Texas Drivers Ed: Getting Your License Faster Online!

You can choose Texas driver’s ed online and teach your teenager how to drive without forcing them to learn in a crowded classroom. Texas Parent Taught Drivers Ed is a great choice, and you can do it right online.

Since all first-time drivers under the age of 18 are required to take a state-approved Texas driver’s education course, it’s necessary to find the right one that works best for you. Teens today are waiting longer to obtain their license, possibly because of graduated licensing restrictions.

Waiting is not necessarily good for keeping them safe on the road. Teen drivers face harsher penalties when they receive a ticket than an adult does. This includes suspension of their driving privileges or revocation, points on their license, and more. The earlier you get your teen into a driver’s ed course, the more time there is for you to supervise their driving and make sure they develop safe driving habits.

Online Drivers Ed in Texas for Teenagers

If you want to learn how to drive without attending a classroom course, you can use the Parent Taught Course online. This type of online Texas driver’s ed course will fulfill the state-required 32-hour driver’s education course before applying for your Texas Learner Permit and Driver’s License.

There are several great options if you want your teenager to be able to work on their driver’s education course on their time. With an online course, you gain many benefits, including:

• The ability to get your permit after just six hours
• A mobile-friendly option allowing you to work on the course from anywhere
• Self-paced and most programs will save your place, even if you switch from one device to another
• A practice DPS written test to help you prepare
• And much more!

The online version allows the parent to handle the driving lessons, and it allows your teenager to gain the necessary knowledge they need to pass their tests the first time.

Adult Drivers Ed in Texas

Along with the teenager course, if you’re an adult 18 years of age or older, you can use the Texas Adult Drivers Ed course to ensure you’re ready for the tests and you can get your license. Some of the courses even allow you to get a temporary license the same day and walk out of the DPS in Texas with a driver’s license quickly.

As long as you choose a state-approved course, you can complete the work you need to do online to get your license in Texas. As a first-time adult driver, the right course will go a long way to helping you prepare for the written test.

The adult driver’s education courses offered online for the state of Texas will be a six-hour course, which is required by the state. This course is meant for those ages 18 to 24 and gives you everything you need to pass the driver’s license written test. You can work from the comfort of your home and get exactly what you need from this course.

Parent Taught or Commercial Driver’s Education in Texas

You have the choice between the parent-taught online option for your Texas drivers’ education or the commercial option. There are a few significant differences between the two options.

The parent-taught driver’s ed option in Texas means a teenage driver will allow their parent or legal guardian to handle the 44 hours of behind-the-wheel training. Many online parent-taught courses will include a guide to help parents with the necessary behind-the-wheel training and help to ensure they know what to teach and how.

Before using the Parent-Taught version of Texas drivers ed, you must make sure you qualify as an instructor. The qualifications are pretty simple and include:

• You must have held a valid Texas driver’s license for at least three years
• It’s necessary to have less than six points on your current driving record
• You cannot have a conviction for negligent homicide or a DUI on your record
• You cannot have had your license revoked, suspended, or forfeited in the past three years
• If you’re disabled due to mental illness, you may not be a parent instructor

As long as you meet these requirements, you can use the Texas parent-taught driver’s ed program.

With the commercial option, you will be allowing a driving instructor to handle at least some of the behind-the-wheel training. You may have your teenage driver take a few lessons and then handle the rest of the training yourself. Typically, you will trust a driving instructor to provide around seven hours of behind-the-wheel instruction and seven additional hours of in-car observation.

Some programs ask parents to handle the other 30 hours of supervised driving practice with ten at night, while others provide this as a part of the package.

Benefits of Taking Texas Drivers Ed Online

When you choose to allow your teenage driver to complete driver’s education in Texas online, you give them the freedom to work at their pace. While the parent-taught version puts you in charge of the driving lessons, the online coursework can be completed in small chunks over time as it fits into your teenager’s schedule.

Along with working at their own pace, an online course eliminates the distractions of other students in the classroom. Instead of taking driver’s ed with friends and missing important information as they distract each other, your teenage driver can focus on the coursework and become better prepared for the tests and driving.

Online driver’s ed offers 24/7 access and no class time to fit into your schedule. If your teenager has homework, extra circulars, and chores around the house, it might not be easy to fit driver’s education courses into the schedule. With an online option, you can fit them in whenever is necessary and complete up to two hours of coursework per day or as little as you have time for.

Many online options also allow you to take driver’s ed with you. Your teenager can work on their driver’s education while you’re driving to a family event or driving to a vacation destination. As long as they can connect to the internet, they can work on their course from a mobile device, computer, or tablet.

Parent-taught drivers’ education in Texas also allows your teenager to practice with someone they trust. Instead of working with an instructor they don’t know, and possibly with other teenagers in the car, you can take control of the lesson and teach your child how to drive. This is a great way for parents to be a bigger part of the process and make sure their teenage driver learns how to drive on the roads properly.

Many online courses for driver’s ed in Texas offer interactive quizzes, video lessons, and many other fun ways to learn. It can be far more engaging than listening to a teacher lecture at the front of a classroom.

Frequently Asked Questions About Texas Drivers Ed

How Long will my Texas driver’s ed course take if you take it online?

If you’re a teen driver under the age of 18, you will need to complete a 32-hour online driver’s education course, and you will need to complete the 44 hours of behind-the-wheel driver training with a legal guardian or a parent.

Those adult drivers ages 18 to 24 will need to complete a six-hour online driver’s education course before their 25th birthday. They will also need to complete the Texas IMPACT training and pass the road test to get their license.

When will I be able to start driving with a parent?

When you choose to take online driver’s ed in Texas, you may start driving with a parent after the first six classroom hours are completed, as long as you have submitted form DL-92 and received your Texas PTDE Packet.

If you have yet to submit the form, it can take three to four weeks for the Parent-Taught approval to be granted. If you ask for email confirmation, it may not take nearly as long and can be done within a week. After receiving your PTDE package and completing the first six classroom hours, you can drive with a parent.

The first six classroom hours cannot be completed all in one day, however. You are only allowed to complete two hours of classroom work per day. This means you will need to wait at least three days before driving with a parent after receiving your PTDE Packet.

When will I be able to get my Texas driver’s license?

The process to get your driver’s license in Texas takes six to 12 months for those under the age of 18. You will need to hold your permit for at least six months, and you have to be at least 16 years of age or qualify for a hardship license before you can get a Texas driver’s license.

Will I have to take any tests to get my license?

Yes. You will need to take three tests as a part of the Texas driver’s ed process. You will need to take a test to ensure you understand the first six hours of the course, which will lead to getting your learner’s permit. The second test will be administered after completing the 32-hour classroom portion of driver’s education in Texas.

Finally, you will need to pass the in-car examination from the DPS to get your Texas driver’s license. While the in-car exam will need to be taken at a DPS office, you will likely be able to take the classroom exams online through your chosen driver’s ed program.

If you’re taking the adult drivers ed course, you will need to complete a 30-question final exam. By scoring a 70%, you will pass this test. Half the questions will cover road rules, while the other half will cover road signs. This exam is taken online and counts for your written license exam with the DPS.

How long will it take me to finish an online driver’s education course?

The state of Texas won’t allow you to complete more than 2 hours of classwork per day. This means the fastest you can finish the online driver’s education course in Texas is 16 days. However, you will need to hold your learner’s permit for at least six months, so there isn’t a huge rush to finish the course quickly.

Online Texas driver’s ed courses are designed to allow you to work at your own pace. You can finish the course over the entire six months or longer if you prefer.

How many times can I take the final exam?

You will be given as many attempts as necessary to pass the final exam with the online driver’s education courses.

The adult driver’s education test only allows you three attempts to pass, however.

Do I have to take Texas driver’s ed for adults if I am 18 years of age?

If you want to get your license and you’re between 18 and 24 years of age, you must take the adult driver’s education course. This is a mandatory requirement. Those aged 25 and older will not be required to take driver’s education. The course can still help prepare you for the written test and drive in Texas.

How much does the online driver’s ed course in Texas cost?

The cost of your online Texas driver’s ed course will vary. The adult course tends to be cheaper since it’s shorter, while the teen drivers ed course is more expensive. By choosing the parent-taught option, you will get the lowest price. Most courses are less than $150, and many are even lower than $100 with discounts.

Choosing Your Texas Drivers Education Course Online

Before you choose just any driver’s ed course online, make sure you’re choosing a state-approved option. You want to ensure you will get credit for taking the course, including the necessary exams. Of course, it’s still necessary to pass the road test at a DPS office, but the other two tests should be a part of your online course.

Whether you’re an adult driver between 18 and 24 or you’re a parent of a teenage driver, when it’s time to start the process of getting a Texas driver’s license, you will need a driver’s education course. With an online option, you gain freedom from the classroom and a schedule. There are many great options to choose from and plenty of benefits of using an online version of Texas drivers ed.

Jordan Fabel

Covering different 'paths' that people's lives can take. Creative, foster parent, ticket dismissal, you get the idea. Exploring the requirements, certifications, exams, and obviously, approved courses along each path.