How licensing works in Delaware
The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) licenses drivers. Teens aged 16 and 17 start with a Level One Learner's Permit, which lasts 12 months and has two halves with different rules.
| Stage | When | Main rules |
|---|---|---|
| Level One permit, first 6 months | From age 16 | Supervised at all times by a licensed parent, guardian or approved driver 25 or older with 5 years of Class D experience, in the front seat. Supervisor plus one other passenger (family exempt with the supervisor). |
| Level One permit, second 6 months | After 6 months | May drive alone 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. with one passenger. Supervision needed 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., except direct trips to church, work or school activities. |
| Class D license | After 12 full months | Permit converts automatically. Suspension time is added to the end. |
New drivers are most likely to crash in their first months of driving alone, and night driving and carrying friends make that risk higher. Graduated licensing rules give you time to build skill in safer conditions, so you gain experience before the limits come off.
Getting started
- Be at least 16 and under 18 (or under 22 with an active IEP).
- Show a Delaware Driver Education Certificate.
- Bring a sponsor, such as a parent, who signs the application in front of a DMV employee.
- Pass the eye screening and the knowledge exam.
Practice hours
Your sponsor must certify 50 hours of driving, including 10 hours at night. The sponsor can withdraw their endorsement at any time until you turn 18.
The Delaware knowledge exam
Before Delaware issues a permit, you must pass the Class D knowledge exam and an eye screening. The exam is based on the Delaware Class D Driver Manual, which is free at DMV offices and on the DMV website. Delaware DMV also has a free sample driving exam online.
- Pass all exams within 12 months of applying.
- Wait at least 10 days after the knowledge exam before the road skills exam.
- Pay when you apply.
What to bring
- One document that proves your identity and legal presence. If you are under 18, it must list your parents' names, like a birth certificate.
- One document with your Social Security number.
- Two proofs of your Delaware address from separate sources, dated within the last 60 days.
- Name change papers, if your name has changed.
Rules specific to Delaware
Phones
Permit holders may not drive while using a cell phone, texting device or similar device. A first conviction brings a one-month suspension. Each later conviction brings a three-month suspension.
Passengers
For the whole 12-month permit, passengers are limited. With a supervisor, you may carry the supervisor and one other person; immediate family members do not count. When you drive alone in the second six months, you may carry only one passenger.
Penalties
Driving without a valid license brings a two-month suspension for a first offense and four months after that. Any suspension pushes back the date your permit becomes a full license.
New drivers should keep space all around the car while they build skill.
- Your car.
- Space ahead.
- Space beside.
- Space behind.
Key numbers to remember
Many test questions ask for an exact age, time or number. Use this table as a quick review before you practice.
| Rule | Number |
|---|---|
| Minimum permit age | 16 |
| Supervisor | 25 or older, Class D license for 5 years |
| Practice hours | 50, including 10 at night |
| Fully supervised period | First 6 months |
| Driving alone in months 7 to 12 | 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. |
| Passengers when driving alone | 1 |
| Wait after knowledge exam | At least 10 days before the road test |
| Permit becomes Class D | After 12 full months |
Test tips
- Get the Delaware Class D Driver Manual and read it all.
- Learn the teen numbers: 16, 25 and 5 years, 50 and 10 hours, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., 12 months.
- Take the DMV sample exam and these practice tests.
- Study road signs until you know every shape and color.
On test day
Give yourself plenty of time on the day of your test. Get a good night's sleep, eat something before you go, and arrive early so you do not feel rushed.
- Bring every document on the official checklist, plus your glasses or contact lenses if you need them to see.
- Turn off your phone and put it away before the test starts.
- Read each question all the way through, then read every answer before you choose.
- If you are not sure, first rule out the answers you know are wrong.
- Change an answer only if you are sure you misread the question.
If you do not pass, do not give up. Look at the topics you missed, study those parts of the handbook again, and take more practice tests before you try again.
Keep studying
This guide covers rules that are special to Delaware. The general rules of the road, such as right-of-way, turns, lane markings, parking, alcohol and sharing the road, are in the national US driving study guide. Study both before your exam.