Teen Drivers Ed
Steps to a Level 2 (solo) Driver License for Teens under 18 years of age:
(Must be 14 yrs, 8 mos to begin the Seg I class)
1 – Complete the Segment I class (24 hrs min class time, 6 hrs btw drive times)
2 – Obtain a Level 1 License (permit) from the SOS office
3 – Start driving and logging hours
4 – Complete Segment II class (after 3 months or more of Level 1 driving)
5 – Finish minimum driving/logging requirements
6 – Schedule and pass the Road Skills test
7 – A 2nd appointment at the SOS office is not necessary; the Level 2 license will be mailed to the student who has met all of the above GDL requirements, and has reached the legal licensing age of 16.
Michigan’s Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) System for teenagers is split into two class segments and is required for all teen drivers under age 18.
Segment I driver education class is required before the driver can begin supervised driving on a Level 1 license. It requires a minimum of 24 hours of classroom instruction (spread over 13 days), and a minimum of six hours of behind-the-wheel (btw) instruction (done in 6 separate driving sessions). And at least four hours of observation time as a backseat rider in the Driver Ed vehicle. Before beginning the Seg I class, a teen must be 14 years and 8 months of age and have signed parent/guardian permission (part of the required Seg I Student Contract form available for download in pdf format). Students must be 14 years and 9 months old in order to request the Level 1 Learner’s License from the SOS office after completing and passing the Seg I class
Obtaining a Level 1 Learner’s License @ SOS office will require:
A $25 fee and the following documents:
-A Certificate of Completion from Segment I class
-An original Birth Certificate
-A Social Security card or other legal proof of SS number
-Photo Identity (i.e. from school…)
-Michigan residency (Parent driver’s license/address)
-Parent/guardian signature required on the application
-Pass a basic vision screening at the Secretary of State.
Teens issued a Level 1 license may only drive with a licensed parent/guardian or designated licensed adult age 21 or older.
A minimum of 6 months (180 days) of driving and 50 logged hours (10 of which are nighttime), along with taking the Seg II class are required before a final road skills test can be scheduled.
Segment II driver education class is necessary, but only after the teen driver has held a valid Level 1 License for at least 90 days (3 of the required 6 months total) and has logged at least 30 (of the 50 total required) hours of drive time, on the Level 1 License. Seg II involves six hours of classroom instruction, spread over 3 days. There is a ‘refresher’ for the Road Skills Test included in the Seg II class.
Final Road Skills Test Requirements:
-Completed Seg II class of the GDL driver education course
-Logged a minimum of 50 hours or more of supervised driving
(40 daytime, 10 night time) to show the independent Road Skills Tester.
-Verification of driving on a Level 1 License for a minimum of six months.
Acquiring a Level 2 License:
We strongly recommend the GDL Parents Guide booklet available online at:
https://www.michigan.gov/sos/resources/forms/what-every-driver-must-know
As explained in the Parents Guide, the Level 2 license is available to teens who have met all of the above requirements in the GDL System process, as early as their 16th birthday.
Also specified in the GDL guide, are some initial restrictions for the 1st 12 months of driving on a Level 2 license….such as a curfew after 10 pm, a limit of one passenger allowed in the vehicle, no cell phone use, etc.
Acquiring a Level 3 License:
With parent/guardian approval given at Level 2, the Level 3 License is automatically mailed when the teen reaches their 17th birthday AND has driven on their Level 2 License for at least 6 months prior. Further details are explained in the Parents Guide at the above website link.
Price
Segment 1 – $550
Segment 2 – $75
A down payment of a $200 will reserve your place in class Click on links below for full Contract Information and/or to down load the Student contract forms: