West Virginia Driver's License FAQs

You must be at least 15 years old and meet the Level 1 eligibility requirements, including the required written and vision examinations and other application requirements.

You must have held the Level 1 Instruction Permit for 180 consecutive days without a conviction during the 180 days immediately preceding your Level 2 application.

The standard experience path requires 50 hours of supervised driving, including at least 10 hours at night. An approved Department of Education driver education course can satisfy the experience requirement instead.

No. Teendrivingcourse.com is supplemental and does not substitute for the state-approved driver education course that can satisfy the Level 2 experience requirement.

A licensed driver who is at least 21 years old can supervise you, or a qualifying driver education or driving-school instructor acting officially as an instructor. The supervisor must be alert and unimpaired.

No. A Level 1 permit requires direct supervision by a qualified licensed driver or instructor whenever you drive.

A Level 1 permit holder may drive between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m. while supervised. The statutory permit conditions do not allow independent driving.

You must be at least 16, satisfy the 180-day conviction-free Level 1 period, complete either the approved driver education or 50-hour experience path, and pass the road skills examination.

You may generally drive unsupervised from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., a licensed driver age 21 or older must supervise unless a qualifying work, school, religious, or emergency exception applies.

During the first six months, passengers under 20 generally must be family members. During the second six months, you may carry no more than one passenger under 20 who is not a family member.

West Virginia requires the driver to enroll in an approved driver improvement program after the first conviction for a moving traffic violation or certain Level 2 violations, unless a greater penalty applies.

A second conviction can result in suspension or revocation of driving privileges for the applicable statutory period or until age 18, whichever is longer, unless a greater penalty applies.

At 17, you can qualify for Level 3 if you have held Level 2 conviction-free for the preceding 12 months and meet the remaining statutory requirements.

No. A Level 3 driver under 18 may not use a wireless communication device while operating a motor vehicle unless the device is being used to contact 911.

West Virginia currently requires $25,000/$50,000 bodily-injury liability and $25,000 property-damage liability. Mandatory uninsured-motorist coverage is also $25,000/$50,000 for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage.