Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still get my driver's license on my 16th birthday?

Getting your driver's license on your 16th birthday makes for the ultimate sweet 16. And yes, it is still possible. In order to make it happen, you have to plan ahead. The California DMV requires you to hold your learner's permit for at least 6 months prior to taking your behind the wheel driving test to get your driver's license. The DMV also does not allow you to get your learner's permit until you are aged 15 1/2. Therefore, you must prepare for, take, and pass your written test for your learner's permit on the day that you turn 15 1/2. Then you will have held your permit for exactly 6 months and be eligible for your driver's license test on the day that you turn sweet 16. If you do not pass your written permit test on the first try, then you will be delayed by one week, so study hard.

How old do I have to be to take Online Driver Education?

There is no specific age requirement for Online Driver Education. If you are taking it for the first time as a teenager, and are looking to get your learner's permit, then we would not recommend it for anyone under the age of 14 1/2. This is because you are not eligible to get your learner's permit with the DMV until you are 15 1/2. We would not want you to forget everything you learned in your Online Driver Education course because you took the course too young.

How old do I have to be to get a California Driver License?

You can still get a driver license at the age of 16 in California. Despite common rumors(usually spread by older kids) there is no planned legislation to change the legal driving age in California. You must first obtain a learner's permit. You can get a learner's permit at age 15 1/2.

Are your Behind The Wheel Driving Lessons private lessons?

Unlike most other driving schools, our Behind the Wheel Lessons are 100% private, 100% of the time. We do not have other students in the car during your lesson, and we do not piggy-back students which is where one student picks-up and drives the other student home. Your lesson will be 100% private for your comfort, and to enable you to learn in the best possible environment.

How do I login to my online course?

To login to your California online driver education course, select the link to Online Driver Education, and then select the orange button to Login to My Course.

If you have not yet registered for the course, you will first need to select the orange button to Enroll/Start Now.

Can I take the online course on my iPad, iPhone, or other smartphone or tablet?

Our online course works great on any device that uses a full browser. The best browsers are: Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Netscape, Google Chrome, and Safari. The course has been tested in all of these browsers.

For the best experience, we would recommend using a device that has as large a screen as possible. This will make for easier reading and navigation through the course, although the course has been run in its entirety on phones with just a 4 inch screen.

Frequently Asked Questions Continued

Do I need an appointment at DMV for a test?

Written learner's permit test: You now need an appointment to take a written learner's permit test at the California DMV.

Behind the Wheel Drive Test: You must make an appointment with California DMV to take a behind the wheel drive test for your driver's license. If you are taking your behind the wheel drive test in our car, then we will make this appointment for you.

To make an appointment, you can call the California DMV at: 1-800-777-0133

or:

You can schedule your appointment online by going to www.dmv.ca.gov

How old do I have to be to get a learner's permit?

The California DMV requires you to be at least 15 1/2 to get your learner's permit.

I just got my learner's permit. Can I use it today?

If you are under 18 years of age, then you may not drive with your learner's permit until you have completed the first lesson of behind the wheel driver training with a licensed California driving school.

If you are age 18 or older, you may begin using your learner's permit immediately after it is issued to you.

I have my learner's permit. Who can I drive with?

If you are under the age of 18, then you may drive with anyone who is 25 or older. The person who is 25 or older must possess a valid California driver's license, and must be sitting in the front passenger seat next to you. That person must also be sober and in a condition to be able to assist you if necessary. If those requirements are met, then you may drive anywhere in the State of California, at any time of day or night, with anybody else in the car too, as long as the 25 or older person is next to you.

If you are 18 or older, then you may drive with anyone who is also 18 or older, as long as all the other rules above are also met.

What should I bring with me to my written learner's permit test at the DMV?

If you are under 18, you must bring the following items with you to DMV in order to take your written test for a learner's permit.

Proof of completion of classroom or online driver education. This will be a certificate issued to you upon completion of your driver education from the school you took the course from.
Your birth certificate. It must be an official copy from the county where you were born, and contain the raised county seal. If you were born out of the country, you must bring your proof of legal residence.
Your social security card.
An application for a driver license. This is a DMV form # DL 44, and can be picked up on the counter of your local DMV office. It is a from in duplicate, so it cannot be downloaded from the internet. The form must be signed by ALL parents or guardians.
An application fee of $32 dollars for an original license. Checks and debit cards are ok, but no credit cards.
You will be required to take a vision test, so if you wear glasses/contacts you will need them.

If you are over 18, you will need all these things except for the proof of completion of driver education, and the parent/guardian signature.

What do I need for my behind the wheel drive test at DMV?

If you are under 18, you will need the following for your behind the wheel drive test at the California DMV.

You will need to be at least 16 years old.
You will need to have held your permit for at least six months, and bring it with you.
You will need to have practiced for at least 50 hours (10 of which must have been at night), and your parent/guardian will need to sign on your permit to verify this practice.
You will need to bring your certificate of completion for the 6 hours of behind the wheel driver training. This certificate is issued to you by the school where you completed the behind the wheel driver training.
You will need to bring a vehicle for the test. The DMV does not provide the vehicle for the behind the wheel drive test. The vehicle you bring must be in sound working order. The lights/blinkers, wipers, horn, seat belts, windows/doors, glove box, must all be in working order. The tires must not be bald. There can be no cracks in the windshield.
You will also need to bring the proof of registration and insurance for the vehicle you will use on the test.
It is a good idea to bring your birth certificate and social security card again, even though you brought them to get you permit. If the DMV made a mistake entering the data the first time, they may require you to show them again. If you do not have them, they may not let you take the test.

If you are 18 or over, you will just need to bring your learner's permit, your car, and the proof of registration and insurance for the car.