After your teen passes the road skills test and receives their Virginia driver’s license, they enter a provisional licensing phase with restrictions that limit when and with whom they can drive. These restrictions are part of Virginia’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system, which reduces risk for new drivers during their first year behind the wheel.
Understanding these rules before your teen gets licensed helps the whole family plan ahead. Violating provisional license restrictions can result in fines, license suspension, and a longer restricted period. This guide explains every restriction, the exceptions, the consequences of violations, and when the restrictions are finally lifted.
What Is a Provisional License?
In Virginia, a provisional driver’s license is the license issued to drivers under age 18. It grants full driving privileges with specific restrictions during the first year. The provisional license is what your teen receives after completing Driver Education, Behind the Wheel training, the 45-hour driving log, the road skills test, and the licensing ceremony.
The provisional phase is a bridge between the learner’s permit (supervised driving only) and a full, unrestricted license. Your teen can drive independently, but with guardrails in place to reduce the situations most likely to lead to crashes for new drivers.
Passenger Restrictions
The passenger rules are the restriction that affects daily life the most. Virginia limits the number of passengers your teen can carry based on how long they have held their license.
First Year of Licensure
During the first year after receiving a provisional license, your teen may carry:
- No more than one passenger under the age of 21 who is not a family member
This means your teen can drive with one friend in the car, but not two or more. The restriction applies regardless of the time of day.
Family Member Exception
Siblings, step-siblings, and other household family members under 21 are exempt from the passenger limit. Your teen can drive with multiple family members in the car without violating the restriction. This exception exists because family transportation is a practical necessity.
After the First Year
After the first year of holding a provisional license, the passenger restriction is lifted. Your teen can carry multiple passengers of any age.
Why Passenger Limits Matter
Research consistently shows that crash risk for teen drivers increases with each additional teen passenger in the vehicle. The combination of inexperience, distraction from peers, and risk-taking behavior makes group driving one of the highest-risk scenarios for new drivers. Virginia’s passenger limits directly address this.
Nighttime Driving Restrictions (Curfew)
Virginia imposes a curfew on provisional license holders during their first year of licensure.
The Rule
Your teen may not drive between midnight and 4:00 AM during the first year of holding a provisional license.
Exceptions to the Curfew
Your teen can drive during curfew hours if they are:
- Traveling to or from a place of employment, and they carry written documentation from their employer confirming their work schedule
- Traveling to or from a school-sponsored activity, with documentation from the school
- Traveling due to an emergency
- Accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or other person standing in loco parentis who is age 21 or older and is seated in the front passenger seat
If your teen works a job with late hours or participates in early-morning school activities, keep the appropriate documentation in the car at all times. A police officer who pulls your teen over during curfew hours is within their rights to ask for proof that an exception applies.
Cell Phone and Electronic Device Rules
Virginia law prohibits all drivers under 18 from using any handheld personal communications device while driving, even with a hands-free setup. This is stricter than the rules for adult drivers.
What This Means in Practice
- No texting while driving. This applies to all drivers in Virginia, but violations carry additional consequences for provisional license holders.
- No holding a phone to make calls. Even hands-free calls are restricted for drivers under 18.
- No using a phone for navigation while holding it. If your teen needs GPS directions, the phone must be mounted and the route set before driving.
Consequences
A first offense for handheld device use by a minor while driving is a traffic infraction with a fine. Repeated violations can lead to license suspension.
Consequences of Violating Provisional License Restrictions
Violating any provisional license restriction is a traffic infraction in Virginia. The consequences escalate with repeat offenses:
First Violation
- A fine (amount set by the court)
- The violation goes on your teen’s driving record
Second and Subsequent Violations
- Additional fines
- Possible license suspension (the court has discretion to suspend driving privileges)
- Extended provisional period (the restrictions may be extended beyond the original one-year period)
Impact on Insurance
Even a single violation can increase your family’s car insurance premiums. Insurance companies view provisional license violations as indicators of risky driving behavior, which can result in higher rates for several years.
The bottom line: these restrictions are enforced, and the consequences are real. Make sure your teen understands the rules before they start driving independently.
When Do Provisional License Restrictions End?
The restrictions associated with a Virginia provisional license are lifted in two stages:
- After one year of holding the provisional license: The passenger restrictions and curfew are lifted, assuming your teen has not had violations that extended the restricted period.
- At age 18: Your teen’s license is no longer classified as provisional. All GDL restrictions are permanently removed.
If your teen received their license at age 16 years and 3 months (the earliest possible), the one-year restriction period ends at age 17 years and 3 months. At 18, the license converts to a full, unrestricted Virginia driver’s license.
Quick Reference: Provisional License Rules
| Restriction | Rule | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers | No more than 1 non-family passenger under 21 | First year |
| Curfew | No driving between midnight and 4:00 AM | First year |
| Cell phone | No handheld device use of any kind | Until age 18 |
| Exceptions | Family members, employment, school activities, emergencies | Ongoing |
Talking to Your Teen About the Rules
The provisional license restrictions are not arbitrary. They are based on decades of data about what puts teen drivers at the highest risk. Having a direct conversation with your teen about these rules before they start driving independently helps set clear expectations.
A few practical points to cover:
- The passenger rule is not flexible. Your teen cannot “just this once” give two friends a ride. One non-family passenger during the first year, no exceptions beyond what the law allows.
- Keep employment or school documentation in the car. If your teen drives during curfew hours for a legitimate reason, having the paperwork immediately available avoids problems during a traffic stop.
- The phone stays in a pocket or mount. No holding it for any reason while driving. Set the GPS before putting the car in gear.
- Violations affect the whole family’s finances. Fines, increased insurance, and potential license suspension are expensive and inconvenient for everyone.
How This Fits Into the Licensing Timeline
The provisional license is the final phase of Virginia’s teen licensing process. Here is where it fits:
- Learner’s Permit (age 15.5+, supervised driving only)
- Driver Education (36 classroom sessions)
- Behind the Wheel (7 sessions with a certified instructor)
- 45-Hour Practice Driving Log (with a parent or guardian)
- Road Skills Test (at the 7th BTW appointment)
- Provisional License (restrictions for the first year)
- Full, unrestricted license (at age 18)
For a detailed breakdown of steps 1 through 5, see our Virginia teen license timeline.
Preparing Your Teen for Independent Driving
At Abba Driving School, our Behind the Wheel program covers the skills needed to pass the road test and the real-world driving situations your teen will face during their provisional license period. Our DMV-certified instructors teach defensive driving, highway skills, nighttime awareness, and decision-making that prepares your teen for driving responsibly on their own.
We serve families throughout Haymarket, Gainesville, Bristow, and Warrenton. Register for Behind the Wheel training ($340 for all 7 appointments, including the road test) or register for Driver Education ($200) if your teen is still in the classroom phase. Pickup may be available in your area.