Key points
If you have never had a driver's license, you start with a learner's permit, which lasts up to 2 years.
Source: Handbook p. 9
“If you have never had a noncommercial, driver's license you must get a Type 1 Learner's Instructional Permit. The Permit lasts up to 2 years.”
Maryland Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 9You must pass a vision screening and the knowledge test to get the permit.
Source: Handbook p. 9
“You must pass a vision screening and knowledge test to get the Permit.”
Maryland Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 9Applicants younger than 25 must be at least 15 years and 9 months old.
Source: Handbook p. 9
“Applicants younger than 25: Must be at least 15 years and 9 months old.”
Maryland Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 9Younger applicants must practice at least 60 hours with a supervising driver.
Source: Handbook p. 10
“Practice driving at least 60 hours with a supervising driver. These are called practice hours.”
Maryland Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 10At least 10 of those hours must be driven between 30 minutes before sunset and 30 minutes after sunrise.
Source: Handbook p. 10
“At least 10 practice hours must occur during the period beginning 30 minutes before sunset and ending 30 minutes after sunrise.”
Maryland Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 10Applicants 25 and older need driver education and at least 14 practice hours, with at least 3 at night.
Source: Handbook p. 10
“Applicants 25 years old and older: While you have your Learner's Instructional Permit, you must: Complete the Maryland Driver Education Program. AND Complete at least 14 practice hours with a supervising driver. At least 3 practice hours must occur”
Maryland Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 10If you are under 18, you must hold the permit at least 9 months without a violation.
Source: Handbook p. 10
“If you are under age 18, you must hold the Permit for at least 9 months without a violation before being eligible for a Provisional License.”
Maryland Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 10At 18 with a diploma or GED, or ages 19 to 24, the permit must be held at least 3 months without a violation.
Source: Handbook p. 10
“If you are age 18 with a high school diploma or GED, or age 19 to 24, you must hold the Permit for at least 3 months without a violation”
Maryland Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 10A Type 2 permit, for drivers adding a license class, requires age 16 years and 6 months and lasts up to 180 days.
Source: Handbook p. 9
“You must be at least 16 years and 6 months old. The Type 2 Learner's Instructional Permit lasts for up to 180 days.”
Maryland Driver's Manual, Handbook p. 9
Numbers to know
| Number | What it means | Manual |
|---|---|---|
| 2 years | longest a Type 1 permit lasts | Handbook p. 9 |
| 15 years 9 months (under 25) | minimum permit age for applicants under 25 | Handbook p. 9 |
| 60 hours | practice hours required for younger applicants | Handbook p. 10 |
| 10 hours, 30 minutes | night practice hours for younger applicants, counted from 30 minutes before sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise | Handbook p. 10 |
| 14 hours (3 at night) at 25 or older | practice hours required at age 25 or older | Handbook p. 10 |
| 45 days | minimum time with the permit for older applicants | Handbook p. 10 |
| 9 months (under 18) | violation free permit time under age 18 | Handbook p. 10 |
| 3 months (18 with diploma, or 19 to 24) | violation free permit time at 18 with a diploma or GED, or ages 19 to 24 | Handbook p. 10 |
| 16 years 6 months, 180 days | minimum age for a Type 2 permit and how long it lasts | Handbook p. 9 |
3 questions from the Maryland practice test
1. For a learner under age 25, how many supervised practice hours are required, and how many must be at night?
- 14 total hours, including at least 3 at night
- 60 total hours, including at least 10 at night
- 45 total hours, including at least 5 at night
- 20 total hours, with no nighttime requirement
Show answer
60 total hours, including at least 10 at night. Applicants younger than 25 must complete at least 60 supervised practice hours, with at least 10 of those hours during the period beginning 30 minutes before sunset and ending 30 minutes after sunrise. The 14-hour and 3-night-hour figures apply to applicants age 25 and older. Keep the Practice and Skills Log as the running record, and count nighttime practice within the required total rather than adding it separately.
2. How long must an applicant under 18 hold a Maryland learner's permit without a violation before a provisional license?
- 45 days
- 3 months
- 18 months
- 9 months
Show answer
9 months. An applicant under 18 must complete a nine-month permit period without a violation before becoming eligible for the provisional license. The three-month period applies to certain older applicants, while 45 days is the minimum listed for applicants age 25 and older. The 18-month figure belongs to the later provisional-license stage, so do not move it backward into the permit requirement.
3. Which applicants must hold a learner permit for at least three months without a violation before a provisional license?
- All applicants age 25 or older
- All applicants younger than 18
- Applicants age 18 with a high school diploma or GED, or ages 19 to 24
- Applicants with no driver education requirement
Show answer
Applicants age 18 with a high school diploma or GED, or ages 19 to 24. Maryland requires an applicant age 18 with a high school diploma or GED, or an applicant age 19 to 24, to hold the learner permit for at least three months without a violation before becoming eligible for a provisional license. This is different from the nine-month rule for applicants under 18 and the 45-day minimum for applicants age 25 or older. Match the waiting period to both age and the stated qualification. A violation can change the timeline, so the permit period is not merely a calendar exercise.
Practice this topic
Lock it in with laws and paperwork questions from the free Maryland practice test. Every answer comes with a plain English explanation.
Source: the Maryland Driver's Manual, Section 2: Licensing Requirements and Process. 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.