The Level One Learner's Permit and GDL rules

Key points

1. To get a Level One Learner's Permit you must be at least 16 and under 18.

   Source: Handbook p. 28

   “Must be at least 16 years old and less than 18 years old”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 28

2. GDL participation is optional if you are 18 or older.

   Source: Handbook p. 27

   “Participation in the GDL program is optional for any person who is 18 years of age or older.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 27

3. For the first six months you must be supervised at all times, and your sponsor must certify 50 hours of driving, 10 of them at night.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “For the first six months after issuance of a Level One Learner's Permit: a. The permit holder must be supervised at all times. b. The sponsor shall certify that the permit holder has driven for 50 hours; 10 of which includes night-time driving.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 29

4. A supervising driver must be at least 25 and have held a Class D license for at least 5 years.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “who is at least 25 years of age and has held a Class D license for at least 5 years.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 29

5. During the first 12 months, only the adult supervisor and 1 other passenger may ride.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “No passengers other than an adult supervisor and one other passenger can be in the vehicle during the entire first 12 months of valid driving authority.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 29

6. After six months, you may drive unsupervised between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

   Source: Handbook p. 30

   “The permit holder may drive unsupervised between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 30

7. A permit holder may not use a cell phone, texting device or similar electronic device while driving.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “The permit holder shall not operate a motor vehicle while using a cellular telephone, text messaging device, or similar electronic device.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 29

8. Everyone in the car must wear a belt or be in a child safety or booster seat.

   Source: Handbook p. 29

   “The permit holder and all passengers, must wear a safety belt or be secured in a child safety seat or booster seat while the vehicle is in motion.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 29

9. Breaking permit restrictions counts as driving without a license: a two month suspension first, then 4 months.

   Source: Handbook p. 30

   “Persons who violate the Level One Learner's Permit restrictions are considered as driving without a license which will result in a twomonth suspension for the first offense and a four-month suspension for subsequent offenses.”
   Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 30

10. The permit converts to a Class D license automatically after 12 full months of valid driving authority.

    Source: Handbook p. 30

    “The GDL Level One Learner's Permit will automatically convert to a Class D license once the permit holder has completed a full 12 months of valid driving authority.”
    Delaware Driver Manual, Handbook p. 30

Numbers to know

3 questions from the Delaware practice test

1. 1. After the first six months of Level One permit authority, during what hours may a Delaware permit holder drive unsupervised?

   1. 5:00 a.m. to midnight
   2. 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
   3. 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
   4. Only from sunrise to sunset
   Show answer

   6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.. After the first six months of valid Level One driving authority, Delaware permits unsupervised driving from 6:00 a.m. through 10:00 p.m. The overnight period from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. generally requires supervision, with listed activity exceptions. Sunrise and sunset are not the manual's clock boundaries, and midnight is later than the permitted unsupervised ending time. A permit holder should use the exact times as a planning cue and arrange a qualified supervisor before beginning an ordinary trip during the restricted overnight window.

2. 2. During the first 12 months of Level One driving authority, how many nonfamily passengers may accompany the permit holder besides the adult supervisor?

   1. Two other passengers
   2. One other passenger
   3. No passengers at all
   4. As many passengers as the vehicle's seat belts allow
   Show answer

   One other passenger. During the entire first 12 months, Delaware allows an adult supervisor and one other passenger. Immediate family members are an exception when the adult supervisor is in the vehicle, so the one-passenger figure applies to the nonfamily situation described here. A total ban is too restrictive, and seat-belt capacity does not expand the graduated license limit. The cue to remember is one additional nonfamily passenger, not one passenger per available seat.

3. 3. How many supervised driving hours must a Delaware Level One permit holder document during the first six months?

   1. 20 hours, including 2 at night
   2. 40 hours, including 5 at night
   3. 60 hours, including 20 at night
   4. 50 hours, including 10 at night
   Show answer

   50 hours, including 10 at night. During the first six months after a Level One permit is issued, the sponsor must certify 50 hours of driving, including 10 hours at night. The lower totals in the other choices do not meet the manual's required log, and the 60 hour choice inflates both the overall and night figures. The certification goes to the Department of Education after the first six months or may be emailed to the listed address. A strong cue is to keep a detailed log from the first day, separating the required nighttime hours from the total.

Source: the Delaware Driver Manual, Section Two: Driver License Information. This lesson is a plain English summary, not the law itself; where it differs, the manual and the statute govern. Last checked 2026-09-27.