A Maryland provisional license is the second phase in the state’s three-phase licensing system for new drivers. Rookie drivers with their learner’s permit are eligible for their provisional license once they are at least 16 years and 6 months of age and have completed a Maryland driver education course.

From learning about your state’s driving laws to signing up for your first

Maryland car insurance

policy, there are a lot of steps to getting your unrestricted

driver’s license

. Most states use a three-phase process that starts with a learner’s permit and ends with a graduated license, but what comes in between? That would be your provisional license.

A provisional license is one step closer to a full license, but many provisional license holders face requirements and restrictions that are unique to their state. Here’s everything that you need to know about the Maryland provisional license, including what it is, how to get one, and what you can (and can’t) do while you’re driving with one.

What is a provisional driver’s license in Maryland?

A Maryland provisional driver’s license is the second step in the state’s graduated licensing system (GLS) before a driver can get their unrestricted Maryland driver’s license.

There are three levels of licensing for new drivers pursuing an unrestricted driver’s license in the state of Maryland:

Learner’s permit

Provisional license

Full driver’s license

A rookie driver can

get a driver’s permit

in Maryland as early as the age of 15 years and nine months old. The minimum age for a Maryland provisional driver’s license is 16 years and six months, but they must have held their learner’s permit for at least nine months. During this time, the rookie driver must complete the following to qualify for their provisional license:

Complete a licensed driver education program approved by the Maryland motor vehicle administration (MVA). Out-of-state programs will not suffice.

Log 60 hours of practice driving with a qualified supervising driver, 10 of which must be at night between 30 minutes before sunset and 30 minutes after sunrise.

Out-of-state drivers with less than 18 months of previous driving experience are required to go through all three phases of the Maryland GLS program.

Upon completion of the nine-month waiting period, the permit driver must also take and pass a driving skills test. This road test consists of two parts: a test course demonstration of parking and turnabout maneuvers and 10 to 15 minutes of driving in regular traffic. During this second portion, the driver will be expected to perform lane changes, turns, and other common driving maneuvers with a clear understanding of Maryland’s driving laws.

Once these requirements have been met, you must present your certificate of completion, completed practice skills log, and Maryland learner’s permit at the

Maryland MVA

to apply for your provisional license.

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What are the age requirements for a Maryland provisional driver’s license?

Drivers can only apply for their provisional driver’s license once they pass the age of 16 years and 6 months, so long as they meet all of the requirements outlined above.

Drivers in Maryland who are over the age of 18 are still required to go through the three-phase GLS program. However, learner’s permit holders over the age of 18 only need to wait three months before they can apply for their provisional driver’s license.

Drivers in Maryland who are over the age of 25 only need to hold a learner’s permit for a minimum of 45 days. Their supervised driving requirements are also reduced to only 14 hours, three of which must be at night.

MORE:

Can I get car insurance with a provisional driver's license?

How long is a provisional license in Maryland?

Drivers must hold their provisional license for at least 18 months before they can graduate to a full Maryland driver’s license. During this time drivers must remain conviction-free. If a driver with a provisional license is charged with a moving violation, they will have to restart the 18-month waiting period along with completing additional court sanctions.

Out-of-state drivers who were previously licensed for at least six to 12 months only need to hold their Maryland provisional license for a minimum of 12 months. If they were previously licensed for 12 to 18 months, they only need to hold the provisional license for 6 months.

What are the rules for driving with a provisional license in Maryland?

Drivers with a provisional license in Maryland are allowed to drive unsupervised with certain restrictions based on their age. However, these drivers are held to a very high standard when it comes to seat belt usage and maintaining a

clean driving record

during this time.

Provisional license holders who are convicted of a moving violation face probation before judgment (PBJ) and will need to complete a driver improvement program. A second conviction gets your

license suspended

for 30 days while a third conviction results in a 180-day license suspension and

could lead to you losing your license

altogether.

Rookie drivers who are caught operating a vehicle with any amount of alcohol in their system also face higher penalties under

Maryland’s DUI laws

MORE:

How to get a Maryland driver’s license reinstated

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What are the restrictions for a provisional license?

Provisional license holders in Maryland are not allowed to use any cell phone or wireless communication device—including hands-free devices. (Make sure to queue up your driving playlist before you leave the driveway!)

Drivers under the age of 18 also face the following license restrictions:

You may not drive with any passengers under the age of 18 unless they are immediate family members.

You may not drive between the hours of 12 midnight and 5 A.M.

These restrictions typically do not apply if the young driver is accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least 21 years of age and has at least three years of driving experience. There are a few other circumstances when a provisional license holder below the age of 18 can break curfew, including driving to or from one of the following:

Their place of employment

An official school activity

An organized volunteer program

An athletic event or related training session

Just let it be known: provisional license holders under the age of 18 are subject to restrictions on these exemptions when facing probation before judgment for any moving violations.

Lastly, don’t forget to buckle up when you get behind the wheel! Provisional license holders are not allowed to drive without a seat belt, per

Maryland seat belt laws

How do I change my Maryland provisional license to a full license?

Rookie drivers are eligible to graduate to a full license in Maryland once they have held their provisional license for the appropriate time period without any convictions or PBJs.

To recap: For most new drivers this means holding a provisional driver’s license for 18 months, conviction-free. This time requirement reduces for out-of-state drivers who were previously licensed for more than six months.

Once you reach the end of your minimum time requirements, the state should automatically send you an attachment card converting your provisional license into a full driver’s license without any restrictions.

You’ll be issued an updated license (sans attachment card) after your next

Maryland driver’s license renewal

. Provisional licenses for drivers under 21 years old expire 60 days after turning 21, while those for drivers who are older than 21 expire on the birthday eight years after it was issued.

MORE: How to get cheap car insurance for young drivers

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