republic-os/legislation/us/states/va/2026/sb-396.md

type, title, description, jurisdiction, legislature, session, identifier, citation, classification, subjects, status, primary_sponsors, version_count, action_count, vote_count, first_action, last_action, source, source_identifier, source_url, source_hash, vintage, source_snapshot, retrieved_at, confidence, tags

type	title	description	jurisdiction	legislature	session	identifier	citation	classification	subjects	status	primary_sponsors	version_count	action_count	vote_count	first_action	last_action	source	source_identifier	source_url	source_hash	vintage	source_snapshot	retrieved_at	confidence	tags
Bill	Driver's licenses; requirements for initial licensure, persons age 18 to 21.	Driver's licenses; requirements for initial licensure; persons age 18 to 21. Expands from 60 days to 90 days the length of time an applicant for a first-time noncommercial driver's license who is at least 18 years old and not more than 21 years old is required to hold a learner's permit and requires such an applicant to complete a course of driver instruction prior to being issued a driver's license. The bill provides that learner's permits other than motorcycle learner's permits, accompanied by other documentation verifying that the driver is at least 18 years old and less than 21 years old and has successfully completed an approved driver's education course, constitute a temporary driver's license for the purpose of driving unaccompanied by a licensed driver 18 years old or older, provided that certain other requirements are met. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1224.	us/states/va	Virginia General Assembly	2026	SB 396	Virginia SB 396 (2026)	bill		enacted	J.D. "Danny" Diggs	6	36	9	2026-01-13	2026-04-13	openstates	ocd-bill/9d8d9bda-2d4d-468f-9407-53405baa33e1	https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB396	1bd6cf4fa3169d0f30378b36a1d0ee4a3f7d611dcc4855991117377a7572fb58	2026-07-01	https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump	2026-07-06	reported	legislation bill us-va

Virginia SB 396 (2026) — Driver's licenses; requirements for initial licensure, persons age 18 to 21.

Driver's licenses; requirements for initial licensure; persons age 18 to 21. Expands from 60 days to 90 days the length of time an applicant for a first-time noncommercial driver's license who is at least 18 years old and not more than 21 years old is required to hold a learner's permit and requires such an applicant to complete a course of driver instruction prior to being issued a driver's license. The bill provides that learner's permits other than motorcycle learner's permits, accompanied by other documentation verifying that the driver is at least 18 years old and less than 21 years old and has successfully completed an approved driver's education course, constitute a temporary driver's license for the purpose of driving unaccompanied by a licensed driver 18 years old or older, provided that certain other requirements are met. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1224.

Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. Introduced (filed) — source
2. Department of Motor Vehicles Subcommittee Substitute (committee substitute) — source
3. Engrossed (committee substitute) — source
4. Transportation Amendment (committee substitute) — source
5. Transportation Substitute (committee substitute) — source
6. Enrolled (enrolled) — source

Votes

• Passage R — 19–21 (fail) · upper
• Reported from Transportation with amendment — 9–6 (pass) · upper
• Reconsider R — 40–0 (pass) · upper
• H VOTE: — 91–7 (pass) · lower
• Constitutional reading dispensed R — 40–0 (pass) · upper
• Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute — 10–0 (pass) · lower
• Passage R — 22–18 (pass) · upper
• Reported from Transportation with substitute — 21–0 (pass) · lower
• Concur House Substitute R — 25–14 (pass) · upper

Sponsors

• J.D. "Danny" Diggs — primary (person)

Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

• 2026-01-13 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104758D filing, introduction
• 2026-01-13 Referred to Committee on Transportation referral-committee
• 2026-01-29 Reported from Transportation with amendment (9-Y 6-N) committee-passage
• 2026-02-02 Rules suspended
• 2026-02-02 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
• 2026-02-02 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
• 2026-02-02 Passed by for the day
• 2026-02-03 Read second time reading-2
• 2026-02-03 Transportation Amendment agreed to amendment-passage
• 2026-02-03 Engrossed by Senate as amended (Voice Vote)
• 2026-02-04 Read third time and defeated by Senate (19-Y 21-N 0-A) failure, reading-3
• 2026-02-04 Reconsideration of defeated action agreed to by Senate
• 2026-02-04 Read third time and passed Senate (22-Y 18-N 0-A) passage, reading-3
• 2026-02-09 Placed on Calendar
• 2026-02-09 Read first time reading-1
• 2026-02-09 Referred to Committee on Transportation referral-committee
• 2026-02-20 Assigned HTRAN sub: Department of Motor Vehicles referral-committee
• 2026-02-24 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (10-Y 0-N) substitution
• 2026-02-26 Reported from Transportation with substitute (21-Y 0-N) committee-passage
• 2026-02-26 Committee substitute printed 26108548D-H1 substitution
• 2026-02-27 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB396)
• 2026-03-02 Read second time reading-2
• 2026-03-03 Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
• 2026-03-03 Read third time reading-3
• 2026-03-03 committee substitute agreed to substitution
• 2026-03-03 Engrossed by House - committee substitute substitution
• 2026-03-03 Passed House with substitute (91-Y 7-N 0-A) passage
• 2026-03-05 House substitute agreed to by Senate (25-Y 14-N 0-A) substitution
• 2026-03-11 Enrolled enrolled
• 2026-03-11 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB396ER) passage
• 2026-03-11 Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB396)
• 2026-03-11 Signed by President passage
• 2026-03-12 Signed by Speaker passage
• 2026-03-14 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 enrolled, executive-receipt
• 2026-03-14 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 executive-receipt
• 2026-04-13 Approved by Governor-Chapter 755 (effective 7/1/2026) executive-signature

Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot 2026-07-01; origin ocd-bill/9d8d9bda-2d4d-468f-9407-53405baa33e1. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Virginia legislature records).