Known as Burrsville Road, the state highway runs 4.78 miles (7.69 km) from MD 313 in Oil City east to the Delaware state line in Burrsville, where the highway continues east as Delaware Route 14 (DE 14).

The state highway heads east as a two-lane undivided road through farmland.

MD 317 crosses Webber Branch before the old alignment, Ruritan Road, splits to the northeast as the highway approaches Burrsville.

The old alignment, now part of Knife Box Road, crosses MD 317 again shortly before the route comes to its eastern terminus at the Delaware state line.

The highway continues east as DE 14 (Vernon Road) toward the city of Harrington.