license: who it is for

A Class D Provisional License is for drivers under 18. It is the second phase in Georgia's teen driver licensing process, after the Class CP permit and before the full Class C license. The Class D card is vertical and clearly shows that the driver is under 21.

What you need to get a Class D license

Be at least 16 years old.
Hold a valid Class CP permit for at least 1 year and 1 day. If you held an out-of-state permit, you must transfer it to Georgia, and the total time held must still be at least 1 year and 1 day.
Have no major traffic violation that caused a suspension of your permit.
Finish all Joshua's Law requirements: an approved driver education course with 30 hours of classroom or equivalent online instruction and 6 hours of behind-the-wheel training, plus at least 40 hours of other driving, with at least 6 hours at night. Read more in our guide to Joshua's Law and driver education.
Finish ADAP or eADAP, the Alcohol and Drug Awareness Program.
At the Customer Service Center, pass a vision exam and the road test. If you are under 18, bring proof of school enrollment and a parent or guardian, responsible adult, or authorized driver training instructor to sign the License/ID/Permit form.

Georgia Class D curfew: no driving from midnight to 5:00 a.m.

With a Class D license, you may not drive between 12:00 midnight and 5:00 a.m., and the rule has no exceptions. Plan evening trips so that you are off the road before midnight, and start early-morning trips at 5:00 a.m. or later. To check yourself, try the free practice question on the Class D night driving rule.

Who can ride with a Class D driver

Who can ride with a Class D driver
Time since your Class D was issued	Passengers allowed
First 6 months	Only immediate family members
Second 6 months	Only one passenger under 21 who is not an immediate family member
After 1 year	Up to three passengers under 21 who are not immediate family members

Who counts as immediate family

For the passenger rule, an immediate family member is one of your parents or stepparents, grandparents, siblings or step-siblings, or children, or any other person who lives at your residence. So an aunt or a cousin who lives in your home counts as family, and one who lives elsewhere does not. Check yourself with the free practice question on passengers in the first six months.

What to avoid in the 12 months before your Class C upgrade

Driving under the influence (DUI).
Using a motor vehicle to flee or attempt to elude a police officer.
Racing on highways or streets.
Reckless driving.
Hit and run, or leaving the scene of a crash.
Any violation that added four or more points to your driver's license.
Under TADRA, a driver under 21 convicted of fleeing, racing, reckless driving, hit and run or another offense with 4 or more points also loses the license for 6 months for a first conviction. See our guide to Georgia teen driver penalties.

How to upgrade from Class D to Class C at 18

1
Wait until you are 18
A Class C Driver's License is for drivers 18 years of age and older.
2
Check your record
Make sure that you have no conviction from the list above in the 12 months before you apply.
3
Start the upgrade online
Use DDS Online Services or the DDS 2 GO mobile app. Both take only credit or debit cards.
4
Pay the fee
For a U.S. citizen, the Class C license costs $32 for an 8-year term.

Can a parent revoke a Class D license before 18?

Yes. The person who signed your License/ID/Permit form can ask DDS to revoke your license, for any reason, at any time before your 18th birthday. The request uses a DDS form with the signer's notarized signature, and the non-refundable fee is $10.00.

Key takeaways

You need to be 16, to hold a Class CP permit for at least 1 year and 1 day, to finish Joshua's Law and ADAP, and to pass the road test.
You may not drive from 12:00 midnight to 5:00 a.m., with no exceptions.
Only immediate family can ride with you in the first 6 months, one non-family passenger under 21 in the second 6 months, and up to three after 1 year.
At 18, upgrade to Class C with Online Services or the DDS 2 GO app, if you have no listed major violation in the last 12 months.
Next step: practice on the free Georgia Class C practice test.

Georgia Class D license: common questions

Is a Georgia Class D license only for 16-year-olds?

No. You must be at least 16 to apply, and the Class D is for drivers under 18, so 17-year-olds can hold it too. At age 18, a Class D holder can move to a Class C license if no listed major violation is on the record for the 12 months before.

Can a friend ride with me in my first 6 months?

Only if the friend lives at your home. In the first 6 months, only immediate family may ride, and that includes any person who lives at your residence. In the second 6 months, one passenger under 21 who is not family may ride with you.

Can I drive home from work after midnight with a Class D license?

No. The Class D curfew from 12:00 midnight to 5:00 a.m. has no exceptions, so a job, a school event or a family errand does not change it. If your shift ends after midnight, plan another way to get home.

Can I get a Class D license if my permit was suspended?

Not if a major traffic violation caused the suspension. To get a Class D, you must have no major traffic violation that resulted in the suspension of your permit. You must also meet the other rules: age 16, the 1 year and 1 day permit time, Joshua's Law, ADAP and the road test.

Do I need to take a test to upgrade from Class D to Class C?

Not if you are a U.S. citizen. When a Class D holder exchanges the license for a Class C at 18, no other documentation or testing is required for U.S. citizens. You can start the upgrade in DDS Online Services or the DDS 2 GO app.