Driver training rules in Georgia
What Georgia requires of driving schools, CDL training and school bus drivers, with every fact linked to its official source.
✓ Checked against official sources · 2026-10-18
Driver training rules in Georgia 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) | Yes, ages 16-17 (Joshua's Law): 30 hours classroom plus 6 hours behind the wheel at a certified school, or 40 hours parent-taught BTW with the Parent/Teen Driving Guide.source 1 · source 2 |
|---|---|
| Supervised practice (teens) | 40 hours supervised driving, 6 at night; hold learner's permit 1 year and 1 day.source 1 |
| New adult drivers | No course required at 18+; pass knowledge and road tests and sign affidavit of 40 hours supervised driving (6 at night).source 3 |
| Who licenses driving schools | Georgia Dept. of Driver Services (DDS) certifies driver training schools and instructors.source 2 · source 4 |
| CDL training: state rules beyond federal ELDT | No state hour minimum found; DDS-certified schools give theory + practical instruction per 49 CFR 383/384 on a DDS-approved curriculum, plus a human trafficking course.source 5 · source 6 |
| CDL schools: state license | Yes: DDS certification for any entity giving CDL driving instruction to 10+ people a year (Rule 375-5-3).source 6 · source 7 |
| CDL schools: state hours or curriculum | No hour minimum. DDS rules: non-passenger road training must include city, rural and interstate driving; students must pass a written exam with 80% or better.source 7 · source 6 |
| CDL schools: instructor rules | Yes: instructors are certified and licensed by DDS (written test, fingerprint background check); age 21+, good moral character, and a driver's license of the same class being taught.source 7 · source 6 |
| Carriers training their own drivers: license | No employer exemption: the DDS definition covers any entity training 10+ people a year for a CDL; it excepts only accredited elementary schools, junior colleges and colleges.source 7 |
| Carriers: hours or curriculum | No hour minimum for anyone; a carrier counted as a DDS school (10+ trainees a year) follows the DDS curriculum rules.source 7 |
| Carriers: instructor rules | Yes, if the carrier counts as a school: the rule defines an instructor as anyone giving CDL driving instruction at a driver training school.source 7 |
| New school bus drivers | At least 24 hours of initial training. (2012 rule)source 8 |
| School bus refresher | Annual in-service training and safety programs from the Dept. of Education required; hours not stated in rule. (2012 rule)source 8 |
Driving manuals and handbooks
Official publications from Georgia, checked 2026-10-19. Read them here or download them; the state's own copy is always linked.
Teen and parent guidesGeorgia 40-Hour Parent/Teen Driving Guide
Georgia Alcohol & Drug Awareness Program (ADAP) Student Manual
Commercial (CDL)Commercial Driver's Study Guide
Guidelines for Road Skills Test Routes
Driving jobs in Georgia
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
- https://dds.georgia.gov/node/3571
- https://dds.georgia.gov/node/1306
- https://dds.georgia.gov/node/33611
- https://dds.georgia.gov/node/1906
- https://dds.georgia.gov/document/document/375-5-3-17-program-instruction-0/download
- https://dds.georgia.gov/regulated-programs/cdl-program/cdl-training-school
- https://rules.sos.state.ga.us/gac/375-5-3
- https://apps.gadoe.org/sboe/SBOE%20Rules/160-5-3-.08%20Post.pdf