Learning to Drive – Proven Results – Safer Drivers

Parent Taught Driver Education (PTDE) allows a parent or legal guardian to provide instruction to their teen student. The student must complete 32 hours of online classroom training, and 44 hours of behind-the-wheel driving lessons while being supervised by their parent or legal guardian. This popular form of driver education instruction allows teens and parents with busy schedules to complete their drivers ed requirements on a self-paced schedule.

In Parent Taught Drivers Ed, the student completes 32 hours of online drivers ed training as their time permits. The parent or legal guardian acts as the drving instructor and supervises the 44 hours of in-car driver training. The parent taught method is a self-paced course where students and their parental instructor complete the course at their own pace.

Parent Taught Drivers Ed Requirements

Driver’s Ed is mandatory in the state of Texas for first time drivers under the age of 24. Students younger than 18 years of age must meet the following requirements:

• Submit Form DL-92 to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) to receive your Parent Taught Drivers Ed Program Guide. There is a fee of $20.
• Have a parent or legal guardian who is qualified to instruct the course.
• Complete 32 hours of drivers ed instruction online.
• Complete 44 hours of behind-the-wheel driving instruction with parent or legal guardian.
• Receive Certificate of Completion form DE-964.

***Students taking the parent taught drivers education model program must complete the free Texas Department of Public Safety Impact Texas Young Drivers course, within 90 days of completing their TX parent taught driver’s ed course, before the DPS driving (road) test will be administered.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Parent Taught Program

How Long Does Texas Drivers Education Take For Teens?

To complete drivers ed in Texas, teens under the age of 18 must complete their course before their 18th birthday.  This includes 32 hours of online driver education training and 44 hours of behind the wheel driver training with a designated parent or legal guardian.  Students must have held their Texas learners license for at least six months, complete the Texas IMPACT training and pass the DPS road test.

At what age can my teen begin this  parent taught drivers ed course?

Students must be at least 14 years of age to begin the Texas parent taught drivers ed course.  However, a learners permit will not be issued until the student is at least 15 years of age. Teens under the age of 18 must complete an approved driver education course before receiving a Texas provisional drivers license.

What is DE-964?

DE-964 is the driver education certificate issued by the driving school after completing parent taught drivers ed in Texas. This certificate is very important. Be sure to make copies. A copy of the DE-964 must be presented to the DPS office when applying for a Texas provisional drivers license.

How many hours are required for parent taught driver education?

Teens 14-17 must complete 32 hours of online (or classroom) training and 44 hours of behind the wheel instruction.

How long does it take to complete the parent taught course?

It depends upon the schedule of both the teen and the parent instructor. Most of our students finish the Texas parent taught drivers ed course in approximately four months. Some finish the course in as little as two months, while some go beyond six months.

It is a self-paced course and teen drivers can complete the online drivers ed training as their time permits. Many teens choose to complete an hour or two per day, while other teens have a very busy schedule with extra-curricular school activities and or work.

The parent or legal guardian will provide the instruction on the behind-the-wheel lessons, and will  be supplied print outs to cover each driving objective. This too, is self-paced. There is no daily requirement.

Many parents choose to designate two or three evenings per week, after work and a Saturday or Sunday where they will spend an hour or two with their teen on the behind-the-wheel requirements. Determine what works best for your schedule and work with your teen driver a little a time.

How do we log our behind-the-wheel driving time?

The parent taught drivers ed Program Guide you receive from TDLR will include a behind the wheel instruction log sheet.  Parents will sign off on each objective as driving lessons are completed,. This log sheet is important and must be submitted to the DPS office when apply for a provisional drivers license.