How many supervised driving hours Maryland requires

Maryland requires 60 hours of supervised driving before you can take your road test for a full license. Of those 60 hours, at least 10 must occur at night (between sunset and sunrise). You must be at least 16 years old and hold a learner's permit for a minimum of 6 months before you become may be able to access to test.

These hours are not optional or flexible. The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA) will not schedule your road test until you have logged the full 60 hours and met the nighttime requirement. You will need to show proof of these hours when you arrive for your test appointment.

The supervising driver must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid driver's license, and be physically able to exercise control over the vehicle. A parent, guardian, or other licensed adult can supervise. There is no official form you must use to track hours — you can use a notebook, a spreadsheet, or a printed log — but you must be able to show the MVA what you have completed.

Key Takeaways

  • You must complete 60 total hours of supervised driving, with at least 10 of those hours occurring between sunset and sunrise.
  • Your supervising driver must be at least 21 years old and hold a valid driver's license.
  • You must hold your learner's permit for at least 6 months before you can take your road test.
  • The MVA will not schedule your road test until you have documented proof of all 60 hours, so keep a written log of every drive.
  • Hours logged before you receive your learner's permit do not count toward the 60-hour requirement.

What counts as a supervised driving hour

A supervised driving hour is any time you are behind the wheel of a vehicle with a licensed supervising driver present in the front passenger seat. The hour begins when you start driving and ends when you stop. Short trips to the store, long highway drives, and practice sessions in parking lots all count equally — the MVA measures only total time, not distance or difficulty.

You do not need to drive on specific roads or in specific conditions to meet the requirement, though it is wise to practice in a variety of situations. Many learner's permit holders log hours on quiet residential streets first, then move to busier roads, then to highways, and finally to night driving. The MVA does not mandate this progression, but it reflects how most people build confidence safely.

Hours only count if your learner's permit is valid at the time you drive. If your permit expires before you complete the 60 hours, you will need to renew it and continue logging. Hours you drove before you received your permit do not count, even if you were supervised and driving legally under a different license type.

Night driving hours: the 10-hour requirement

Of your 60 required hours, at least 10 must occur between sunset and sunrise. Maryland defines night driving as any time after the sun goes down until the sun comes up. You cannot substitute daytime hours for nighttime hours — you must actually drive after dark.

Night driving is typically the most challenging part of the requirement for new drivers. Reduced visibility, glare from oncoming headlights, and fatigue all make night driving harder than daytime driving. The MVA requires this practice because new drivers need experience handling these conditions before they drive alone.

You can log your 10 nighttime hours gradually. You do not need to complete them all at once or in a single week. Many learner's permit holders log one or two night drives per week over several months. Keep track of the date and approximate time for each night drive so you can show the MVA that the hours occurred after sunset.

How to document and track your hours

Maryland does not provide an official hour-tracking form, but you must keep a record that you can show to the MVA when you arrive for your road test. A straightforward notebook or printed log is sufficient. For each drive, write down the date, the approximate start and end time, the total hours, and whether the drive occurred during the day or at night.

Your log does not need to be fancy or detailed. The MVA only needs to verify that you have completed the hours and that at least 10 were at night. A sample entry might look like: "March 15, 2024 — 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. — 1.5 hours — daytime" or "March 20, 2024 — 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. — 1.25 hours — nighttime."

Some families use a shared spreadsheet or a notes app on a phone. Others print a calendar and mark off hours by hand. The format does not matter as long as you can add up the total and prove that the hours happened. Bring your log to your road test appointment. The examiner will review it before you begin the test.

When your 60 hours must be completed

You must complete all 60 hours before you schedule your road test. You cannot take the test and then log hours afterward. The MVA will not issue a road test appointment until you have submitted proof that you have finished the requirement.

The 6-month holding period for your learner's permit and the 60-hour driving requirement are separate. You must satisfy both before you can test. For example, if you receive your permit on January 1, you cannot test before July 1 (the 6-month mark), even if you finish 60 hours in March. Conversely, if you do not finish 60 hours until August, you cannot test until August, even though 6 months have passed.

Plan ahead. Most learner's permit holders take 3 to 6 months to complete 60 hours, depending on how often they drive. If you drive 3 to 4 times per week for 1 to 2 hours each time, you will reach 60 hours in roughly 3 to 4 months. If you drive less frequently, it will take longer.

What happens if you cannot document your hours

If you arrive at your road test without a log or without proof of 60 hours, the MVA will not let you test. You will need to reschedule and continue logging hours until you can show the full requirement. This is a common reason for test cancellations, so do not wait until the last minute to start tracking.

The MVA does not require your supervising driver to sign off on your log or provide a separate statement. Your own written record is sufficient. However, if you cannot account for your hours or if your log seems incomplete, the examiner may ask you questions about specific drives to verify that the hours are real.

If you lose your log, you can start a new one when ready and continue from where you left off. Write down the date you started the new log and note that it is a continuation. The MVA understands that records can be lost or damaged, but you will need to be able to show that you have completed the hours before your test date.

Restrictions while you hold a learner's permit

While you are logging your 60 hours, you must follow all learner's permit restrictions. You cannot drive alone — a licensed supervising driver must always be in the front passenger seat. You cannot drive between midnight and 5 a.m. You cannot use a cell phone while driving, even hands-free. You cannot drive with more than one passenger under 21 years old (unless they are a sibling or step-sibling).

These restrictions exist while you are building your skills. Violating them can result in a citation and may delay your ability to take your road test. More importantly, they are designed to keep you safe while you are still learning. Follow them consistently throughout your 60 hours of practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do hours I drove before I got my learner's permit count?

No. Only hours logged after you receive your learner's permit count toward the 60-hour requirement. If you drove with a supervising driver before you had a permit, those hours do not transfer. Start counting from the date your permit is issued.

Can I count hours if I am driving in another state?

Yes. As long as you hold a valid Maryland learner's permit and you are supervised by a licensed driver, hours you log in any state count toward your Maryland requirement. Many families practice in neighboring states without any issue.

What if I turn 18 before I finish my 60 hours?

You must still complete the 60 hours before you can take your road test for a full license. Turning 18 does not waive the requirement. However, once you turn 18, you are no longer subject to learner's permit restrictions and can drive alone — but you still need to log the supervised hours for testing purposes.

Can my supervising driver be someone other than a parent?

Yes. Your supervising driver must be at least 21 years old and hold a valid driver's license, but they do not have to be a parent or family member. A friend's parent, an older sibling, a driving instructor, or any other licensed adult can supervise your practice hours.

Do I need to log hours if I take a driver's education course?

Yes. A driver's education course does not replace the 60-hour requirement. Hours spent in a classroom or in a professional driving school vehicle may count toward the requirement if the instructor is a licensed driver and you are behind the wheel, but you must still log them and provide proof to the MVA.