Prince William County Public Schools

Driver Education in PWCS

Driver Education Classroom Instruction

Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) provides driver education instruction in Health, Physical Education, and Classroom Driver Education 2 (HPE 2). HPE 2 is typically taken during 10th grade.

Students receive a minimum of 30 hours of classroom driver education instruction in HPE 2.

90-Minute Student/Parent Presentation

Virginia law (Code of Virginia § 22.1-205) requires students and their parent/guardian living in Planning District 8 – which includes Prince William County – to participate in an in-person, 90-minute student/parent presentation.

Students must complete classroom driver education instruction and attend the student/parent presentation to receive their Driver Education Certificate of Completion (DEC-8) card, which is a necessary step in the juvenile driver's licensing process.

Find Student/Parent Presentation Dates, Times, and Locations

Optional Behind-the-Wheel Driver Education

PWCS offers an optional, in-car road and range (behind-the-wheel) program for our students to assist in their juvenile licensing process. Instruction is for 14 hours, typically two hours in the afternoon for 7 days. Instruction includes observation and actual driving in residential, open, and interstate roadways. The behind-the-wheel program is offered as an after-school program or summer session at all high schools. Contact your school's driver education coordinator for information on behind-the-wheel class availability.

Students participating in the behind-the-wheel program must have a learner's permit and a DEC-8 card.

The cost for this program is $240.

Please note that students will not be able to schedule a behind-the-wheel class until the full payment is submitted online or to the driver education coordinator at their school.

Register for Behind-the-Wheel Driver Education

Students who successfully complete behind-the-wheel driver education can receive a 180-Day Provisional License issued by their school:

• Parent/Guardian Form Granting The School Permission to Issue Their Child A 180-Day Provisional Driver's License (PDF)

Driver Education Coordinator Contact Information

Please contact the driver education coordinator at your student's school to obtain your student's DEC-8 card and temporary driver's license (TDL-180).

For additional questions and information, please contact the Health, Physical Education, and Driver Education program at 571-374-6410.