Who is required to complete a driver education course before receiving a driver license?
Any person who is age 14 to under 25 must complete a driver education course.
How long is the minor and adult driver education course?
The classroom phase of a driver education course is at least 32 hours which cannot be completed in less than 16 days. The in-car phase consists of 7 hours of behind-the-wheel driving, 7 hours of in-car observation, and an additional 30 hours of behind-the-wheel driving - of which 10 hours must be done at night.
The additional 30 hours of behind-the-wheel driving will be monitored by the parent or guardian and are not required to be provided by a licensed driver education school. However, the hours must be completed in the presence of an adult who holds a valid license, is 21 or older, has at least one year of driving experience, and occupies the seat next to the driver.
When can I obtain my Learner License?
- A student must be 15 years of age
- Completed the first 6 hours of driver education (if concurrent method) or all 32 hours of classroom instruction (if block method)
- Has received a Texas driver education certificate of completion (DE-964)
When can I obtain my Provisional License?
Once the student has held the learner license for at least 6 months, is 16 years old or older, and has completed all driver education hours (32 classroom and 44 driving hours), the student may then take the driving exam. Upon successful completion of the driving exam, the student will then be issued a driver license by DPS.
Note: student who gets the learner license at or on his or her 15th birthday must wait until turning 16 years old to take the driving exam.
Can a person age 18 to under 25 complete the minor and adult and driver education course (32 hours of classroom, 7 hours behind-the-wheel, 7 hours observation)?
Yes, the minor and adult driver education course is for anyone who is 14 and over.
If I am absent from a licensed driver education school, may I get an excused absence for the classes I missed?
No. To obtain a Texas driver license prior to the age of 18, all driver education hours in both the classroom and in-car must be attended or made up. Therefore, all absences must be made up no matter if the absence is excused or unexcused.
I missed one full week of driver education classroom sessions, can I make up my hours?
Yes, you may miss up to 10 hours of classroom sessions. You will need to coordinate with the driver education school you are enrolled when scheduling a date and time to make up these sessions.
What is a student's alternative to getting a Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form from his or her high school during summer months when the high school is closed?
If the Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) Form (PDF) is issued the last week of school or during the summer, it is valid for more than the normal 30 days; i.e., until school starts after summer vacation. If your high school will not issue the VOE form in the summer, that is a local decision and TDLR cannot override the decision. The parent will need to contact the school's Principal then the Superintendent. If the principal/superintendent will not help you get the form, go to your school board. The Texas Department of Public Safety can also be contacted to determine what alternative forms they are willing to accept in lieu of a VOE during summer months.
If I do not cancel a scheduled in-car lesson and I miss, do I have to pay a fee?
Yes, a fee of $35.00 is charged if notice is not given within 6 hours of scheduled in-car lesson time. Fee must be paid before student will be allowed to participate in next in-car lesson.
What time do I need to arrive for classes and in-car instruction?
Please make sure you are at least 10-minutes early. Instructors will wait up to 5-minutes past scheduled in-car lesson then leave with students. Absent / late student will be charged a "no show" fee of $35.00.
For additional questions please go to:
https://www.tdlr.texas.gov/driver/driverfaq.htm#education