Texas Parent-Taught Driver Education (PTDE)

Are you a teen wanting to drive? Our 32-hour Texas online parent-taught driver education is the easiest, fastest way for students 14-17 years old to complete a drivers ed course. Our easy-to-read study material, enjoyable videos, and animated driving scenarios will provide you with the tools necessary to get you on the road. Meanwhile, your parent instructor gives you behind-the-wheel training to give you real-life experience.

You will be able to receive your driving permit after the first 6 hours of the course. Also, you can take the permit test online instead of scheduling a paper test with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

In general, what are the steps in a parent-taught driver education program?

Register for your course.
Purchase the Parent-Taught Driver Education Teaching Guide ($20) from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR).
Schedule an appointment with the DPS to get your permit (appointments can be delayed significantly).
Complete the first 6 hours and pass the permit test online.
Go to your DPS appointment with appropriate identification (including verification of enrollment as proof of attending school) and get your permit.
Complete the remainder of the online driver ed course. Print your course’s completion certificate.
Log 30 behind-the-wheel driver training (including 10 hours at night) with your parent instructor and keep your new driver record of practice.
Watch the 2-hour-long Impact Texas Teen Driver (ITTD) video and print your certificate. This certificate is valid for only 90 days.
Schedule your behind-the-wheel skills test either with the DPS or a third-party testing center. Bring your certificates and paperwork, including:
- Your parent-taught driver education course completion certificate
- Your ITTD certificate
- Your driving log
Pass your driver skills test.
Receive a provisional driver license

Teen Drivers Ed: Your Road to Becoming a Licensed Driver

How do you get your driver’s license with an online drivers ed course?

Anyone 14 years old or older can take the online driver’s education course. To get your driver’s license, you need to complete

32 hours of classroom instruction
7 hours of behind-the-wheel training
7 hours of observation

Online parent-taught driver education programs take care of the classroom portion as well as the paperwork requirements related to getting your valid driver license. You’re still required to complete your behind-the-wheel instruction with your parent instructor, and you’ll only be able to get your full driver license after completing the 32-hour course.

How much is a driver’s education course?

Our Texas parent taught-driver’s education Course costs

$50 for the 26-hour PTDE course (excludes online permit test)
$60 for the full 32-hour PTDE course (includes online permit test)

The course price includes:

Interactive videos and text with images
Short open-book multiple-choice quizzes
A completion certificate, and 24-hour customer support.

We accept all major credit or debit cards: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express.

How old do I need to be to get my license?

Fifteen years old is the youngest you can be to apply for a learner license. You are required to complete a driver’s education course, and you can start the hours of classroom training at 14 years old, including the behind-the-wheel instruction. If you are under 18 years of age, one of the first requirements is completion of a driver education course.

You must hold your learner license for 6 months before taking a behind-the-wheel skills test (unless you turn 18 first.)

How do I get a hardship license?

A minor’s restricted driver license (MRDL), also known as a hardship license, may be issued under certain instances where it has been established that there is a necessity to drive and the applicant is under 16 years of age. A hardship license applicant must be at least 15 years of age and complete all of the regular licensing requirements, with the exception of holding a learner license for a minimum of six months. A hardship license expires on the applicant’s next birthday.

How long is my learner license/driving permit valid for?

A learner license is valid until your 18th birthday.

Who is required to take a driver education course?

Any person between 14 and 25 years old who wants to operate a motor vehicle.

Can a person between 18 and 25 years old take the minor and adult driver education course?

Yes, anyone 14 years old or older can take the course.

About Taking the Parent-Taught Driver Education Course

How long will it take me to complete this online driver course and get my license?

The full 32-hour course will take a minimum of 16 days to complete. This is the case for all driver training schools.

In general, it takes at least 6 months after you receive your learner’s license/driver permit before you may take your behind-the-wheel skills test. The only exceptions would be if you turn 18 prior to that time or you plan to apply for an MRDL (hardship) license.

How do I register for the parent-taught driver’s education course?

It’s easy to register! Hit “Register” and get started! After course registration, you can start your parent-taught driver education course immediately.

Can I take parent-taught driver education courses on my phone or tablet?

Yes, you can take the classroom hours online. Any device with internet access will work. This course was specifically designed to work on any mobile device.

Is this an approved and licensed driver’s ed program?

Yes. Our course is approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) approved course. Our license numbers are PT179, C3252.

How many days does it take to finish the parent-taught driver education course?

At least 16 days. Our TDLR-approved parent-taught drivers education course is a self-paced online course and takes 32 hours. You can not complete the entire course in one day – and you shouldn’t want to. Some portions of the course can only be completed one day at a time.

Remember, you cannot complete a PTDE online driver course in less than 16 days. You may log in and out as many times as you desire.

How does the behind-the-wheel driving practice work with parent-taught drivers education programs?

The behind-the-wheel portion consists of 7 hours of behind-the-wheel driving, 7 hours of in-car observation, and an additional 30 hours of behind-the-wheel practice, of which 10 hours must be done at night.

The additional 30 hours of behind-the-wheel practice must be monitored from the front passenger seat during the driving practice by an adult 21 years or older who holds a valid driver license and has at least one year of driving experience.

Who can be my driving instructors?

Texas has strict rules regarding who can be the parent instructor. In short, your instructor needs to be the a qualifying relative or legal guardian, such as

A parent
A step-parent
A grandparent
A step-grandparent
A foster parent
A legal guardian appointed by a court. A power of attorney is not considered a legal guardian

Your parent, legal guardian, or the judge of a court with jurisdiction over the student may designate another individual to be the instructor. They must designate someone who

Is at least 25 years old
Does not charge a fee for the course
Has driven for at least seven years
Has a valid driver license for at least three years. (If they had an out-of-state license in those three years, they must provide a copy of their driving record to show licensed driving history for those three years.)

Instructors cannot have:

A conviction (including a probated sentence) of criminally negligent homicide
A conviction (including a probated sentence) of driving while intoxicated in the last seven years
Had their driver license suspended, revoked or forfeited for traffic related violations in the past three years
Six or more points assigned to their driver license.

How do I change my parent-taught driver education instructor?

If you purchased a PTDE Teaching Guide and need to change your instructor with the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration (TDLR), you can do so without having to repurchase the Teaching Guide.

First option: Fill out this form.

Second option: Email the TDLR with the following:

The receipt number and/or the student’s full name and date of birth
The new instructor’s name
How you would like to receive the new guide (mail or email)

It may help if you include the original email address the packet was ordered under.

Does my completion certificate expire?

There is no expiration date on your completion certificate. However, written test scores are valid for two years after the date the certificate is issued.

The Last Mile of your Parent-Taught Driver Education

How long does it take to receive my completion certificate?

For an online parent-taught driver’s education program, you will receive your certificate immediately. We issue two certificates.

One certificate is for your permit. You’ll get the opportunity to print your permit certificate after you finish the first 6 hours of classroom instruction. You may take the permit certificate to a Texas Department of Public Safety licensing office for an eye exam to receive your driving permit.

The second certificate is your course completion certificate. We issue that after you have completed the entire course.

What if I lose my completion certificate?

If you have misplaced your completion certificate (the DE-964 or DE-964E Certificate of Completion), just log back into your course and download it again.

What happens if I fail the final?

Take it again. You’ll have unlimited attempts to pass your final without having to repeat the classroom portion.

Can I drive with a permit in another state?

That depends on the state. Some states allow you to drive following the same rules as the issuing state. Others do not recognize permits issued by other states at all. For instance, Hawaii and Washington D.C. do not recognize out-of-state issued driving permits. You should verify the rules in any state your permit holder may wish to drive. There may also be age restrictions that are different from Texas.

Are there any additional requirements in a Texas parent-taught drivers ed course?

You will be required to complete an Impact Texas Drivers Course.

For those younger than 18 years of age, you will need to complete an ITTD Course (Impact Texas Teen Driver).

For those over 18 years of age you will need to complete an ITAD Course (Impact Texas Adult Driver).

The certificate for those courses is only valid for 90 days and is a requirement for taking the behind-the-wheel skills test (road test). To find out more click here.

Common Roadblocks to Getting Your Driver License

My child dropped out of high school and has been told that they cannot get a driver license until they are 18. Is that true?

Yes. Persons under 18 must be enrolled and attending school (public, private or homeschool) as a condition of being licensed to operate a motor vehicle, unless the person has a high school diploma or GED.

What is a student’s alternative to getting a verification of enrollment (VOE) and attendance form from their high school during the summer months?

If the VOE 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 you are applying during the summer and are still enrolled in school, your last report card for the most recent school year is acceptable if it has your name, a list of absences, and a complete listing of grades.

How do I get verification of enrollment to get a driver license if I’m a homeschooler?

Homeschool students should use this VOE form and give it to their driver license office when they’re taking parent-taught driver education classes.

I am enrolled in a 32-hour teen driver education course, and I just turned 18. Can I use the time I have already completed as proof of completion of my 6-hour adult driver education course?

No. Teen driver education classroom hours cannot be applied to the 6-hour adult driver education classroom hour requirements. You must complete the full adult course or complete the full teen driver education program.

I started with another driving school and completed my 32 classroom hours. I have my permit but I can’t get driving time. What are my options?

This is a fairly common issue. You may request a Transfer Certificate from the driving school you completed your classroom hours with.

Then register for a Parent Taught program. Send the Transfer Certificate to your PTDE provider, purchase the PTDE teaching guide thru the TDLR and log 30 hours of behind the wheel time.

The PTDE provider will issue a PTDE-964, and you will be able to proceed to your behind-the-wheel skills test.

My parents started with my Parent-taught driver education course but can’t drive with me to complete my training. What are my options?

If you have completed your 32-hour classroom hours with a PTDE course provider, you may request a transfer certificate. You will need to take your transfer certificate to a traditional driving school, and they will take your drivers ed from there.

What if I haven’t found the answers to my questions?

Contact us. Our customer service team will gladly help you get all the answers you need to make your online driver ed experience easy.