CA · Drivers education
California drivers ed guide
California makes a course part of the deal for younger drivers: anyone applying for a permit before 17 and a half has to finish 30 hours of driver education first, then 6 hours of professional in car training before the drive test. From 18 on, no course is needed. After an eligible one point ticket, a court may let you attend a DMV licensed traffic violator school, no more than once in 18 months, so the conviction stays confidential.
Checked against California Department of Motor Vehicles on 2026-10-23.
California Teen Drivers: From Driver Ed to Provisional License
This page is for California families with a teen somewhere between 15 and 18 who wants to drive. The decision you face early is whether to start before 17 and a half, because that age decides whether a course is required...
- Earliest permit age15 and a half
- Driver education (classroom or online)30 hours
- Professional in car training6 hours, no more than 2 in a day
Getting a California Driver's License as an Adult
This page is for Californians aged 18 or over who need a first license, plus people who have just moved to the state. The question most of you are weighing is whether to pay for lessons. The DMV does not make you: at 18 ...
- Course needed at 18 or olderNo
- Pass mark on the knowledge test80 percent
- Tries per test on one application3
California Traffic Tickets: Traffic School and Defensive Driving
This page is for a California driver holding a citation and deciding what to do before the due date. The choice is usually between traffic school, contesting, or simply paying. For an infraction worth one point, the cour...
- Tickets that qualifyOne point infractions
- Frequency limitOnce in 18 months, counted violation date to violation date
- Speeding cutoffNo more than 25 mph over the limit