FAQs

Q:  Who must take Georgia driver’s education?

A:  If you’re between the ages of 15 and 17 and planning to obtain a Georgia driver’s license, you’ll need to complete a DDS-approved driver’s education course. 1st Stop Georgia Teen Driving Academy is licensed by DDS and fulfills the Georgia drivers education requirement under Joshua’s Law which was enacted January 1, 2007. But no matter how old you are, if you want to learn about driving in Georgia and plan to obtain a Georgia driver’s license, you can take the course from 1st Stop Georgia Teen Driving Academy.

Q:  What are the two parts of driver’s training?

A:  You must complete the academic portion as well as the driving portion. The academic portion can be fulfilled either through 30 hours of classroom instruction or through the 30 hour online training. 1st Stop Georgia Teen Driving Academy offers both, but we encourage everyone to seriously consider completing the 30 hour classroom instruction. It is interactive and fun and teenagers generally get much more out of it than through the online training. The second part of the Joshua’s Law requirement’s is the in-car training. This can be satisfied by either 40 hours of supervised driving or the 6-hour behind the wheel training with a state-certified driving instructor.

Q:  How does the 30-hour classroom instruction work?

A:  Our instructors are licensed by the Georgia DDS to provide the academic portion of driver’s training. These classes are scheduled periodically and are kept updated on our website. Our curriculum is fun and interactive and will provide you with the necessary information to pass the driver’s license exam as well as become a safer driver. At the end of the course, there’ll be a final exam so you can measure how much you’ve learned. Don’t worry though—you can take it as many times as needed in order to pass. Once the test is passed, 1st Stop will provide you with a Certificate of Completion. If the class dates do not fit your schedule, you can always choose the online training as an alternate. Keep in mind that O.C.G.A 48.7.20 mandates that insurance companies give a 10% discount on car insurance if you take the 30-hour classroom instruction and the 6-hour behind the wheel training. It is up to the insurance company whether or not they will offer a discount if you take another form of training.

Q:  How Does Online training work?

A:  It’s simple. After you register (it takes less than a minute), you’re all set to start your Georgia driver’s education course. You can pay right away or you can take up to 20% of the course before you make up your mind to complete the course and pay. Either way, you’ll be on the road to satisfying your Georgia driver’s education requirement. Your course is available to you online 24/7. That means you can log in and out whenever you want and from any computer that has internet access! When you log back in, you’ll go back to the exact place you left off. At the end of the course, there’ll be a final exam so you can measure how much you’ve learned. Don’t worry though—you can take it as many times as you need in order to pass. Once you pass the test, we’ll send your Certificate of Completion within 2 business days. We usually send your certificate by email, but you can choose First Class Mail at no extra charge, or upgrade to FedEx for a fee.

Q:  Do I need to take in-car driving lessons?

A:  If you’re under 17 years old and want to earn your license, the DDS requires that you take some form of in-car training. You have two options: Take 6 hours of in-car training with a DDS-licensed private driving school, followed by 40 hours of supervised driving with a licensed driver. Another option is to take 40 hours of supervised driving with your parent or guardian (including 6 hours at night) and fill out the Parent-Teen Driving Guide available through the DDS.

Q:  Which type of training is right for you?

A:  Well it comes down to convenience. When you take 6 hours with a driving school, you get the requirement out of the way faster, and you can simply drive the 40 hours with a licensed driver at your leisure. Additionally, you get the benefit of learning from a driving professional, who can show you the most up-to-date safety techniques. As an added bonus, when you take your driver’s training with a DDS-licensed driving school, your parents are eligible for a $150 tax credit (see Code Section 48-7-20) and you might even get an insurance discount!* With the tax credit and potential insurance discount, these lessons pay for themselves! When you take the 40-hour parent training option, you need to make room in your schedule and keep close notes with the Parent-Teen Driving Guide. Additionally, when you finish the guide, you need to have it signed by a notary public before you can take it to the DDS.

Q:  What is therequired age to attend the Joshua’s Law training?

A:  There is essentially no minimum or maximum age. The age-group of students we strongly encourage to attend our training between 14-17 years old.

Q:  Can my child attend driver’s training before they get their learner’s permit?

A:  Yes! Teenage students can attend the training before they get their learner’s permit. A learner’s permit is not required to attend the training, but typically students will obtain their class C permit (learner’s permit) and then attend the training. This is usually at the age of 15, but again it can be done earlier or later. The State of Georgia requires teens to have their permit for a year and a day before they can obtain their Class D license which allows anyone under the age of 18 to drive “unsupervised”.

Q:  Does this class qualify my child for an insurance discount?

A:  Every insurance company is different. Please check with your insurance company for their policy. The State of Georgia mandates that insurance companies must give a 10% discount if your child takes both the 30-hour classroom instruction AND the 6-hour behind the wheel training with a state certified driving instructor. Insurance companies will typically offer some discount for the classroom instruction, but typically do not for the online training.

Q:  Does 1st Stop offer the 6 hour behind the wheel training?

A:  Yes, 6 hour behind the wheel training is available! We have safe, late model cars available for student use. Contact us today to schedule behind the wheel training!

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