Some milestones parents can’t wait to celebrate like mastering potty training. Other milestones parents tend to dread. Teaching their teen how to drive is a great example. Parents are waffling between fear and pride, while all their teen is feeling is intense excitement. However, before your teen hits the open road they’re going to need a valid driver’s license. So, what are the essential steps for getting a Texas teen driver’s license? We’re covering this and more in the following paragraphs.
Register for Driver’s Education Classes
Sure, parents can take their teens to a large, empty parking lot and stick their teens behind the wheel. Teens can get used to things like applying the brakes and not stomping on the gas pedal. Getting used to all of the dashboard buttons also takes some time. After all, you want your teen to know how to use turn signals, flashers, and other important functions. Empty parking lots tend to be safe places for first-time drivers.
Even though parents may be exceptional driving teachers, teens still need to go through a driver’s education course. The course is 32 hours, but teens can break it up into manageable sections. For example, two hours a day until the course is completed. Don’t forget, that teens must be at least 15 years old to enroll in a state-approved driver’s ed course.
Choose a Driver’s Ed Classroom Setting
Parents probably remember taking their driver’s ed course in high school. The course is an elective and comes with a fee. If your teen’s high school offers driver’s education, it’s worth considering. Sometimes, it’s the easiest and most convenient option.
Today’s parents have even more options when it’s time to enroll their teen in driver’s education classes. So which classroom setting is right for you and your teen?
Outside Driver’s Education Classes
If a school-sponsored course doesn’t work for your teen, what about enrolling in a certified driver training school? A quick online search will bring up a list of options. A quick tip is to run a local Google search. This way you’re only getting local results instead of a list of driver training schools in another state.
Before enrolling your teen in the closest or cheapest driving training class, make sure it’s certified by the Lonestar State. If Texas doesn’t recognize the course, it’s not going to count toward your teen’s driver’s license.
Parent Taught Driver’s Education
Okay, we know it seems like we’re contradicting ourselves. Earlier we mentioned parents teaching their teens to drive in a parking lot doesn’t count as an education course. This still holds true but there is an exception.
You can spend around $20 and purchase the driver’s education training materials. Once again, make sure you’re purchasing the training materials from a state-certified source. Otherwise, it’s not going to count and you just wasted $20. Thankfully, the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration has a handy guide to help parents get started.
Getting a Teen Learner’s Permit
Hopefully, you’re keeping your teen off the roads. While it’s technically illegal to let your teen behind the wheel in empty parking lots, most police officers are willing to look the other way. Things are a little different if your teen is pulled over while still going through driver’s education classes. Even if a parent or guardian is in the vehicle, teens still can’t legally drive.
Your teen must have their learner’s permit, and this doesn’t come until they pass the driver’s education course’s written exam. Don’t worry, the exam is fairly straightforward and only covers material learned in the class. After passing the exam, your teen gets their learner’s permit and this is when the fun (and fear) really begins.
Getting their learner’s permit is also an essential step in the process. Teens must have a learner’s permit for at least six months before applying for a standard driver’s license.
Applying for a Teen Learner’s Driving Permit
You may or may not need an appointment at the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles). Just to be safe, it’s a good idea to check ahead of time. You don’t want to show up only to be turned away. If this happens, you’re probably going to be dealing with a disappointed teenager and that’s never fun. Teens are going to need to bring some documents, including:
- Proof of U.S. citizenship. A birth certificate or social security card usually takes care of this requirement.
- A high school report card or transcript to show proof of Texas residency.
- The teen’s social security number.
- Certificate from the completed 32-hour driver education course.
Teens also need to prove school attendance. This means getting their school counselor or principal to sign a Verification of Enrollment form. The fee for a learner permit is around $16 and it’s due when your teen submits their documents.
Parents or guardians must be with the teen during the test. In other words, you can’t just drop your teen off at the DMV. You need to hang around. A vision and written test are next and after passing both, you teen walks away with their learner’s permit. Now they can hit the open roads as long as a licensed adult driver is in the vehicle with them. Teens can’t drive without an adult on only a learner’s permit.
Now Your Teen Is Almost Ready to Drive
Once your teen has their learner’s permit the next six months tend to go by in a blur. Get ready to spend a ton of time in your vehicle’s passenger seat. Your teen is probably going to want to get in some practice just about every day.
If your teen is at least 16 years old and has their learner’s permit for six months, they’re probably ready to schedule their driver’s license exam. This is both a written and practical driving test. After passing both sections, your teen usually leaves the DMV with their new driver’s license in hand. While you may be feeling proud of your teen, you also have something new to worry about as a parent.
