Driving Tests

West Virginia Level 3 License at 17: How to Get Your Full Class E

informational·how to guide·Published August 5, 2026

When can you get a West Virginia Level 3 full Class E license?

You can get a West Virginia Level 3 full Class E license at 17, after 12 conviction-free months on your Level 2 intermediate license and after any driver improvement program the law required. You do not take the knowledge test or road skills test again, but you apply at a DMV Regional Office or Testing Center. The fee is charged for each year until you turn 21.

Where the Level 3 rules come from

West Virginia sets the Level 3 rules in W. Va. Code 17B-2-3a. The DMV graduated driver licensing page and the DMV fees page list the age, the restrictions and the fees. The West Virginia Driver's Licensing Handbook, the DMV GDL brochure, the DMV point system page and the DMV driver's licenses page add the office visit, the expiry date, the point rules and the temporary card. This guide is current as of 2026. Confirm the rules with the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles (dmv.wv.gov) before you drive.

What you need for a Level 3 license

What you need for a Level 3 license
Requirement	What the rule says
Age	You must be at least 17.
Time on Level 2	You must have held the Level 2 intermediate license conviction free for the 12 months right before you apply.
Level 2 license status	Your driving privilege must not be suspended, revoked or canceled.
Application	You present a completed application.
Driver improvement program	If the law required one after a violation, you must finish it first.
Fee	You pay a fee for each year the license is valid. See the fee table below.

Do you take the tests again?

No. The law says the DMV may issue a Level 3 license "without further examination or road skills testing" when you meet the requirements. A free practice question on Level 3 eligibility shows how the 17 and 12-month rules work together.

How to get your Level 3 license

1
Count your conviction-free months
Check that you are 17 or older and that your Level 2 license has had no conviction for the last 12 months.
2
Finish any required program
After a first conviction for a moving violation or for breaking a Level 2 rule, you must enroll in an approved driver improvement program. Complete it before you apply.
3
Go to the DMV
Visit a DMV Regional Office or Testing Center and present a completed application.
4
Pay the fee
Pay the fee for each year until age 21. The fee table below shows the official figures.
5
Use the temporary card
At a Regional Office, you get a temporary card that is valid for 60 days. The permanent license comes by mail, because all licenses are printed at a central location.

Which tickets stop the 12-month count?

A conviction on Level 2 restarts the 12-month count, because you need 12 conviction-free months right before you apply. Under the Handbook, a phone citation on Level 2 also starts the 12 months over. On the DMV list, a headlamp violation and an improper backing violation do not count. At the Commissioner's discretion, a finished driver improvement program can also cancel the effect of a minor violation, as the Commissioner defines it. Our guide on GDL violations, points and zero tolerance covers the penalties in more detail.

Do you have to switch to Level 3?

No. Level 3 is your option: you can apply for it, or keep the Level 2 license and follow its restrictions until age 18. A Level 2 license expires 30 days after your 18th birthday, or when you qualify for Level 3, whichever comes first. If you plan to wait, read the Level 2 intermediate license rules first.

What still applies on Level 3

Under 18, you may not use a wireless device while you drive, except to call 9-1-1. The practice question on phone calls for GDL drivers tests this rule.
Zero alcohol tolerance: under 21, any measurable alcohol in your system brings the DUI sections of the Code into play.
All occupants must use safety belts in line with state law.
Points apply to every ticket you receive at Level 3.
Breaking a Level 3 rule is a misdemeanor. Fines are $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second and $75 for a third or later.
Carry your license and show it when an officer asks. Failing to do so is a misdemeanor.

What does Level 3 cost?

What does Level 3 cost?
Source	Level 3 fee
W. Va. Code 17B-2-3a	$2.50 (U.S. dollars) for each year the license is valid, plus 50 cents for the Combined Voter Registration and Driver's Licensing Fund.
DMV fees page	$2.50 per year at age 17 and $5.00 per year at age 18, both until age 21.
DMV graduated driver licensing page	$5.00 for each year until the 21st birthday.

Which Level 3 fee applies to you?

The official figures differ, so use the DMV fees page for the amount that you pay at the counter. If you apply at 17, the law and the fees page both give $2.50 a year. There is no test fee: the $7.50 per attempt on the fees page is for Level 2 tests, and Level 3 has no new test.

How long Level 3 lasts and what happens at 21

A Level 3 license is valid until 30 days after your 21st birthday. At 21, you renew to a regular Class E license at $5.00 per year until your age is divisible by five, under the DMV's "Drive for Five" plan. Example from the DMV: a 21-year-old pays $20.00 ($5.00 x 4), and the license next expires on the 25th birthday.

Key takeaways

You can get a Level 3 full Class E license at 17, after 12 conviction-free months on Level 2.
You do not take the knowledge test or road skills test again, but you apply at a DMV Regional Office or Testing Center.
Level 3 is optional. You can keep Level 2 until it ends 30 days after your 18th birthday.
Points apply at Level 3, and under 18 you may not use a phone except to call 9-1-1.
Next step: practice on the free West Virginia Class E practice test.

West Virginia Level 3 license: common questions

Can I get a Level 3 license before I turn 17?

No. Age 17 is a firm requirement in the law, and a conviction-free year on Level 2 does not replace it. Until your 17th birthday, you keep the Level 2 license and its limits, such as the 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. rule. If you stay conviction free for 12 months, you can apply when you turn 17.

Can I still get a Level 3 license if I am already 18?

Yes. The DMV fee table lists a Level 3 license for drivers who are 18, at $5.00 per year until age 21. The other requirements stay the same, including 12 conviction-free months on Level 2. Remember that a Level 2 license expires 30 days after your 18th birthday.

What happens if I get a ticket on a Level 3 license?

Points go on your record for every ticket at Level 3, and they stay for two years from the conviction date. At six points, the DMV sends a warning letter. At 12 to 13 points, your license is suspended for 30 days.

Can I drive after 10 p.m. on a Level 3 license?

Yes. Driving alone only from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. is a Level 2 condition. A Level 3 holder has the same terms as a regular Class E driver, except for the Level 3 rules: no phone use under 18, no measurable alcohol under 21, safety belts for everyone and points on every ticket.

Do I need a REAL ID for my Level 3 license?

No. You can choose a Not For Federal Use license or a REAL ID / For Federal Use card, which has a gold star. The REAL ID-compliant card costs an extra $10.00, on top of the yearly Level 3 fee.