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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>80192</law_id><section_number>46.2-1702</section_number><catch_line>Certification of driver education courses by Commissioner</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><referred_to_by><reference>46.2-1701</reference><reference>46.2-326.1</reference></referred_to_by><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="46.2">Motor Vehicles</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="IV">Dealers and Driver Training Schools</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="17">Driver Training Schools</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Driver Training Schools, Generally</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Notwithstanding any other provision of <span class="dictionary">law</span>, the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall have the authority to approve as a driver education course satisfying the requirements of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Conditions and requirements for licensure of persons under 18" href="/46.2-334/">46.2-334</a> any course that is offered by any <span class="dictionary">driver training school</span> licensed under the provisions of this chapter if he finds that the course is of comparable content and quality to that offered in the Commonwealth&#x2019;s public schools. In making such <span class="dictionary">finding</span>, the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall not require that the <span class="dictionary">instructors</span> of any <span class="dictionary">driver training school</span> meet the certification requirements of teachers in the Commonwealth&#x2019;s public schools.
		Any comprehensive community college within the Virginia Community College System shall have the authority to offer the courses required by the Virginia Board of Education to become a certified driver education <span class="dictionary">instructor</span> in Virginia on a not-for-credit basis so long as the courses include the same content and curriculum required by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Education, enabling individuals who complete those courses to then teach driver&#x2019;s education in Virginia driver education training schools upon official certification by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of <span class="dictionary">Motor Vehicles</span>. The Virginia <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Education shall provide the curriculum, content, and other information regarding the courses required to become certified driver education <span class="dictionary">instructors</span> in Virginia to any comprehensive community college within the Virginia Community College System. The content of each course must be accurate and rigorous and must meet the requirements for the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Education&#x2019;s Curriculum and Administrative Guide for Driver&#x2019;s Education, which includes the Board of Education&#x2019;s standards of learning.
		Except for schools in the Commonwealth&#x2019;s public school system and providers of correspondence courses approved by the Board of Education pursuant to subsection F of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Driver education programs" href="/22.1-205/">22.1-205</a>, only those <span class="dictionary">driver training schools</span> that are licensed as <span class="dictionary">computer-based driver education providers</span> shall be authorized to administer <span class="dictionary">computer-based driver education courses</span>, including the parent/student driver education component of the driver education curriculum as established in &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Driver education programs" href="/22.1-205/">22.1-205</a>. The content and quality of such <span class="dictionary">computer-based driver education courses</span> shall be comparable to that of courses offered in the Commonwealth&#x2019;s public schools. The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may establish minimum standards for testing students who have enrolled in <span class="dictionary">computer-based driver education courses</span>. Such standards may include (i) requirements for the test site; (ii) verification that the person taking the test is the person enrolled in the course; (iii) verification of the identity of the student using photo identification approved by the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span>; and (iv) maintenance of a log containing the name and title of the licensed <span class="dictionary">instructor</span> monitoring the test, the test date, the name of the student taking the test, and the student&#x2019;s time-in and time-out of the test site. <span class="dictionary">Computer-based driver education providers</span> shall not <span class="dictionary">issue</span> a certificate of completion to a student prior to receiving proof of completion of the additional minimum 90-minute parent/student driver education component pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Driver education programs" href="/22.1-205/">22.1-205</a>.
		Any <span class="dictionary">driver training school</span> licensed under the provisions of this chapter shall be authorized to provide the 90-minute parent/student driver education component of the driver education curriculum pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Driver education programs" href="/22.1-205/">22.1-205</a>. Only public schools and those <span class="dictionary">driver training schools</span> that are licensed as <span class="dictionary">computer-based driver education providers</span> shall be authorized to administer the parent/student driver education component of the driver education curriculum through a virtual, computer-based program. Completion of such education component shall satisfy the requirement for the additional 90-minute parent/student driver education component so long as there is participation of the student&#x2019;s parent or guardian and the content provided is comparable to that which is offered in the Commonwealth&#x2019;s public schools and emphasizes (a) parental responsibilities regarding juvenile driver behavior, (b) juvenile driving restrictions pursuant to this Code, (c) the dangers of driving while intoxicated and underage consumption of alcohol, and (d) the dangers of distracted driving.
		The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> shall have authority to approve any driver education course offered by any <span class="dictionary">Class A licensee</span> if he finds the course meets the requirements for such courses as set forth in this chapter and as otherwise established by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>. <span class="dictionary">Class A licensees</span> shall not be permitted to administer behind-the-wheel examinations unless authorized pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Designation of commercial driver's license skills testing examiners" href="/46.2-326.1/">46.2-326.1</a>. Driver education courses offered by any <span class="dictionary">Class B licensee</span> shall be based on the driver education curriculum currently approved by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Education and the <span class="dictionary">Department</span>.
		In addition to programs authorized pursuant to this chapter, the <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may authorize <span class="dictionary">driver training schools</span> to administer programs pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Requirements for initial licensure of certain applicants" href="/46.2-324.1/">46.2-324.1</a> and subsection B of &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Examination of applicants; waiver of Department's examination under certain circumstances; behind-the-wheel and knowledge examinations" href="/46.2-325/">46.2-325</a>.
		The <span class="dictionary">Commissioner</span> may accept, in lieu of requirements established by the <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Education for <span class="dictionary">instructor</span> qualification, (1) 20 years&#x2019; service with the Virginia <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of State Police by a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer</span> who retired or resigned while in good standing from such <span class="dictionary">Department</span> or (2) (i) 20 years&#x2019; service as a traffic enforcement officer with patrol experience with any local police <span class="dictionary">department</span> by a <span class="dictionary"><span class="dictionary">law</span>-enforcement officer</span> who has been certified by the Virginia <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Criminal Justice Services pursuant to &#xA7;&#xA0;<a class="law" title="Certification through training required for all law-enforcement officers; waiver of requirements" href="/15.2-1706/">15.2-1706</a>, (ii) who retired or resigned while in good standing from such <span class="dictionary">department</span>, and (iii) who has been certified to teach driver training by the Virginia <span class="dictionary">Department</span> of Criminal Justice Services.</p></section></text><history>1990, c. 466; 1991, c. 214; 2004, c. 587; 2014, cc. 666, 685, 753; 2016, c. 437; 2017, c. 144; 2018, cc. 521, 619; 2019, cc. 78, 155; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 136; 2022, c. 708; 2025, c. 79.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
