Driver Education is required in Texas for anyone under the age of 18 who wishes to get a drivers license. Our teen driver education program, curriculum and instructors are State-Approved and licensed by the Texas Education Agency (C#1715). Our teen driver education program consists of 32 hours of classroom instruction and 7 hours of driving and 7 hours of observation.
Class Information
During the school year we usually start a new teen driver education class on the first Monday of each month. The class days during the school year are Monday through Thursday with a slight variation during the holiday months. Our class times during the school year are 4:30-6:30 p.m. or 6:30-8:30p.m. During the summer, we usually have three different summer session and two different class times and held Monday through Friday. Each student will receive a Texas Driver Handbook on the first day of class and the first three days students will be covering information from the Handbook for the learners permit test. All Teens Must Be 15 years Old Or 2 months away from 15th Birthday to take our Teen Driver Education Classes. No Exceptions!
Driving Information
State of Texas requires teens to complete 14 hours of in-car instruction along with the 32 hours of classroom instruction. Driving is scheduled in class by classroom teacher after the student receives his/her permit from the Department of Public Safety. Students will have to show classroom teacher his/her permit before student can schedule driving. Driving times are typically available before and after class or weekends. Call us or email us to schedule driving sessions.
Learner's Permit Information
Each student will have to take the learners permit test at the Texas Department of Public Safety to obtain their learner's permit. We do not give the permit test at our school. To be eligible to take the learner's permit test, the student must present these following items to the Department of Public Safety:
1. Social Security Card
2. Original Birth Certificate or Certified copy of Birth Certificate (U.S) or Current Passport
3. Verification of Enrollment (V.O.E.) form from students high school of attendance
4. Another form of Identification, for example school ID card, Texas I.D card or student report card.
5. A parent or legal guardian
6. Texas Department of Public Safety Application form. We will give this form to the students after the third day of class. This form will have to be signed by the students parents in front of the D.P.S officer. Parents can also get this form notarized and this will then eliminate the parent having to go to the D.P.S with the student.
7. DE-964. The students will receive this form from us after the third day of class. This form states that the student is currently enrolled in a driver education program.
NEW PROCESS FOR ISSUING PERMITS - Homeland Security is requiring that all licenses have a picture. Therefore, the student will be required to go to the DPS in person to have their picture taken when applying for a permit. The driving schools will provide a list of documentation needed for identification.
Completion of Course
After the student completes all 32 hours of classroom instruction and 14 hours of in-car instruction and all student balances are paid, then we will give the students his/her completion certificate. Top copy will be for the D.P.S. for student driver's license and bottom copy is for students car insurance company. Starting Sept. 1st, 2009 all teen students are required to take the driving test at the D.P.S. office regardless if they have taken driver education-(House Bill 2730)
House Bill 2730 requires that all applicants under the age of 18 take the driving skills exam to receive a driver license. Any student who applies for a permit on September 1 or after will be required to take a driving test at the DPS in order to receive a driver’s license at age 16 after holding the permit for 6 months. The law also requires that a provisional driver license (under 18) or instruction permit expire on an individual’s 18th birthday, removes the requirement that a provisional driver license or instruction permit be renewed annually and increases the fee for those licenses from $5 to $15. It also extends the current phase-two restrictions for holders of a graduated driver license from 6 months to 1 year. These restrictions include limited night driving, prohibited use of wireless communication devices and a limited number of passengers
Students usually receive a discount on their insurance since they have completed a driver education course, so check with your insurance provide on how much discount you can receive. Students will also cover the drug and alcohol awareness session in the class, so students can receive a separate certificate of completion for that as well. Students and parents must request this certificate from the driving school.
Cost, Payment Methods and Registration
Teen Driver Education is $495.00 (as of Jan. 1st, 2011) Methods of payment for the course are Cash, Check, Credit Cards (Visa, American Express, Mastercard).
Our classes fill up quickly, so we recommend that you sign up as early as possible. Contact us about registration online, by phone, email or come by our office.
Information on New Law Changes regarding the 20 Additional hours starting after May 1, 2010
House Bill 339 increases the total hours of behind the wheel driving instruction a teen must complete. Teen students will be required to still complete 32 hours of classroom instruction and 14 hours of behind the wheel driving instruction with driving school however 20 additional hours driving (10 of those hours at night) will be required. These 20 hours will need to completed by parent or guardian outside of driver education. Parents or guardians who have limited time to accomplish the new requirement of 20 additional hours of driving may hire private driver education schools. The State has adopted the “Less Tears More Years Act” and has completed a study guide that must be followed. Failure to follow this new mandate could be a cause for a felony by the person giving the lessons. Some parents have decided to wait until their child meets the maturity age of 18. The new law also requires 18 to 24 year olds to take a 6 hour course of instruction from certified sources in the Driver Education industry. We at Houston Area Driving Schools realize that this could be an extreme inconvenience for families. Therefore, we have set up a program to meet these additional requirements for $1000.00 and can be paid in 2 or 3 payments if necessary. For more information regarding the 20 additional hour’s package, please call driving school, email or stop by.
All Teens Must Be 15 years Old Or 2 months away from 15th Birthday to take our Teen Driver Education Classes. No Exceptions!