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Delaware · Permit test

Delaware learner’s permits and the GDL rules

Delaware has two learner’s permits for cars. At 16 or 17, after driver education, you get a Level One Learner’s Permit under the graduated driver license (GDL) program, and a sponsor, such as a parent, signs for you. At 18 or older, you pass the knowledge test for a Class D temporary instruction permit, the Delaware learner’s permit for adults. Both come from a Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) office, and the permit is included in the license fee.

  • 50 hoursSupervised driving, 10 of them at night
  • 6 monthsSupervised-only start on a Level One permit
  • 12 monthsOn a Level One permit before a license
Read the DMV’s GDL rules

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

Which Delaware learner’s permit do you need?

PermitWho gets itValid for
Level One Learner’s Permit16 or 17, or under 22 with an IEP, after driver ed12 months, then it becomes a Class D license
Driver education learner’s permitStudents enrolled in driver ed, from 164 months
Class D temporary instruction permit18 or older, after the knowledge test12 months
Motorcycle instruction permitAnyone who passes the motorcycle knowledge test6 months, and you can extend it once

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a plan for special education services. The DMV’s undated road test handout says Class D permits last 6 months, but Delaware law (21 Del. C. §2712) and the DMV’s license pages give the adult permit 12 months. The Level One permit only converts if your sponsor hasn’t withdrawn and your privileges weren’t suspended; time under a suspension doesn’t count toward the 12 months.

Drivers ed in Delaware →How to get a Delaware driver’s license →

Level One Learner’s Permit rules

Delaware law (21 Del. C. §2710) sets these rules for the whole time you hold the permit:

  • Carry the permit whenever you drive
  • You and every passenger under 18 wear a seat belt or ride in a child safety seat or booster seat
  • No cell phone, texting device or similar electronic device while you drive, not even hands-free
  • No more than one passenger besides your supervisor, though immediate family may ride along when the supervisor is in the car
  • When you’re supervised, your supervisor sits beside you with nobody else in front, and is a licensed parent or guardian, or a licensed driver at least 25 who has held a Class D license for at least 5 years and is approved by your sponsor

Once your sponsor has certified the supervised hours at the end of the supervised-only start, you may drive alone from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., with one passenger at most. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. you need a supervisor, except when you’re going straight to or from work, church activities or school activities on school property.

Breaking the permit rules

Breaking a Level One restriction counts as driving without a license: a 2-month suspension for a first offense and 4 months for each one after that. Using a cell phone on the permit can bring a 1-month suspension the first time and 3 months each time after.

Your sponsor is held jointly liable for damage caused by your negligence, and can withdraw their signature at any time until you turn 18. That cancels your driving privileges.

Delaware permit laws for drivers 18 and older

At 18 or older, the GDL program is optional. Pass the vision and knowledge tests and you get a Class D temporary instruction permit for 12 months. Under 21 Del. C. §2712, you may drive only with a licensed driver over 21 sitting beside you, and with no more than 2 other people in the car. Driving outside those limits counts as driving without a license.

You must pass every exam, including the road test, within the 12 months, or you reapply for the permit and test again. If you’re already 18 on a Level One permit, you can finish the 12 months or take the eye, written and road tests at the DMV.

The Delaware road test →The Delaware drivers test →

The motorcycle permit

Passing the motorcycle knowledge test gets you a motorcycle instruction permit. You can extend it once, for 6 more months, at a DMV office before it expires, for $5. While you ride on it:

  • No passengers
  • No riding between sunset and sunrise
  • An approved safety helmet and eye protection at all times
  • No riding on the federal interstate highway system

Under 18, you must complete the Basic Rider Course of the Delaware Motorcycle Rider Education Program, with a parent or guardian signing the course waiver in person on the first day. At any age, finishing the approved rider course waives the DMV’s written and road tests for the endorsement.

Motorcycle license rules in Delaware and other states →
Sources: Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles · Delaware General Assembly and 5 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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