Driver's Education FAQ

The classroom portion of the program fulfills the state requirement of 30 hours. Classes run for 3 hours and 15 minutes for a total of 10 sessions.  

The Behind the Wheel (BTW) portion of the program is divided into three lessons of 2 hours each, for a total of 6 hours. Each lesson is held separately on a different day. 

Driver Education has a maximum capacity of 18 students. Driver Education with Additional Supports has a maximum capacity of 15 students.

The classroom portion of Driver Education is held either online via Zoom or in person at one of our campuses. The behind-the-wheel portion is in person for all classes; all behind-the-wheel lessons start and end at Rockville Campus.

 See MC mapsnew window for directions to the  Rockville Campus. 

Yes, all new drivers regardless of age are required to complete and pass an MVA-certified Driver Education class and comply with the Rookie Driver laws and requirements. Please see the chart on this page for complete details.

No. When a student completes and passes both the classroom and behind-the-wheel portions of Driver Education, their information is submitted electronically to the MVA. Please allow up to 72 hours for the submission to be reflected in the MVA system.

School closings due to snow or inclement weather are posted on Montgomery College  website.new window . If the College is closed, there are no classes or driving lessons. If the College is open, it is up to the discretion of the instructor whether or not to conduct behind-the-wheel lessons. For further information, contact your instructor or call Customer Service at 240-567-5188.

Yes, students must have a Maryland Learner's permit to take Driver Education. For more information regarding obtaining a Learner's Permit, please visit the Rookie Driver Graduated Licensing System page at the MVA. 

We offer a Learner's Permit Prep course to help prepare students for the Learner's Permit test. This course is open to all students but is designed by a Special Educator to help students who require additional support. This course is not required by the MVA. Please call 240-567-1895 for more information.

Students under 18 need to bring a mentor (parent, guardian, etc.), and all students need to bring their learner's permit to the first class/orientation session.

You must make up that same class session in a future class*. To make up the particular session you missed, please contact the Program Assistant. Students may miss up to 3 classes and make them up later*. If you miss more than 3 classroom sessions, you must re-take Driver Education at a later date.

*Notice: Starting Summer 2023, all Driver Education students must attend the first class. Makeups will not be allowed for the first class. If a student misses the first class, then they have to re-start the course at a later date

BTW Guidelines (PDF, ) are provided as a reference guide for students participating in Montgomery College's Driver Education Program. This includes guidelines for appropriate attire for the behind the wheel driving lessons and other helpful information such as what to do if you have to cancel or reschedule a driving session. Students must sign this document before they are allowed to participate in behind the wheel driving practice. 

For the safety of the students, instructors, fellow motorists, and pedestrians the students must agree to the terms and conditions of The Driver Safety Agreement. The behind the wheel Instructor and student will go over the Driver Safety Agreement (PDF, ) prior to the first driving lesson. This form must be signed by the student, and parent if the student is under 18.

When: Students must have at least 15 hours of driving experience before they can schedule their behind-the-wheel lessons. At that point, it is the responsibility of the student to contact their instructor to schedule lessons.

Where: All behind-the-wheel lessons start and end at Rockville Campus.

If your lesson is more than 24 hours away, please contact your instructor. if your lesson is less than 24 hours away, you will need to pay a $50 no-show fee.

All Montgomery College vehicles have automatic transmissions. We primarily use sedans for our behind-the-wheel classes, along with one SUV.

We offer the MVA 6-hour Behind the Wheel Course separately for students who have completed the classroom portion of Driver Education at another school. Call 240-567-1895 or email Alison.stockman@montgomerycollege.edu for more information and to schedule. 

Students must successfully complete all 6 hours (three 2-hour lessons) of the behind the wheel portion of the Driver Education class before completion data can be submitted to the MVA. Success is determined by completion of all 6 hours satisfactorily. Instructor discretion is used for students earning an unsatisfactory on any of the skills. 

If an Instructor sees that a student may not pass the behind the wheel portion, he may recommend that the student defer his/her 2nd or 3rd lesson in order to have more practice driving, thus having a better chance of passing. This practice may be with a parent or mentor, or they may take Driver Improvement Lessons. If a student fails the behind the wheel portion, they must practice (this can be with the school or a parent/mentor driver) and then arrange with the school to re-take the failed lesson. Any lesson outside of the 6 hours included in the course is at an additional charge.

Our instructors are all licensed by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, and have a wealth of experience and knowledge about driving safety. Instructors have been teaching Driver Education for several years in the local community and have served as police officers, military officers, or high school teachers prior to a Driver Education career. To maintain their certification they participate in state-required continuing education as well as professional development opportunities at Montgomery College. Our small group of instructors embrace the program's commitment to quality driver education.