A. No driver's license shall be issued to any applicant unless he either (i) provides written evidence of having satisfactorily completed a course of driver instruction at a driver training school licensed under Chapter 17 (§ 46.2-1700 et seq.) or a comparable course approved by the Department or the Department of Education or (ii) has held a learner's permit issued by the Department for at least 60 days prior to his first behind-the-wheel examination by the Department when applying for a noncommercial driver's license.

The provisions of this section shall only apply to persons who are at least 18 years old and who either (a) have never held a driver's license issued by Virginia or any other state or territory of the United States or foreign country or (b) have never been licensed or held the license endorsement or classification required to operate the type of vehicle which they now propose to operate. Completion of a course of driver instruction approved by the Department or the Department of Education at a driver training school may include the final behind-the-wheel examination for a driver's license; however, a driver training school shall not administer the behind-the-wheel examination to any applicant who is under medical control pursuant to § 46.2-322. Applicants completing a course of driver instruction approved by the Department or the Department of Education at a driver training school retain the option of having the behind-the-wheel examination administered by the Department.

B. No commercial driver's license shall be issued to any applicant unless he is 18 years old or older and has complied with the requirements of subsection A of § 46.2-341.9. Applicants for a commercial driver's license who have never before held a commercial driver's license shall apply for a commercial learner's permit and either (i) provide written evidence of having satisfactorily completed a course of driver instruction at a driver training school licensed under Chapter 17 (§ 46.2-1700 et seq.) or a comparable course approved by the Department or Department of Education and hold the commercial learner's permit for a minimum of 14 days prior to taking the behind-the-wheel examination for the commercial driver's license or (ii) hold the commercial learner's permit for a minimum of 30 days before taking the behind-the-wheel examination for the commercial driver's license.

Holders of a commercial driver's license who have never held the license endorsement or classification required to operate the type of commercial motor vehicle which they now propose to operate must apply for a commercial learner's permit if the upgrade requires a skills test and hold the permit for a minimum of 14 days prior to taking the behind-the-wheel examination for the commercial driver's license.

C. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Department from requiring any person to complete the skills examination as prescribed in § 46.2-325 and the written or automated examinations as prescribed in § 46.2-335.

D. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B, applicants for a commercial driver's license who have never before held a commercial driver's license who are members of the active duty military, military reserves, National Guard, active duty United States Coast Guard, or Coast Guard Auxiliary and provide written evidence of having satisfactorily completed a military commercial driver training program shall hold the commercial learner's permit for a minimum of 14 days prior to taking the behind-the-wheel examination for the commercial driver's license.

E. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection B, applicants for a commercial driver's license who have never before held a commercial driver's license who are employed by a public school division as a bus driver and provide written evidence of having satisfactorily completed a commercial driver training program with a public school division shall hold the commercial learner's permit for a minimum of 14 days prior to taking the behind-the-wheel examination for the commercial driver's license.

2000, c. 685; 2005, cc. 245, 513; 2012, cc. 215, 222; 2013, cc. 165, 582; 2014, c. 685; 2015, c. 258; 2016, c. 488; 2019, c. 750.