Driver Education

The classroom driver education course is offered as part of the Health and Physical Education II curriculum in all high schools. A student must complete classroom driver education to participate in Behind the Wheel (BTW) instruction and receive a driver’s license. Below are the steps for successful completion of the process.

Students must pass the classroom phase of driver education and receive the DEC-1 card by their school or a qualified private program.
When the student reaches the age of 15 years and 6 months, they can go to the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and take the learner's permit test. Learner’s Permit Testing is also offered at some high schools after school hours. Contact the school to inquire.
BTW instruction is a supplemental program that determines if a student is ready to drive on their own. It is NOT a substitute for the parent/guardian instruction that all drivers with a permit must receive before obtaining a license. The 20 hours of driving, completed with the parent or guardian before registration, should include driving in a variety of on-road situations: city and neighborhood streets, through intersections, in traffic, speeds between 15 and 45 mph, etc.
When the student has the DEC-1 card, learner's permit, and at least 20 hours of road driving with a parent or guardian, they may apply and pay for BTW instruction via the VBCPS WebStore. The fee for Behind-the-Wheel is $250. Specific dates and times are NOT guaranteed. Be sure to review the registration page fully before paying.
There is a discounted rate for families who have a completed free/reduced meal form on file and have already been determined eligible for reduced price or free meals. If your family participates in one of these programs, email for more information on how to receive the discounted rate. Credits and/or refunds will NOT be issued to families that pay the full price rate online and then request the discounted rate.
After the fee has been paid, the parent/guardian and student will be contacted no less than 3 school days before the start of their sessions.
If a family registers for the waitlist for Behind the Wheel instruction, they will be contacted only if a space becomes available during the time slot and registration period they chose. Waitlist registrations do not take precedence over paid registrations even when new sessions of BTW open. Waitlists are cleared by cancellation before the beginning of each session with unassigned students being removed from the waitlist. It is important that families check the VBCPS WebStore at the beginning of each marking period to see if new spots have opened and register accordingly.
Students will complete a graded road skills test at the end of their BTW session to determine if they are eligible to receive a driver’s license.
Retesting: If a student fails the road test at the conclusion of the Behind the Wheel (BTW) course, the student will be marked as “retest eligible” on their BTW Grade Evaluation sheet. The family is then responsible for contacting the Lead Driver Education Instructor AFTER the student has completed their 45-hour log and held their permit for at least 9 months in order to schedule the retest. The retest will be conducted at a time convenient for the BTW instructors. Students who fail the retest will be marked as “failed, NOT retest eligible” on the BTW Grade Evaluation sheet. Students who fail this subsequent test are not eligible to complete the course with VBCPS again and must go through the DMV directly or a private company.
Holding of fees: As outlined in the cancellation policy, a student must be eligible and have no scheduling conflicts to drive during the registered session. If a parent or guardian determines, before instruction begins, that their student is not ready to complete the course and pass the test during the session dates, they may request a course cancellation. The class will be cancelled, and a 10% cancellation fee will be retained by VBCPS. Requests will not be honored for cancellation after one session of instruction has taken place. The student must either attempt the course or forfeit the registration fee. VBCPS will not hold or move registration fees for future session dates.
Instruction start dates and schedule: Your Behind the Wheel receipt lists a range of possible start dates for the session. Your student may begin at any time within this range, depending on instructor availability, and they will contact you at least 3 business days prior to the start date for confirmation. Students must be available for the full driving session schedule as indicated by the instructor: 7 consecutive after-school days (Mon–Fri) or 8 alternating days for A/B study-block schedules.

Below are some frequently asked questions regarding teen licensing. If you need additional information on the Driver Education program contact Denise O'Connell, Lead Driver Education Teacher, by email or phone at (757) 263-1410.

Learner's Permit

Q. Do you need a learner's permit to take BTW?
A. Yes, you must have your permit and carry it with you to each class.

Q. When can I get my learner’s permit?
A. You can obtain your learner’s permit through the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) after meeting the following criteria:

Complete the application process at DMV
Pass the vision test
Pay required fees
Pass the signs test 100%*
Pass the knowledge exam with at least 80%*
*If you fail 3x and have successfully completed classroom driver education, you must take the
8-hour driver’s manual review course before you can test a 4th time.

Q. How old do I have to be for a permit?
A. Students can receive their permit at 15 years and 6 months.

Q. What is a DEC-1 card?
A. The DEC-1 (DEC=Driver Education Completion) or “orange card” is issued after completing classroom Driver Education. It will be kept at the school until the student or parent/guardian requests it. Please contact your student’s school to request this record.

Q. What are the restrictions when driving with a Learner’s Permit?
A. Virginia Code § 46.2-335 states you may operate a vehicle when accompanied by a qualified supervising licensed driver in the front passenger seat who is at least 21 years of age or a licensed driver who is a family member such as a parent/legal guardian, brother/sister, half-brother, half-sister, stepsister, or stepbrother who is at least 18 years of age. This person must be alert, able to assist the driver, and occupy the seat beside the driver. The role of this licensed driver is to provide immediate supervision when needed. A driver with a learner’s permit:

May only have one passenger under 21 years of age (no restrictions on family members).
May not drive between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m., except in an emergency.
Shall not operate a motor vehicle on the highways of the Commonwealth while using any cellular telephone or any other wireless telecommunications device, regardless of whether the device is handheld or hands-free.

Behind The Wheel Class

Q. How do I get my Driver’s License?
A. To obtain your driver’s license, you must meet the following criteria:

Be at least 16 years and 3 months of age
Hold a learner’s permit for at least 9 months
Complete and pass a state-certified driver education course
Complete the 45-hour driving log with at least 15 of the 45 hours driven at night
Receive your DEC-1 card
Complete and pass a BTW course

Q. Do I have to take BTW through the school division?
A. No, you may take BTW with the school division or privately.

Q. How much does BTW cost?
A. The cost for BTW through VBCPS is $250 with discounts available for families who have a completed free/reduced meal form on file and have already been determined eligible for reduced price or free meals.

Q. How do I sign up and pay for BTW?
A. Complete the registration and payment via the VBCPS Web Store at https://virginiabeach.revtrak.net/.

Q. Do I have to complete my 45-hour log to take the class?
A. Students must have at least 20 hours of road driving prior to taking BTW. You may continue to
work on your 45-hour log after you have completed the class.

Q. Does my time with the BTW instructor count towards my 45-hour log?
A. No, the 45 hours must be completed while driving with your licensed parent or guardian.

Q. When will I be contacted once I register for the class?
A. You will be contacted by the driving instructor at least 3 days before the beginning of your session.

Q. How long is the course?
A. The course requires 7 consecutive instructional and observational days for after-school sessions and 8 consecutive instructional and observation days for during-school sessions. Instruction does not take place on school division holidays or weekends.

Q. Where is my Driver Education paperwork kept?
A. Driver Education paperwork is kept at the student’s registered high school in the student's cumulative folder. Student cumulative records are kept at the school for seven years after the student graduates, completes a Board of Education program, transfers, or withdraws.

Q. Once I finish the BTW course, what is the process to receive my Temporary Driving License (TDL)? A. The instructor will turn in all the completed paperwork to your school office. A parent/guardian will need to make an appointment with the school to sign the Temporary Driving License. Parent/guardian must bring their driver's license so their driver’s license number can be recorded on the TDL. Before you can receive your TDL, you must have the following:

Have held a valid learner’s permit for 9 months
A completed 45-hour log
DEC-1 (green card)
Parent permission and enrollment forms completed

Q. What is the process for receiving a discount if my family qualifies for and receives free or reduced-price lunch?
A. Families who wish to receive the discounted rate should email the following information to BTW@VBSchools.com: Email Subject - Free/Reduced Price Fee Discount Request, include in the body of the email the student's first and last name, student ID number, and school. The BTW office will send the information to the school to verify whether the student does indeed qualify for and receive free or reduced-price lunch. A BTW spot will be held for the student while the verification is taking place. Once eligibility is confirmed, families will receive an email with a registration link. To secure the spot, the registration must be completed within one school day of receiving the link. If the registration is not completed within that time, the held spot will be released and made available to other students.

Q. Is there a cancellation fee?
A. Yes. The cancellation fee is equal to the non-refundable processing fee charged by the company that processes online transactions for VBCPS. The processing/cancellation fee will not exceed $50. A cancellation fee may be charged to the registrant if they cancel less than 2 school days before the beginning of their session, provide inaccurate information on the registration form (such as wrong school, wrong study block or incorrect permit dates, or number of road hours driven), or fail to appear on one or more of their scheduled instructional dates. See the registration form for full cancellation fee information and acknowledgements.

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Learner's Permit

Behind The Wheel Class