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State rules

Driver training rules in District of Columbia

What District of Columbia requires of driving schools, CDL training and school bus drivers, with every fact linked to its official source.

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✓ Checked against official sources · 2026-10-18

Driver training rules in District of Columbia for teen and adult driver's education, CDL schools, carriers that train their own drivers and school bus drivers, each with a link to the official source. Federal ELDT rules (49 CFR Part 380) apply in every state on top of these.

Driver education (teens)Not required (mandatory driver ed suspended indefinitely). Optional DMV-approved course is 30 classroom + 8 behind-the-wheel hours.source 1
Supervised practice (teens)GRAD: permit 6 months and 40 hours with a driver/tutor 21+ before provisional; then 6 months provisional and 10 night hours before full license.source 2 · source 3
New adult driversNo course required. Drivers 16 to 21 are in the GRAD graduated license program.source 4 · source 1
Who licenses driving schoolsDLCP issues the driving school Basic Business License; its instructors must be licensed by DC DMV.source 5
CDL training: state rules beyond federal ELDTYes, one added step: Human Trafficking Awareness Training, plus federal ELDT from an FMCSA-approved provider when required.source 6
CDL schools: state licenseYes. Non-degree postsecondary schools, including CDL schools, need a license from the Higher Education Licensure Commission (D.C. Code 38-1309).source 7 · source 8
CDL schools: state hours or curriculumNo state hours. DC DMV adds one step: Human Trafficking Awareness Training, plus federal ELDT.source 6
CDL schools: instructor rulesNo separate instructor license. HELC rule: instructors must hold needed licenses and have education or experience in the subject (5-A DCMR 8109; older OSSE copy).source 9
Carriers training their own drivers: licenseExempt if non-degree courses train only the person's own employees and no fee is charged (D.C. Code 38-1310(a)(1)).source 10
Carriers: hours or curriculumNo hours. The DMV trafficking-training step is listed for every CDL applicant, so it applies to carrier-trained drivers too.source 6
Carriers: instructor rulesNo. HELC instructor rules apply to licensed institutions; a free employees-only program is excluded. Federal 380.605 applies.source 10
New school bus driversNo District rule sets school bus driver training hours. Drivers need a CDL with the S (school bus) endorsement, so federal ELDT applies for S and P (DC DMV endorsements page). OSSE also requires its own bus drivers to hold CPR and First Aid certification (OSSE job posting).source 11 · source 12
School bus refresherNot settled. No District rule sets yearly refresher hours for school bus drivers. OSSE's transportation manual says it runs in-service training but lists no hours (OSSE DOT Policies and Procedures Manual, 2010).source 13

Driving manuals and handbooks

Official publications from District of Columbia, checked 2026-10-19. Read them here or download them; the state's own copy is always linked.

District of ColumbiaDC DMV Automobile Driver ManualDriver's manual

DC DMV Automobile Driver Manual

District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles · Updated Jan 2024 (per the DMV page dated January 22, 2024)

Open on the state siteOpens on the state's site.
Cover of Commercial Driver License Manual (2005 CDL Testing System, July 2014)Commercial (CDL)

Commercial Driver License Manual (2005 CDL Testing System, July 2014)

District of Columbia Department of Motor Vehicles · 2005 CDL Testing System (July 2014) · 159 pages

Open on the state siteCopyright AAMVA, so it opens on the state's site.
Cover of District of Columbia Motorcycle Operator ManualMotorcycle and moped

District of Columbia Motorcycle Operator Manual

DC DMV with the Motorcycle Safety Foundation · DC section Rev. 07/2007 (file dated 07-10-2019) · 91 pages

Open on the state siteCopyright Motorcycle Safety Foundation, so it opens on the state's site.

Driving jobs in District of Columbia

830heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers employed (May 2025)
$64,170median yearly pay (May 2025)
90projected openings each year, 2024 to 2034
6.9%projected job growth, 2024 to 2034
U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsOccupational Employment and Wage Statistics, District of Columbia, May 2025Projections CentralLong-Term Occupational Projections (2024-2034)

Rules change. Always confirm with the state agency before you rely on a rule. Something out of date? Email terry@eldt.courses.

Federal rules in every state

CDL entry-level driver training must come from a provider listed on FMCSA's Training Provider Registry, for a first Class A or B CDL, an upgrade to Class A or B, or a first P, S or H endorsement (49 CFR 380.609). See ELDT record keeping under 49 CFR 380.

Sources

  1. https://dmv.dc.gov/page/mandatory-driver-education
  2. https://dmv.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/dmv/publication/attachments/form_40_hours.pdf
  3. https://dmv.dc.gov/service/provisional-license
  4. https://dmv.dc.gov/service/graduated-license-program
  5. https://dlcp.dc.gov/node/1620151
  6. https://dmv.dc.gov/cdlinfo
  7. https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/38-1309
  8. https://osse.dc.gov/page/frequently-asked-questions-institutions
  9. https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/publication/attachments/5A81.pdf
  10. https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/38-1310
  11. https://dmv.dc.gov/service/cmv-group-and-cdl-class-and-endorsements
  12. https://osse.dc.gov/page/motor-vehicle-operator-0
  13. https://osse.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/osse/service_content/attachments/OSSE%20DOT%20Policies%20and%20Procedures%20Manual.pdf

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