Belmont Driving School - Helping you pass since 1946

September 2007: Important Changes to the Driver Education Program

On January 3, 2007, An Act Further Regulating Driver Education and Junior Operator Licenses passed into law as Chapter 428 of the Acts of 2006. The law is an important step in strengthening driver's education and Junior Operator License (JOL) requirements, as well as in increasing operating restrictions and penalties for junior operators in Massachusetts. The intent of the law is to ensure that every junior operator licensed in Massachusetts has received the proper training and experience to safely and responsibly operate a motor vehicle, as well as provide significant penalties for those individuals who do not.

The law contains sections that require the Registrar to create and develop regulations for the operation of driving schools and to develop and implement a standardized driver education curriculum and final exam by September 1, 2007. The law increases the required hours of behind-the-wheel instruction provided in driver education to 12 hours and requires parents/guardians to attend two hours of instruction in the content of driver education. The statute (Chapter 428 of the Acts of 2006), newly proposed regulations and driver education curriculum are posted on the RMV website at www.mass.gov/rmv under the heading Teens & Parents.

The Implementation date for the above requirements is September 1, 2007. Please note that:

Students who obtain a learner's permit on or after September 1, 2007 will be required to meet the new standards.

Students who obtain a learner's permit prior to September 1, 2007 will be subject to the present requirements.

Students who have completed the classroom portion of drivers education prior to September 1, 2007, but obtain a learner's permit on or after September 1, 2007, will not be required to meet the new requirements but will be required to complete the 12 hours of behind the wheel instruction (Note: Students can not begin classroom instruction prior to 15 years and 9 months of age).

Applicants for a JOL license will also be required to complete not less than 40 hours of supervised driving (increased from the current 12 hours) from a parent or guardian, or 30 hours of supervised driving if the applicant has successfully completed a driver skills development program (advanced driver training). All applicants scheduled to take a road exam who obtain their learner's permit on or after September 1, 2007 must meet this requirement.

Please also note that these changes will only affect persons under the age of 18 who get their permits on or after September 1, 2007.

For information on the changes please visit Program Info and Fees.

For information and class times on the Parent/Guardian class, please visit Parent/ Guardian Class Requirement.