Reviewed and updated October 14, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. Every fact on this page was read that day from the Texas agency that publishes it, the Department of Public Safety for driver licenses and the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for titles and registration, and the official page each fact came from is linked where it appears.
What driver education Texas requires by age, the teen course and its two classroom methods, the six-hour adult course for 18 to 24, the Impact Texas Drivers videos everyone under test age must watch, the driving schools that give the driving test for DPS, and the certificates the office accepts. The license steps are on the driver license page, the teen licenses on the learner and provisional guides.
In this guide: The teen course, from age 14, The six-hour adult course, 18 to 24, The Impact Texas Drivers videos, Driving schools that give the Class C driving test, The certificates the office accepts, Questions about driver education
The teen course, from age 14
DPS's driver education page lists four ways to take driver education, starting at 14: a traditional course at a certified driving school, an online course from a certified school, a parent-taught course with a parent or guardian who holds a valid unexpired Texas license, or a public school course where offered. The schools and courses are licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, whose driver education site DPS points to. Classroom work may begin at 14, but the learner license is not issued before 15.
The classroom part can be done two ways. Under the concurrent method the student takes the first 6 hours, passes the learner permit knowledge exam, gets the learner license to practice with a licensed adult, and finishes the remaining 18 hours while practicing. Under the block method the student completes all 24 hours first, then passes the exam and gets the learner license. The motorcycle page gives the whole classroom portion as 32 hours. The behind-the-wheel part, 7 hours of observation, 7 hours of instructed driving and 30 hours of supervised practice with 10 at night, comes before the provisional license.
The six-hour adult course, 18 to 24
A six-hour adult driver education course is required of everyone 18 through 24 before testing for a first license, from an adult provider on the TDLR list DPS links to on its online services page; the certificate is an ADE-1317 or ADEE-1317. DPS waives it for a new resident 18 or older who surrenders a valid, unexpired license from another state, together with the knowledge and skills exams and the ITD video. At 25 and older no course is required.
The Impact Texas Drivers videos
DPS's Impact Texas Drivers page describes the program as education about the risks and consequences of distracted driving, built on real stories. There are two versions on the program site: Impact Texas Teen Drivers, two hours, for drivers 15 to 17 in an approved parent-taught or minor course; and Impact Texas Adult Drivers, one hour, for drivers 18 to 24 who must take the adult course and for drivers 25 and older. The steps are to choose the right version, complete it online, print the certificate, and bring it to the driving skills test appointment, where it must be presented before the test is given. The certificate is valid 90 days, the video is taken after the behind-the-wheel requirements and before the test, and it does not replace the distracted driving module in either course. Third Party Skills Testing schools require it as well.
Driving schools that give the Class C driving test
Under the Class C Non-CDL Third Party Skills Testing program on DPS's third party skills testing page, DPS authorizes certified driver education schools as Authorized Organizations to give the driving skills test to Class C applicants. A school must have held a TDLR driver education license for at least a year, keep a physical Texas location, a surety bond and the insurance state law requires, use school-owned vehicles, and pass a DPS certification in which its instructors are tested and its drive routes audited; its examiners hold a TDLR instructor license for a year, a valid Texas license, no felony, negligent homicide or intoxicated driving conviction in seven years and fewer than three moving violation convictions in three years, and are certified for three years. A test taken at such a school reaches DPS in a sealed envelope or through the submission portal, as the provisional license guide explains.
The certificates the office accepts
| Course | Certificate |
|---|---|
| Certified driver training school, teen course | DE-964 or DEE-964 |
| Parent-taught driver education | DE-964 or DEE-964 |
| Public school driver education | DE-964E |
| Adult driver education, 18 to 24 | ADE-1317 or ADEE-1317 |
| Impact Texas Teen Drivers video | ITTD certificate, 90 days |
| Impact Texas Adult Drivers video | ITAD certificate, 90 days |
| Motorcycle safety course (TDLR) | MSB-8 or MSB-R, 24 months |
The certificates are verified through the TDLR search DPS links from its learner license page. The DPS office takes the classroom certificate for the learner license and the proof of driver education again at the driving test for anyone under 25, as the driving test guide lists.
Questions about driver education
Who needs a driver education course?
Everyone under 25 applying for a first Texas license: teens 15 to 17 take the full teen course (32 hours of classroom plus the behind-the-wheel hours), adults 18 to 24 take a six-hour adult course. DPS says no course is required at 25 and older, and it waives the adult course for a new resident 18 or older surrendering a valid, unexpired license from another state.
What are the ITTD and ITAD?
Two free online videos from DPS's Impact Texas Drivers program on distracted driving. The teen version (ITTD) runs two hours and is for drivers 15 to 17 in a parent-taught or minor course; the adult version (ITAD) runs one hour and is for drivers 18 to 24 who take the adult course and for everyone 25 and older. The certificate is valid 90 days and must be presented before the driving skills test.
Does the ITD video replace anything in the course?
No. DPS says the ITD programs do not replace the distracted driving module in the 24-hour teen course or the 6-hour adult course, and must be completed after the behind-the-wheel requirements and before the skills test.
Can a parent teach the course?
Yes, through the parent-taught driver education program run by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, with a parent or guardian who holds a valid, unexpired Texas driver license. DPS links the program from its online services page.
Which certificate does the DPS office want?
A Texas Driver Education Certificate: DE-964 or DEE-964 from a certified driving school or a parent-taught program, DE-964E from a public school, or ADE-1317 or ADEE-1317 for the adult course, all verified through the TDLR certificate search DPS links to.
Can a driving school give the knowledge test?
Yes, during the classroom portion; DPS says a teen who passed it there brings the evidence, and one who did not takes it at the driver license office. DPS also keeps a page for TDLR certified schools on requesting copies of the current knowledge tests.
Written by SearchSystems.net from the Texas DPS pages on choosing a driver education course, the Impact Texas Drivers program, the third party skills testing program, the teen licenses, the driving test and moving to Texas, read on October 14, 2026.