What changed
For years, drivers education was required only for drivers under 18. State lawmakers changed that with House Bill 1878, signed in 2025, because new drivers in their late teens and early twenties crash at high rates without training. The law phases a driver education requirement in by age, so that by 2030 every new driver under 22 has to complete a course before they can be licensed. (An earlier 2023 law, Senate Bill 5583, set this in motion.) A separate, narrower part of the law adds a shorter course for some drivers up to 24 who pile up traffic violations.
The rollout by age
The expansion is gradual and set in state law. It steps up by age, and a new driver in each group must complete drivers ed before getting licensed:
- New 18 year olds: drivers ed required starting January 2027.
- 19 year olds: 2028.
- 20 year olds: 2029.
- 21 year olds: 2030.
These dates are set in state law. The program details and the list of approved providers are still being finalized by the Department of Licensing, so confirm the specifics with the DOL as 2027 approaches.
What to do now
If you are 18 to 21 and still need a license, two moves make sense. First, do not wait, since requirements only expand. Second, even if a course is not required for you yet, a few adult lessons dramatically improve your odds of passing the skills test the first time. WMST trains and tests adults, so you can handle the whole thing in one place.