Texas Learners Permit

First time drivers under the age of 25 in the State of Texas are required to obtain a Texas learners permit as part of their Texas drivers ed online training. The process is similar, whether a teen or an adult.

A Texas learners permit allows new drivers to legally practice driving with a licensed adult in the passenger seat. For teens, this licensed adult will be either an instructor from an approved driving school, or the designated parent in the Parent Taught Driver Education course. For adults, the passenger must be at least 21 years of age and have a current Texas drivers license.

Texas learners permit

Getting Your Texas Learners Permit

When apply for a Texas learners permit, the Department of Public safety requires:

  • One proof of identify (Original or certified copy of birth certificate).
  • Proof of Social Security Number.
  • Proof of Texas state residency.
  • Current enrolled in school (teens under the age of 18).
  • A completed Verification of Enrollment and Attendance form (teens under the age of 18)
  • Pass a written test, either at the DPS or in the online course you are taking.
  • Pass a vision test.

Additional information on the types of documents and how many are required are listing on the Texas DPS website.

Texas Learners Permit for Teens

Teens enrolled in an approved parent taught drivers ed online course, or a traditional driving school, can apply for their learners permit after completing the first six hours of the course. Our approved course has a complete check list of each item your teen will need to bring, in order to apply for and receive their learners permit.

Tip: Parents – when taking your teen to get their Texas learners permit, be sure to bring a camera. This is one of those “once in a lifetime” moments your teen will ever experience. Be sure to capture it on video or camera for memories.

Texas Learners Permit for Adults

First time adult drivers (have never held a drivers license before) 18 & over, but under the age of 25, must complete an approved adult driver education course Texas before apply for a learners permit. Our adult course includes the DPS written test, so you will not have to take the written test at the DPS office when applying.

Adults under 25 have two choices once they complete their online adult drivers ed course. Apply for a Texas learners permit, or instead, schedule the DPS road test. If you already know how to drive and are confident about taking the DPS road test, you can go ahead and schedule it. The DPS office is not going to ask how you learned to drive without a license. They will simply schedule your road test and after successfully complete it, you can apply for your Texas drivers license.

What If I Need To Practice?

If you do not have the driving experience necessary to pass the DPS road test, adults can request to be issued a Texas learners permit. With your permit, you can legally practice driving with a licensed adult over the age of 21 in the passenger seat, until you have the driving experience necessary to pass the DPS driving test.

For Texas adults over the age of 25, who are first time drivers, you are not alone. It’s really not uncommon to see this. In your case, the DPS does not require you to take a formal driver education course, however, it would be a tremendous advantage for you to enroll in our Adult driver course. Our adult course has the DPS written test in it, so this will save you at least one trip to your local DPS, but more importantly, it has the interactive training that will help you retain the driving knowledge you need in order to pass the written test.

Texas Parent Taught Drivers Ed Resources