A Maryland learner’s permit is a type of driver’s license that allows the holder to drive, but only with proper supervision.
Maryland learner’s permit holders caught driving without required supervision are often driving alone, but even if you are not by yourself, there are still requirements that must be met. The driver must be seated beside someone supervising them, who must be age 21 or older, and who must have been licensed for at least three years in any state to drive that class of vehicle. No one else may be seated in the front seat of the vehicle other than the learner’s permit holder and the supervisor while the learner’s permit holder is driving.
Driving on a learner’s permit without the above conditions being met can result in a charge of Holder of a Learner’s Permit Driving Without Required Supervision under TA § 16-105, which is punishable by five points and a fine of up to $500. A conviction or a probation before judgment on that charge, or on any other moving violation while you have a learner’s permit will make you ineligible to take the Maryland driving test for nine months afterward. The accumulation of five points will also result in a suspension of your license if you are under 18, and will put an adult dangerously close to accumulating 8 points, which is the level at which the MVA will attempt to suspend an adult for a point accumulation. The suspensions apply even if you only have a learner’s permit, as a learner’s permit is a form of driver’s license under Maryland law. Even if the points do not cause a suspension, five points can make a huge difference to the future insurance costs for any driver, but I can usually eliminate them entirely.
A conviction or probation before judgment on any moving violation, to include speeding, running a stop sign, or any other violation carrying points will stop you from taking the Maryland driver’s test for nine months. It is extremely important that you seek my help if you get a ticket before you pass the test and get your provisional license so that I can help you avoid this serious consequence.
Any suspension or point accumulation can drive up the cost of your insurance and stop you from taking the driving test, which is why it is so important for a driver on a learner’s permit to take traffic tickets seriously.
As your lawyer, there are a number of ways that I can protect you from the consequences of driving unsupervised on a learner’s permit. If your ability to drive, your insurance rates, or your driving record are important to you, contact me today at (301) 556-8709.
