This chapter explains Georgia's graduated licensing system under the Teenage and Adult Driver Responsibility Act (TADRA): the Class C Instructional Permit at age 15, then the Class D Provisional License at 16. Before a 16- or 17-year-old can get that provisional license, Joshua's Law requires an approved driver-education course.
The most-tested points are the Class D license's nighttime driving curfew and its step-up schedule for passengers — immediate family only for the first six months, then one non-family passenger under 21, then up to three. Anyone under 18 seeking a permit or license must also show proof of school enrollment.
A common mistake is assuming the passenger and curfew restrictions can be loosened with an excuse — the manual states the midnight-to-5-a.m. restriction has no exceptions. Another is forgetting that a parent, guardian, or responsible adult who signed a minor's application can revoke that permit or license for any reason before age 18.
What driving hours are restricted for a Class D Provisional License holder?⌄
A Class D license holder may not drive between 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m., with no exceptions.
How do passenger restrictions change over the first year of a Class D license?⌄
For the first six months only immediate family may ride along; for the second six months one non-family passenger under 21 is allowed; after the first year, up to three passengers under 21 who aren't immediate family are allowed.
What does Joshua's Law require before a teen can get a Class D license at 16 or 17?⌄
It requires completion of an approved driver-education course (classroom or online instruction plus on-the-road practice) before the provisional license can be issued.