Motor Vehicles - Driver's Licenses - Eligibility

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0856*

SENATE BILL 856
R4 6lr3514
CF 6lr3517
By: Senator Sydnor
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Motor Vehicles – Driver’s Licenses – Eligibility 2

FOR the purpose of altering the eligibility standards and requirements for the issuance of 3
provisional driver’s licenses and original driver’s licenses ; and generally relating to 4
eligibility for driver’s licenses. 5

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Article – Transportation 7
Section 16–103(c), 16–105(d), and 16–111 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 11
Article – Transportation 12
Section 16–111.1(a) and (b) 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2020 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 16
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 17

Article – Transportation 18

16–103. 19

(c) The Administration may not issue: 20

(1) A learner’s instructional permit to any individual who has not reached 21
the age of 15 years, 9 months; 22

2 SENATE BILL 856

(2) A provisional license to any individual who [has]: 1

(I) HAS not reached the age of 16 years, 6 months; OR 2

(II) IS 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER; or 3

(3) A license to any individual who has not reached the age of 18 years. 4

16–105. 5

(d) (1) This subsection applies to an individual who: 6

(i) Seeks to obtain an original driver’s license under this subtitle; 7
and 8

(ii) Does not qualify for a learner’s instructional permit under 9
subsection (e) of this section. 10

(2) [Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, an ] AN 11
individual under the age of [19] 18 years who holds a learner’s instructional permit may 12
not take a driver skills examination or driver road examination for a provisional license: 13

(i) Sooner than 9 months following the later of: 14

1. The date that the individual first obtains the learner’s 15
instructional permit; or 16

2. The most recent date the individual was convicted of, or 17
granted probation before judgment under § 6 –220 of the Criminal Procedure Article for, a 18
moving violation; 19

(ii) Until after successful completion of: 20

1. The driver education program approved under Subtitle 5 21
of this title, consisting of at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and at least 6 hours of 22
highway driving instruction; and 23

2. At least 60 hours, 10 hours of which must occur during the 24
period beginning 30 minutes before sunset and ending 30 minutes after sunrise, of 25
behind–the–wheel driving practice supervised by an individual who: 26

A. Holds a valid driver’s license; 27

B. Is at least 21 years old; and 28

C. Has been licensed to drive for at least 3 years; and 29

SENATE BILL 856 3

(iii) Unless the individual submits, in accordance with the 1
Administration’s regulations, a completed skills log book signed by: 2

1. Each supervising driver who certifies that th e individual 3
has satisfactorily demonstrated a required skill and has completed the driving practice 4
requirements of item (ii)2 of this paragraph; and 5

2. If a signature of a parent, guardian, or other person is 6
required under § 16 –107 of this subtitle , the parent, guardian, or other person who signs 7
the individual’s application under that section. 8

(3) An individual who holds a learner’s instructional permit and who is AT 9
LEAST 18 years old [and has a high school diploma or its equivalent or is at least 19 years 10
old but under the age of 25 years ] may not take a driver skills examination or driver road 11
examination for a [provisional] DRIVER’S license: 12

(i) Sooner than the later of: 13

1. 3 months following the date that the individual first 14
obtains the learner’s instructional permit; or 15

2. 9 months following the most recent date the individual 16
was convicted of, or granted probation before judgment for, a moving violation; 17

(ii) Until after successful completion of: 18

1. A standard driver education program approved under 19
Subtitle 5 of this title, consisting of at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and at least 20
6 hours of highway driving instruction; and 21

2. At least 60 hours, 10 hours of which must occur during the 22
period beginnin g 30 minutes before sunset and ending 30 minutes after sunrise, of 23
behind–the–wheel driving practice supervised by an individual who: 24

A. Holds a valid driver’s license; 25

B. Is at least 21 years old; and 26

C. Has been licensed to drive for at least 3 years; and 27

(iii) Unless the individual submits, in accordance with the 28
Administration’s regulations, a completed skills log book signed by each supervising driver 29
who certifies that the individual has satisfactorily demonstrated a required skil l and has 30
completed the driving practice requirements under this paragraph. 31

(4) An individual at least 25 years old who holds a learner’s instructional 32
permit and has not been convicted of, or granted probation before judgment for, a moving 33
4 SENATE BILL 856

violation ma y not take a driver skills examination or driver road examination for a 1
[provisional] DRIVER’S license: 2

(i) Sooner than 45 days following the date that the individual first 3
obtains the learner’s instructional permit; 4

(ii) Until after successful completion of: 5

1. A standard driver education program approved under 6
Subtitle 5 of this title, consisting of at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and at least 7
6 hours of highway driving instruction; and 8

2. At least 14 hours, 3 hours of which must occur during the 9
period beginning 30 minutes before sunset and ending 30 minutes after sunrise, of 10
behind–the–wheel driving practice supervised by an individual who: 11

A. Holds a valid driver’s license; 12

B. Is at least 21 years old; and 13

C. Has been licensed to drive for at least 3 years; and 14

(iii) Unless the individual submits, in accordance with the 15
Administration’s regulations, a completed skills log book signed by each supervising driver 16
who certifies that the individual has satisfac torily demonstrated a required skill and has 17
completed the driving practice requirements under this paragraph. 18

(5) An individual at least 25 years old who holds a learner’s instructional 19
permit and has been convicted of, or granted probation before judg ment for, at least one 20
moving violation may not take a driver skills examination or driver road examination for a 21
[provisional] DRIVER’S license: 22

(i) Sooner than 9 months following the most recent date the 23
individual was convicted of, or granted probation before judgment for, a moving violation; 24

(ii) Until after successful completion of: 25

1. A standard driver education program approved under 26
Subtitle 5 of this title, consisting of at least 30 hours of classroom instruction and at least 27
6 hours of highway driving instruction; and 28

2. At least 14 hours, 3 hours of which must occur during the 29
period beginning 30 minutes before sunset and ending 30 minutes after sunrise, of 30
behind–the–wheel driving practice supervised by an individual who: 31

A. Holds a valid driver’s license; 32

SENATE BILL 856 5

B. Is at least 21 years old; and 1

C. Has been licensed to drive for at least 3 years; and 2

(iii) Unless the individual submits, in accordance with the 3
Administration’s regulations, a completed skills log book signed by each supervising driver 4
who certifies that the individual has satisfactorily demonstrated a required skill and has 5
completed the driving practice requirements under this paragraph. 6

(6) A learner’s instructional permit issued to an individual described in 7
paragraph (1) of this subsection expires 2 years after the date of issuance. 8

16–111. 9

(a) This section applies to an applicant who: 10

(1) Holds a learner’s instructional permit under § 16–105(d) of this subtitle; 11
or 12

(2) Qualifies for a provisional license under subsection (e) of this section. 13

(b) An applicant is entitled to receive a provisional license if the applicant: 14

(1) Meets the [minimum age required ] AGE REQUIREMENTS under § 15
16–103(c)(2) of this subtitle; 16

(2) Satisfies the learner’s instructional permit requirements under [§ 17
16–105(d)(2), (3), (4), or (5)] § 16–105(D)(2) of this subtitle; 18

(3) Passes a driver skills or driver road examination administered under 19
this subtitle; 20

(4) Surrenders any learner’s instructional permit issued to the applicant; 21
and 22

(5) Pays the fee established under this subtitle. 23

(c) A provisional license shall be clearly identifiable as a provisional license. 24

(d) (1) An individual who holds a provisional license may not recei ve a 25
DRIVER’S license [sooner than 18 months following] BEFORE the later of: 26

(i) The date the individual [first obtains the provisional license ] 27
TURNS 18 YEARS OF AGE; 28

6 SENATE BILL 856

(ii) [The] 18 MONTHS FOLLOWING THE date the individual is 1
convicted of, or granted probation before judgment under § 6–220 of the Criminal Procedure 2
Article for: 3

1. A [moving] violation OF § 21–902 OF THIS ARTICLE; or 4

2. A violation of a provisional driver’s license restriction 5
under [§ 16–113(i)] § 16–113(J) of this subtitle; or 6

(iii) [The] 18 MONTHS FOLLOWING THE date of restoration of an 7
individual’s provisional driver’s license or driving privilege that has been suspended, 8
revoked, or canceled for any reason. 9

(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subtitle, the 10
Administration may issue a license to an individual who was otherwise eligible to receive 11
a license at the time a moving violation was committed. 12

(e) (1) [Notwithstanding subsection (d) of this section or any other provision 13
of this subtitle, the] THE Administration may issue a provisional license to an individual 14
WHO IS UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS AND IS OTHERWISE ELIGIBL E FOR A 15
PROVISIONAL LICENSE AND who has been licensed to drive in another state or country, 16
or by the armed forces [for less than 18 months]. 17

[(2) If an individual has been licensed for: 18

(i) Less than 6 months, the individual shall hold the provisional 19
license for at least 18 months before being eligible for a license under § 16 –111.1 of this 20
subtitle; 21

(ii) 6 months, but less than 12 months, the individual shall hold the 22
provisional license for at least 12 months before being eligible for a license under § 23
16–111.1 of this subtitle as long as the individual has not committed an offense as defined 24
in § 16–213(a) of this title during that period; or 25

(iii) 12 months, but less than 18 months, the individual shall hold the 26
provisional license for at least 6 months before being eligible for a license under § 16–111.1 27
of this subtitle as long as the individual h as not committed an offense as defined in § 28
16–213(a) of this title during that period.] 29

(2) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION , AN INDIVIDUAL 30
WHO OBTAINS A PROVIS IONAL LICENSE UNDER THIS SUBSECTION MAY OBTAIN A 31
DRIVER’S LICENSE ON OR AFTE R THE DATE THE INDIVIDUAL TURNS 18 YEARS OF 32
AGE. 33

(3) An individual who commits an offense as defined in § 16–213(a) of this 34
title while holding a provisional license issued under this subsection is subject to[: 35
SENATE BILL 856 7

(i) The waiting periods under subsection (d) (1)(ii) of this section 1
before qualifying for a license under § 16–111.1 of this subtitle; and 2

(ii) Other] sanctions applicable to a holder of a provisional license 3
under this article. 4

(4) [Notwithstanding § 16 –103(c)(3) of this subtitle, the ] THE 5
Administration may issue a license under § 16 –111.1 of this subtitle without issuing a 6
learner’s instructional permit or a provisional license if the individual has been licensed to 7
drive in another state or country, or by the armed forces, [for at least 18 months] IS AT 8
LEAST 18 YEARS OF AGE, AND OTHERWISE QUALIFIES FOR A DRIVER’S LICENSE. 9

(f) A provisional license is subject to the expiration and renewal requirements of 10
§ 16–115 of this subtitle. 11

16–111.1. 12

(a) An applicant is entitled to receive the driver’s license applied for if the 13
applicant: 14

(1) Passes the examination provided for in this subtitle; 15

(2) Surrenders the last learner’s instructional permit issued to him, if any; 16
and 17

(3) Pays the fees provided for by this subtitle. 18

(b) (1) This subsection applies to an applicant who holds a provisional license 19
under § 16–111 of this subtitle. 20

(2) An applicant is entitled to receive a license if the applicant: 21

(i) Meets the minimum age required under § 16 –103(c)(3) of this 22
subtitle; 23

(ii) Satisfies the provisional license requirements under § 16–111(d) 24
or (e) of this subtitle; 25

(iii) Surrenders any provisional license issued to the applicant; and 26

(iv) Pays the fee established under this subtitle. 27

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
October 1, 2026. 29