Driver's Education FAQ

The classroom portion of the program fulfills the state requirement of 30 hours. Classes run for 3 hours and 15 minutes for a total of 10 sessions.  

The Behind the Wheel (BTW) portion of the program is divided into three lessons of 2 hours each, for a total of 6 hours. Each lesson is held separately on a different day. 

 Driver Education, SFT043 and SFT078, have a maximum capacity of 18 students. Driver Education with Additional Supports, SFT079 and SFT080, have a maximum capacity of 12 students. For the Behind the Wheel portion of the program there is just one student and one instructor per car. 

Classes are held at our Gaithersburg Business Training Center (GBTC), Rockville Campus, or the Germantown Campus. See MC maps for directions. We are also expanding into Montgomery County Public Schools. (Please see Schedule/Cost tab for available classes). 

The Gaithersburg Business Training Center (GBTC), map, 12 South Summit Ave, 4th floor, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877. GBTC is located on RIDE ON bus route 55 (stop at Summit Ave., walk two blocks toward City Hall / Gaithersburg MARC train station) or RIDE ON bus route 54 (stop at Diamond Ave. and walk 3/4 mile east parallel to RR tracks). 
 
See MC maps for directions to the Germantown Campus, Gaithersburg, and Rockville Campus. 
All behind the wheel lessons begin and end at the designated college campus; no exceptions. Meet your Instructor and the Driver Education car on time for your lessons. For Gaithersburg Business Training Center, meet at the rear entrance adjacent to the parking garage; for lessons at Germantown and Rockville campus special arrangements will be prearranged.

Yes. All new drivers regardless of age are required to successfully complete the Driver Education program and comply with the Rookie Driver laws and requirements. See the MVAnew window for complete details.

No. Instead of a certificate the MVA requires the results of their Driver Ed class to be electronically submitted to the MVA. Same day servicing is not accepted as it takes up to 72 hours for the data to be reflected within the MVA's system.

School closings due to snow or inclement weather are posted on Montgomery College  website, or listen to the radio or TV for information. If the College is closed, there are no classes or driving lessons. If the College is open, it is up to the discretion of the instructor whether or not to conduct behind the wheel driving lessons. For further information you may check with the individual instructor, or call Customer Service at 240-567-5188.

Yes, effective October 2008, students must have a Learner's Permit to take the class. 

The process to obtain a Leaner’s Permit is as follows: 

1. Learner's permits may be obtained at the MVA and require certain documents such as a birth certificate, passing an eye test, and passing a quiz, etc. 
2. The Rookie Driver Program new windowhas information on how to get a learner's permit. 
3. Montgomery College has a Learners Permit Preparatory Course that includes several tutorials to help students practice and prepare for the Learner's Permit. 
4. The MVA now has an online tutorial new windowto be used as a practice guide to help prepare you for your Learner's Permit. 

Learners Permit Prep. Course:  

We offer a 10 hour Learners Permit Prep Course to help prepare students for the Maryland MVA learners permit test. This course is open to all students, yet designed by a Special Education Teacher to help students who require additional supports. Call for more information 240-567-1895 or see Schedule/Cost Tab.

Students should bring their learner's permit AND their parent/mentor to the first class.

You must make up that same class session in a future class. There are a total of ten sessions. All absences need to be approved by the classroom instructor. It is important to attend all ten sessions to maintain continuity of information. To make up the particular session you missed, you must contact the program office at 240-567-1895. The entire course must be completed within 18 weeks. 

BTW Guidelines (PDF, ) are provided as a reference guide for students participating in Montgomery College's Driver Education Program. This includes guidelines for appropriate attire for the behind the wheel driving lessons and other helpful information such as what to do if you have to cancel or reschedule a driving session. Students must sign this document before they are allowed to participate in behind the wheel driving practice. 

For the safety of the students, instructors, fellow motorists, and pedestrians the students must agree to the terms and conditions of The Driver Safety Agreement (PDF, ) . The behind the wheel Instructor and student will go over the Driver Safety Agreement prior to the first driving lesson. This form must be signed by the student, and parent if the student is under 18. 

When: The MVA recommends that we do not begin the behind the wheel sessions until after the third classroom session. Students may not have more than one driving lesson per day. Lessons are scheduled 7 days a week.  

Where: All behind the wheel lessons begin and end at the designated college campus; no exceptions. Meet your Instructor and the Driver Education car on time for your lessons. For Gaithersburg Business Training Center, meet at the rear entrance adjacent to the parking garage; for lessons at Germantown and Rockville campus special arrangements will be prearranged.  

Schedule: Students will get their behind the wheel schedule during the first three classes if they brought their learner's permit to the first class. The MVA recommends that we do not begin the Behind the Wheel sessions until after the third classroom session. 

Students need to make the Driver Education classes a priority. There is limited flexibility in modifying the schedule. To avoid conflicts you should bring your activity calendar to the first class. If you have a serious conflict, try the following: 

1. Rearrange your outside engagement or appointment. 
2. Contact the instructor. 
3. If still unsuccessful, call the BTW coordinator for assistance, 240-567-1895.

Behind the wheel session are conducted with college vehicles that have automatic transmissions. Currently we use 2014 Ford Focus’ for Behind the Wheel driving lessons. 

NOTE: There is a $50 Lost Session Fee If you arrive at your driving session without the appropriate apparel / tools, your session will be canceled and you will be charged $50. If you must cancel or reschedule your driving session, it must be done at least 24 hours in advance to avoid the $50 fee. If you do not show for your lesson, you will be charged $50. Illness and other emergencies with documentation can be submitted to the program office for fee waiver consideration. The student should make contact with both the Driving Instructor and Program Director within 24 hours of missed session to reschedule. Driving Instructor contact information will be on the student's BTW schedule.

We offer the MVA 6-hour Behind the Wheel Course separately for students who have completed the classroom portion of Driver Education at another school. Call 240-567-1895 or email Alejandra.Isaia-Herrera@montgomerycollege.edu for more information and to schedule. 

Students must successfully complete all 6 hours (three 2-hour lessons) of the behind the wheel portion of the Driver Education class before completion data can be submitted to the MVA. Success is determined by completion of all 6 hours satisfactorily. Instructor discretion is used for students earning an unsatisfactory on any of the skills. 

If an Instructor sees that a student may not pass the behind the wheel portion, he may recommend that the student defer his/her 2nd or 3rd lesson in order to have more practice driving, thus having a better chance of passing. This practice may be with a parent or mentor, or they may take Driver Improvement Lessons. If a student fails the behind the wheel portion, they must practice (this can be with the school or a parent/mentor driver) and then arrange with the school to re-take the failed lesson. Any lesson outside of the 6 hours included in the course is at an additional charge.

Our instructors are all licensed by the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, and have a wealth of experience and knowledge about driving safety. Instructors have been teaching Driver Education for several years in the local community and have served as police officers, military officers, or high school teachers prior to a Driver Education career. To maintain their certification they participate in state-required continuing education as well as professional development opportunities at Montgomery College. Our small group of instructors embrace the program's commitment to quality driver education.