Student support
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about getting a Virginia driver's license, our courses and prices, booking lessons, online courses, and classes in Spanish. If your question is not answered here, call us at (804) 256-3147 — press 2 for Spanish.
Getting Licensed
What do I need to get a Virginia driver's license for the first time?
It depends on your age. Under 18, you must complete a state-approved driver education program, hold your learner's permit for at least nine months, and log 45 hours of supervised driving — including 15 hours after sunset — certified by a parent or guardian. At 18 and older, you start with a learner's permit, and you qualify either through driver education or a permit-holding period; the exact rules differ for ages 18–20 and 21+, and they change on January 1, 2027. Our guide walks through each age group step by step.
What changes on January 1, 2027 for ages 18 to 20?
Under House Bill 1224, a first-time applicant who is 18, 19, or 20 and has never held a license must do both of two things before a license can be issued on or after January 1, 2027: complete a state-approved driver education program and hold a Virginia learner's permit for at least 90 days. One does not replace the other. Applicants 21 and older keep the current choice: hold the permit for 60 days or complete driver education. If your license will be issued after January 1, 2027, the new rule applies to you even if you received your permit in 2026.
I failed the DMV knowledge exam three times. What do I have to do now?
Virginia requires you to complete the classroom component of driver education — the Driver's Manual re-examination course — before you can take the knowledge exam a fourth time. We offer that course online for $154.22 total. If you prefer a classroom setting, we also run in-person re-exam classes in English and Spanish: $175 on weekdays and $250 on weekends.
Courses and Prices
How much is the online Driver Improvement course?
The online Driver Improvement course is $98.33 total. It is an 8-hour course from a DMV-licensed school, and it can be used to satisfy Virginia court orders and DMV requirements. Prefer to sit in a classroom? In-person Driver Improvement in Spanish with our instructor costs $100.
Will Driver Improvement dismiss my ticket or take points off my record?
That is the court's decision, not ours. A court can order you to complete Driver Improvement and can take your completion into account, but no driving school can promise that a ticket will be dismissed, a charge reduced, or points removed. Separately, DMV can award safe-driving points for completing the course under its own rules. Show us your court order or DMV notice before you enroll, and we will confirm the course matches your requirement.
What is RADEP, and what does it cost?
RADEP — the Reckless/Aggressive Driving Education Program — is an education program ordered by a court or DMV for certain reckless or aggressive driving offenses. Online, the 4-hour course is $93.15 total and the 12-hour program is $186.30 total. In-person RADEP in Spanish with our instructor Ileana costs $200. Your court order will say whether you need the 4-hour or the 12-hour program — check it before enrolling.
What does the behind-the-wheel program include, and how much does it cost?
The behind-the-wheel program is $425. In its standard format you complete seven 50-minute driving sessions and seven 50-minute observation sessions, paired with another student, and you finish with the final road skills examination. If no second student is available to pair with you, the program is delivered instead as seven 1-hour one-on-one sessions. The program is classroom-first: the online classroom component comes before your in-car sessions.
How much are private driving lessons?
A private lesson is $80 for 60 minutes of one-on-one instruction. If you plan to practice regularly, a package of five 60-minute lessons is $375. Lessons are booked online, and your pickup point is arranged when you book.
Is there a package for adults that combines classroom and behind-the-wheel?
Yes — the Adult Online Classroom + Behind-the-Wheel Package is $549. It combines the online classroom driver education course with the complete behind-the-wheel program, so adult students get the full driver education program in one enrollment. It is also the complete program first-time applicants ages 18 to 20 will need under the January 1, 2027 rule.
Booking and Lessons
How do I book a lesson or a class?
Lessons and the behind-the-wheel program are booked online through our Setmore booking page: pick the service, the instructor, and a time that works for you. Booking a multi-session program? Please choose all of your session times up front. Online courses work differently — enroll through the course links on this website, then complete the course on the course platform.
What is the cancellation policy?
Please cancel or reschedule at least 24 hours before your appointment's start time. You can manage an appointment through Setmore; if something comes up inside 24 hours, contact the school directly. The full policy is on our booking policy page.
When are lessons offered?
We offer in-car lessons and behind-the-wheel sessions on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, plus alternating weekends. We do not teach on Wednesdays or Thursdays. When you book, the calendar shows the times currently open.
Where do you teach?
We teach in the Richmond, Virginia area, and in-person classes are held in Richmond. Pickup for lessons is arranged at booking time, so tell us where to meet you when you reserve. Online courses are available to eligible students anywhere in Virginia.
Online Courses and Spanish
How do the online courses work?
Enroll and pay through the course links on this website, then complete the course on the course platform at your own pace during your access period. When you finish, your completion is reported or certificated the way DMV requires for that course. For driver education programs, the school submits the completion certificate to DMV — DMV does not accept certificates from applicants, so please do not mail yours in.
Do you offer classes in Spanish?
Yes. Instructor Ileana Romero teaches in-person classes in Spanish: Driver's Manual for $225, Driver Improvement for $100, and RADEP for $200. To reserve a Spanish class, call or text her directly at (703) 637-8250. You can also reach us on the main line, (804) 256-3147 — press 2 for Spanish.