Texas DPS Related Articles
Learn on any device or from the comfort of your own home! Sign up for Texas Drivers Ed today!
Earning a Texas drivers license should be simple. We know your goal is to get in the drivers seat as soon as possible and with as little hassle as possible—and we can help you.
It's simple. Create an account by choosing a username and password. We'll take you through the steps of enrolling in the course and give you some important information. Before you know it you'll be on the road to satisfying your Texas drivers education requirement!
Your course is available to you online 24/7. That means you can log in and out whenever you want and from any computer that has Internet access. When you log back in, we'll take you back to the exact place you left off. Doesn't that sound better than spending time in a classroom? And if you have a question about course content, customer support is open 7 days a week.
At the end of the course there will be a final exam. According to Texas regulations, you are only allowed to take the final exam three times. If you fail the final exam for this course three times, you will have to take the course over again.
Texas requires all new drivers under 18 to take drivers education. In order to apply for their Texas learner license / instruction permit, all applicants under 18 must first complete at least 6 hours of a 32-hour DPS / TDLR-approved Texas drivers education course.
The Texas Parent-Taught Drivers Education (PTDE) program is an alternative to the conventional drivers education class. Through this program, teens between the ages of 14 and 17 take the theory part of their drivers education online and parents can provide the behind-the-wheel training.
Our DriversEd.com online Texas Parent-Taught Drivers Education Course was initially approved by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and is now licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR). It follows the concurrent method, meaning it has two concurrently taught components, both of which are supervised by a parent or guardian.* It consists of:
Note: Effective September 1, 2013, the required number of hours of supervised behind-the-wheel driving will increase from 20 to 30, including 10 hours at night
Course Enrollment Requirements
Please Note:
It is the responsibility of the instructor to check both their criminal and driver records prior to requesting the program guide. The DPS will not check the instructor's record until the issuance of the learner license or provisional drivers license to the student. For instructors with out of state driver license history during the past 3 years, the instructor must bring a complete driver history called a "certified abstract" from their former state(s) to the driver license office when the student applies for issuance of the learner license or provisional driver license.
If at that time it is determined that the instructor has a prohibited conviction, the student's learner license or provisional drivers license will be denied and all prior classroom or behind-the-wheel/in-car instruction credit is invalid.
After completing the first 6 hours of PTDE coursework, the student can then apply for the learner license in order to begin in-car instruction. From here, the PTDE course will consist of concurrent behind-the-wheel instruction and online coursework.
Parents or students interested in taking the block method of Parent-Taught Drivers Education (in which the theory part of drivers education is taught first and separate from the behind-the-wheel training) should contact us for details.
In order to get the learner license and eventually the Texas drivers license, everyone no matter how old must pass a written test on traffic laws and signs. 70% of test-takers fail on their first try and end up returning to the DMV.
A proven way to increase your chances of passing your learner license test is with up-to-date online Texas DPS practice permit tests. Randomly generated questions test your driving knowledge and prepare you for the real deal.
Fifty online practice permit tests come free with our Texas Parent-Taught Drivers Education Course.
Apply for your learner license at a Drivers License Office.
To be eligible for the Texas learner license, you must:
Once you have your learner license, if you're under 18, you'll need to practice driving under supervision for at least 6 months. Remember, you can only drive when a licensed driver who is at least 21 years old is seated next to you.
Your learner license must remain valid during the entire 6 months before you can earn your Provisional License. If your learner license is suspended or revoked during this period, upon the completion of the suspension period, the remaining 6 month period must be completed before you can be issued a Provisional License.
Once the student has turned 16 and held a learner license for at least 6 months, the student must pass the driving skills test administered by the DPS prior to receiving a Class C Provisional drivers license.
Starting September 1, 2015, any student taking the 32-hour or parent-taught drivers ed course will need to complete the Impact Texas Teen Drivers (ITTD) course before taking the driving skills test. The Impact Texas Teen Drivers course is provided for free by the Texas DPS.
When the student is ready to take the driving test and apply for a license, the parent and student need to bring the required documents to the driver license office. These include Classroom Instruction and Behind-the-Wheel Records (DL-91A and DL-91B) for PTDE, PTDE Program Receipt, and the student's ITTD certificate.
Provisional License Restrictions
A Provisional License holder:
When you turn 18, your Provisional License will expire and you may apply for a standard driving license with full privileges.
If you're between 15 and 18 years old and planning to obtain a Texas learner license, you'll need to complete a DPS / TDLR-approved drivers education course.
DriversEd.com's online course fulfills the Texas drivers education requirement for the Parent-Taught Drivers Education Program (see below).
Yes. Our course is licensed by the TDLR (course #108) and satisfies all DPS requirements. It is equivalent to the regular 32-hour in-class drivers education course and it provides instructions and time logs for the 34 hours of in-car instruction.
Note: Effective September 1, 2013, the required number of hours of supervised behind-the-wheel driving will increase from 20 to 30, including 10 hours at night.
With instructor-led drivers ed, you can meet the Texas licensing requirements with the support of our certified instructors. After six hours you'll be able to take the online permit test included with the course. Once you have a permit, you can start in-car lessons to meet the mandatory seven hours of observation and seven hours of instruction. You can choose a driving school like ours to meet this requirement.
The Texas Parent-Taught Drivers Education (PTDE) program became law in 1997 as an alternative to drivers education in a conventional school setting. This program allows teens to take their drivers education course online (with DPS / TDLR-licensed providers) and allows parents to provide the in-car training.
In order to participate in PTDE, the parent must first submit a request, online or by mail, for a Parent-Taught Drivers Education Program Guide from the TDLR.
The student may not begin the DriversEd.com Texas online course until the parent has received an official PTDE program guide from the TDLR. Typically, any instruction, online or in-car, that occurs prior to the receipt of this program guide will not count toward the required instruction time.
Concurrent Method
Almost all students in Texas complete driver education under the concurrent method. Under the concurrent method, prior to taking the written examination and applying for a learner license, the student, at minimum, must complete the first 6 hours of classroom instructions of any approved Parent Taught Driver Education course.
Prior to beginning any driving (i.e. any behind the wheel driving or in-car observation), the student must obtain a Texas learner license from the Texas Department of Public Safety (to apply the student must be at least 15 years of age and must meet all other eligibility requirements).
Under the concurrent method, after completion of the first 6 hours of the classroom instruction and obtaining a Texas learner license from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the instructor and student must complete the remaining 26 hours of classroom instruction simultaneously with the 7 hours of in-car observation, 7 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, and 30 hours of behind-the-wheel practice (10 hours which must be conducted at night) prior to applying for a driver license.
Before starting PTDE you need to request a PTDE program guide from the TDLR, online or via mail. You may not begin the DriversEd.com Texas online course until your parent has received an official PTDE program guide from the TDLR. Typically, any instruction, online or in-car, that occurs prior to the receipt of this program guide will not count toward the required instruction time. If you got started before receiving your program guide, please read the next question to see what you need to do next.
Drivers Education: a course that teaches you the rules of the road, vehicle safety, and everything that you need to know before you get behind the wheel for the first time. In Texas, every new driver under 18 years old must take a 32-hour drivers education course before applying for the learner license. DriversEd.com provides a DPS / TDLR-approved Parent-Taught Drivers Education course.
Drivers Training: the in-car driving lessons that you take with a licensed driving instructor. In Texas, if you are under 18, you must take 34 hours of drivers training (7 hours of in-car observation and 27 hours of behind-the-wheel instruction, including 10 hours of night driving.) However, if you are participating in the Parent-Taught Drivers Education program, your parent can serve as the instructor for all of your drivers training. See explanation of PTDE above.
Note: Effective September 1, 2013, the required number of hours of supervised behind-the-wheel driving will increase from 20 to 30, including 10 hours at night.
That depends on your individual pace. In Texas, adults over 18 and under 25 years of age are required to take a 6-hour drivers education course. Teens 15 to 17 years of age are required to a 32-hour drivers education course. The Texas Department of Licensing and Registration limits students to working on the course for a maximum of 6 hours per day. The good news is that with DriversEd.com, you can always go at your own pace and log in and out at your convenience. Think how fast time flies if you do 20 minutes here and there
After you complete the DriversEd.com course, we will mail your Certificate of Completion within 1 business day. All certificates are mailed via First Class Mail by default.
To request a duplicate copy of your Certificate of Course Completion after you have graduated, please contact us toll free at 877-877-2525.
You can pay online using VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or Google Pay. Please note that prepaid debit/gift cards issued by VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Chime, CashApp, etc. cannot be used to make a payment.
At DriversEd.com, we are here for you every step of the way - that's why we've teamed up with Allstate Roadside Services to provide DriversEd.com students with 1 month of free roadside assistance. Turns out you can put a price tag on peace of mind!
Here's how it works:
What you'll get:
If you need to use your Roadside Assistance Benefits for towing, fuel delivery, or another included service, contact Allstate at 1-855-520-3691.
If you would like to cancel your Roadside Assistance, simply contact our dedicated Roadside Assistance agents.
Phone: +1 (888) 289-2816
Email: roadside@driversed.com
It is important to us that you are satisfied with your purchase. If you change your mind about the course, we'll refund the full cost of the course purchased on our website within thirty (30) days of purchase. Refunds will only be issued if the course has not been completed. We will issue your refund within thirty (30) days of your request.
* Adult (18+) course: $5.95 State Certificate and Handling Fee applies
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