New Teen Drivers 5 Steps to Getting your Texas Drivers License
Step 1: Take a Good Texas Driver’s Ed Course
Your Driver’s Ed course at Drive Smart Driving School provides the foundation for your driver training. It sets you up with the knowledge you need to be fully prepared behind the wheel. If you live in many areas, like Carrollton, Plano West, Plano, Frisco, Coppell, Addison, Lewisville, Denton, or Farmers Branch you can come to our school and enroll in one of our courses. In fact, if you live anywhere in Texas you can come to our driver ed school.
Special Note:
• Taking Driver’s Ed online is not necessarily a good step to getting your license since it does not give you the same great driver education like Drive Smart does. Also, while the course may appear cheaper take this into consideration. Most all online or parent taught programs graduates do not get insurance discounts. In fact, you will most likely pay between: $400 to $700 more the first year in insurance costs. Drive Smart Driving School graduates will receive a certificate that will more get them insurance discounts until they are 21. The money you save in insurance payments the first 6 months alone pays for our course. While offering a convenient online alternative to a classroom course, the danger is not; understanding that the student will still have to complete 37 driving hours with their parent. For most, this never gets done and the student may have a permit, but not be eligible for a license. At Drive Smart, we provide both in car and classroom, this makes getting the permit and driver’s license much faster.
• If you have started an online or parent taught program you can still come to our school. We accept transfers or we can help with the 30 hour log.
Step 2: Get your Learners Permit
Once you have begun classroom instruction, the next step to getting your license is taking Behind-the-Wheel instruction. This is the practical portion of your driver training, and you must complete a minimum amount of 14 hours with a driving instructor. At Drive Smart Driving School, our driver ed program is designed to get our students permits after just 3 days of classroom. You must pass a Texas Department of Public Safety Knowledge and Signs test. That is what our driving school students prepare for during the first three days of driver ed classroom instruction.
Special Note:
Many school charge additional fees for testing. We include all the fee’s in our price. There are no hidden or additional charges. Online programs often times are not able to provide the test, forcing the student to go to the DPS office for testing with little preparation. The online and parent taught driver education courses that do provide testing; often times charge extra (like the cost of the whole course again) if the student fails to make a 70. Drive Smart Driving School never charges more. The student is simply given more time to prepare and we have no limit or charge on retakes.
Step 3: Get Your 30 Hour Log Done
Once you’ve got your learner’s permit in hand, you can begin behind-the-wheel practice with a supervising adult, such as a parent.
Once you’ve made it through your driver’s education course, you are ready for Behind-the-Wheel training at home. Texas requires that all persons under 18 years of age, complete 30 hours of training beyond the 14 hours of driving school. You can do this with anyone age 21 or older with a valid drivers license of at least 1 year. Drive Smart will provide you with the necessary forms, and we are available to purchase additional drive times (at a very reasonable charge) which count towards your log.
Step 4: Get Plenty of Practice
• Pay attention to things that happen on the road even when you are and are not the one behind the wheel. Consider how you would react to different situations, and treat any time in the car, even as a passenger, as valuable learning time.
Step 5: Apply for Your Driver’s License!
Generally Texas DPS offices do not do this on a walk in basis. You can schedule you test in person at any office in Texas or do it online.
• Bring the correct forms with you when you apply. You’ll need:
• Birth certificate/proof of birth or legal presence
• Proof of U.S. citizenship
• Proof of your full name
• Social Security Number
• Certificate of Completion from your driving school
• Behind-the-Wheel 30 hour completion form
Tips:
• Always stay calm. Though your driving test can be a nerve-wracking experience, you’ll think much more clearly if you take a few deep breaths before you begin and remain calm during your exam.
• Have the right paperwork with you. Remember that you are not only taking your road test, but applying for your driver’s license too. Show up to the testing center with:
• Proof of Driver’s Ed and Behind-the-Wheel Training completion
• Your learner’s permit
• Valid vehicle registration
• Proof of insurance
• Proof of your birth date/legal presence
• Proof of your full name
• Your Social Security Number
Once you’ve passed your test and turned in the proper forms, you can call yourself a licensed driver! You will be issued a temporary paper driver’s license before receiving your regular license in the mail. Congratulations, and remember to always Drive Smart!